To My Fellow Flounderers...

I'm finding that we Twenty-Somethings are in a challenging spot.  We have learned so much already, in our lives and academic trials, but Holy Unexpected Batman, there's a ton of stuff they didn't care to warn us about!  Finances, job hunting, heartache, vehicle smarts, unabated velcro...there's so much to figure out.

Most of us who have served our college time have learned to handle our own laundry and live off of small funds and lint for a chunk of time; those lessons are now in our arsenals for the future.  Yet, when we trotted across the stage in our Hogwarts-esque robes during the graduation ceremony, we had only a glimpse of the idea of what lied ahead of us.  We are perfectly aware of this economy...very aware.  So in order to prosper we have already prepared ourselves sufficiently by learning what we can when we can...then posting it on Facebook for all our friends.  Or so we hoped.

My mantra: keep your head up.  Just don't be stupid about it and drown yourself in the rain.  You may be hitting all sorts of walls, but this is NOT the time to throw in the tear-soaked towel.  Rather, this IS the time to dance around like a fool and discover yourself.  Think about it.  When was the last time you looked inward?  For the last several years we've been so busy fretting about school, work, family, friends, our goals, etc. that we strayed a bit from our original selves.  Through all this experience we've expanded our stories and opened our eyes.  That's the sort of stuff that changes a person...and in all the right ways.  So don't be afraid to see where your life has taken you and where you really stand now.  Maybe that major you eventually graduated with isn't your calling.  So what?  You've learned plenty from it to apply those skills to what really excites you.

Everything you've accomplished and weathered contributes to who you are and what you're capable of.  Use this knowledge to your advantage.  Take on the world or just the day.  It's all your choice, so just keep swimming, fellow flounderers.        

 

 

We're Not Listening

Trying to reach my generation?  Great, we are all ears when we're interested and pretty savvy too.  Thing is, most of the time we aren't paying attention.  This doesn't make us rude or more glazed over than a Krispy Kreme--it just means we have a lot in our face.  In order to survive the clutter, we've tuned out.  When we go online, we don't read the pop-ups or side banners.  We read our Facebook newsfeed and Tweet about it.  Endlessly.  We catch the headlines in quick blips, only clicking through if the blurb speaks to us.  My generation is quick-witted...and bored with tradition.

Yet, once you get through to us, once we approve of you and your brand, we become your advocates.  Light our interest on fire and we'll tell the world about you.  We make videos go viral and trends explode.  We may even "Like" you.  If this happens to you, congratulations, you've broke through the clutter.  But be careful...treat us well.  If you don't, we won't let you get away with it.  We'll become your anti-advocates, Tweeting to the world our dismay.  We have good reach too.  So play nice.

So how does a brand get through, make us look up from our screens and smart phones?  Study the brands we do sport.  My generation appreciates clean, concise, and to-the-point marketing.  We like to be involved through interactivity.  Ask us our opinions, odds are we'll tell you.  Do it right and we'll even suggest marketing tactics for you to try.  Reach us in our territories of the social media realm.  And, above all, be flexible, be open to risk, and respect us.  Now we're listening.