Millennial (Half) Minute: What Parents of Millennials Can Learn From Marketers Parenting

As you know, I love my own two millennials. They’re smart, kind, and, well, mine. I also love reading about millennials, because if I can learn something new about how to be a better parent, confidante and refuge to my children, then I’m happier, more fulfilled and tremendously grateful. I read a piece recently in The Washington Post that taught me something about how millennials like to chill when staying in a hotel (which is sort of like coming back home).

In her illuminating piece, “Six Ways Hotels Are Targeting the Millennial Market (and Benefiting Us All),” writer Kate Silver makes it clear that while hotels are becoming more millennial-friendly, hospitality companies want to appeal to a wide range of ages and tastes. She quotes several hotel marketing executives whose insights might be heard over a group of millennial parents gabbing over coffee (or martinis).

For example, a vice president with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group says that attracting guests is more about appealing to a certain mentality versus a specific age. Rose Anderson explains that her group looks at behaviors of millennials – their tendency to be “social, online, connected.” It goes back to a line from a distinctly Baby Boomer movie, "Field of Dreams": “If you build it, they will come.” But before you build it – whether it’s redesigning your millennial’s childhood bedroom or the rec room in the basement – consider doing what hotels do: find out what they like, what makes them want to visit and what will inspire them to return again and again.

Read Kate Silver's full article.