CRA Inc

18 Jan 08 @ 3:13 pm

Speaking Their Language

If you’ve been living under a rock in recent years, we’ve got news: High schoolers are increasingly relying on on-line tools to express themselves and communicate with friends. See Pew Internet study with alarming statistics here. (e.g., Thirty-five percent of all teenage girls “blog.”)

Between text messages, Facebook pages, and personal blogs, it appears children need not leave their homes for any reason whatsoever any more. Before I digress about the demise of Kick the Can, a question we get from our clients: How am I, a Baby Boomer, and my company, [insert appropriate descriptor here], to reach the new generation?

If you can’t beat them, join them, right? Perhaps. But three quick tips to observe:

1. Use communication channels that are most appropriate for the communicator and your company’s culture. Authenticity is far more important than anything else. You don’t want the CEO who can’t turn his computer on starting his own blog.
2. Use particular on-line tools because they are helping to accomplish particular objectives. Start with your objective, the message you want to send, and then match these with the appropriate media, understanding that different media are appropriate for different messages. See more about media richness here.
3. Never use new media as a substitute for face-to-face communication. Remember the old-fashioned conversation? It is still the most effective means for communication.

As a new generation enters the workforce, we must get smarter about new media choices, and we may even need to adapt our approach. But, we should do it because it makes sense—not because that’s what the cool kids are doing.

posted in category(s): Leadership Communication, New Media