The only thing more important to a Millennial than their smartphones and tablets is what they do on those devices: Share every waking moment of their lives on various social media platforms.
In the morning, they take a photo of the amazing breakfast they had and upload it to Instagram. At work, they’ll take pictures of themselves with funny filters on Snapchat during a break (or when the boss isn’t looking). When they get home, they’ll post a status update to Facebook informing all their friends they’re beginning their binge watching session of whatever show is the latest craze on Netflix.
These all seem like mundane events, but when that person goes somewhere special (an exotic country) or experiences something truly remarkable (meeting a celebrity), it causes FOMO — fear of missing out. Without a doubt, it seems as if the goal of constantly posting about one’s life is to either a) make the person who is posting seem more interesting than they actually are or b) make their friends jealous. This behavior is spurred on by likes, comments, and shares, and keeps everyone looking for new ways to make their followers wish they were there, too.
Let’s apply this concept to the luxury ground transportation industry, shall we? What would impress my friends more: A post from the back of an Uber or Lyft driver’s Toyota Prius with some questionable candy in the cup holder, or a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a Maybach ceiling and mood lighting driven by a chauffeur? I’m going to venture a guess and say the latter would get me tons of sarcastic “Thanks for the invite! ” comments while the former would prompt ones like, “Better hope those mints aren’t laced with something…”
“But Lexi! Millennials are all about saving money and being cheap. Aren’t people your age constantly complaining about student debt?” you ask. Yes, this is true. Chauffeured transportation isn’t cheap — but as I’ve heard MANY of you say, “You get what you pay for.” People my age crave experiences, not material objects. Many of my friends are disciplined enough to put away a little bit of their paychecks each week to save for trips to foreign countries and then rave about going to another as soon as their plane lands back home. You see, once Millennials taste what a rare experience is like, they crave more. This is what you must learn how to take advantage of; but first you have to get them in the car.
If they start to quibble about price and how they can get a better rate with an app-based company, tell them anyone can take a TNC. But if they want to arrive on time, safe, and (most importantly) in style, they should give you a try. Consider offering a special coupon code on your business’ social media accounts, or tell them you’ll give them a refund if they aren’t completely satisfied with their experience.
Also explain to them the benefits of vehicles like luxury vans and minibuses for group excursions to clubs and bar crawls. They hold more people, meaning the price can be split up which makes it more affordable. Everyone will arrive at the same time, and no one will drive while inebriated. Most importantly, no one will get left out due to lack of seats; you can’t Uber a Sprinter. Tell them to check out your Yelp page and testimonials on your mobile friendly website if they have any doubts about what they are getting for the cash they are dropping.
When they do decide to go through with it, encourage them to post a review and include your official hashtag when they post their photos and videos on social media (and trust me, they will).
The bottom line is this: Using a luxury car service is a unique experience — so start marketing it as one.
LEXI TUCKER is LCT assistant editor and coordinator of the LCT Fast 40, a group of operators under 40 who collaborate and learn from each other about all aspects of chauffeured transportation. She can be reached at lexi@lctmag.com.
Keywords
client demographics client markets LCTFast40 Lexi Tucker Lyft marketing/promotions Millennial Matters Millennials Sales & Marketing Social Media social media marketing TNCs Uber
Follow @lctmag on Twitter
via Limo News http://ift.tt/2igSz84
