Attracting Millennials to Your Next Conference

Attracting Millienals to ConferencesAssociations and event marketers are preparing for a massive generational shift in the workforce which could have a profound impact on meeting attendance. By next year it is estimated that half of the employees in the world will have been born after 1980. The US workforce is expected to reach that benchmark by 2020.  

Therefore it is not surprising that association executives are searching for ways to attract, connect with and retain the next generation of members and conference attendees. In a survey, 74% of association executives said they were concerned about attracting younger members but less than half of them felt confident in their ability to do so.

Ye the answer may be surprising simple and easily addressed. A recent survey of Millennials found that more than half believe they would benefit from having a professional mentor, but only about one-third said their bosses or supervisors were willing to serve in that role. The desire for career guidance is a crucial gap that associations and professional conferences can fill.

Our event marketing team can help make create and market your next event to attract a wide variety of attendees, including Millennials. For more information, contact Barbara Stroup bstroup@cepiexpo.com.

Trade Show Marketing Success, Differentiate the Experience

By some estimates, there are now over 14,000 trade shows servicing every imaginable sector and interest. With so many overlapping and competing shows, how can meeting planners and event marketers capture attention away from competing shows?

One of the most powerful keys to success is differentiating your show, event or meeting from competing shows in the same space. In order to successfully differentiate, meeting marketers must first know the audience their needs, motivations, wants and behaviors.

At ExpoPlus, we coordinate closely with Bodden Partners, our parent company that specializes in insight-driven marketing communications. Together we pour over membership data and registration data, review prior attendee surveys, consult with meeting managers, walk the exhibit floor, study traffic patterns, watch interactions, observe behaviors, talk with attendees, and interview exhibitors.

These observations result in tailored recommendations for measurably improving the success of future shows. If you would like to know more about how we can help you differentiate your next event, contact me at bstroup@cepiexpo.com