The Keys To Generation Z

Plan for the future by learning a little bit about the next generation to impact your business.

We have three of them in our house—our Generation Z children. Lovely Sofia is part of the first wave of this group, as she is finishing high school and laying the groundwork for her future. She has just taken part in the Canada games, representing Alberta in women’s wrestling, and has her eyes fixed on the Seoul Olympics in 2020. Part of her vision is having access to her own  transportation for practices. So, last week she posted a picture of herselfholding the keys to the car she bought, and this week she is taking driving lessons!Then there is our second child, Fausto. He is a senior in high school and already shaping his entrepreneurial future. He’s scoped out what trade will give him steady and lucrative employment, and has designed his high school experience to help him achieve his goal. He dedicated this past summer to working and saving, and now is the proud owner of the keys to his own truck, although he, too, is just learning to drive. Finally, there is Max, going into grade three, our vibrant and fun loving socializer, who wants to fix the homeless issues in our city.Are these three typical of the upcoming Generation Zers? You bet! And do we, as wedding and event planners, need to be cognizant of the character, values, and experience of this demographic? Yes. They are our future. We need to understand what their priorities are and anticipate how they will make decisions, to enable our sector to meet their needs.THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDINGThe Generation Z demographic is commonly considered to follow the Millennials. Their births begin in the mid 1990s. It is anticipated that they will make up 40% of consumer markets by 2020. So what is typical of thisgeneration?• Frugal: Faced with a growing societal income gap and uncertainties about their future employment, they are more frugal and cost-conscious than their parents.• Entrepreneurial.• Value-conscious: They search out the best price point and increasingly demand added value in their purchases, which can include delivery options, services, or even charitable donations.• Eco-friendly and environmentally conscious—more so than previous generations.• Socially conscious and seeking social change.• Aware of being part of a global community.THE KEY TO COMMUNICATIONBirthed with technology, this generation’s reality has always included WiFi, touchscreens, and smartphones. A recent survey of media habits has shown that more than 40% of high school students spend a staggering three-plus hours a day using computer technology for things other than schoolwork. The communication highway has expanded in all directions and is confronting this generation with ever increasing pressures to stay current. So what are thegrowing trends that we need to be aware of?• Email: Gen Zers see this is an “outdated communication tool” and are increasingly unlikely to regularly consult their inboxes.• Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter: Yes, these means of communicating news are still popular, particularly with presidents, but are declining in use with younger generations. Buzzfeed is popular because news and reviews are designed to be engaging and use lots of short sentences and pictures. This generation’s response to information overload via Instragram, Facebook,and Twitter is resulting in a growing trend to move to Instagram stories, Snapchat, Whatsapp, and Kik Messenger.• Face-to-face: Generation Zers are showing a preference for communicating through face-to-face encounters that are private and non-permanent. FaceTime is replacing texting as texting is seen as “taking too long to type out.” Sharing experiences, particularly through visual images, is important to this generation. It is almost “obligatory” that pictures are “behind-the-scenes” before the event, during the event, showcasing what’s “happening now” and after an event. This highlights the “FMO—fear of missing out” and needs to be strategically shared on social media. AirDrop is a popular way of sharing photos and videos, as is Instagram.USE THE RIGHT KEYSWhat implications do these changing trends have for our industry? Wedding and event planners need to choose their social media platforms carefully and be aware of how rapidly things are changing. As Netflix is replacing television viewing and newspaper readership is steadily declining, other ways of reaching audiences need to be considered. Recent research has shown that the attention span given to screens is continuing to decline and is currently less than eight seconds. Images, rather than words will be increasingly important in delivering a message quickly, efficiently, and in a stimulating manner.Wedding and event planners need to take into account the increasing emphasis on visuals. Screens, visual displays, and digital experiences will become increasingly sophisticated and need to be “Instagram worthy.” And itgoes without saying that the technology that will support an event needs to be checked and rechecked so things run seamlessly.Planners might consider adding value by having clients choose a charity that can be highlighted or sponsored during the event. Another possibility is featuring a global emphasis. Adding in special services that are available without cost will also be a factor when clients are choosing a planner.Facilitating events that are environmentally friendly will be increasingly important and require a creative approach. Recently, a young group of nurses won a sustainability award for their conference planning. Among other initiatives, they planted trees that had plaques honoring keynote speakers. They also presented session speakers with terrariums made with homegrown plants in glass containers obtained from thrift stores.FIND YOUR KEYSKnowing what lies ahead and preparing for it involves more than the visions of a soothsayer. How can you keep abreast of the rapid changes in  communication and be ready? Ask! Generation Zers are more than happy to tell you about the latest interests and trends in social media. The Internet is always a go-to resource, and it is worth periodically Googling the latestresearch or commentaries being posted. And your main key to success is to think like Sofia, Fausto, and Max—consider the future and have fun planning how to get there. WPM__Milena Santoro CMM, CMP, PIDP, CWP™,MS Productions, Canada and Italy