Boston College has stopped giving out emails to its incoming freshmen. Social media is the preferred mode of communication for Generation Y and Z.

I have some young people helping me with a Lift9 video. They are creative and energetic, but not very responsive to email. So, I texted them for updates and got immediate responses. My conclusion is that these young people are not used to opening their email accounts.

Even among my “older” friends from Gen X and some baby boomers, I communicate much more regularly through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instant Messaging than through email. While inside the corporate environment email is still the communication of choice, there is fundamental shift happening in the way people communicate.

Understanding this new shift is critical to marketers. Email and direct marketing having been losing their effectiveness. What will replace (or augment) them? Text and social media marketing? Many people think so, but no one has come up with a solution that is viably measurable or one that can prove tangible ROI.

Here is your (our) opportunity.