Millennials (1981-1996) make up 43% of homebuyers (NAR, 2021) – and for the first time ever – Millennials are more likely to be first-time home sellers instead of being first-time home buyers. These new move-up buyers are a wonderfully fun demographic to do business with, and based on their character traits, we tell you how you shine in their eyes.

Millennials have high expectations. 

Millennials – like me!- have grown up with the start of companies like Zappos and Amazon, where the customer service was better and the delivery is faster. Millennials don’t have a lot of patience for under-performing businesses, and dealing with lackluster real estate agents is no exception! 

Good news is, it’s not hard work to rise to the high expectations of Millennials. Simple niceties and classic customer service will take you far with this demographic. 

Some ways to impress:

• Genuinely like your job, and show enthusiasm for what you are doing.

• Follow all ethical standards, and be highly professional. (Wanna dress like a badass and cuss a lil’ around your real cool clients? Do that, too – authenticity is powerful and professionalism to us means doing good honest work). 

• Follow up when you say you’re going to follow up (give expectations up front for when and how you will communicate with clients).

• Create a VIP or loyalty program where current, past, and potential clients are spoiled. 

Millennials have a passion for education. 

Millennials are seeking out educational opportunities more than any other generation (read that somewhere), and as a real estate agent who knows their stuff, you can have a competitive edge over other agents and help Millennials feel in control of their big sales and purchases. 

Some ideas to help educate:

• Create a monthly newsletter that includes any of the following: a historical fact about your target market area, a new development in the area, a worthwhile fact about the real estate market or buying/selling process (something that will be of actual value to anyone buying or selling). 

• Use your social media profile to really highlight your knowledge of your profession. If people feel like you can educate them through social media, then they’ll trust that you can guide them during their real estate purchases and sales. Need ideas on what educational posts you should make? Grab our free guide to Elite Content: 80 Social Media Post Ideas.

• Comment on shared articles and stories where you can add something to the discussion that will leave a positive impression. Don’t sell your services, show your expertise. 

• Send video newsletters with quick educational tidbits to help would-be buyers and sellers feel more comfortable entering the market – give them an idea of what the buyer and seller roles look and feel like!

Millennials are tech savvy.

Millennials have been on technology most of our lives, and we’ve been on social media since its conception. You have the best of both worlds with Millennials, they know how to write in cursive but they can also like, share, and save your new fun Reel you created for marketing purposes. You can really have fun trying new helpful technology (from fun marketing with social media, to smooth transaction processing with things like, CMA technology, e-signing and auto-match emails). 

Some ideas to leverage their tech-savviness: 

• Millennials are very used to being asked to give reviews through various platforms. While they can easily leave reviews using technology, you still have to be old-school to make them want to do it! Offer a unique token of appreciation that is very on-brand (for my coffee-loving agents, think: stylish to-go coffee cup with low-key branding or a giftcard to a local coffee shop (supporting local businesses is a great way to meet potential clients on the B2B end!)

• Communicate via text and email over voice calls. Find a unique way of using text messages like sending image graphics detailing next steps in the buying/selling process. Real quick images that a Millennial can scan and feel up-to-date (brand the graphic to keep your clients in a cohesive brand experience!)

• Make sure you are showing up wherever your ideal audience is (72% of millennials are on Instagram and 90’s culture is trending on the app real hard). Talk about content that is authentically engaging for you and your ideal audience will gravitate towards you and engage right with you. 

• Keep a basic, simple website up for a good landing page where you can control everything. It’s great when a broker gives you a page, or when you have a cool IG profile, but those “storefronts” do not belong to you. They can change at any moment, and you don’t have complete control of the look and feel. With your own website, you control what happens, and Millennials surfing through social media or Google will have a unique space to go to get to know you a little better. Have questions on the best website platforms for DIY marketers? Reach out, we’d love to brainstorm with you! 

There you go – a list of perfect ways to engage with Millennials, the biggest share of home buyers and the second biggest share of home sellers. Liked that content and want to read more? Check out some of our other business-building posts!

How to Choose The Best Brokerage for Your Real Estate Business

5 Things to Know To Be The Real Estate Expert In Your Market

God and Your Real Estate Business: Part 1

XOXO,
Sarah