What to Expect from Millennial Buyers

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Sept. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With the Millennial Generation poised to transform the world as we know it within the next five years, it's time business-to-business (B2B) companies paid attention to how this generation makes decisions as buyers. A new research paper, "Millennials as B2B Buyers: Understanding motivation, attitudes and digital direction for capturing their attention" explores key issues B2B organizations face in finding ways to engage with, and attract and keep the attention of the largest and most diverse generation ever. Produced by The FORUM, the research arm of the Business Marketing Association (BMA), the paper draws from the study, Millennials in the Workplace, conducted by FORUM researcher Dr. Frank Mulhern, of Northwestern University.

"With 95 million millennials prepped to take over the American economy, companies have to pay attention to the impact this will have on how they approach and engage with this unique group of buyers," said Dr. Mulhern. "Their plugged-in lifestyle differs dramatically from other generations, and so does the amount of trust they believe they can give to brands. B2B marketing strategies will have to adapt."

Specifically, the paper draws attention to the study's major findings by pointing out:

• Millennials believe businesses should help resolve social issues and not measure success strictly in financial terms
• Trust is a major factor, and millennials don't trust traditional media, advertising or brands
• How to market "with" millennials rather than "to" this generation
• Specific tools and channels that B2B brands need to adopt in order to foster relationships with millennials

"Because of their relentless electronic research, millennials have different expectations from those of previous generations when it comes to making purchases and engaging in buying decisions," said BMA Chairman Steve Liguori. "This will guide B2B marketers as they evolve their strategy and begin engaging this unique generation of influencers and decision makers."

To download the research report and original study, visit the Knowledge Center area of the BMA website.

About the FORUM
The FORUM at Northwestern University is the strategic original research division of the Business Marketing Association. The FORUM promotes a people-centered leadership approach by: providing relevant, provocative, and actionable academic research; creating a platform for leaders to dialog, network and benchmark practices; delivering ideas for practical action and experimentation; and, building and supporting a community of champions for people-centered leadership. http://bit.ly/XwMffj

About the Business Marketing Association
For more than 90 years, the Business Marketing Association (BMA) has dedicated itself exclusively to the discipline of business-to-business marketing. We enrich the lives of B2B marketer by providing a forum to connect them to learn about new trends and network with peers to exchange ideas. As the largest organization in the world dedicated to B2B marketing, our 18 chapters and 2,500 members represent corporate professionals, agencies, small businesses and suppliers committed to advancing the practice of B2B marketing. To learn more, visit www.marketing.org.

SOURCE Business Marketing Association