By David Chalmers – marketing director Europe, Cvent
It’s no surprise that when it comes to marketing, many in the industry are struggling to pin down exactly what this savvy, forward-thinking generation wants.
Yes, they present a challenge, but we must embrace the task of engaging this dynamic age group rather than letting it overwhelm us.
Millennials make up a significant portion of the workplace these days, so first and foremost, it’s important to take the opportunity to look within your own organisation and consult staff while you are in the process of developing your event.
Working proactively to gain insights could make all the difference to whether or not you meaningfully connect with the Millennial demographic. In other words, do your homework and you’ll be that much closer to making the right impression.
A trend that I’ve personally observed over the years, is the differing ways that Millennials approach their work. I once read an article commenting on the fact that ‘Millennials arrive at the workplace more as collaborators than cowboys, and I think this connotation can help us a lot in understanding more about how we communicate with them.
This generation didn't grow up in a world where kids left the house on their bikes every summer morning and returned in the evening just in time for dinner. They were supervised, organised, and instructed in teamwork and collaboration from a young age and as a result, many of them bring the expectation of joint effort with them to the work environment.
Having been exposed to technology throughout most of their lives, Millennials are also adept users of the latest gadgets and applications. Because of this, it’s up to organisers to ensure they are taking a technology-first approach when attempting to enhance the event experience for this generation.
It’s also important to keep in mind that the older individuals within the Millennial age bracket are slowly but steadily climbing through the business ranks and into the boardroom. Therefore, it is increasingly important to create marketing strategies that will resonate and leave an impression in the minds of these future decision-makers.
So, here are my top five tips to integrating technology to create an even more engaging event for your Gen Y attendees:
- Create your content using crowdsourcing
Gen Y is renowned for its love of sharing online – blogs, tumblrs, Instagram and Facebook provide a constant stream of information from Millennials on a diverse range of topics. So why not use this to your advantage? Actively target delegates and ask them what they’re interested in prior to finalising the event agenda. That way you can be sure you’re delivering a tailor-made and relevant programme for your audience.
- Show Millennials what matters
Incorporating more opportunities for people to meet peer-to-peer during meetings will mean attendees can learn about industry issues from the point-of-view of someone with similar interests and knowledge. Being able to demonstrate information through real-world scenarios and case studies will see Millennials walk away with a much deeper understanding of how the issue affects them. Using simulations, group discussions and exercises or tasks will also help illustrate your point more effectively.
- Stand out from the crowd with short, snappy sound bites
Don’t abuse your attendees’ attention spans. Millennials are used to the world of 140 character Tweets and concise Instagram captions, so make sure presentations or activities don’t include more than 10 to 15 minutes of passive listening at any one time. Breaking things up by involving smaller group interactions or one-on-one discussions will see far more effective engagement among Millennials.
- Make things fun
With the rise of gamification, you should be looking for ways to incorporate mobile apps or computer programs into your meeting, conference or trade show. And don’t be afraid to introduce an element of competition – everyone likes a challenge, especially one where they might come away with a prize at the end.
- Engage more sponsors so you can provide more learning opportunities
Millennials are curious and hungry to learn about new things. Increasing sponsorship will mean you can offer your Gen Y audience more opportunities for education and development.
