A 2015 study by Buzz Marketing Group revealed respondents under the age of 40, aka Millennials, are leaving old-guard professional organizations in record numbers. Their reasoning? Lack of proper curation, outdated or nonexistent technology, and expensive participation, not to mention their peers are not represented or involved in the group. The good news? The study also revealed ways to woo them back. Here are six steps you can take to grow millennial attendance at your conference.
1. Make your event or meeting affordable. That could mean offering junior or first-time member registration rates.
2. Provide giveback opportunities that also foster networking.
3. Offer access to industry thought leaders who share insight into the latest trends, innovations, technology and best practices.
4. Make membership or attendance invite-only (or at least make it look that way). This makes them feel special.
5. Offer a concierge service as opposed to a self-guided event.
6. Upgrade and utilize technology everywhere: apps, social media, digital signage and Wi-Fi.
