DALLAS — A new report from the Center for Exhibition Research (CEIR) contains valuable advice from consultant and industry veteran Barry Siskind on engaging with today’s most dominant workforce generation: Millennials.
Titled “It’s Not Your Father’s or Mother’s Trade Show Anymore — Engage with Caution,” the 12-page report is part of CEIR’s Industry Insight Series and covers multiple topics, including adjusting booth engagement techniques, exhibit booth additions and improvement plans, converting attendee “window shopping” into engagement and much more.
“Contrary to what many think, disruption is not a bad thing,” a portion of Siskind’s report reads. “In most cases, disruption takes industries into the next phase of their usefulness. Organizations should look at the changes that are happening and take steps to fortify their business practices against the storm of disruption. This will help the exhibition industry find their place in the new economy, where they can continue to thrive. Industry leaders have to engage Millennials in ways that are meaningful to them.”
According to CEIR CEO Cathy Breden, CEIR has monitored trade show attendee preferences for a decade, from research with young professionals to tracking preferences by generations in the workforce. With Millennials being the largest generation in today’s workforce, she told Trade Show Executive, “it is incumbent on exhibitors to assure that their engagement approaches, people-to-people engagement in particular, resonate with them to maintain relevance and effectiveness of their exhibit programs. Barry does a nice job of walking the reader through relevant CEIR research and offers recommendations on how to alter booth staff engagement approaches to align with what Millennials prefer.”
Says Siskind: “When exhibitors ignore the influence of Millennials, they place their trade show investments in peril. Unless Millennials are being properly engaged, all good intentions are simply window dressing.”
CEIR’s full report can be downloaded at https://www.ceir.org/products/2752.
Reach Cathy Breden at (972) 687-9201 or cbreden@ceir.org
