Avoiding the Gen Z Stare: How Associations Can Engage Gen Z and Stay Relevant

First, who is Gen Z, what makes your generation unique, and what is the Gen Z stare?

Stacey: Gen Z, or Zoomers, refers to anyone born between 1997 and 2012. So, the oldest are about 28. The youngest are about 13.

Even more than Millenials, Zoomers are extremely digitally native. The first phone with a full keyboard came out around ‘96. Since then, most Zoomers have grown up with a literal computer in their hands. That’s part of why our expectations for digital content are pretty high.

Ari: We also place a really high value on purpose and causes. That could be social causes, environmental, economic,—you name it. We didn’t invent this, obviously. But it’s more important to us than chasing achievements.

I think another important thing is we don’t just want work-life balance—we expect it. Connecting with each other is important to us, and we don’t want work to take over so much of our lives that we can’t spend time with friends.

Stacey: And the Gen Z stare is based on a stereotype that this generation is not good at being friendly to strangers. I’m not sure there’s any real basis for it! It might have something to do with the idea that Gen Z doesn’t like feigning interest in things. So maybe other generations see that as being rude when it’s not what they’re used to.

What does it mean to stay relevant? And why is this so important?

Ari: When we say “stay relevant,” we mean continuous adaptation. Gen Z is up and coming. But Gen A is right behind us. And Gen B is right behind them.

To succeed today—and five years from now, 10 years, 20 years, etc.—you need to respond to every generation’s unique expectations.

As a Zoomer, I expect an organization to show me that authenticity and connection and causes mean something. Demonstrate that your values and practices can evolve with the times and that you’re willing to meet us where we’re at.

Stacey: For associations, that means bolstering or creating mentorship programs. It means getting us involved early with volunteer opportunities or small committee placements. Mentor and educate us and help us prepare to carry the torch for the fields, professions, or causes we’re passionate about.

In what key areas are Gen Z feeling most disconnected from associations?

Ari: Broadly, I think a lot of Gen Z feels underrepresented. We’re not seeing ourselves reflected in member benefits, imagery, or in messaging. That’s making a lot of us feel like we’re not being heard. So, why would we join?

Stacey: There’s also a real lack of transparency. We don’t know how associations operate, which makes it difficult to know how to get involved. We don’t know or understand their organizational structure, their offerings, benefits, etc. There’s this assumption that the value of an association is self-evident. But it’s not.

For a lot of associations, the benefits either don’t resonate or their value isn’t being talked about in a way that resonates. When I think about annual conferences, for example, a lot of us haven’t been to one yet. So we might not understand how much fun they can be, or how many people we’ll meet, or how excited it can make us about our work.

Ari: And the longstanding conference benefit of “professional standing” just doesn’t matter much to us. Again, we’re not chasing achievement or status:

Let’s talk a little more about underrepresentation. What does that look like for you?

Ari: Well, I mentioned not seeing myself reflected in imagery or messaging.

For imagery, that usually means a couple things. First, I’m not seeing photos of people who look my age. A lot of associations are still relying solely on images of current members, who might skew a little older than us. Second, the design of associations’ websites and marketing often looks a little outdated. If your branding is more than maybe 10 years old, we can tell.

In terms of messaging, it gets a little trickier. I don’t think associations should completely overhaul the way they speak and the things they say. That risks alienating current members. But associations can boost their Gen Z appeal by at least making us a dedicated segment in their marketing.

Stacey: That takes a bit of work. It takes sustained audience research. Interviews, focus groups, surveys, etc. You have to do a bit of social listening. Read comment threads where you or your industry are being talked about. Browse relevant Reddit pages.

You also have to figure out what channels we’re on (hint: TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn not Facebook). Email is still a really effective way to reach us—yes, we do open emails!

Ari: Good point! Emails are still one of the best ways to segment. With an email campaign, you can run subject lines and preheaders just for Gen Z, maybe even make a few changes to the email body.

But none of these tips are a one-and-done solution. You have to continually learn and adapt. That can be a challenging shift for an individual, let alone an organization.

What about transparency? Can you explain what you mean by that a little more?

Ari: When I think of transparency, I almost think about “radical honesty.” That’s sort of the antidote to Gen Z’s distrust of the status quo.

The world is an imperfect place. There’s injustice, economic ups and downs, environmental challenges. Everything and everyone is polarized. Gen Z doesn’t want to pretend this isn’t the case. For associations, that means no more sugar coating. No more putting an overly positive spin on everything, at least not for us.

Stacey: In terms of more of the organizational transparency, that means showing us what’s behind the curtains. That can look a bunch of different ways. That could mean being clear and direct about how you operate. How do you come up with webinars? How do you make decisions about advocacy? What concrete steps have you taken to demonstrate your values.

It can also mean being unafraid to share hard truths. Acknowledge that there are challenges in your industry. Acknowledge that your offerings might not be the full, final solution to these challenges. Then enlist our help.

If you’re asked to create a Gen Z strategy for an association, what would it look like?

Ari: First, we need to talk channels. Gen Z listens to podcasts. So I’d find a way to either become a regular commentator on a relevant podcast or create your own. Gen Z is also really active on discussion forums like Reddit, Slack, or Discord. Those are great places to engage directly. And in terms of social media, it’s all about short-form video content—Instagram, YouTube shorts, and TikTok.

Stacey: I’m a UX researcher & designer, so I’m a bit partial to research. But there’s no better way to understand what the Gen Z audience wants than to ask them. Interviews, focus groups, and surveys are effective. But be careful with the way you pick your research subjects. If you can, find people who don’t even know you exist, or lapsed members who maybe didn’t find your offerings valuable.

Ari: 84% of Gen Z working professionals cite in-person or face-to-face as the best setting for building strong business relationships. And we’re at a stage in our careers where we’re trying to learn and level up. So, if I were going to create a strategy for an association, I’d look to beef up and market all of my in-person and online events—and make sure Gen Z was a core audience segment in your event marketing strategy.

Think about collaborative workshops, webinars, mentorship programs, trainings. And make sure the offerings cater to early-career needs like communication skills, presentation skills, and career coaching.

Stacey: And I’d make sure to create custom value propositions for Gen Z, too. Remember, our values and expectations are a little different. Sometimes that means reframing some of the offerings you already have.

Take a professional development webinar about presenting skills, for example. “Improve your presentation skills” might work as a selling point. But “How to be yourself and impress your boss” might work better. It’s more candid and implies a high value on authenticity.

Still worried about the Gen Z stare?

Does the thought of engaging Gen Z audiences still seem daunting? Do you doubt whether you can really break through the Gen Z stare? We can help. We’ve been helping associations stay relevant for over 25 years. Or, ever since Millennials were the upstart generation.