With America's population aging, smart advertisers are looking at the demographics and realizing senior citizens have disposable income and are willing to spend money on the things that interest them. They have some of the same preferences as younger generations, but often for different reasons. You can capture this market if you use some sound marketing to seniors strategies.
Some older citizens feel like the world has been invaded by aliens with all the emojis, sound bites, creative spelling, and online media feeds. If you want their business, you need to drop the jargon and speak a language they understand. Dramatic testimonies and trendy graphics aren't going to move them. What does succeed is straight talk and an honest dialog clearly stating what your service or product will do to make life easier for them.
One of the first rules of marketing is give the public what they want. You won't sell much extolling the bells and whistles of your product. You will be much more successful convincing the buying public of how your product will improve their lives and why they need to buy it now. This holds true no matter whether you are directing your advertising at retired people or teenagers.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make with senior citizens is to talk down to them. These are not kindergartners or mentally impaired individuals. Seniors have lived long lives and learned a lot. Many have been very successful in their careers. Nothing disgusts them more or makes them angrier than someone who is disrespectful or condescending. If you are going to market to this age group, you should implant this lesson squarely in your brain.
You should never assume that, because a customer is older, she is technologically handicapped. Many seniors love downloading apps on their smart phones and staying connected to friends and family on social media sites. Others have no interest in any of it. To be really successful you have to find a way to capture both markets. Fine print and overuse of icons is not the way to go.
Dropping all your print advertising in favor of online sales, can be a big mistake if you are trying to target an older demographic. Seniors grew up in the days when people communicated by land line phones and mail. They still read books. Some still love to get catalogs and brochures in their mailboxes. Many enjoy the tactile nature of print and are more inclined to buy from it.
A lot of older people get frustrated and annoyed when they call to make a purchase or request information and keep getting automated responses. Some will hang up unless a real person answers the phone. Automation is great, but having a customer service department staffed by live, knowledgeable personnel can make all the difference with aging customers.
Senior citizens are a growing, vibrant segment of the buying public. In order to capture this market, you have to be smart and learn how their thought process works. Respectfulness, straight talk, and standard English will go a long way.
Some older citizens feel like the world has been invaded by aliens with all the emojis, sound bites, creative spelling, and online media feeds. If you want their business, you need to drop the jargon and speak a language they understand. Dramatic testimonies and trendy graphics aren't going to move them. What does succeed is straight talk and an honest dialog clearly stating what your service or product will do to make life easier for them.
One of the first rules of marketing is give the public what they want. You won't sell much extolling the bells and whistles of your product. You will be much more successful convincing the buying public of how your product will improve their lives and why they need to buy it now. This holds true no matter whether you are directing your advertising at retired people or teenagers.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make with senior citizens is to talk down to them. These are not kindergartners or mentally impaired individuals. Seniors have lived long lives and learned a lot. Many have been very successful in their careers. Nothing disgusts them more or makes them angrier than someone who is disrespectful or condescending. If you are going to market to this age group, you should implant this lesson squarely in your brain.
You should never assume that, because a customer is older, she is technologically handicapped. Many seniors love downloading apps on their smart phones and staying connected to friends and family on social media sites. Others have no interest in any of it. To be really successful you have to find a way to capture both markets. Fine print and overuse of icons is not the way to go.
Dropping all your print advertising in favor of online sales, can be a big mistake if you are trying to target an older demographic. Seniors grew up in the days when people communicated by land line phones and mail. They still read books. Some still love to get catalogs and brochures in their mailboxes. Many enjoy the tactile nature of print and are more inclined to buy from it.
A lot of older people get frustrated and annoyed when they call to make a purchase or request information and keep getting automated responses. Some will hang up unless a real person answers the phone. Automation is great, but having a customer service department staffed by live, knowledgeable personnel can make all the difference with aging customers.
Senior citizens are a growing, vibrant segment of the buying public. In order to capture this market, you have to be smart and learn how their thought process works. Respectfulness, straight talk, and standard English will go a long way.
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