It seems like the CEOs and CMOs of every consumer-facing industry are trying to figure out the best strategies to market to the 80 million millennials in the U.S., which is why the topic is getting so much attention at this year’s Fast Casual Executive Summit, said Cherryh Butler, senior editor of FastCasual.com and hostess of the event set for Oct. 13-15 in New Orleans.
“Millennials live on their smartphones, often have expendable income, eat out a lot and are all about social media. That makes them a nearly perfect customer,” said Butler, who will moderate a panel to help each restaurant operator learn how to go after the segment. “The Big (Easy) Idea: Reaching Millennials Via Mobile” will also feature Steve Heeley, CEO of Earl of Sandwich, and Joe Sloboda, the Florida franchisee of VooDoo BBQ. They’ll share their successes and failures when it comes to engaging the 18-year-old to 30-something population.
We’ll give you a hint; the key is mobile marketing.
“For millennials, mass marketing doesn’t work. Effective marketing starts with knowing who they are, what they like and building relationships with them and their friends,” said the panel’s final speaker, Jitendra Gupta, founder and CEO of Punchh, a mobile loyalty company. “Mobile is often the only channel to engage them and get their attention.”
Marketing to millennials will also be the focus of one the Summit’s keynote presentations. Jeff Fromm, author of “Marketing to Millennials: Reach the Largest and Most Influential Generation of Consumers Ever,” will share his insights from years of research on the behavior of millennials.
Registration for the 8th annual Fast Casual Executive Summit is now open at https://www.fastcasualsummit.com.
About the Fast Casual Executive Summit
Networld Media Group, publisher of FastCasual.com, created this exclusive event for top-level restaurant executives, leaders and innovators of the fast casual industry. In its eighth year, the Summit’s goal remains to bring together an experienced group of restaurant professionals whose common interests and concerns are brought to the table for open discussion in a fun and relaxing environment.
About Networld Media Group
Founded in 2000, Networld Media Group is a leading business-to-business media communications company specializing in digital media, associations and events in the mobile, self-service, digital signage, retail, food service and financial services industries. Online properties include ATMmarketplace.com, DigitalSignageToday.com, FastCasual.com, KioskMarketplace.com, MobilePaymentsToday.com, PizzaMarketplace.com, QSRweb.com, RetailCustomerExperience.com, SelfServiceWorld.com and ChurchCentral.com. The company produces executive summits in the fast casual, retail, ATM and mobile payments industries. Its custom media division develops premium content and marketing services for associations such as the ATM Industry Association.
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