A youthful and experienced panel of millennial meeting planners was on hand at Destination Colorado’s annual Town Hall Meeting held last fall at Table Mountain Inn in Golden. Current trends, lines of communication, use of social media, and the evolution of meeting planning and supplier relationships were among topics discussed by four Colorado-based planners: Angela Coleman of KMPG Financial Services, Stephanie Sadri of HelmsBriscoe, Erin Parrott of Kinsley Meetings and Gina Kim of PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. Barb Taylor Carpender, CHSC, CMM, of Taylored Alliances and Global Marketing Services facilitated the discussion.
Here are some insights that caught my attention and might strike a chord with you as well.
Site selections. Location, customer service and relationships are all important. Is the supplier a known partner, and will the planner get what she needs from them in a responsive and respectful way? Planners tend to follow an individual rather than a company; oftentimes the relationship and trust that has been built with trusted partners are more important than the property itself. However, if a supplier is unresponsive or not quick to respond, they are almost immediately eliminated as an option. “What is the point of your meeting?” inquiries tell a planner that you are serious about their event and interested in what they have to say. Take the time to really listen. They also rely on meeting planner networks for recommendations.
Sourcing and relationships. These planners utilize word of mouth, CVENT, industry partners/co-workers, TripAdvisor and trusted relationships with suppliers. They suggest making the relationship personal and like meeting people through networking and industry events. Get to know them. Do they have kids? What are their interests? If, for example, they recently ran a marathon, you may not want to drop off a pound of fudge as a gift. Or, maybe cookies aren’t the best things to drop off at an office that is gluten free.
Is social media important to meeting planners? No, not really. They feel that creativity is being lost by over-utilizing technology. It seems that stakeholders are trending toward more hand-on activities to get away from the current trend of smartphones and tablets.
Best practices for suppliers. If you are planning to come by a planner’s office, make an appointment. If bringing a gift, make it personal. A great idea is to buy a Starbucks gift card and have a coffee Skype meeting.
Don’t evers. Don’t spend 90 percent of the time talking and 10 percent of the time listening. Don’t send back an incomplete RFP or ask for information already provided in the RFP. Don’t send an auto-response, instead take the time to actually read the RFP and make your email response personal. Don’t send banquet menus; send meal suggestions as personalization is important.
Preferred ways to communicate. The panel recommended email or making an appointment. Some of the planners work from home and check email at 11 p.m., while others are in an office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. LinkedIn is fine, but if you send a message, make it personal. Networking events are also great. Broadcast e-blasts are not as well received as something personal and creative.
Flexibility desired. Millennials recognize need for flexibility in leaders, jobs and lifestyles. Flex time, options to work from a home office and family support are all very important.
Career advancement. Networking and short-term education opportunities are preferred over advanced degrees and long-term employment with a company.
Personalize everything. From emails and gifts to creative ideas and RFPs, these millennials prefer personalization. Help make them look brilliant to their clients.
Even though all four women are part of the millennial generation, they emphasized that it is more of a mindset than an age group. They want to do something to make a difference in the world, both professionally and personally. Whereas boomers are loyal to brand, millennials are loyal to industry partners, more flexible and change their minds all of the time. They are always looking for the greatest and newest, not the tried and true.
