Alternative Means of Communicating with Clientele Pat Curtis Auburn 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 ) Generation X (Born ) Gen Y/Millennials (Born ) 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 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 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 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, , 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, , Facebook (largest number of new users), voic , iPods Prefer more conversational style presentations – Want time for Q&A and collaborations Prefer phone or to set up meetings

Generation X Don’t like group work Favor decisions without unnecessary discussion Communicate using cellphones, Facebook, Twitter Like texting, hate voic & landlines Rely heavily on 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, s 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 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 – Should not get s too frequently or will automatically delete – Subject line is key to getting the opened – s 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 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. , 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.

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