Helping Gen Ys Realize Their Dreams

IF YOU WERE BORN BETWEEN 1980 and 1994, you belong to the most powerful emerging consumer group in the world. You make up over one fifth of the population of the United States, Australia, Canada, and Great Britain. You account for more than half of the entire population of India and there are more of you in China than the entire population of the United States.

If you were not born in that era, you can't afford to overlook the incredible clout of young people. According to USA Today, “Generation Y sits on top of the consumer food chain.”

In just a few short years, they grew MySpace to more than 160 million users and turned YouTube into a 24/7 political, societal, and media watchdog, Google into the world's largest reference library, and Technorati into the world's largest chat room.

What drives them? Communication, innovation, and instant gratification.

These young adults are hot and more diverse than any former generation in the history of the United States. Over a third of them are Hispanic, African, Native American, or Asian American and one in four of them come from single-parent households. Seventy-five percent grew up with a working mother.

Gen Ys have burst onto the employment scene like no generation before. Brought up by nurturing, highly communicative parents, they are confident, creative, and more than a little cocky. Accustomed to masses of support and feedback from nurturing parents, they demand recognition and respect as a right.

Highly educated and supremely ambitious, they bring a wealth of skills to the workforce and they plan to use them to advance themselves. Their high expectations are matched only by their impatience to reach the top of whatever career they choose. They expect their needs to be accommodated, whether it's relaxed dress codes or time off to pursue their own interests.

Corporations trapped in outdated ideologies are struggling to adapt to these free-spirited individuals. The rules have changed, and traditional employers are reeling. Blanket policies—such as no tattoos or body piercing—make little sense when 50 percent of all twenty to thirty-year-olds have a tattoo or piercing somewhere other than their earlobes. No longer a statement of rebellion, tattoos have become a must-have Gen Y fashion accessory. The change makes many employers uneasy.

Having their decisions questioned is only one of the challenges CEOs face. Holding on to their employees is another. Gen Ys are restless and more than willing to switch jobs for better pay or conditions. Researchers predict a typical Gen Y will average twenty-nine jobs in five different industries over his or her lifetime.

The grass is definitely greener on our side of the fence. Ambitious, entrepreneurial, and eager to take responsibility for their financial future, Gen Ys are prime candidates to start their own businesses.

Our reward-for-results culture is uniquely positioned to appeal to them.

• They seek freedom and flexibility. They will find all the freedom they need in network marketing.
• They refuse to let work get in the way of social and leisure pursuits. They will appreciate being able to control their time and schedule.
• They insist on recognition and respect. Every success and milestone will be celebrated.
• They thrive on feedback and support. As their sponsor, you will be a willing mentor.
• They are idealists who want to make a worthwhile contribution. Network marketing will give them the opportunity to change many lives.
• They respond to learning. They will make great students and teachers as they learn and pass on skills.
• They are adaptable. They will not be deterred by the roller-coaster ride that is network marketing.
• They fit well into a team environment. They are tailor-made for our knowledge-sharing culture.
• They are easily bored.
• They are used to being stimulated and entertained.

Network marketing is life accelerated. No two days are the same and nothing is ever certain or predictable. And we build fun into the business.

The only barrier holding Gen Ys back from their ambitious dreams will be their own limitations. Energy and exuberance will compensate for their lack of experience if you present them with a challenge that excites.

These young adults are your future business builders. The question is, where do you find them and how do you approach them?

The where part is easy. As they represent almost one in every four Americans, you would have to make an effort to miss them. Take a fresh look at the younger members of your friends and family (eighteen is the minimum age to sign an agreement).

Head for the mall on a Saturday. Browse in shops catering to young shoppers, such as music, electronics, computer, and fashion stores. Get in line at McDonald's or Starbucks. Hang out at the beach, the park, or the lake. Go to concerts, and participate in career days on campuses. Take a booth at a bridal expo. Anywhere and everywhere young people hang out, you'll find your Gen Y prospects.

