When you’re 22 and freshly out of school, working in your first full-time position, you think everyone is old. So at the risk of these future leaders feeling like they’re placed at the kiddie table, a young professionals group is an engaging way to ensure the “youngins” meet people in their age range who they are interested in to connect with.
But how do you create a YPG that feels dynamic and relevant, and avoids the dreaded “junior chamber” (not ready for the big boy and girl chamber)mentality?
Since you’re busy, we broke it down for you into actionable items/steps.
Let’s get started.
The Problem with YPG
There are three essential challenges that you’ll want to address to create a lively young professionals group.
Age
You want to create a vibrant group where young people feel welcomed and engaged and they can interact with peers in a place where they can use words like “vibe” without oldies like me turning that into a contest of how many times the word is used in an hour. (Sorry, young people. Perhaps I am watching too much reality television but that word is definitely a favorite of Gen Z.)
So, let’s say you start a group for younger people and it’s fun. Therein lies the problem. Now you have “oldies” pushing 40 (or over) who want to be a part of the fun too. So, you let them join. Now you have to decide whether you’re going to kick them out when they celebrate that terrible birthday.
Who wants to do that?
Before you launch your program, consider how you will market it. Will “young” be a state of mind or something where you’ll request to see ID before each event? Will you send a nice birthday email when your member turns 40, warning them that if you see their old face around those YP events, there will be repercussions and public shaming?
It’s a conundrum.
However, it’s likely your YP group will remain young in age as well as mentality. Most people over 35 don’t exactly want to crowd the “young” people. After all, when you get to a certain level of experience, bar crawls aren’t quite as appealing. (Then again, the New York Times did report recently that older Americans are drinking a lot more than previous generations and no one understands why. Maybe you will have some who cling to membership in the YPG.)
Experience
The second thing that makes your YPG different than times past is that this group of young people may have already started a business by the time they become chamber members. In times past, the young professionals were often new hires at the bank (junior execs, join the chamber). These days, they may have started their first business in middle school. Keep in mind, they are not all “beginner” businesspeople. They could be veteran entrepreneurs when they show up for their first chamber event. They’ve bootstrapped their business and trained themselves in the hallowed halls of YouTube.
That will impact what you offer them from a programming perspective. They aren’t interested in “ways to beef up their resume.” They’re thinking about fame and fortune, connections and media.
Membership
Again, some of these young people are working for themselves and others hope to be in the future. Having a chamber membership that is appealing and addresses the needs of entrepreneurs and solopreneurs is key to getting them involved. If they don’t know to join the chamber, they won’t become a YP.
Before we get into the young professionals startup guide, know that the group also love acronyms. I’m calling it YPG for a reason. Before you begin doing anything for your young professionals, give the group a name they’ll vibe with. (Sorry, I couldn’t help it. I had to write “vibe” one more time.)
Additionally, when you market the group, make sure you market where they are, which is likely not Facebook. Put a volunteer in charge of posting as quickly as possible because you don’t want them to think your posts are cringey.
Now, let’s get down to business…
Building a Thriving YPG at Your Chamber
Let’s begin at the beginning. You have an awesome name for the group, one that resonates with your target demographic and shouts, “Hey, I’m talking to you, young people.” You (hopefully) have an engaging, vivacious volunteer who wants to see the group succeed.
Now you need to get the word out.
Recruitment Strategies
- Leverage Social Media: Be where young professionals are. Post engaging content on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Use a lot of short video. Humor is good, so is having a conversation with yourself and playing both characters while being dressed differently. (Not sure what I’m talking about? Spend some time on Reels and TikTok. It’s a thing.). If you have some money in the budget, run targeted ads highlighting the YPG’s benefits and upcoming events. The key here is fun and catchy…And short.
- Partner with Educational Institutions: Connect with local colleges and universities to reach out to aspiring young professionals and recent graduates. See if there’s a Future Business Leaders of America chapter nearby. Invite them to an event. Offer mentorship opportunities or co-host events. Lead with what’s in it for them.
- Utilize Existing Networks: Hit up your members. Encourage them to spread the word to their young colleagues and employees. Some of your members may have children who are trying to enter the job force. Explain that your events are a great place to meet new people and get to know hiring companies.
- Post to Local Online Community Groups: I wrote earlier that they’re not on Facebook, but those who use it for work might be. Since most Gen Z aren’t reading the newspaper, look for other community sources of info and post things there. It’s likely there’s a community Facebook group.
- Attend Industry Networking Events: Attend industry-specific gatherings where young professionals congregate. Set up a YPG booth to introduce them to the group.
- Partner with Co-working Spaces: Many co-working spaces host community events. Partner with them to reach young professionals. Many of them don’t understand what a chamber does. If it’s not on YouTube…
Experiences
Young people love to do things. People under 30 are more interested in experiences than stuff.
- Mix it up: Host all kinds of events from networking events to professional development workshops, social outings (axe throwing or escape rooms) to volunteer opportunities that give back to the community (Gen Z is very environmentally conscious). Don’t assume all they want to do is attend bar crawls. As soon as possible, get a young person to make those event decisions.
- Go virtual: Incorporate online elements like webinars or virtual happy hours to cater to busy schedules and those who work from home. It is difficult to get people working from home to go out post-workday.
- Let Them Lead the Way: Empower your YPG members by placing them in charge of planning their events and communications. If this isn’t possible because you don’t have a volunteer, conduct surveys to gauge their interests and tailor activities (and media) accordingly.
Help YPs Feel Like Valued Partners
You don’t want the YPs feeling like they’re sitting at the “kids’ table.” Get them involved and make the most of their energy and innovative ideas.
- Mentorship Programs: Connect your YPs with established chamber members for valuable guidance and career advice. Look for reverse mentorship opportunities as well. This fosters a sense of community and demonstrates the YPG’s importance.
- Committee Participation: Encourage YPG members to participate in relevant chamber committees. This allows them to contribute their fresh perspectives and gain valuable experience. Don’t relegate them to the under-40 group only.
- Leadership Opportunities: Create leadership roles within the YPG and offer opportunities for members to develop their skills and contribute to the group’s success.
Remember:
- Focus on Value: Young professionals are time-conscious. They have places to go. Things to do. They don’t want to sit through a meeting run by Robert’s Rules of Order. Communicate the benefits of joining the YPG, both professionally and personally.
- Be Authentic: Create a welcoming and inclusive environment where young professionals feel comfortable connecting and sharing ideas. Their experiences are different from those of us over 40. They often shun labels. So you will need to…
- Embrace Change: Be open to feedback and adapt your YPG offerings (or language) based on member preferences. Even Jeff Probst on the TV show Survivor changed the language he had used for two decades when calling in participants for challenges, dropping the “Guys” term at the request of a contestant.
YPGs are great sources for future chamber (and community) leaders. Young professionals who are engaged in your group may also be more likely to remain in your community for the long term. It’s a win-win for everyone.
