Why Gen Y is a Value to Meetings

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By Jason Dorsey, The Gen Y Guy

Generation Y, aka Millennials, were born between 1977 and 1995. Almost 80 million strong, they are the fastest growing demographic in the workforce and at professional meetings. Along with their ever-present cell phone and new definition of "business casual," Gen Y brings a new attitude to work and meetings. Jason Ryan Dorsey, The Gen Y Guy®, is an expert on Gen Y who teaches business leaders how to best employ Gen Y while maximizing the value of all four generations in their workplace. A bestselling author of four books, Jason has been featured on national TV shows such as "60 Minutes" and delivered more than 1,800 keynotes around the world. Jason is also a proud member of Gen Y who texts his mom every day.

Q. Does generation Y value meetings differently than previous generations? If so, how?
Yes. I've found that Gen Y has two big priorities when it comes to meetings: tangible outcomes and social interaction. If we are going to a meeting we either want the program to cut to the chase (i.e. bullet points rather than PowerPoints) or create a reason for us to meet interesting people.
 
Q. Given the perception of Gen Y reliance on technology for communication, how can smart planners leverage technology in a way that increases the chances of Gen Y prospective attendees registering for the meeting?
This is a great question, because some of the perception about Gen Y and technology is inaccurate. The perception among older generations is that Gen Y is tech savvy. My research shows this is 100 percent incorrect. Gen Y is not tech savvy; we are tech dependent. We don't know how technology works. We just know we can't live without it. For meeting planners, this means technology should be incorporated but only in ways that are easy to use, tie in with either the meeting experience or desired outcomes, and fit Gen Y's learning preferences. When it comes to registering for a meeting, we should be able to do so online and -- ideally -- on our cell phone. I suggest all meeting planners review their registration form on their cell phone for ease of use. If you can't offer registration by phone, at least provide a number we can text that auto-replies with a link to your online registration page. Once on your meeting's Web site, your registration page should load quickly (more than three seconds and we're frustrated) as well as offer the option to connect us with other registrants via social networks. If you really want to put it over the top, have a short video on your registration page that talks about all the benefits of registering -- professionally and lifestyle-driven (i.e. fun).

Q. Do you feel that Gen Y audiences are more inclined to want to use webinars, teleseminars and other virtual media versus a face-to-face meeting? If yes, what are the implications for planners?
No. Most Gen Yers I interview don't like webinars. They remind us of online defensive driving courses. Gen Y wants interactivity, camaraderie and tangible outcomes. Too many webinars come across as spill-n-drill, which is our least preferred instructional technique. However, if you must use webinars, break up the one-way commentary every five minutes by asking questions, showing a twitter feed, or using some other media (like homemade YouTube videos) to keep it interesting.

Q. Once you have a Gen Y presence at your event, what can you do to better engage them so that they want to come to future meetings and bring others?
Three things: 1) Create a reason for them to meet more experienced members. You can do this by splitting up the VIPs at different tables during meals rather than having them sit in the front of the room and Gen Y in the back. 2) Ask a Gen Yer or two to serve on your planning committee. We want to be heard, give us a chance. 3) If you want us to invite our friends, then make your online meeting information Gen Y friendly. You can do this by shooting homemade videos during the meeting that you later post online (you can even have a contest: Tell me in 30 seconds or less why your friends should attend next year); taking spontaneous pictures of meeting attendees having fun and upload these photos to your Web site during the meeting, and showcasing all the lifestyle attractions around the meeting location (i.e. 10 things to do within 10 minutes of the meeting for under $10).

Q. What are some of the generational differences that might exist for meeting attendees and how can planners anticipate these and plan for them?
Here are a few big ones: Matures (born Pre-1946) view age as seniority. Gen Y does not. Boomers (born 1946-1964) like policies and procedures. Gen Y likes to color on the policies and procedure manual. Gen X (born 1965 - 1976) is skeptical and wants to know the "why" behind your thinking and actions. Gen Y just wants to give you the answer to the math problem and not show our work. The good news: With a few simple strategies and actions you can bridge all four generation in a meeting without spending more money or giving the perception that you're catering to one generation over the others.

Q. What else do you think planners should be thinking about regarding Gen Y at their events?
Don't start meetings so early, like 10 a.m. Just kidding. Kind of. I think meeting planners should consider viewing their meeting more as a spontaneous community with everyone trying to achieve an individual and group goal. Ask yourself this question: What can you do with your spontaneous community to make people feel more welcome, involved, and leave with tools they can use immediately? Gen Y wants immediate application. If you teach us something and we can use it before the meeting is over, we do more than tell a friend, we post it on our blog and Facebook.
 
(Jason Ryan Dorsey, The Gen Y Guy®, is an acclaimed keynote speaker who teaches business leaders how to maximize the value of the different generations in the workplace and marketplace. A bestselling author of four books, Jason has appeared as a generational expert on "60 Minutes," "20/20," "The Today Show," "The View" and in Fortune magazine. In recognition of his business achievements, Jason won the Austin Under 40 Entrepreneur of the Year Award at age 25 -- one of the youngest winners ever. For more information about Jason, including his free videos, visit www.JasonDorsey.com.)