Meet the linksters

by CUES Skybox

by. Meagan Johnson

Credit unions are well aware of the importance of attracting Generation X and Y consumers to develop a younger clientele that will fuel growth into the future. There is another prime target market on the horizon that will soon populate your membership base and employee roster: the Linksters. No, “Linkster” is not a synonym for “golfer.”  Rather, it describes those born in 1995 or later (sometimes called Generation Z) who have almost always known a world that is linked together via technology.

While Gen Y (those born between 1981-1994) was the first generation to embrace technology and social media, Linksters take connectivity to a whole new level. Technology dominates their lives, and as a result, many Linksters:

  • Are growing up in a house with no landline (family members all have cell phones)
  • Attend a school with no textbooks (everything is online)
  • Have never learned to write in cursive (school assignments are typed)
  • Are not dependent on brick and mortar or in-person interactions (anything can be done online, including shopping, banking and interacting with friends)

There is a common marketing approach known as “market of one” that refers to creating a level of customization so your consumer feels unique and valued. For Linksters, customization does not go far enough—they want personalization and enjoy expressing their personal brand in everything they do and have. The difference between customization and personalization may seem like nothing more than semantics, but if you can grasp the subtleties you will gain insight into what motivates Linksters.

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