"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." — John F. Kennedy
You may think you've heard enough about millennials, but the information keeps coming — and this time it affects the association world. The truth is, millennials are the future, and associations' prosperity heavily relies on their involvement. To reap the benefits of a multigenerational membership, associations must adapt to a quickly changing landscape.
With about 80 million millennials in the U.S. today, opportunities to recruit younger members and engage current ones are endless. But you can't expect to win their devotion by sitting on the sidelines. These three essentials will help associations stay in the game with the best team possible.
1. Outreach
To maintain a long-term presence in the industry, outreach efforts targeting millennials need to be on the front burner. It's also critical to realize strategies used to reach members 10 years ago will not be effective today.
Tap into the tech-savvy world of millennials by establishing a social media presence. Does this mean you need a presence on every social media outlet known to man? Not at all. Determine where most of your members are, then direct focus there. Helpful hint: To ensure the effectiveness of your social media reach, especially with millennials, post relative content often.
Another way to use technology in your communication strategy is to send text messages instead of placing calls. According to an article on Care2, 52 percent of millennials would rather receive texts than calls. Go ahead — ask for the digits!
2. Recruitment
Similar to college sports teams scouting potential players in high school, associations can get a head start in attaining younger members by reaching out to parents, or even children. For example, the National Speakers Association offered a youth program during their convention for children ages 10-16 featuring activities related to NSA.
Sound like a stretch? Here’s something to consider: A study by Dan Schawbel, managing partner of Millennial Branding, found that millennials view their parents as mentors and influencers, over professors, friends and co-workers.
3. Engagement
Read any business blog today, and the topic of millennial engagement can't be escaped. What is it about this particular group that sends managers into a tizzy? For one, 80 million millennials will soon make up 50 percent of the workforce.
"We don't study millennials because they're a part of the culture. We study them because they're defining the culture," said Derrick Feldmann, CEO of Achieve and creator of the Millennial Impact Project.
If taken as an opportunity to capitalize on diversity, millennial engagement can be enjoyable and pay off in the future. These simple strategies are a good place to start:
- Connect via technology: This can't be reiterated enough. No matter how you go about it — social media, email, texting — technology must be part of the plan.
- Communicate cause: Millennials engage with causes, not institutions. Try sharing success stories, and think "dialogue, not monologue."
- Promote passion: According to the 2014 Millennial Impact Report, 53 percent of millennials said having their passions and talents used and fulfilled was the top reason for staying with a company, beyond compensation and benefits.
If associations are to remain relevant in a rapidly changing industry, obtaining a multigenerational membership is a requirement not to be put off for a later time. Put in the work to create winning plays within your membership, then let the score take care of itself.
