Marketing to millennials can be tricky. These 17–36-year-olds are 2.5x more likely than other generations to be early adopters when it comes to technology. They’re also, of course, connected—to the internet, to their devices, to social media platforms.

What do you know about millennials? Their years of birth span from 1980 to 2000. This segment is currently either in college or out of college and working. While in different life stages, they share some similar characteristics that are important to understand as you market your product or service to them.

For starters, millennials are the most diverse generation in history. Despite their connectivity to the internet, devices, and social media, they’re more cautious than other generations and need to find the honesty in interactions.

To market to millennials, you first have to understand them. This diverse generation makes up 23% of the total U.S. population. What makes them important to companies, however, is that millennials make up a large percentage of consumer discretionary purchases. This is why you need to know them well, in order to market to them well.

Make word-of-mouth marketing a priority with influencer outreach and a focus on reviews, and be aware that “social proof” is important to this generation. You have to be real and appeal to these consumers’ values. Your best bet is to sell your purpose, not your products and services. Learn more in the infographic below.