Meet today’s parents

The “experiences generation” is growing up and having children. Here’s what defines them.

No doubt, millennial and Gen Z parents are drawn to events that include activities and experiences for both their children — and themselves. And with more of these younger generations having children every day, it’s a growing opportunity you can’t ignore.

In fact, some events that weren’t focused on families have already seen a shift in their attendance. “5K Foam Fest started focused on socialites in their late 20s and 30s,” says 365 Sports Marketing Director Michael Lambert. “At the time, our family group registration represented only five percent sales. But as participants became parents, that number quickly rose to about 30%.”

So what makes a family-friendly event worth the ticket price in American parents’ eyes? Keep on reading to learn what experiences they like best.

If you think facepainting and balloons are all it takes to attract the next generation of parents to your events — think again. Since millennials and Gen Zers seek out memorable experiences for their children, the question you should be asking is: How can I tailor my events for them?

The answer goes beyond colorful decorations, kid-friendly foods, and promotional messaging that promises “tons of fun for all ages.” Scary Mommy and Today Show Parents Contributor Melanie Forstall Lemoine says today’s parents look for more meaningful experiences for their family — not just their children.

“There are too many options to choose from,” says Lemoine. “If you want me and my family to attend your event, there are specific needs — and even challenges — you need to meet.”

Every parent has their own unique decision-making process when it comes to vetting what’s suitable for their kids. But, according to Lemoine, there are five questions common across the board. Here’s how to use them in planning your own family-friendly event.

Five essentials parents need to know before attending your event

Deciding what to do with kids can be hard, especially if a family has more than one child with different interests. To get inside the minds of today’s parents and understand what they look for in experiences, Lemoine shares five questions she and other parents need answers to before attending an event.

Question #1: Will the event be interesting to my kids?

“Most parents have more than one child — myself included. And we want to do things together,” says Lemoine. “When I’m looking for events to attend with my babies, it needs to have age-appropriate activities, provide some sort of entertainment or educational value, and offer enough variety to keep everyone engaged.”

How to meet this need:

Create multiple levels of participation. Preparing the family for an outing can be a daunting task. Most parents want to know how their child will benefit from your event before bundling everybody up in the car and spending money on an experience. One of the easiest ways to add more value for parents is to offer many activities for multiple ages and stages.

Matt Forsman, founder of Sasquatch Racing, found a way for all his participants to compete — regardless of their fitness level.

“In addition to the endurance component of our races, we added a ‘trail treasure hunt’ a few years ago to play up the fun factor,” he says. “We planted silver woodallions along the race course for lucky runners to find and turn in for prizes  from the ‘Sasquatch Sack O’ Fortune.’ at the finish line.”

Give everyone the opportunity to participate. Don’t forget that kids aren’t the only ones attending your event. Parents or guardians — even uncles, aunts, and grandparents — are often attracted to events where they can participate in experiences with children, too.

“Our races are really about fun, exploration, and having a good time,” adds Forsman. “In addition to the ‘trail treasure hunt,’ which offers participants of all fitness levels an opportunity to win something, we segment race winners by age group. That way, when grandma wins 1st place, everyone who walked with her feels like they’ve won.”

Question #2: When is it?

It’s not easy balancing everybody’s busy schedules. Older children have clubs and commitments to balance, and children under three have naptime, and mealtimes can make it hard to get out for an event if it falls within those windows. That’s why the second top consideration of parents is the timing of your event.

How to meet this need:

Know your age group. Are you putting on a “Mommy and Me” event for babies and their mothers? Time it in the early morning or late afternoon, in between the usual naptime windows. Pay close attention to what other local and regional events do, and remember — you can always survey your parents to see what times they’d like best.

Consider hosting a time-flexible or multi-day event. Offer parents the option to pick and choose when they’d like to attend your event under one all-access ticket. This option can give families the flexibility that they’re willing to pay more for.

“It’s pretty disappointing for the whole family when it’s time to leave the house and one of your children suddenly needs a nap,” says Lemoine. “When an event offers flexible start times and activities that run multiple days, I can please everyone and feel like Super Mom.”

Question #3: Where is it? Will there be parking?

Families have to carry a lot of stuff to get out and about. Diapers, snacks, spare clothes, water bottles, strollers — it all adds up fast. That’s why where you hold your event is almost as important as when it will be.

Rule #1: Hone your message before blasting promotions

88% of consumers gather information online before purchasing a product or service. That’s why having a strong event description is super important. You need to give parents a clear idea of what your event is about so they can quickly understand the what and why.

When crafting your event’s messaging strategy, make sure to:

Know your value proposition

Your value prop is a two to three sentence statement that summarizes why your event is different from others in your area and what it offers to your attendees.

Example: “At Baby Picasso Art Classes, we provide the perfect environment to nurture the budding artist within your toddler. Join us on Saturday mornings for 30 minutes of finger painting, play dough sculpting, and more, all facilitated by one of our Baby Picasso certified instructors in a small-group setting!“

Define your target audience

In the past, family-related marketing targeted mothers. That may be true in some situations, but it’s no longer a given. Millennials are breaking down stereotypical gender roles and dads are more involved than ever. Include them as your audience, too!

Example: “Calling all moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, and uncles! Looking for something fun to do on Saturday afternoons with your elementary school-aged kiddos? Come make amazing art with our talented team of teachers at Artland Studio!”

Capture the excitement in event photography and video

Pictures and videos are a powerful way to show people what your event is like. Use Instagram to paint a picture. Then use these video templates to bring the event experience to life on YouTube.

This example from Pretty Princess Parties captures the Jodi Polasky’s events perfectly.

Photos by Misty Pelican Photography

Rule #2: Focus on the right promotion channels

Today’s young parents find events in their own unique way. Their top two sources, according to our survey? Social media (66%) and word of mouth (60%).

Today, most word of mouth happens on social media. According to prior Eventbrite research, 61% of millennial parents admit to attending an event so they have something to share on social media, compared to 34% of millennials without children.

To encourage more word of mouth promotion through social media, follow four steps from the insiders of Facebook and Instagram:

Step 1: Post visual content

The best kind of content for an event is visual. Invest in quality photography and video that captures attendees having fun and actual experiences. If you can, record video testimonials of families at your event and share them on social media.  

Step 2: Post frequently

A steady cadence of content is important for social media engagement. Delegate a staff member to post once or twice a day. Share relevant, interesting content from partners and influencers. Use Facebook Live to share the excitement during your event and encourage those who skipped out to come.

Step 3: Sell tickets directly on Facebook or Instagram

Now that you’ve got people interested in your event, you can turn that interest into action by making it extremely easy for parents to buy from your Event Pages or business profile.

Step 4: Partner with parents’ favorite influencers

“Social media influencers have been incredibly powerful for growing our brand,” Jodi Polasky, founder of Pretty Princess Parties says. “We partner with people who already are trusted in local communities — often mommy bloggers — to connect with potential attendees. Influencers give your event credibility.” Follow these steps to find your influencers.

The more you post interesting and relevant content on social media, the more your audience will engage with it and be drawn to your events. “Facebook is our number one marketing channel,” says Chad Collins, Founder of Learn with Bricks, an all-ages LEGO festival. “Putting our Facebook pixel code in Eventbrite [allows us to] retarget people who have seen our checkout page but haven’t yet checked out, and serve them with a targeted ad.”