Unless you are a member of the Gen Y club, in which case connecting will come naturally, the how part will take a little more enterprise.

   First, you have to catch their attention. They are media savvy, and they have a healthy skepticism for outdated and irrelevant messages. They are also easily distracted, so you'll have to make it stimulating. This generation has unlimited volumes of information at their fingertips. They'll check anything they want to know online in seconds, so be on your toes.

   If they are working, they may be discovering the restrictions that come with a regular job. Here's a message you can use to your advantage: Experts predict this will be the first generation destined to earn less than their parents. The only way they will break that pattern is if they can find a career that will accommodate their restless spirit.

   If they are studying, you can offer a part-time job with many benefits. It pays well, it's flexible enough to accommodate classes, and it's an opportunity to gain work experience. Future employers will be impressed by résumés that demonstrate experience and initiative, but with luck, their time with you will inspire Gen Ys to stick with their network marketing business.

   Consider offering students an internship over the summer. Thousands of students put themselves through college every year that way. What better way to learn business skills than on the job? What are the odds they will decide to stay with you when they realize the freedom they will lose if they go corporate?

   If you have a specific line designed for a younger demographic—such as telecommunications, Internet services, all-in-one nutritional products, fashion clothing, or cosmetics and accessories—you have an easy opener:

“I am looking for people to promote a product line we have developed for twenty- to thirty-year-olds. Have you heard of [your company name]?”

If the answer is yes, then ask:

“Have you seen our new look?”

And on you go.

If the answer is no, then ask:

“Do you have five minutes to help me with a survey I am conducting? I only want to speak to young people.”

   Fashion, skin care, cosmetics, hair products and jewelry lend themselves to promotion through an event such as a fashion show or new-season expo. Ask young people—daughters, nieces, babysitters, or young neighbors—to hand out flyers and text friends to promote your event. Motivate and reward them with a chance to model your products.

   You won't make new contacts at home. Book a venue in an area you want to target and walk a few blocks around it handing out flyers to young prospects. Add an irresistible offer such as the chance to win free products. Young people love free stuff! Ask people to “bring a couple of friends.” Your social Gen Y prospects are much more likely to turn up if they can come as a pack.

   If your company does not have an age-specific line, ask prospects for their advice about how to appeal to a younger age group. Young people know what they like. Don't try to second-guess them. An hour of quality listening will yield a wealth of valuable feedback you can use.

   Consider running a seminar for graduates or school leavers on how to start a business. Or sponsor an event targeted to young people. Speak on campus. Young people make brilliant audiences and you can count on tons of interaction and lively debate.

   Get serious. Make sure you can communicate on their wavelength. Learning to text is a basic. These young people are not waiting at home for the phone to ring, and e-mail is snail mail to them. Seventy percent of Americans have a cell phone before they reach their teens. Your text message will reach them wherever they are, and they will not be able to resist opening it.

   Talk now! Gen Ys thinks the world ends at age thirty, so focus on how they can earn money today—for the next PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, cool car, surfboard, or entertainment. You may think Gen Ys need to start planning for their future but that's your perspective talking, not theirs. Zip your lip if you're tempted to venture beyond the zone they inhabit.

   Be yourself—if you are not a Gen Y member, don't mess up your chance to connect by making ill-fated attempts to look or speak younger than you are. Trying to imitate their look or vocabulary will make you appear foolish. Your prospects will listen to you if you apply the principles outlined in this book.

   Gen Ys have grown up with countless stories about young people starting businesses in garages or basements and going on to make loads of money. They don't have the same self-doubt issues other generations have.

You may find your Gen Y prospects already have an eye out for an entrepreneurial opportunity. Be prepared to compete for them. They will head straight to their PCs to compare your opportunity with others.

If you are successful in encouraging them to sign, you will need to be on your toes. This impatient lot will want to seek quick results, but they are optimistic and fearless when it comes to getting what they want. Give them lots of direction, feedback, and recognition and you will get your future residuals.