Alternative Means of Communicating with Clientele

Pat CurtisAuburn University Food Systems Institute

Ever asked these questions …

• Ever feel like you’re talking to a brick wall?• Or like you’re talking to somebody who is

deliberately misunderstanding everything you say?

If so, you might want to consider …

• Communicating across generations is a challenge– Each generation • interprets the same words in different ways• Imputes different motives to the same actions or

conversations

Who is your audience?

• There are more pronounced differences between generations than ever before

• Being aware of generational differences can help you anticipate miscommunications and tailor your message for maximum effect

Catergories

• Traditionalists (Born before 1946)• Baby boomers (Born 1946-1964)• Generation X (Born 1965-1976)• Gen Y/Millennials (Born 1977-1990)• Gen C/Generation 2020 (Born after 1990)

Traditionalists

• Born before 1946 • Key trait is loyalty• Core values include

– Dedication/sacrifice, Law and order, Strong work ethic, Risk aversion, Respect for authority, Patience, Delayed reward, and Duty/honor

• Traditionalist are– Stable, Detail-oriented– Thorough and hardworking

• They are inept with– Ambiguity and change– Reluctant to buck the

system– Uncomfortable with

conflict– Reticent when they

disagree

Baby Boomers• Born 1946-1964• Key trait is competition

– The live to work

• Core values include– Optimism, Teamwork, Personal

gratification, Health and wellness, Promotion/recognition, Youth, and Volunteerism

• Boomers are– Service oriented, Risk takers,

Driven, Willing to go the extra mile, Good at relationships, Want to please, and Good team players

• They are not– Budget minded– Uncomfortable with

conflict– Reluctant to go against

peers– See process over results– Sensitive to feedback– Judgmental of those

who see things differently

Gen Xers• Born 1965-1976• Key trait is self-reliance

– They work to live

• Core values include– Diversity, Global thinking,

Balance in life, Computer literacy, Personal development, Fun, Informality, Independence, and Initiative

• They are– Adaptable, Techno-literate,

Independent, Not intimidated by authority, and Creative

• They are also– Impatient,

Inexperienced, Cynical, and Have poor people skills

• Set goals are better achieved by incentives

Gen Y/Milennials• Born 1977-1990• Key trait is immediacy

– They want to work it my way• “all about me”

• Core value include– Optimism, Civic duty, Confidence,

Ambition/achievement, Tradition, Education, Idealism, Fun, and Diversity

• They are– Loyal, Highly collaborative,

Tolerant, Multitasking, Fast thinking, and Technologically savvy

• Strong tribal social structure– Work and social lives blurred– Share everything

• They also– Need supervision,

Need structure, Inexperienced particularly with people issues, and Have low service levels

• Expect work to be fun– Enjoy creative

workplace and like to think outside the box

Gen C/Generation 2020

• Born after 1990• Key trait is

hyperconnectivity• Heavily influenced by

social networking and game, the Iraq war and economic recession

So what does this mean to you and your programs?

Communication Preferences

• How do you create educational materials to appeal to a variety of audiences?

• How should you deliver your educational materials?

Traditionalists

• Chain of command, structured, letter writing, telephone, in person, email, or cell phones

• May be offended by Gen X & Y’s approach

• Communication style for this group should be clear and straight forward.

• More suspicious of the internet than the newspaper.

• Will use technology but it must be easy to navigate.

• Avoid using acronyms, slang and foul language

• Prefer formal presentations

Baby Boomers

• Group problem solving, phone, fax, email, Facebook (largest number of new users), voicemail, iPods

• Prefer more conversational style presentations– Want time for Q&A and

collaborations

• Prefer phone or email to set up meetings

Generation X• Don’t like group work • Favor decisions without unnecessary

discussion• Communicate using cellphones, Facebook,

Twitter• Like texting, hate voicemail & landlines• Rely heavily on email• May avoid meetings and phone calls

