What Makes Boomers Tick Plus 4 Tips to Successfully Market to this Demographic
The marketing world has been obsessed with appealing to Millennials for a while, but Baby Boomers are a powerhouse in their own right.
According to Pew Research Center, there are over 74 million of them currently living in the United States. They aren’t just large in numbers, but spending too. In fact, they outspend Millennials, making up the majority of spending in the U.S. economy.
So you would think that that kind of spending power would have more sway over marketers, but they are unfortunately treated as a secondary audience.
However, more Baby Boomers research, shop, and purchase online than ever before. So if you aren’t marketing specifically to them, you are missing out on some serious opportunities to grow your business.
But we all know that every generation is different and you need to cater to their needs in order to be successful.
So what makes Baby Boomers tick? What platforms should you use to reach them? We’ll look at these answers plus a handful of tips to help you successfully market to this savvy generation.
Tick Tock, Don’t Stop
In order to successfully market to a specific demographic, you have to first understand what motivates them. So let’s skip the “okay, Boomer” comments and take a look at what makes this generation tick. Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 and have experienced significant political, social and economic change during their lifetimes. They witnessed the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Space Race, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and so much more.
All of these experiences shape their view of the world and this gives them several defining characteristics. They value relationships and are goal-centric, self-assured, and resourceful. They have a strong work ethic and can be competitive but are also team oriented.
Traits to Keep in Mind
Some other traits that you’ll need to keep in mind when marketing to Boomers include:
- They didn’t grow up with technology like Millennials and Gen Z so they take a different approach to purchasing; however, they purchase more things online than Millennials
- They are more financially stable than other generations with more disposable income
- About half of the generation watches videos online
- They are less influenced by peers
- Facebook is their favorite social media platform
Tips for Marketing to Baby Boomers
Now that we have a better idea of who Boomers are and what makes them tick, let’s take a look at some tips that can help you market to them more effectively.
1 | Don’t Use Slang or Abbreviations
Using generational slang can appear insincere to Boomers and can create miscommunication that leads to a lack of clarity, so avoid using slang and abbreviations. Instead, keep your copy clear and concise and focus on value-based messaging.
2 | Facebook Reigns Supreme
Facebook is this generation’s favorite social media platform. They love it because it helps them stay connected with friends and family and to stay informed. Organic reach can be difficult, so focus on ads, segmenting your audience by age, gender, location, device and interests so you can target the right audience with your message.
3 | Avoid Clickbait at All Costs
Baby Boomers are smart and they won’t fall for clickbait. Instead, be upfront about what you are sharing and make sure that what you provide has useful information that proves your product or service is worth the money. This generation likes to take their time and research before they buy so make sure your information is easy to digest and explain how they will benefit from their investment.
4 | Focusing on Youthful Lifestyle While Keeping Things Accessible
Referring to this demographic and anything in relation to their generation as old or elderly is considered derogatory. While the oldest of this generation are beginning to retire, they are still wanting to have lots of fun in retirement. As a marketer, your job is to help them achieve that goal by showcasing the benefits of your product or service. And because they don’t want to be seen as old, use models that are about 10 years younger than the targeted demographic. While you want to focus on youthful appearance and lifestyle, you do want to make things accessible with clear language, good contrast and avoiding fonts smaller than size 16. Don’t forget to also include email and phone support options on your social profiles and website. While this generation will purchase online, they still appreciate a more personal interaction when they need customer service.