Good morning!

I just had an incredible exchange with Madeline, my 29-year-old daughter, on the subject of selling to her age group and younger.

THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE SALES CHALLENGE IN GRAPHIC ARTS!!!

She has been asked to speak at a print conference next year and we were texting back and forth on some topics of interest she might speak on.

Here’s what I wrote:

One intergenerational issue legacy reps face is connecting and communicating with your generation. Increasingly, they ARE the customer and we don’t or can’t relate to them. You don’t want to talk on the phone. You don’t want a relationship. You are used to swipe, swipe, buy and we aren’t built that way.

Madeline responded with this piece of very important insight:

It’s funny because I don’t think it’s just that. We DO want relationships, but we’ve grown up in an environment where EVERYONE and EVERYTHING is constantly selling to us and so we don’t actually know how to trust or who to trust. That’s why we’re seeing the rise of the influencer. If I relate to you, I’ll buy what you tell me to.

Gang, don’t sell to the younger crowd. Earn their trust and they will buy from you.

Clearly, you have earned the trust of others. Tell those stories.

The younger buyer DOES want a relationship with you. Prove your trustworthiness and you can be their Influencer.

I say it all day: Marketing is the new sales.

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