Inbound Isn’t Just for Millennials
Demographics are a fascinating component of marketing metrics: a person’s age, geography and other factors holds real influence over purchase decisions. We’ve talked a lot about millennials recently, and it’s about time we showed some love to baby boomers.
If you’re under the impression that older Americans still react best to interruption marketing, you’ll be surprised to learn that effective baby boomer marketing is more plugged in than you think. 30% of baby boomers consider the Internet a major source of news, and 30% maintain an active profile on a social media network. Considering that 41% of the total US population uses social media regularly, that’s downright impressive.
Boomers are a real force online, and they can’t be ignored by your marketing strategy: boomers represent 44% of the US population and 70% of US disposable income. They’re a critical component of the US economy, and here are some fascinating facts to get you thinking about building boomer buyer personas:
1. They’re Active
As boomers approach retirement, they’re not necessarily cleaning out their desks and digging into their 401Ks. 13% of the generation are delaying retirement due to a desire to stay active. When it comes to baby boomer marketing keep in mind that they’re not like prior generations: this segment of the population isn’t about to spend the next decade sitting at home. Nearly half of boomers actively plan to travel after retirement.
2. They’re Mobile
If you think mobile marketing is limited to millennials and Generation X, think again. 89% of boomers have a cellphone, and 13% have completely ditched their landline. Boomers are 5 times as likely as the general population to own an iPad or other tablet. Don’t limit your mobile messages to younger demographics when baby boomer marketing is increasingly mobile.
3. Values Matter
While millennials are often categorized as a highly-value oriented generation, it turns out that baby boomers also mix politics and religion into their purchase decisions. 36% of boomers have actively boycotted a brand due to their social or political stance, a higher percentage than among the Silent Generation, Millennials or Generation X. It’s not always about price or value when it comes to baby boomer marketing.
4. They’re Social
If you think a strong social media presence is limited to young people, you’ll be shocked to learn that the average baby boomer has 124 Facebook friends. Going social is a real option for effective baby boomer marketing.
5. They’re Thrifty
Prices matter to baby boomers. Despite the fact that their disposable income is much higher than your average millennial, it doesn’t mean they’re out to spend it. 32% of boomers use the Internet to research deals and sales, and 79% believe store brands are an excellent value for their money. A baby boomer marketing strategy should place some emphasis on cost, value and savings.
6. They’re Sensible
While millennials react well to humor in brand messaging, boomers are a little more pragmatic. 80% of purchase decisions among baby boomers are driven by practical reasons – 30% higher than among Generation Y. An effective baby boomer marketing strategy might focus more on facts and value-driven language than clever pop-culture references.
7. They’re Ignored
Boomers are 25% of the US population, $3 trillion of buying power but less than 5% of total ad dollars are targeted towards this group. According to a survey by Ad Age, many companies fear reaching out to boomers could age their brand.
The Internet hasn’t just impacted the way millennials and members of generation X shop, research and connect. It’s been responsible for a full revolution in the way Americans of all demographics make purchase decisions. If you’re convinced that baby boomer marketing should be limited to a traditional interruption strategy, it’s likely time to rethink your stance.
