So how do advertisers reach the 71 million “Millennials” in GenY that spend over 200 billion dollars annually and will soon replace the baby boomer generation as the largest percentage of the workforce?  The answer: Advertising can no longer be a group of old men deciding what is best for consumers.

According to the book, Trust Us, We’re Experts: How Industry Manipulates Science and Gambles with Your Future, Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber attack the 20^th Century model of marketing and public relations for misusing their power as “experts” in the eyes of the consumer.

Products and services used to be validated using this “third-party technique”, where an industry would purchase the services of so-called independent experts (a.k.a. advertising agencies) to promote a message that would monetarily benefit a specific industry.  The advertising spin-doctors would then shape a message to flatter the product or service, while simultaneously discrediting or attacking the competition.  Sometimes they would even go so far as to suppress or manipulate problematic data about the product or service to make it “sell-able”.

But advertising has taken a turn – consumers no longer rely on the experts.  Not only do they not want to be told what to buy, they don’t want to be pushed into what to think, who to vote for and how to raise their children.

Today’s advertising is about the consumer deciding what they want to see and buy.  For example, according to a national survey from Arbitron and Edison Research, 48 percent of Americans 12 years and older have a profile on one or more social networking sites.  On Facebook, the most visited website, consumers can “like” a note or post a page. Advertisers code the site to recognize those favorites and use this information to target the needs of consumers.  All of the sudden on your Facebook page there is an ad for your favorite band on tour in your area or a new restaurant to try on your street. No more pop-up ads flashing shiny letters and “experts” selling you catchy phrases and manipulated data.

Advertisers finally realize that it’s not about how much spin they can put on a product or service to increase sales – it’s now all about YOU.

Unlock the ball and chain
Stop checking your Inbox every time a message pops up.  It’s a distraction and  prevents you from doing your job effectively.  Check your email first thing in the morning and respond to time sensitive messages, then close out of your email program. Don’t just minimize or turn the volume down so you don’t hear the “ding”. Turn it off for ONE HOUR and yes this means you also can’t check your Blackberry or iPhone.  Follow this same pattern throughout the day, you’ll be amazed how much work can be accomplished when you are not being distracted every 2 minutes.

Don’t be super email man or woman
Responding to every email within 30 seconds of receiving it may sound like a great idea, but it comes at a price.  Yes, your client or co-worker will appreciate the quick response, but it may also set the expectation that you will  respond to every email within 30 seconds.  If it’s urgent, respond. However if the request is not time sensitive, mark it as “to do” and come back to it later.” What if I client needs to reach me and I am not on Email?”  Trust me, if it’s an urgent matter, they will find a way to reach you. Another option is to set an “Out of Office” message letting people know when you will respond to their email.

Spam-a-lot
Spam accounts for upwards of 30 percent of all email.  Use your spam filter to identify and sort out spam from your Inbox.  Take the time to mark mail as spam so your system can appropriately block future messages.  Tired of getting the same ten emails from the same company?  Don’t just delete the email, update your spam filter and take the time to unsubscribe from those unwanted email lists.

CC’ing everyone – including your grandmother
Avoid the temptation to copy every person in your office on every email.  Unless there is an action item or a specific need to copy people, don’t. They will thank you for it later.

Filters are not just for coffee
Use the tools your email program already has to help you manage your Inbox.  Set up filters to reply or file messages appropriately.

Keep it short and sweet
Email messages should be short and to the point.  Remember everyone else’s Inbox probably has just as many unread e-mails.  Use proper grammar, be concise and have a well thought out message with a clearly defined action. Remember people cannot often hear the “voice” behind the content of an email. A phone call or in-person meeting is often the best method of communication, especially if you don’t have good news to share.

It was just over a decade ago, when armed with your office phone and Rolodex you thought you could conquer the world.  When your lines of communication were limited to just two: phone or in-person.  Now we can email a client twenty times a day, or interrupt a co-worker with an IM, all without ever getting up from our desk.  So what’s the problem?  The problem is we are missing the handshake.  We are missing the opportunity to say “I like your new hair cut” or “ have you lost weight?”.  We are missing the way we’ve interacted with our friends and associates for centuries.  We are missing the face-to-face communication.

As an account executive with Belding, it is imperative that I keep in touch with clients and associates.  However, sometimes email is simply not enough.  Being able to visit clients in person has enabled me to better communicate our services and more importantly, listen to my clients and better understand their goals and challenges.   Things you just can’t get in an email.

A funny thing happened last week that highlights what happens when we rely solely on electronic communications.  I had recently attended my twentieth high school reunion and a friend had posted some photos from the event on Facebook.  An old classmate who wasn’t able to attend the event was viewing the photos and happened across my friend list.  She noticed that one my friends on Facebook was a co-worker of hers.  She immediately posted a message on my wall, asking how I knew her co-worker.  After looking through some old emails, it turns out we (my classmate and I) had been emailing each other for over three years and never made the connection that we were once classmates and dear friends.   After a few “OMG’s” and some weak excuses about married names, we both agreed that had we not discovered this connection, we would have gone on for at least another three years emailing each other – never knowing who the other person was.

What’s the moral of the story?  Next time you are about to click “send”, think about how you would have communicated this information a decade ago.  When possible, get up, walk down the hall, or down the street, and knock on the door.  Don’t fear face-to-face interactions.  Dust off the Rolodex and call or visit an old contact.  You may be surprised to learn who they really are.