8 Ways to Engage the Millennial Attendee

Who are the Millenials?

The Millennial generation – a strong willed, technology proficient and constantly connected group of under-30s who leave most meeting planners in a quandary.

Also referred to as Generation Y, the Millenials were born between 1985 – 2004 and “cyber [is] their first language” according to demographics expert Kenneth Gronbach.  While this generation has an extremely strong technological skill set, they are less equipped to handle face-to-face social situations.

So what is the most important key to managing the Millenial attendees of your business meeting?

ENGAGEMENT!

There are many ways you can engage your Millennial attendees from the start of your meeting registration to the completion of the event:

1. Email Marketing Campaigns – an email personalized to the attendee that makes it easy to immediately registered is best.  Direct mail works also, if it is customized to the attendee and provides some type of value for registering.
2. A Clear Registration Website – websites that take too long to download or with too much information will quickly lose the Millennials interest.  Keep content bulleted with a quick action button.
3. Get Connected – Millennials want to be involved before the meeting and can help tune you into what their generation expects out of a meeting or event.  They want to be a part of the meeting.  Open communication is vastly important.
4. Avoid the Lecture – static, lecture-style general sessions are not as well received.  Make it more personal by having the speaker walk through the audience or a talk-show style staging environment.
5. Text-Tolling – having the speaker pose a question during general session and asking attendees to text answers that appear in real-time.  Tweeting is another way to accomplish this same type of instant feedback.
6. Stay Away from Abstract Platitudes – Millennials are not interested in motivational speakers, they want real information – tactics, strategies and something that formulates into a takeaway.  It’s a matter of being real and transparent.
7. Breakout Sessions that Engage – focus on working in teams.  Rather than sitting classroom-style, try pods or crescent rounds where they will feel comfortable engaging in conversation.  Don’t talk at them, talk withthem.  It’s all about interactivity.
8. Structured Activities – Finally, Millennials preferred activities outside of the meeting to be structured – instead of a reception, organize a sit-down meal with assigned seats.  They love corporate service projects and anything that allows for interactive experiences.

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Reference:  Morell, Katie.  “Managing the Millenial Attendee.”  Meeting Focus, July 2011.  http://www.meetingsfocus.com/Topics/ArticleDetails/tabid/162/ArticleID/16191/Default.aspx?IsPreview=true&utm_source=MagnetMail&utm_medium=eNewsletters&utm_term=mflanagan@fpmglobal.com&utm_content=Meetings%20Hot%20Topic%2007-22-11&utm_campaign=Managing%20the%20Millennial%20Attendee