10 Things Not to Sell to Gen Y

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

A new twitter friend of ours, @JaredOToole, has turned me onto a website, Under30CEO.com

After browsing through various articles, I found myself giggling at one of their popular articles “10 Things Gen Y Won’t Pay For.” As a pessimist, I expected a dry list of what entrepreneurs should not try to sell to this jaded generation.

I was pleasently surprised by what I found.  Here is the top ten list with my own descriptions and interpretation:

1. Checking
   Gen Y will not pay for checking. They grew up with free access because they were students and now they just expect it. And with the Battle of the Banks in today’s economy, we can google to find someone who will waive the fee.
2. Long Distance
   As long as I don’t run my cell phone 24/7 and use all my weekday minutes, I’m good. My friend in Kansas is into texting anyway, so even another bonus. What about parents, you ask? My dad reads texts. My mom, not so much, but I can use the 10 minutes I saved everywhere else to talk to her. Oh and thank you for the rollover minutes, AT&T. They definitely come in handy.
3. Mail
   I’m not sure if Gen Y would even know what the US Postal Service even was if not for getting packages shipped with the presents we bought ourselves online, birthday money from Grandma, and the occasional college material. With stamp costs on the rise (32, 42, 44?) why not just send an email? Oh wait. Because the inbox is just a chore list that needs to be checked off every day. Facebook has  become the White Pages of Gen Y. With the messages and the chats and the people searches, it has become a key tool for many 20-somethings.
   
4. Music
   When Napster was forced to charge, there was a loud sound of hearts breaking across the seven seas. However, radio stations like Pandora and Slacker Personal Radio have reopened the doors for free music entertainment. Although Pandora has set an hour limit, these sites are flooded. And now with apps for Blackberries, iPhones, Androids, and more, these internet radio stations can go anywhere. Of course, if you want unlimited skips and no ads, there is a fee. But who needs that? Support the advertising industry and get free radio!
5. Wireless
   I know what you’re going to say. Everyone has to pay for wireless. False. The first thing we do when we go anywhere with our laptop is search the network for free access to the web. Stealing? We beg to differ. Panera Bread, the library, and school campuses (for students and faculty, of course) offer wireless for free. Locations like Starbucks and Barnes and Noble are a joke, trying to charge almost $4 for internet. Even some charter buses are offering free wireless now! It’s true… I saw “Free Wireless on your trip” in big letters on the side of a charter the other day!
6. Travel Agents
   Does this even need explaining? Between Expedia, Orbitz, and Hotels.com only to name a few, who needs someone to book things for you? You search, compare, and book. Love it!
7. Books
   With all of the required reading we didn’t do in high school and all the Oprah-suggested reading we just haven’t gotten to, why should we buy books anyway? Between our computers, tv’s, and game consoles, we’re set. Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes we enjoy the literary mind stimulation, but that’s what friends and libraries are for (yes, libraries still exist).
8. Mature Content
   This one’s definitely not for everyone, but you can find just about anything on the Internet. Just clear your cookies, delete your history, and your privacy is protected. You certainly can’t do that on your cable bill.
9. News
   I found out about Michael Jackson’s death on Facebook. Text messages spread like wildfire when a major event occurs “did u hear bout da olympic speedskater?!” Other than that, just go to Yahoo, MSN, CNN, etc. and you’ll get what you need online.
10. Directory Assistance
    We laugh in the face of 411. Between Google, the majillion iPhone/Blackberry apps, and 1800-FREE411, the only thing we’re using the phone book for is to show off our superhuman strength.

Now that you know what not to try to get into when starting your own business, the next thing you need to do after you develop your product is to have a strong online presence. Between various forms of social media, making a website, designing logos, creating a brand identity, and developing a marketing plan, you may have your hands full. Let us help.

No Comments | Tags: blog, Entertainment, Facebook, Google, retail
Posted by Paulina in Uncategorized

Creative Converting

Monday, September 14th, 2009

The union of savvy merchandising and comprehensive content needed to give customers the confidence to buy online has never been more critical.

• Category merchandising

Merchandising should always start at the category level. Conversion rates slowed in 2008, with consumers likely researching products more, including through comparison shopping, as a result of the tough economic times.

Several online features can improve conversion rates;  keyword search, sales and specials, cross-sells, and e-mail as a merchandising vehicle.

• Promote everywhere

From the product page to the shopping cart and post-order communication pages, all web site locations are fair game for promotional selling. (Example: Survival Kits by SurvivalSimon.com)

• Customer engagement tools

More and more merchants are using tools and tactics that build community and foster brand loyalty. These kinds of tactics are particularly effective in enthusiast categories where consumers want to connect with a brand.

No Comments | Tags: branding, conversions, e-commerce, retail, ROI
Posted by Stephanie in Online Marketing

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