The $175 billion market that teens bring to businesses is staggering. What's even more staggering is that that number is lower than it should be. No one can measure the amount of influence teens and young adults have on their parents' back pockets. Often they rely on Mom and Dad to buy the latest and greatest piece of technology out there. But they show financial independence as well; one in three high school seniors has a credit card and 63% of their income is self-generated.



They are the fastest growing market in this decade as their buying power increases more and more every year. The problem is that many marketing firms are at a loss when it comes to advertising to this demographic. These younger demographics are doing new things at incredible paces. They are demanding, connected, and very aware of sales attempts.

So where does a marketing agency begin? Well, advertising to this demographic is guesswork for many. But here are a few simple tips to help you get a basic grasp on the most successful methods teen marketing agencies are using today.

Tip #1 – Don't go traditional. Radio? No. Newspaper? No. Magazine and TV? Now you're getting warmer. You don't see kids at the bus stop reading the daily news or popping on headphones to tune to their favorite FM station. They're listening to satellite radio or watching reruns of their favorite TV series on iPods.

Utilize mediums that the younger demographics are actually in touch with. Internet ads, cell phone marketing, even tried and true television advertising works. If you advertise in traditional mediums and expect that you're reaching young demographics “enough,” you're not spending your dollars wisely. Spend where it counts.

Tip #2 – Don't sell. Kids are very smart and they learn quickly. Sales attempts hardly work on them because they've grown up in an age of advertising. The average American sees anywhere from 600 to 3,000 advertising messages a day. Teens most likely see the upper end of this statistic and have learned to sniff out a sales attempt before it even happens. If you try to sell them, you'll lose them. Advertise your products without using double-speak, buzz words, or crazy advertising lingo.

Tip #3 – Parents are part of the equation. In reality, kids don't really have that much money. If they're a younger teenager, they most likely have an allowance that they'll part with very reluctantly. If they have a job, they'll know the value of money and they'll spend wisely.

So what do you do? Do what Virgin Mobile did with their cell phone campaign. They did a “Parent Enlightenment” campaign where they encouraged teens to educate their parents and also guilt them into buying them a cell phone. Mommy and Daddy will always buy for their kids. Target that age group where parent involvement is most excessive and use Virgin's method.

Tip #4 – Pop culture works. Teens relate to iconic figures in popular movies, magazines, and music. Is there any question why the top designer companies get Paris Hilton to wear their latest fashions for free? She wears an outfit on a Saturday night and by Monday the items sell like crazy.

Most ad budgets don't accommodate high caliber celebrities. But music works just as well. Whereas young teens like to conform to their friends' interests, older teens develop their own tastes and like to be individuals. Do research and find some music that would really hit home with your target. Songs can literally make or break ads. You know an advertisement is doing its job when you see people walking down the street singing the tune in it.

Tip #5 – Brand, brand, brand. Just as teens relate to celebrities and popular songs, they also relate to the brands they buy. Keep your brand in front of their face. For example, the fashion industry has created a cult following for clothing stores like American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Hot Topic, Old Navy, and Express. They plaster their individual brands all over the clothing they sell. These kids are walking billboards and are proud to be walking billboards.

Produce this kind of brand loyalty in teens (which is easier than producing it in adults), and you'll have lifelong fans of your business.

Tip #6 – Utilize their network. Teens are constantly connected through email, instant messaging, cell phones, and other mobile devices. Combine their networking abilities with their passion for free things. Websites like BzzAgent.com use their agents to start wide scale word of mouth campaigns for companies. If you can set up this “agent-like” relationship with your teen customers, you can expect a great response.

Be wary of the negative effects word of mouth advertising can have. It's easier to bash a product than praise it. And a dissatisfied customer tells 3-4 times as many people about their experience than a satisfied one.

Tip #7 – Hire them. The best way to market to teens and the younger demographics is to get an insider's view of the market. Pay high school students and offer internships to college students to assist your company in marketing to their demographics. They'll have a really good time because they won't feel as if they're in over their head, and you'll be getting some very useful information.

If your budget is not that big, create some focus groups of teenagers and have them analyze advertisements on TV and in popular magazines. Learn from their responses and even have them come up with their own ways to market to their demographic. Who better to market to teens than teens themselves, right?