Generational Communications Learning to Speak Their Language - Presented by Monnie Huston Wertz,...
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Transcript of Generational Communications Learning to Speak Their Language - Presented by Monnie Huston Wertz,...
Generational Communications Learning to Speak Their Language - Presented by Monnie Huston Wertz, M.Ed.
Initial questions about your business?
How do you communicate with your clients?
How do you or should you use technology?
How do people get information about your business?
What could you be doing to reach more Gen Xers and Millennials?
What’s so different?
Boomers Generation Xers Millennials
Handshake High five Fist bump
Direct mail Email Text message
TV DVR On-line
Yellow pages Google Cell phone app
Typewriter Computer Smart phones
Library books CD-ROMs On-line databases
Generations
GI (born 1901-1924)
Silent (born 1925-1942)
Boomer (born 1943-1960)
Generation X (born 1961-1981)
Millennial (born 1982-1999)
Taken from Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (1991). Generations. New York: Harper Perennial.
Who is Generation X?
Bottom Line Generation
New “Lost” Generation
13th Generation
Cynical Generation
Slacker Generation
The Brash Pack
The Baby busters
Are you a Generation Xer?
Do you know who shot JR?
Do you know the meaning of the words “wax on/wax off”
Do you own cassettes?
Did you ever use a Trapper Keeper?
Do you remember “Solid Gold”?
Did you meet OJ Simpson while he was running through airports with his luggage?
Do you still feel conflicted about whether to “Just Say No” or to “Just Do It”?
Did you ever have super hero Underoos?
Culture/Contribution
Flexible and casual (birth of Casual Fridays and flex-time at work)
Yellow pages to Google and letters to email (beginning of tech orientation)
Come from weak families
Multi-employers – death of company loyalty
Lack of economic opportunities
Independent and self-propelled
Things to remember: Gen Xers
Don’t like hype – repelled by overstatement and hypocrisy.
Communicate open and directly – acutely aware of media manipulation.
Offer opportunities to educate them on your products and/or services. This is where the DIY revolution came from.
Offer a variety of times – flexibility is key and they value their lives.
Appeal to their sense of humor and creativity.
Concerned about gender stereotypes.
More likely to choose environmentally friendly products.
Taken from Myron, Monique Reece and Truax, Pamela Larson, “Anatomy of the ‘Generation X’ consumer”, Denver Business Journal, April 24, 1988.
Millennials
Net Generation
Keyboard Generation
Google Generation
iGeneration
Digital Natives
Generation Y
Sunshine Generation
Baby Boomlet
Are you a Millennial?
Has the Green Giant always been Shrek not a guy on a vegetable can?
Has Earvin “Magic” Johnson always been HIV positive?
Does the KGB mean nothing to you?
Has Bobby Cox always been the manager of the Atlanta Braves?
Have their always been flat screened TVs?
Have condoms always been advertised on TV?
Have you ever used a card catalog to find a book in a library?
Culture/Contributions
1. Special
2. Sheltered
3. Confident
4. Team Oriented
5. Achieving
6. Pressured
7. Conventional
Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials Rising The Next Great Generation. Toronto: Random House.
Things to remember: Millennials
Needs to understand how things benefit them specifically
Expect a multitude of choices – not dependant on “brand” or peer pressure for consumer choices
Low tolerance for delay and require constant feedback (text)
Practical and results oriented – expect processes to work consistently
More apprehensive and less self-reliant than former generations (parents) (decision making)
Word of mouth is the paramount of most trusted form of information – specifically from peers.
Information taken from Millennial Behaviors and Demographics (2006) by Richard Sweeney and The Millennial Generation (www.ufsa.ufl.edu/aboutufsa/admin/ids/ppts/TheMillennialGeneration.pps) by Dr. Jeanna Mastodicasa
Influence of Technology
Examples of Common Technology
Facebook/discussion groups
Cell phone apps
Google search/customer reviews
On-line sales assistance
Cell Phone Apps
Peer Reviews
Click icon to add picture
These reviews and ratings have become critical in Gen X and Millennial consumers decision making processes.
Bottom line to communications
Mobility – cell phones, email, iPods, pdas, wifi. Ask customers how they prefer to be contacted.
Interactive – IM, pop-up chats, discussion boards, blogs. If they don’t feel they can talk to you, they won’t come.
Specific – individualized responses, tailored information. The concept of privacy is dying so don’t be surprised by their expectations.
Clarity – clearly outline what services and products are available and on what terms. Managing expectations is important.
Diversity – of message and sensitivity to whom it is directed. Don’t assume language, ethnicity, or background.
Questions?