Information Overload for Generation Y!

Generation Y consumers are said to be the most technologically advanced and informed of all the generation segments today. This can be a good and bad thing for companies and marketers. Most of my friends and I have smart phones, laptops, iPods, Facebook accounts, cameras, and much more. We have almost TOO much technology at our hands, so we do not always know how to process all of the information. In addition to having all of these products, we are then bombarded by new products/ad/services, etc to add onto our already overloaded set of technologies.

Ads come to my phone (through Twitter text messages, ads on my iPhone apps, and other random advertising messages). They also are all over the internet, no matter what site I am visiting. We are constantly being targeted by Apple, if we already have one of their products, to get more accessories, or the most updated version of their products. Then, when we go to socialize with our friends online on Facebook, we get notifications from them about their new applications and there are also side ads on every page.

So, how do we filter all of this information? We ignore it! I personally just tune out all ads I see when i am overloaded with information, or not in the mood to investigate a new products or service. However, I find Twitter is a great way to reach Generation Y consumers in an intrusive yet acceptable way.

Twitter allows consumers to come to them, which is a great example of pull marketing. If a consumer wants to follow a specific company or person, they can. This means they agree to receive the messages, links, videos etc. that they post, and can decide whether or not they will read or watch what is posted. I personally follow a lot of businesses that I shop at, Dunkin' Donuts in particular. I am interested to see what they are up to, and occasionally click on the links that they post to learn more.

I believe that Twitter is a great solution to the information overload that Generation Y is experiencing. However, there is a set back. The more people or companies that a person follows, the more information and posts they will receive every day. Twitter users do have the ability to create lists and 'unfollow' someone, so they can control the amount of information they are given.

If you can't tell by now, I am a huge believer in what Twitter does. At first I was a skeptic, but after being on it for many months and interacting with several people and businesses, I have concluded that it is the perfect solution for this generation's issue. Now all Twitter has to do is get more of these consumers to create accounts since hardly anyone I know even knows the purpose of Twitter, nor is even considering creating an account.

Stay Positive!

This past summer I read a book called The Secret by Rhonda Byrne that changed my life. No this is not a sales pitch or anything like that; my life really is changed in the best way because of what I learned. This book allowed me to see my life in a whole new perspective which was very positive. Before reading this book, I would allow myself to become upset or disappointed easily when something in life did not go as expected. However, it taught me many ways to 'keep my chin up' when life isn't so great.

My new outlook on life has provided me with the following realizations:

1. Wake up each day with a smile. You will realize such a positive difference on your outlook on the day!
2. After waking up and smiling, tell yourself that "today will be a great day!"
3. Try turning a negative situation into a positive one
4. If you want something, picture in your mind that you already have it
5. If you want more money, constantly think of money and ways to get money. That is what some of the wealthiest people in the world did!
6. If you use negative words such as "I don't want to fail this test" the negative tone in your thought will bring out a negative result. Instead say "I want to ace this test!"

There were so many other pieces of advice this book had that gave me great paradigm shifts, but those six are the ones I use almost on a daily basis. I find that when a friend or family member is down, I try to let them see the positive side of the situation.

Just remember, when life gets you down, keep you head up and smile, knowing everything will be fine as long as you keep a positive attitude!

Life After College

From my perspective, it seems that college students either dread graduation and want to stay another year, or they cannot wait to get out on their own as soon as possible. For me, I was the latter. I felt this way because I knew what type of job I wanted, I was confident in my skills, I knew the right people to help me along the way, and I was ready to start my own life.

The only thing holding me back from being completely stoked about graduating early as I did was the economy. Although the odds are against recent college graduates today, I was ready to take on the challenge. I turned a potentially negative situation into a positive one.

Since graduation three weeks ago, I have been keeping myself very busy. My particular interest, and an area in which I would like to secure a career, is social media marketing. In order to learn the in's and out's of this niche industry, I am networking like crazy and learning how to use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google, and Blogger. Updating these sites on a daily basis has become my full time job. Now, that may seem pointless if I am not making money from it, but I see it otherwise. I am learning how to use social media and studying how businesses use it for relationship marketing, and I am also meeting some amazing people along the way. I am looking to secure a job around the Boston area, and have found everyone around there to be more than willing to help me out, whether it is giving me some tips, conducting an informal phone interview with me, meeting up, networking me with someone else in the field, or giving me job leads.

Although I do not have a job as of yet, I am completely fine with that because I am learning so much about the field I want to get into. I find this more than worth the time. My next step will be to attend various events in the Boston area including Tweet Ups and other social networking events. Getting my name out there, building good relationships, and generating tons of content are the three major things I have learned thus far and have made those an imperative for me to achieve each and every day. I know that with hard work and dedication, I will secure my dream job very soon.

Joining the Realm of Social Media

During college, I only used Facebook as a social media outlet. However, after studying various topics of marketing in college courses, and speaking with some amazing people in the field, I have become fascinated and passionate about the social media aspect of marketing.

Being involved in social media and getting 'found' online requires a great amount of time and effort. Since about three weeks ago, I have now enhanced my Facebook and have developed a Twitter account. I have learned how to work on Twitter and to network with others through it. I also created a LinkedIn account where I have reconnected with former colleagues, employers, and classmates. This site also allowed me to integrate all of my social media into one platform. I then uploaded my video resume onto YouTube, and plan on making a much more interactive and personal one in the upcoming week. This video has been promoted on both my Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, and I have several views already. In addition, I have created a blog and made a resolution to create at least three blogs per week.

After all this, I then searched for my name on Google. Originally, I only had about two links for my name on Google, and they were on the bottom of the screen. Now, I have 2.5 pages of links just about me! I found this incredible. If someone searches for me on Google now, there is a Google profile which I created that discusses a little more about me.

I have now learned that getting involved in all of these social sites is a great way to get found, but getting found is as easy as getting forgotten. You must constantly update your content to be remembered. This requires adding new Tweets at least a few times a day, developing several blogs a week, and updating your LinkedIn profile. In addition to that, I am beginning to create my own website that will integrate all of my social media outlets into one comprehensive site, and it will also display my passions, ideas, etc.

Networking is the new way to get 'found,' and even to get a job. Having those personal connections and keeping in contact with them is so essential today. I am very thankful to those who have helped me along the way to develop all of this. I hope you find this information valuable and can help you develop your social platform and network like I have. Good luck to you all! Thanks for reading!