Meeting the needs of the next generation of event planners

You might think they’re asking too much, that they have ‘big’ ideas or maybe you just get annoyed that they don’t answer their landlines, but don’t underestimate what they’re capable of.

It’s time to get in touch with the next generation of event buyers.
Generation Y and Millennials have more decision making power than ever before and it’s not just the generation that’s changing; it’s the way they consume technology that’s prompting the events industry to change.
The opportunity is here. Adapt or die.

The next generation are demanding, they do have ‘big’ ideas and they don’t like taking your sales calls. Get to know them, their priorities and their love for all things tech, and you’ll be way ahead of the rest.

In the first ever Australia Asia Pacific survey conducted by the International Association of Conference Centres (IACC), Generation Y and Millennials, those aged 18 to 32, placed more importance on the technology capabilities of a venue than any other generation.

Why? Because technology isn’t an add-on for them. It’s not even a ‘part’ of their life, it is them, it is their life.

There’s an opportunity here for venues and event suppliers. When the future of meetings and events lies in the successful communication and collaboration of buyer and seller, all parties must understand the needs and wants of the other.
For venues, attracting event buyers lies in communicating their unique technical facilities and strength of their team. For event suppliers, attracting buyers lies in the technology they offer and success of past events delivered.

We’re in house at 70 venues across Australia and New Zealand, and as the only supplier to hold this accolade, we feel privileged to be able to offer innovative technical solutions; through the people with the know-how and the boundary-pushing products and services that we’ve tailored to each of our venues.

Our technology includes the latest webcasting and live streaming technology, Event Feed – our real-time social media platform to boost event engagement, Event Poll which allows live voting, contests and question submission at events like conference and of course event apps. Plus we have the latest and greatest multimedia 3D mapping programs which project onto any 3D surface, offering phenomenal impact and uber-widescreen technologies to truly transform events.

We’re seeing that generation Y event buyers are more interested in these technologies. Priorities of the decision maker have changed. Baby Boomers and Generation X had top priorities like quality, dedicated service teams and a superior food and beverage offering. Generation Y and Millennials are placing greater importance on location, technology and experiential learning aspects like team building. Each of these priorities open the door for venues and suppliers to be more innovative. Together, we’re set to see more and more creative and high-tech events, what better way to get that immensely satisfying wow-factor for you audience?!

We’ve invested in all sorts of engaging solutions, ones that integrate technology into the heart of events. Engagement for us is not just a buzzword, it’s a critical event component that can allow you to transform attendees into a community of brand ambassadors.

With society in general placing greater importance on digital communications and technologies, it’s no surprise that it’s a key desire for Generation Y and Millennial event buyers. This generation has grown up with limitless information literally at their fingertips, wherever they are, whenever they need it. Google, Facebook, Snapchat are all instant technologies that give the user exactly what they want. This generation is not waiting for the best sales call, they’re actively searching for thumb-stopping digital content, and they’re integrating it into their events at the speed of light!

Recognising the pace at which technology changes, we’ve got a dedicated team whose sole purpose is the discovery of the latest technology from across the globe. It’s these technologies that can transform events and make them stand out from the crowd.

We’re onto it.

Want to know more about event trends? Download our range of free White Papers today.