There have been many studies that dissect the personalities and form of thinking of the millennial generation. The key for people in the events industry to use that data to learn how they can attract millennial event planners in NYC is written within this post. If you own or manage a hotel or venue, you have to know that innovation and passion is what this generation is all about. They’re not easily influenced by the same aspects that the Baby Boomers and Generation X are lured in with.
The team at The Event Planner Expo has put together some of the best ways for venues to attract millennial Event Planners in NYC. Here they are:
How to Teach Millennial Event Planners to Think Outside-the-Box
Keynote speaker, marketing expert, and business consultant David Mitroff states that millennials are itching for opportunities that will place a spotlight on their unique talents and that challenge them. In terms of event planning, that would mean that millennials are attracted to the flexibility that trying new things provides them. So, to start your relationship with a millennial on the right foot, you’ll want to be open-minded about innovative ideas to spark a conversation.
In this article we will review how venues and hotels can take advantage of the chance to develop exclusive experiences and services that will excite millennial event planners in NYC and their guests. For example, The Abbey Resort located in Fontana Wisconsin, held a focus group where millennial event planners highlighted how substantial creativity and variety are in the food and beverage arenas, which included an emphasis on healthy food options. Customizable and themed menus that have one-of-a-kind options seemed to be the best way to persuade them to book an event at properties who provided such accommodations.
Promote Unique Venues
Since millennial event planners in NYC prefer exclusive experiences, they typically like to go beyond the ballroom and look for creative spaces. Venues that have a unique atmosphere are being booked more than traditional ballrooms by millennial planners.
Since unique is what they want, it would make sense that venues and hotels use their websites and marketing material to promote how event planners can transform the facility’s nightclub, terrace, pool deck, or other open spaces for parties and events.
Millennial event planners expect that the large hotel chains also have something exclusive to offer them, even though they don’t typically have nontraditional spaces for events onsite. As a matter of fact, attractions and activities outside a venue is the typical preference for millennial planners. For example, Topgolf in Las Vegas has become increasingly popular for the younger demographic planners because they understand how important it is for attendees to get out of the hotel for a night. So, they key for large chain hotels who want to attract event planners in NYC is to collaborate with nearby local tourist attractions and restaurants to create a package that offers a unique experience. Try to negotiate with the site to secure group rates or some sort of special discount as an added bonus.
Get Involved with Local Causes
Despite the classifications of Generation Y being known as the “me, me, me” types, they are also known to be involved in activism. According to the Millennial Impact Report, millennials are the generation that is most probable to engage with local causes over national causes, and even the ones who don’t really see themselves as “activists” are serving causes that don’t affect them directly.
That being said, younger event planners tend to create meetings that have a purpose. For instance, The Embassy Row Hotel located in Washington D.C. finds that a lot of millennial event planners are interested in the type of work the hotel is involved in with the local community. So, the hotel’s Chef’s Pantry that is open 24 hours and is partnered with the organization called Others Might Eat that helps feed the homeless people is of great interest to them. The hotel’s staff is always looking to curate new experiences that have both the wow factor and a purpose.
That means that venues and hotels would benefit from promoting their community practices to millennial event planners while building corporate social responsibility into events. You can partner with a local charity and offer activities that have a purpose to event planners and attendees.
Use Visuals to Place Information at Their Fingertips
The fact that millennials are tech-savvy is no secret. Even though nine out of 10 millennials own smartphones, the Pew Research Center says that ironically millennials tend to avoid most phone calls. In a 2018 survey led by BankMyCell, 75% of millennials stated that they avoid phone calls because they’re too time-consuming. On the other hand, emails and text messages don’t entail small talk so that form of communication will get them to answer questions faster.
Millennial event planners prefer to do venue research on their own, but they favor when it’s displayed in an engaging form. TechSmith says that 60% of millennials absorb information faster when it’s delivered with visuals, and 58% of them will remember it longer. That means that it’s crucial for venues and hotels to promote their property on social media platforms with attractive videos, photos, and interactive tours. The best way to present visual information is by designing a website that contains a variety of visual formats where you also embed your social media feeds so that you can attract more millennial event planners.
Don’t Forget the Value of Peer Recommendations
No matter which generation we’re talking about, peer recommendations are probably the best way to attract event planners to a venue. Millennial event planners are a big part of group business so it’s important that you encourage them to tell others about their great experience with your venue. Additionally, since they’re so tech savvy, you can ask them to share out posts on social media about your venue and write online reviews as well so that it can help with growing your group business.
If you manage a venue or hotel and you’re looking to collaborate with Event Planners in NYC, contact us today to learn how you can become an exhibitor at the 2019 Event Planner Expo where you’ll be able to meet event planners you can work together with.
