Successfully Selling To Young People with Connor Blakley and Joe Polish

Show Notes

• Connor runs a company called Youth Logic that helps brands understand youth culture to further their marketing strategy.
• There are only two generational differences between Gen Z and Millennials: Gen Z is the first truly native digital generation. Also, Gen Z witnessed the greatest economic crash since the Great Depression and that has shaped the way they view the American dream.
• Making tiny adjustments can make all the macro difference.
• Connor believes that entrepreneurs are not made, they’re born.
• Society’s definition of stupid could also be used to define entrepreneurs that break the mold.
• Speaking at Joe’s event allowed Connor to feel like he was at home, surrounded by outliers just like him.
• A lot of creative people and entrepreneurs feel utterly alone in their family circles and social circles. Every entrepreneur needs a genius network of their own.
• You can’t create marketing campaigns that resonate with young people, it’s a myth.
• Culture is relevancy meeting coolness.
• You can’t push something onto young people because they have so many options online, they don’t have to listen to what you’re saying.
• There are four cultural pillars that will make your business more relevant to young people: Esports and gaming, wellness, experiences that can be shared to make them feel cooler, and authenticity.
• If you’re authentic, you don’t let any outside factors deter you from your core values and what you are determined to do.
• In a world of connectivity, there is no connection. When everyone is zigging, it’s time to zag. If everyone is going digital, go analog.
• When you make your product or service an experience, you win. One of the most important things as business owners you can do is bond with your clients.
• Laziness is the biggest misconception about Gen Z, they are extremely resourceful and likely the generation that will mark the end of racism.
• All generations want the same things, the way they get there and how they talk about them is the difference.
• You can’t assume that Gen Z cares about your marketing, you have to tie into something they already care about or make something cool enough that they will care.
• User generated content is how you create culture. If you create culture, you can’t lose from a brand awareness standpoint.
• Young people are going to share whatever it is regardless, so give them the keys to tell the story on your behalf.
• Believe in yourself until people think you’re crazy.
• You don’t know what’s best for your kid, you know what’s safest. After a certain point, you are just consultants in your child’s life.
• A lot of times parents will see their kids and disagree with where they are at, but the best you can do is love and support them as best you can. Don’t handicap their life by making it too easy, but don’t crush it by making it too hard.
• Spend time on Twitter, focus on meme culture, and scroll through the app store to see what apps are going to hit.
• Words get in the way of communication.