The Next Generation

Tips to get ready to sell to Generation Z

By Terri Wallo-Strauss

My 16-year-old daughter is sitting on her bed, laptop on her lap, phone in her hand. She moves seamlessly to and from each device—watching Netflix, texting, checking Snapchat and Instagram, and shopping online. This is a typical evening in my house with a typical teenager. Experts tell me that each day she will send or receive at least 60 texts and spend nearly 7.5 hours using technology.

Welcome to Generation Z.

Coming on the heels of the Millennials (also known as Gen Y), this is the first generation to never experience a time when the internet did not exist. Specifics about who qualifies as a member of Generation Z vary, but Ad Age defines them as consumers ranging in age from 2 to 19 (and some say those up to 20 years of age). Though they may not be your customer right now, within three years, the top of the generation will be graduating from college, and in five to 10 years, they will be the new ...