Slay Black Friday: Five Ways Marketers Can Engage Gen Z

With Gen Z’s spending power increasing, Richard Hanscott, CEO of communications software provider Esendex, explains how brands can tap into this valuable group of spenders this Black Friday.

If you’re not targeting Gen Z this black Friday, you could be missing out on half a billion pounds worth of sales. 

This group – born between 1997 and 2012 – is expected to splash the cash on 29 November, with half on the lookout for new technology including mobiles and laptops. Discounts are driving purchases, even though Gen Z is set to have the highest disposable income of any generation. The financially-savvy generation loves a bargain, with 69% of young people working to a budget. 

Jumping on viral trends is one way to capture Gen Z’s attention. Mochi ice cream balls, Gigi Hadid’s pasta and cucumber salads have all blown up on TikTok, with established retailers like Aldi and M&S capitalising on the trends. In fact, almost half of TikTok users (49%) have taken action after seeing supermarket content including 30% visiting stores. 

However, nailing marketing for Gen Z can be challenging and fiercely competitive during Black Friday as the demographic has notoriously picky buying habits. The generation grew up with the internet – but they don’t like to be sold to on social media, and instead are influenced by brand values and authenticity. 

Cutting through the noise 

Globally, Gen Z’s buying power is set to rise to $12 trillion by 2030 – but it’s a hard audience to crack. Marketers need to understand Gen Z’s language, expectations and how they interact with content. 

Yes, Gen Z loves social media, in particular TikTok, but it might not be the most effective way to reach them directly. Our Connected Consumer report set out to shine a light on consumers’ behaviour and identify the most popular channels across generations.

Here’s what it revealed: 

• SMS is the most popular channel to reach young people  
• Some 94% of all UK consumers would open, read and act on a text from your brand 
• Only 66% would respond to a message sent through social media

Wider research shows that mobile commerce (M-commerce) is thriving with 69% of online purchases made through a mobile. It’s no wonder Gen Z prefers SMS and WhatsApp to receive messages from brands, especially when rich features and product links are used to create engaging experiences. 

However, a message alone won’t be enough to win Gen Z over this Black Friday. It needs to be perfectly executed to capture a slice of the expected spend. 

Quality   

Our research report also highlighted that 85% of 18 to 24 year olds would stop using a business’ service if their communication was poor. 

Your Black Friday messaging needs to be on point regardless of the channel you use. With SMS, characters are limited to 160, so messages need to be direct and to the point – but this can actually work in your favour because Gen Z values honesty and transparency. 

Personalisation 

Personalisation is another tactic that can drive Black Friday sales. 

Some 90% of UK consumers agree it encourages them to complete an action. Simple tactics like  addressing your customers by their first name, and using data like buying behaviour to share tailored product recommendations or offers can go a long way towards building a connection. 

A text to inform Gen Z that their favourite product is in stock, sales alerts or early access will also come across as being helpful and relevant.

Timing 

Clear and direct, SMS is perfect for timely messages in the run up to Black Friday. To boost sales, you could use language like ‘buy now’ or ‘selling out’ to create a sense of urgency. 

Automation 

From marketing campaigns, to sales and returns, Black Friday is one of the busiest times for retailers. 

Automating communications saves time and improves customer satisfaction, especially when Gen Z expects immediate responses. 

Automated replies can be sent using WhatsApp, SMS or RCS (rich communication services) to acknowledge that you have received a message, or quick response buttons and chatbot integration can take the load off your customer service team. 

Watch your language

Always use conversational and friendly language that resonates with Gen Z. Young people appreciate cultural awareness along with honesty, so use light-hearted humour where possible. One option is to work with Gen-Zers in your team to compose messages that hit the mark. 

That said, it’s important that you stay on brand and avoid the risk of alienating other generations. If that’s the case, focus on reflecting Gen Z’s values like honesty and authenticity. 

It’s also important to segment your audience, so you can better target Gen Z with relevant content.

Trust 

Marketing today relies on customer data (which can be hard to collect) but our report found that over half (52%) of consumers would hand over contact details to a business. 

That trust would increase with features like verified sender ID and clear messaging. With WhatsApp and RCS, you could create a verified business profile branded with your logo, colours and messaging to improve trust.  

Since 2010, Black Friday has become a major shopping event in the UK for both customers and retailers. From big brands to independents, there is no shortage of deals which makes it even more difficult to stand out. 

creating a tailored and authentic experience during Black Friday can even help you win over a Gen Z customer for life. To find out how you can boost sales and reach this Black Friday, visit www.esendex.co.uk/ebooks/black-friday-guide.

For more such updates, follow us on Google News Martech News

ABOUT THE AUTHOR