Turn Millennial parents into loyal customers

August 22, 2019 by Smart Retailing Rx
Parent Marketing

Market to Millennials and build your customer base for the future

In brief:

  • Most new parents are Millennials (ages 23 to 38).
  • Millennials have very different shopping habits, meaning you must market to them differently.
  • Millennials are loyal; get them as customers and you will keep them for years.

Targeting new parents = targeting Millennials

Most new parents are Millennials. They were born between 1981 and 1996 and are 23 to 38 years old.1 More than 1 million are giving birth each year.2

Millennials buy differently

Here are four ways Millennials’ purchasing behavior differs from that of other generations:

How Millennials ShopDescription
  1. Get info via social media
  1. Buy brands they love
  • 64% buy a brand they love before checking out a competitor.5
  • 52% stay loyal despite more convenient options.6
  1. Spend more on brands
  • 49% stay with a brand they like even when it costs more.7
  1. Like subscriptions
  • Subscription services (like Netflix) are increasingly popular among Millennials, as nearly one third use a subscription service for meal kits, shaving supplies, clothes and even kids’ activities. This article “23 Best Subscription Boxes for Babies and Parents” shows the growth in kid-focused subscription options.8

Marketing to Millennials

Because Millennials shop, buy and communicate differently, it is necessary to market to them differently. Here are some tips on marketing to Millennials and turning them into loyal customers.

Marketing to MillennialsDescription
  1. Be active online
  • This is the best way to reach Millennials. Create and post share-worthy content on Facebook. Create a helpful video, such as how to measure children’s medications. Have a presence on Instagram with frequent, fun photos.
  1. Encourage online referrals
  • Moms don’t just seek information online; they also post things, including referrals. 64% share information about health or medical services.9 Ask customers to Like your Facebook page, write a review on Yelp or Google, follow your pharmacy on Instagram, or simply tell a friend.
  1. Try online ads
  • If you haven’t tried paid ads on social media, new parents may be a perfect group to reach that way. Consider creating a small budget and trying online ads.
  1. Consider a subscription model
  • Consider subscriptions that apply to Millennials. Perhaps build on your med sync capabilities by seeing what prescriptions a family needs each month, call to check in, offer to add any OTC items, like diapers, and then deliver it all. This takes med sync to the next level.

While using social media and new models is an important part of marketing to Millennials, the basics of making a personal connection still apply.

  • Offer your expertise. Partner with other providers to host quarterly sessions for new and expecting parents on topics like babyproofing a home or medication safety. Or even host a weekly Facebook Live chat (which is easy to learn how to do) to answer questions, or bring in other experts such as a nurse pediatrician or dietician. Connect with play groups, schools and youth sports leagues to discuss how your pharmacy can support kids and families.
  • Send a greeting card. Mail a postcard to new parents letting them know about your pharmacy and offering a discount on items they will need.
  • Remember physicians. Educate local providers about your expertise — particularly if you have a Pediatric Pharmacy Specialist on staff — as well as services like compounding. When a doctor’s office knows what you can do, they will refer families.
  • Be in on the fun. Participate in health fairs and other community events. Take photos you can share on social media.

Think beyond mom

You want your marketing to go beyond Millennial moms. That’s because 17% of Millennial dads are stay-at-home caregivers, and dads are more involved with their kids today.10 And where does a Millennial dad go for help on parenting? They go to YouTube to watch videos.11 With this in mind, consider informative, fun videos that appeal to dads. Archive them on your website for easy reference, and post them periodically on Facebook.

Also, 3 million grandparents are actively involved in raising young kids.12

This means the photos you use on your website and in ads should show a variety of different types of families.

Make new parents a marketing priority

While children are the future, it is parents who make buying decisions. Make it a priority to rethink your marketing and messages to appeal to this important group. Drawing more parents into your pharmacy and turning them into loyal customers will pay dividends for years.

1 “Defining Generations: Where Millennials End and Generation Z Begins,” Michael Dimock, Pew Research Center, January 17, 2019. LINK
2 “More Than a Million Millennials Are Becoming Moms Each Year,” Gretchen Livingston, Pew Research Center, May 4, 2018. LINK
3 “When Marketing to Millennial Parents: Authenticity Is Required,” Jeff Fromm, Forbes, Sept. 21, 2016. LINK
4 “Why New Parents Turn to a Virtual Village,” Facebook IQ, May 8, 2018. LINK
5 “NRF Study Finds Millennial Parents Shop Differently than Those from Other Generations,” National Retail Federation, April 29, 2018. LINK
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 “The State of Consumer Spending: Millennials Flexing Their Retail Market Influence in U.S. and U.K.,” First Insight, May 2019. LINK
9 “What Makes Them Buy, Back-to-School Edition: Millennial Parents and Gen Alpha Kids,” The Shelf, July 9, 2019. LINK
10 Ibid.
11 “Marketing to Millennial Parents? Here’s How They’re Redefining Parenting for Their Generation,” Netta Gross and Celie O’Neil-Hart, Think with Google,  March 2017. LINK
12 “Grandparents Report Success in Raising Grandchildren,” Kent Allen, AARP, Nov. 6, 2018. LINK