As an event professional it is very important to understand how to plan an event for millennials. Millennials are the generation of people born between 1982 and 2002. “They are currently between the ages of 15 to 24 and by 2020, they will represent one-third of the global population” Talk Desk. It is safe to say that by millennials being nearly ⅓ of the world’s population, they have a lot of buying power and as an event professional you need to know how the plan an event for millennials in order to be successful.
When planning an event for millennials there are three main points you need to understand; they are tech-savvy, they are budget conscious, it is harder to keep their attention. We will address the above points below in our article to give you a more in-depth understanding of how to plan an event for millennials. If you understand these key points below about millennials you will be better equipped to understand how to plan an event for millennials successfully.
Millennials are Tech Savvy
Millennials are the first generation of people to grow up with computers, cell phones, and the internet as a regular part of their lives. When planning an event for millennials you need to involve technology. It is important to include many elements of technology into everything from your event marketing all the way till the actual event.
Be sure to have a great website that is device-friendly for your event. More than likely your website will be the main portal for attendees to find information and make the decision whether your event is worth the investment or not.
You will also want to have a mobile app at events like conferences to allow attendees to have immediate accessible information and the ability to connect with other attendees right at their fingertips.
This generation also grew up with social media. It is in your best interest to incorporate social media into your event. If you have no idea where to start with social media check out our article How to Use Social Media to Create an Immersive Event Experience.
Millennials are Budget Conscious
The average millennial carries $45,000 in debt. They are very careful with the money they do have because of the weight of the debt they carry. Millennials tend to spend their money on investments with a great deal of value instead of flashy luxury items. An event or conference with strong educational value that has promised to solve their actual real-world problems and issues are what millennials are seeking. Make sure your speakers are there to educate and solve problems, not just to promote themselves. This is key to your success with millennials.
A great way to help minimize cost and allow more millennials to come to your event you might want to offer a special early purchase discount or contests for free tickets to the event on social media. Millennials also love to travel so having your event in a great location will help attract millennials and allow them to justify the cost.
Millennials Need An Interactive Experience
If you have followed the first two steps it is likely you will be able to get a great turnout at your event, but now you have to keep their attention. A big part of understanding how to plan events for millennials lies in keeping their attention.
Millennials grew up in the age of information and news being delivered in bite-size clips. This is the age of Twitter and social media where most information is kept brief and scannable. To make sure you keep millennials’ attention keep your speakers’ lectures brief (never longer than one hour), and be sure to use visual elements such as photos and videos to keep your audience engaged.
Also, do not just have them sit and listen to lectures. Millennials really value networking opportunities. They believe there is a lot of benefit in networking and finding new connections. Having networking events such as a networking breakfast, lunch or happy hour is also a great way to break up the monotony of lecture after the lecture we so often see at conferences. Including networking opportunities at your event allows for a more immersive and engaging event experience.
If you follow these 3 steps on how to plan events for millennials you will surely have success with this powerful generation who will continue to be a part of your events for years to come.
