Consisting of those born in 1997 and onward, Generation Z has occupied an ever-changing economic climate. Entering the workforce during the pandemic, experiencing explosive wage growth, and now navigating inflation, Gen Zers have seen a lot. Their roller-coaster ride of experiences as they enter the workforce has already shifted buying patterns. Companies that want to connect with them must first understand their needs and adjust their practices to meet them.
1. Offer Dynamic Payment Options
If you thought Millennials were wallet-conscious, you haven’t spent much time with Gen Z. Having witnessed economic highs and lows, fintech blunders, and cryptomania, Gen Z is in tune with their money. As such, they’re much more discerning with their income and how they manage it.
More often than not, these consumers would be hard-pressed to produce paper cash, instead opting for digital payments. If you’re trying to transact with the most digitized generation ever, you’ll need to offer more than the basics.
Integrate your checkout with digital payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Use secure, accelerated shopping tools like Shop Pay to reduce the steps between your customer and a closed sale. Offer buy now, pay later options like Afterpay and allow customers to break up their purchase over time.
Offering dynamic, tech-friendly payment methods lets Gen Zers know that you’re in touch with their needs. Plus, with multiple options, you reduce the friction and frustration that could otherwise lead to an abandoned cart.
2. Upgrade Your Influencer Marketing Strategy
Social media influencers aren’t going anywhere — not anytime soon, at least. And whether you love social media or not, you’ve got to know how to play the game. In the early days of social media influence, brand partnerships reigned supreme. But Gen Z sees through talking points and cringe-worthy calls to action. Avoid being deemed cheugy and crack the code of what’s working on social and how you can get in.
Across platforms, authenticity, humor, and raw reactions resonate the most with Gen Z. Stop with the overproduced social media content and, instead, offer stripped-down access to people in their least varnished form.
Today’s social media darlings show up in sweatpants and offer realness from their parked cars. Instead of feeling like a sales pitch, product mentions and recommendations feel like advice and insight from a friend.
Exchange your influencer marketing program for one full of authenticity and identify current fans to work with on upcoming campaigns. Retain their voice and style to deliver clear messaging that resonates with their followers. Chime in through your company’s account within posted comments, both good and bad. The more you engage, the more you’ll humanize your brand, connect with customers, and inspire sales.
3. Let Them Know What You Stand For
These days, it takes more than just a great product to land a sale. What your company stands for matters almost as much as product quality and function. And if you want to connect with Gen Z customers, you’d better be clear about what you’re about.
Say you source your products from artisans in a remote Andean village. Your value proposition isn’t just that you offer beautiful handmade goods — it’s also the story behind them. Share how you came to connect with these artisans and how your company pays them a living wage.
Gen Z customers care about your brand’s impact perhaps even more than the product. Use storytelling and share the “why” behind what you do. This two-way conversation allows for greater connection and drives loyalty.
Keep your purpose at the forefront of sales and engagement marketing to both generate sales and do more good. Companies that lead with their mission rather than their product can generate organic conversations online that further drive sales.
Seek To Understand The Needs Of Your Customers Over Time
Gen Z has forged a new path for commerce. Bucking old trends set by the generations before them, businesses’ newest buyers are shaking things up. Blaring television ads are now background noise, while casual mentions from a favorite social media personality drive buying behavior.
Dedicate time, effort, and budget toward understanding this growing customer base. Be willing to try new things, even if they go against the grain of what’s worked before. When you do, you’ll become an in-touch company that Gen Zers will know and love for life.
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