Are You Missing 70% of Your Market?

Are you missing
70% of your market?
What your Social, Online, or Traditional
Advertising & Marketing strategy
might have left out …

Successful marketing reaches
your audience
with the right message.
Most advertisers
target their marketing and message
to Adults 18-49

Who are you targeting?
Are you sure that’s your best customer?

There is a famous line
from the movie
All The President’s Men …

There is a famous line
from the movie
All The President’s Men …
“Follow the money.”

Baby Boomers spend close to
50 percent of all CPG* dollars.
Source: Neilsen/BoomAgers 2012 Report
*Consumer Packaged Goods.

Baby Boomers spend close to
50 percent of all CPG* dollars.
Yet less than 5 percent of advertising is directed to them.
*Consumer Packaged Goods.

That would be called
leaving the
“low hanging fruit.”

That would be called
leaving the
“low hanging fruit.”
That could also be called missing a big opportunity.

Baby Boomers make up
44% of the population, but have
70% of the disposable income.
Source: Forrester Research, November 2011

Baby Boomers make up
44% of the population, but have
70% of the disposable income.
Who are you targeting?
Source: Forrester Research, November 2011

Older Boomers (age 56-66),
spend more online
than any other generation.

Older Boomers (age 56-66),
spend more online
than any other generation.
Younger Boomers (age 46-55),
were the next biggest online spenders.

The only age group
with LESS disposable income
than Adults 25-34,
are Adults 65+.
Source: GIS Consortium, 2012

Average disposable income
for 35-64 Adults
is double
Adults 35 and under

Average disposable income
for 35-64 Adults
is double
Adults 35 and under
Are you sure your product or service is
just for 18-34 Adults?

Millennials are characterized
as being close with their parents.

Millennials are characterized
as being close with their parents.
So even if your product or service is for <35 Adults
it’s likely the customer will seek parent input
(for all but the smallest purchases).

Are you designing your message to
reach tech savvy 18-34 Adults?

Internet users over the age of 50
are driving the growth of social networking.

Internet users over the age of 50
are driving the growth of social networking.
53% of Boomers are on Facebook.
Their usage of the social net has doubled in the last year.
That means there’s a large group of Boomer Facebook newbies.

Isn’t my message
reaching everyone,
even Boomers?

Isn’t my message
reaching everyone,
even Boomers?
Is it?

Not-so-random fact:
41% of Apple computer
customers are Boomers.

Not-so-random fact:
41% of Apple computer
customers are Boomers.
Boomers want clean, easy, and a low learning curve.
Is your message delivered clean and easy?

Another not-so-random fact:
After age 50, almost 100% of adults
need vision correction
Source: National Library of Medicine/ ABC News

Another not-so-random fact:
After age 50, almost 100% of adults
need vision correction
Boomers’ vision is not the same
– even after correction –
as adults under 40.
Source: National Library of Medicine/ ABC News

The verdict after 100,000
web site usability tests?
Source: Moz.com/5 Lessons from 100,000 Usability Tests/2013

• Avoid multi-level navigation
It may look cool – but it’s hard for any user to use – not just Boomers.

• Links should look like links
The text should be colored different from surrounding text AND underlined.

• Links should look like links
The text should be colored different from surrounding text AND underlined.
• Make stuff easy to find
Whether it’s via your internal search function – or through logical categorization –
link the same information under two categories if you have to.

Is there an easy way to know
if my message
is “Boomer-friendly?”

Do you know what a “Charlie” computer is?
if my message

Do you know what a “Charlie” computer is?
A “Charlie” computer is an older computer,
running an older operating system,
connected to the Internet with DSL speed …
Large online sites use it
to check for load times and compatibility.
if my message

Find a couple human equivalents
of the “Charlie” computer:
adults in their late 50’s to mid 60’s.

Relatives are a great source for this. Seriously.

Relatives are a great source for this. Seriously.
Watch them complete a few tasks,
such as linking on your ad to buy your product,
and listen to what questions they have.

I can personally attest
to the time my own Mother
previewed my new website,
asked a question I thought was irrelevant,
and it came back to haunt me.

I can personally attest
to the time my own Mother
previewed my new website,
asked a question I thought was irrelevant,
and it came back to haunt me.
Yes, Mothers are usually right.

By 2017
over the US population
will be over 50.

By 2017
over the US population
will be over 50.
Between now and 2030,
the 18-49 segment is expected to grow +12%,
while the 50+ segment will expand +34%.

Besides clean and easily visible –
what else can I do to
improve sales to Boomers?

Besides clean and easily visible –
what else can I do to
improve sales to Boomers?
Make it easy.

Easier said than done?
Here are a few quick examples:

• Feature “Tips for New Visitors to our Site”
Be sure it’s easy to find – and not buried inside FAQs.

• Focus on your blog
Hint: They’re easy to use, personal, and – hopefully – informative. …
It’s no wonder their growth and usage is exploding.

• Use traditional advertising to supplement your online offer
Boomers are still large consumers of traditional newspaper and TV advertising.
Find a good rep who can show you affordable ways to reach them.

• Use traditional advertising to supplement your online offer
• Offer a “need help?” contact
Requests for help should be answered at least two – preferably four or more – times a day.

In summary …
• Follow the money
Boomers can be price shoppers – but they shop online and offline more than any other age group.
• Make sure your social media addresses newbies
Social media growth is coming from Boomer social net adoption.
• Use traditional advertising to supplement your online efforts
• Test your marketing on a Boomer
Watch and listen to learn, then apply changes if needed.
This is also the chance to show your Aunt or a friend’s Parent what you do.
• Keep it simple
Isn’t this true with all marketing?

This presentation is meant to be
only a starting point
Here are a few resources to learn more:
• Neilsen: Marketing’s Most Valuable Generation
http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/reports/2012/introducing-boomers--marketing-s-most-valuable-generation.html
• Huffington Post: Boomer Marketing Report Card
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/17/boomer-marketing_n_1516551.html
• Bloomberg: Aging Boomers Befuddle Marketers
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-17/aging-boomers-befuddle-marketers-eying-15-trillion-prize.html
(Be sure to check out the Infographic)

I’d like to hear about
your experiences
marketing to Boomers!

Sandy Glantz
Advertising & Marketing Professional,
Consulting/Freelance: Media, Web, Mobile, Social
Marketing Strategist
www.linkedin.com/in/sandyglantz/
I’d like to hear about
your experiences
marketing to Boomers!
Connect with me on LinkedIn:

Are You Missing 70% of Your Market?

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