Marketing to Generation Y

Generation Y, the iPod generation, the connecteds or the echo boom. However you know them, there are two important facts you need to know. They currently spend 200 billion dollars annually and they are about to displace the baby boomers as the largest percentage of the workforce.

First let's talk big picture about generation Y. They were born between 1977 and 1994 and account for 71 million Americans. They are expected to have the highest education of all the previous generations and are extremely tech savy, growing up  with media options like the internet, cell phones and video games. They are independent, assertive, self-reliant and expressive.

And they don't want marketed "to".

Generation Y is looking for an experience, they do not want to be told what to like or what to do. They want an immersive experience that offers low cost, immediate gratification and fast service. They don't use traditional media  to receive their information. Instead, they use social networks, friend networks and the web. In order to capture generation Y's attention, you need to think outside the box in marketing. Let's look at three options for marketing to generation Y.

1. Social networks. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter...the list goes on. Facebook is obviously the largest with some 500 million active users. Although the perfect marketing model has not been discovered yet, having an active presence for your company is imperative to reach this generation.
2. Web. Do you have a website? Do you update it? One thing generation Y hates is stale information, broken links and static pages. This is where the "experience" comes in. Flash sites, clickable buttons, animations and tangible information is how to capture this group. Give them the facts and be truthful about it.
3. E-Commerce. Have a product or service to sell? Own a restaurant and offer take-out or delivery? E-Commerce is a must for this generation. This is all about speed and instant gratification. Nothing pleases generation Y more than sliding open their smart phone, ordering food, completing the checkout  and spending less than five minutes to do it.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for marketing to generation Y to be sure, and should be considered the minimums. Establish yourself in all three points, and you could be well on your way to claiming your piece of the 200 billion dollar prize.

For more information about building your social presence, creating an immersive  web presence or E-commerce solutions, contact TurnKey Creations today at 319.752.1155 today!