Wondering how your upcoming exhibits will be perceived by today's under-40 attendees? A new study by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) has shed some light on the habits of both Millennial attendees (ages 18 to 27) and Generation X attendees (ages 28 to 39). Here's a snapshot of how they stack up when it comes to your exhibits and tradeshows:
Who is most likely to come to my show?
Millennials, for the most part. Generation Xers do not want work to intrude on their personal times, while Millennials are more driven about excelling in their careers, according to the report.
Respondents to the study had the opportunity to attend an average of 7.6 events related to their careers over the past three years, and typically Millennials attended a higher percentage of these meetings than Generation Xers did. As the report says, "In summary, Gen Xers are the challenge facing the exhibitions and events industry, while Millennials are the opportunity."
What are they looking for?
Both sets of attendees said that convenience and relevance of the event's theme are top factors in deciding whether to attend. Additionally, Gen Xers said that cost was a top factor; Millennials did not.
In terms of format, about 47 percent of respondents said their first choice for session format is a one-hour lecture followed by a 15-minute Q&A session.
How can I reach them?
Not surprisingly, under-40 event attendees are all over social networks, with 88 percent saying they use a social networking website regularly. Also of note is that 78 percent said they get exhibition information from event websites, while 60 percent get it from publications and journals.
The vast majority of under-40 exhibition attendees prefer to be reached and marketed to via e-mail.
For more information about the CEIR report, visit www.CEIR.org.
Who is most likely to come to my show?
Millennials, for the most part. Generation Xers do not want work to intrude on their personal times, while Millennials are more driven about excelling in their careers, according to the report.
Respondents to the study had the opportunity to attend an average of 7.6 events related to their careers over the past three years, and typically Millennials attended a higher percentage of these meetings than Generation Xers did. As the report says, "In summary, Gen Xers are the challenge facing the exhibitions and events industry, while Millennials are the opportunity."
What are they looking for?
Both sets of attendees said that convenience and relevance of the event's theme are top factors in deciding whether to attend. Additionally, Gen Xers said that cost was a top factor; Millennials did not.
In terms of format, about 47 percent of respondents said their first choice for session format is a one-hour lecture followed by a 15-minute Q&A session.
How can I reach them?
Not surprisingly, under-40 event attendees are all over social networks, with 88 percent saying they use a social networking website regularly. Also of note is that 78 percent said they get exhibition information from event websites, while 60 percent get it from publications and journals.
The vast majority of under-40 exhibition attendees prefer to be reached and marketed to via e-mail.
For more information about the CEIR report, visit www.CEIR.org.
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