Millennials are officially in control of the consumer side of the events market. This expansive generation is getting married, having babies and anniversaries, paying for their children’s graduation parties, hosting corporate retreats, and planning major annual conferences. They are in every social circle, all levels of business and industry and at every party in some capacity or another. Now is the time to ensure that your events business is Millennial-friendly.
Photo courtesy Don Mears Photography
Think fast
No previous generation was raised in such a world of instant gratification. Most Millennials had email and internet access for at least some part of their education, and most have never held a job where using them wasn’t a requirement. They expect that legitimate businesses will have websites, and at the bare minimum be able to communicate electronically.
They invented social media...
and they know how to use it. They prefer that you have a presence wherever they search first, so being familiar with all of the major platforms and at least having a portal on them that directs prospects to your site is strongly recommended.
Photo courtesy Mike B Photography
Stay in the know
Millennials know where to look when they want to find inspiration, and they have a real appreciation for personalization and originality. They’ll almost certainly bring you requests and preferences, but they need you to turn their vision into something special and Pinterest-worthy, and they will reward you for it if you do.
Keep your current clients happy & talking
What is the first thing a Millennial does before making a big purchase? Search online and check the reviews. They are wary of things that seem too good to be true so they are quite accustomed to vet checking everything they hear. It’s important to manage your online buzz and make sure that you can not only be found, but that what is out there reflects your branding, your quality of service and your values as a professional.
As a whole, the Millennials aren’t too mysterious a generation, they are simply wired in a way that wasn’t relevant before, and now is the only reality they know. If you’re not set up yet to meet their requirements, spend some time now building your presence in their realms, and learning to navigate their world. Your efforts will certainly pay off with more Millennial business than you can imagine.
