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.


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?



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.



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.

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


Easier said than done?

• Focus on your blog Hint: They’re easy to use, personal, and – hopefully – informative. …

It’s no wonder their growth and usage is exploding.

Here are a few quick examples:






• 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 Boomers are still large consumers of traditional newspaper and TV advertising.


• 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 Boomers are still large consumers of traditional newspaper and TV advertising.


• 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?

Business

baby boomers

double adults

report older boomers

average disposable income

younger boomers age

gis consortium

age group

percent of advertising