USA - Short, to-the-point messages are the most appealing way of attracting young people to exhibitions, according to research by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).
In the second phase of a report titled The Power of Exhibitions in the 21st Century: Identify, Discover and Embrace Change from the Point of View of Young Professionals, CEIR outlines the results of an online discussion and survey of professionals aged 20 to 39.
Organisers and marketers can attract younger visitors by emphasising the ‘cutting-edge’ elements of an exhibition, and presenting the show as a place to learn about the latest developments in any given sector. It also helps to provide reviews from previous visitors. Emphasis on engagement, interactive and experiential elements of a show will also appeal to young professionals.
Things to avoid include having a condescending tone in communications, avoiding jargon and clichés, and staying away from the dated-sounding word ‘traditional’. Other no-go zones include the word ‘seminar’ which the report says is “something your grandfather would attend. Make an insurance seminar sound like a rock concert.”
In other recent reports, CEIR highlighted the cost to the events industry of over-complex visa issues, and reported improvements on all fronts of the exhibition industry.
