More than three-quarters of Australian SMEs don’t have deliberate strategies to appeal to Millennials or Generation Z customers, according to new research from American Express.
This comes at a time when these two generations combined represent more than half of the Australian population and a growing market share.
SME’s lack of targeting is in stark contrast to big business who are increasingly tailoring their approach to engaging this influential set of customers. Among larger businesses in Australia, 90 per cent are using deliberate targeting strategies to reach Gen Z, according to American Express.
The research suggests that the younger market may be a strategic blind spot for SMEs; with the majority (90 per cent) of these businesses saying they are confident with their company’s current strategy – higher than the global average. Yet while the majority of SMEs may not be tailoring their marketing effectively, 60 per cent say that their customers are now demanding more tailored products and services.
According to American Express vice president of global commercial services Australia and New Zealand Martin Seward, SMEs have an enormous opportunity to increase their relevance and market share by changing the way they engage with customers of different ages and interests.
“It’s all about knowing who’s looking at your business and buying your products and employing different marketing strategies based on what you learn. Making those stronger connections typically starts with data. Though many SMEs don’t know where to start or view cost as a barrier, the good news is that today, technology that can help, is more accessible than ever and the longer-term benefits can be significant and well worth the upfront work and investment,” he said.
The desire to improve technology capabilities is strong among Australian SMEs, with four out of five saying they intend to implement the latest technology over the next three years. However, the American Express SME Pulse also reveals that over a third of SMEs currently feel they are ineffective at applying the latest technology in their business. This is also a potential barrier preventing them from using social media, digital marketing and omnichannel retailing known to be popular among younger consumers.