– See them as a waste of time• When presenting, start with the bottom line

– Tell them up front what you need or expect from them

– Show respect for their time– Ask for their preference on how to

move forward• May own latest technology• Most challenging group to reach

Millennials• Highly social and community oriented• Share their lives via social networks• Short and to-the-point videos, emails and

articles will be better received than lengthier materials

• Communicate and information share 24/7• Do not want to receive text or calls from

organizations prefer to reserve for personal communications

• Take a positive collaborative approach – Ask for their ideas and input– Use technology as much as possible

• Prefer to accomplish work in groups– Use meetings to exchange ideas and

divide up work• Email is only for work or school• 77% have smartphones

Gen C/Generation 2020

• Grown up in a primarily digital world

• Connected, communicating, content-centric, computerized, community-oriented, always clicking

• Hyperconnectivity• Internet, mobile phones,

texting, social networking

Websites• Contain a unique, purposeful

and concise mission– Should not be lengthy

• Should be user-friendly and easy to navigate

• Mobile device friendly• Create ways to interact with

your organization• A unique, purposeful and

concise mission• Photos that help show what

you do– Show instead of tell

• May want to consider development of a mobile website that features the most important content with the option to see the full site

• Website should look professional– Character of

organization is judged by its presence on the web

“Printed” Materials• Traditionalists perfer having a hard

copy of mateials• Many millennials prefer to get

updates via email– Should not get emails too frequently

or will automatically delete– Subject line is key to getting the

email opened– Emails should be short and focused

on a topic with links to read more– Like compelling visuals

• Some millennials prefer to get updates in e-newsletters

• E-versions must be easy to read on mobile devices

• E-mail campaigns should be directed to each segment, using appropriate language and highlighting the benefits that will appeal to each segment.

• Direct mail should be more to boomers and traditionalists, less to Gen X and Y.

Videos

• Video drives people to action 6 times the rate of print– YouTube receives more

than 2 billion views per day

• Videos should show the organization at work rather than talking about what could more quickly be read

Social Networking

• Find the network that fits your audience– Facebook

• Pretty much everyone

– Twitter• Users looking for quick,

personal interactions

– Pinterest• Mainly women of all ages

sharing the things they love

– Google+• Tech savvy individuals

escaping the clutter of Facebook

– Instagram• Mobile users sharing and

viewing photos

– LinkedIn• Professionals network

connections and skill sharing

Facebook

• Social media should not be used to talk about yourself

• Post links to other relevant blogs or organizations

• Post photos sharing statistics or key facts about the organization

• Make it personal and use humor when possible

• When appropriate include a clear call to action (i.e. volunteer opportunities)

Twitter

• Millennials liked posts that encouraged them to take action

• Can be used to alert followers about volunteer opportunities

Multi-channel Approach

• To effectively communicate with clientele in today’s world, you must use a multi-channel approach.

• E-mail, mobile, social media, etc. must all be coordinated to deliver your message

Communication Tips

• There is no one correct way to communicate.– Use the right language in each media channel for

the most likely audience of that channel.• Base your communication approach on the

audience you are trying to reach.• Use technology where appropriate.• Combine convenience with good content.• Employ multiple touchpoints.• Make it interactive.

Communication Tips• Communication styles combined with mobile device has increased the

expectation for an immediate response– Also enhances working with virtual teams around the globe

• Millennials expect a high levels of activity and engagement– Without this boredom causes rapid loss of interest– Primary reason for turnover in the workplace

• Gen X and Millennials are high maintenance– Need for constant feedback, stimulation, instant communication, and instant

gratification• This will continue with the Gen 2020

• Gen X and Millennials take every opportunity for self development and career management as they view their careers as portable– Millennials are less likely to take personal responsibility when events go

wrong

Summary

• Generational clashes often stem from miscommunication in town or style.

• Everyone needs to be tolerant of the preferences of others

• If you want to reach your full audience, you need to adopt multiple forms of communication!

• In the university setting, faculty may want to rethink face-to-face office hours and adopt digital communication.

Want to see how you rate?http://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/how-millennial-are-you/