Generation Connected

What is Generation Y? Gen Y refers to the population group in the US born from somewhere around 1976 to around 2000.  Born sometime between the launch of the VCR and the commercialization of the Internet, Americans 18-34 are redefining media consumption with their unique embrace of all things digital.  Nielsen has a new name for Generation Y: Generation C. That’s ‘C’ for Connected.’  Today, many of the younger Gen Y are just entering the workforce…how have we branded to them and where will they spend their money?  Once we embrace the power of this generation, we can then begin to examine who they are, what makes them tick, and what they want from our businesses.  Apple, Trader Joes, Starbucks, Mountain Dew, and Red Bull, have all been successful marketing to this generation. 

Gen Y are “optimistic” and have a stong sense of “entitlement.”  Spoiled?  Maybe.  However, this generation blossoms the possibility for growing strong new leaders and inventive new thinkers.  We have here a group of highly social men and women who want to do something that they are truly passionate about… they want to make a difference.  Gen Y doesn’t communicate the way older generations have in the past.  (personal interaction, phone and e-mail.)  Instead, information is exchanged and gathered through digitial and social media outlets.  (texting, skyping, Youtube)

It’s no surprise they don’t read the local paper, watch a lot of TV or listen to traditional radio.  It’s going to be difficult to reach them, but not impossible.  Social media would be a no-brainer place to start, but other places to connect:  extreme sports, social functions, music-related events, and high-tech outlets such as smart phones and ipads.

Here’s a look at what Gen Y considers before purchasing a product or service:

• Cheap cost
• Fast service
• Decent quality
• Referral from a friend
• Love ‘the experience’

Free will often cost you something-don’t get hacked

The term ‘free’ is subject to interpretation and open to speculation.  When the government offers something for ‘free,’ most people chuckle because they know it will cost someone….something.  Whether it’s taking away from something else or creating a new way to collect for the cost of the ‘free,’ it will, one way or another, have to be paid for.   This type of ‘free’ is not what it appears to be on the surface.

It’s different if you buy your family ice-cream cones on a ‘buy one, get one free’ Tuesday in July at a local shoppe.   It’s ok to accept the offer as ‘free’ because you are earning it through a paid service or purchase, as a way to generate business or as a result of loyalty to a brand or merchant.   That merchant makes up the money by generating more new customers and more frequent visitors.   It’s good for you and good for business.  

Online business listings are free right?  No.  There is little to no customer service available if you need help.  They eat-up your time and it’s easy to end up with a hot mess online.  Creating online listings using your primary e-mail address is a definite ‘no-no’ as it will cause a tremendous amount of clutter, spam and soliciting e-mails.  If you want the benefit of online listings, have the Leaning Tree Marketing set you your business up for as little as $250.  

Free e-mail services, (Yahoo!, Hotmail & Gmail, etc.), provide easy access to your accounts from any computer.  They are put to good use as secondary e-mails to keep your primary clean from clutter.  Many offer large amounts of storage, instant messaging, supposedly virus protection &  spam filtering.  This may seem like a very generous thing, but why would Yahoo!, Hotmail & GMail, etc. care about you?  And, how will they offer so many services without somehow getting paid?   They have to get paid and trust me they do!  Your personal information is always at risk.  I should also mention that these ‘free’ e-mail services are easier to hack into than you may think.  (Recently happened to me.)  hopefully these tips will prevent you from the same nightmare I just went through.

How does and e-mail get hacked?

When an e-mail service has been idle for some time, you’ll be asked to re-login.  If this re-login screen is emulated in an email, what is intended to be a security feature turns into a security risk. You type in the password to log in again, but the password is silently sent to the password phisher/hacker instead. 

How to stop it from happening to you.

Be alert and suspicious regarding imitation login-ins by watching the URL address it’s coming from.  

 Do not reveal personal information inadvertently.

Add security features to your login such as ‘site-keys.’

Turn on cookie notices in your Web browser, and/or use cookie management software.

Beware sites that offer some sort of reward or prize in exchange for your contact information or other personal details.

Never respond to spammers.