Recently, I was trying to remember the name of an actor from a film and told my kids I was going to ask ChatGPT.
They both rolled their eyes, then my 19-year-old came out with the immortal line: “Just Google it, bro.”
So I Googled it and got my answer. And no doubt ChatGPT would have given me my answer too. But what I found interesting was that my children, both teenagers and Gen Z, were a bit scathing about my automatic use of AI.
For me, it’s all new and exciting. For them, it’s just another spoke in the technology wheel, one which doesn’t particularly fill them with joy. In fact, People Management reports that 46% of Gen Z workers feel that relying too much on AI is making them less intelligent, and 76% feel pressured to use AI at work to improve productivity.
To further open my eyes to the younger generation’s slight disdain for technology, my younger daughter then arrived home from a shopping trip excited because she’d found a couple of CDs she wanted (yes, one of them was the infamous Joni Mitchell CD from Love Actually). Again, I looked for stats to see if my household was an aberration, and apparently not.
According to DJ Mag, Gen Z are listening to more vinyl, CDs, and cassettes than any other age group. 59% of 18 – 24-year-olds said they listened to physical music, compared with about 45% for other age groups.
Interesting. Much has been written and posited and argued about the merits or otherwise of AI, and I’m not really here to add to that debate. I think it’s safe to say AI is brilliant in some quarters, less so in others.
What really piqued my interest was the fact that my children seem to be happy to turn their backs on the “new” and return to the “old” – and that this is backed up by evidence.
And it made me think: with writing and communications, are we so overfocused on jumping on the new that we forget that the traditional, steady, tried-and-tested methods shouldn’t be overlooked completely?
4 writing techniques to remember
Just like the little black dress, the Beatles, and a nice cup of tea, certain comms techniques are timeless and enduring.
- Make it personal
In a world where mailers can be instantly personalised with [firstname/lastname], this can seem like a trick tip. But even if you’re sending tailored comms out to curated groups of clients, this isn’t what I’d really call “personal”. A quick “nice to meet you and thanks for coming in” when you’ve seen a new client, a check-in every now and then for no particular reason, and remembering if they’ve been on holiday or had an important life event can really go a long way to strengthening client relationships.
- Keep it readable
Always having your audience front and centre of any written comms is copywriting 101. Who are you writing for and what are your aims? Are you trying to make a complex subject more understandable? Or talking to them about new services that your firm is offering?
With a focus on optimisation, keywords, SEO, and GEO, it can be easy for your message to get lost in translation. Of course, these things are important, but it’s all about balance. Always come back to what you’re trying to tell your reader and what you want them to do as a result.
- Less can be more
It can be very easy to produce and send a mailer, for example, but when did you last send one? If you find you’re sending stuff to your clients every few days, this could be overkill. Having the ability to send comms at the touch of a button doesn’t mean you have to do so.
Could you consolidate the information into a weekly update? Or a monthly newsletter? Keep coming back to your clients: do they need this information right now?
- Know who you are
Tone of voice has always been a key part of branding, helping you to build the ethos of your company and differentiate you from the competition. So make sure your comms sound like you, not like every other financial firm. Keep your personality shining through at all times.
Generative AI sounds like generative AI, no matter how much you brief it. If you write from scratch, keep your brand’s tone of voice in mind at all times. If you’re editing, make sure the end product reflects you as a company. It doesn’t matter if your tone is highly formal or friendly and chatty. Consistency is key.
Technology, experience, and the irreplaceable human touch
Sometimes it can be hard to know where to begin. To jump onto the latest AI bandwagon, or to just Google it (bro).
The Yardstick team can help you find balance with your comms, harnessing the right tools to streamline processes, while always bringing the essential human touch.
