AMiable Solution #72: Marketing to Baby Boomers

True or false: Baby Boomers love to dwell on the past.

If you answered “yes” and you market to your audience that way, you don’t know Jack.  Or Mike.  Or Susan.

Unlike Millennials, who respond to nostalgia marketing, Baby Boomers--those born between 1946 and 1964--don’t want reminded about the past.  They don’t want you to make them think about the days when they were younger.  They prefer to feel younger.  To think about the future.  To feel ageless.  To embrace new technologies and new products that help them achieve their goals. 

                                                                                                           

And they buy.  According to Jay Ehret’s June 25, 2011, “The Marketing Spot” blog, Baby Boomers make up 47% of all spending.  Forty-seven percent!  If you aren’t targeting this group, the numbers suggest you should.

What’s the best way to market to Baby Boomers?  Though they’re often thought of as old-fashioned, when it comes to marketing mediums, they’re new age.  Ehret reports that Baby Boomers spend more time on the Internet than any other age category.  And we’re not just talking about surfing the web.  Baby Boomers have a strong interest in social media, particularly when it comes to niche communities that involve their passions. 

But don’t overlook traditional direct mail marketing: research suggests that Boomers use direct mail as a starting point for gathering information. 

Finally, don’t make the mistake of assuming all Baby Boomers are alike.  As you’d do with any large population, segment and target them for their particular interests and spending preferences.  There’s more to them than every Tom, Dick, or Harry.