How to be Successful in Marketing to the Baby Boomers

Boomers were born between the years of 1946-1964 and grew up with the “American Dream” in the white-picket-fence era of post-World War II. They are the second-largest generation behind Millennials.

What Key Events Influenced Boomers?

• 1955 – Rosa Parks refuses to move to the back of the bus
• 1957 – First nuclear power plant
• 1962 – Cuban Missile Crisis
• 1963 – President John Kennedy assassinated
• 1964 – Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed
• 1968 – Martin Luther King assassinated
  

What You Need to Know About Boomers?

Boomers learned technology from Generations X and Millennials. As this was not the normal concept that they grew up with—you learn from those older and more experienced than you. They were slow to embrace technology, but once they did, they became the fastest-growing generation online. About 64% of them are online.

They love to talk to real people and are most receptive to direct marketing, and traditional marketing and sales tactics. They value service and need to know how a product will make their life easier. They are most responsive to marketing in the morning and don’t contact them during dinner. They feel younger than they are and expect to be marketed accordingly.

Three out of four have no intention of having a traditional retirement. They spend the most money on each shopping trip making them the most valuable generation of consumers—this includes what they spend on technology. Boomers account for 50% of all consumer expenditures, but marketers are only spending 10% of budgets on them.

Facebook is their preferred social media platform. They use it to revive long-lost friendships, staying in contact with grandkids, and are known for reporting ads as spam. They won’t read long-form content as they prefer articles that are about 300-words.

Marketing to Boomers.

The techniques that they prefer include:

• Brand recognition. They do not have to be loyal to listen.
• Well-written content without slang or hashtags.
• Products that look expensive, but have bargain prices.
• An appeal to their younger years – “the good ole’ days”. They feel younger than they are, as much as 20 years younger, so appeal to this.
• Simple uses of technology and do like videos.
  
• Phone numbers with real people who answer.
• They represent one-third of online users and spend an extra two hours per week than Millennials online.
  

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