Best marketing strategies for different generations

Millennials are devoted to digital media but they also love radio so be sure to include that in your marketing plan if they are your target demographic.

Millennials are devoted to digital media, but they also love radio so be sure to include that in your marketing plan if they are a target demographic.

By Emma Miller

As every successful business knows well, creating a unique voice with the right message and the appropriate channel will make a great difference between a loyal customer and a one-time visitor.

Having that in mind, targeting potential customers through every random means possible is a waste of resources. With such a growing number of digital options, finding a marketing medium that is not only in accordance with your brand identity but also with your customers’ preferences has become a necessity.

Let’s take a quick look at how different generations respond to marketing strategies and what you can do to maintain a high retention rate and earn their loyalty.

Baby boomers

The post-WWII generation includes people who are pretty much set in their ways, deeply fond of their answering machines and with a deep-rooted sense of loyalty. While they may be hesitant to rely on technology too much, their affluence and curiosity still put them alongside today’s millennials when it comes to shopping for the latest thingamajig.

So, how does all this reflect on your brand’s relationship with baby boomers? Make sure they know that your brand offers a product or service that is, first of all, a necessity for them, and that you will ensure high quality and an economical purchase every time. Persuade them that you’re a top-notch bargain, and you’ll have customers for life.

Also be mindful of their preference to use credit cards and their appreciation for cash-back programs, which is a perfect chance for them to receive gift cards whenever they generate points with pricey purchases.

Baby boomers also prefer talking to a person, and they will rather have a phone call with a marketer than take Facebook’s word for it. Be respectful of their personal time, however, which means that no calls should be made during meals, and late evenings, so as not to disrupt their family life.

Generation X

Also known as “the neglected middle child”, this is a rather small, but influential generation born approximately between 1965 and 1980. They are currently at the busiest stages of their lives. Handling family life, childcare and work life, they mostly have their greatest life questions solved, and they do enjoy being online.

They love buying online as well, but they still appreciate the old-fashioned walk to the local store. They deeply advocate for locally made and all-natural products; they stick to their lists; but they also don’t shy away from lavish spending on family vacations and other special occasions.

To make your products appealing, you need to provide them with a wealth of useful information and customer reviews, but base your ads on their own values. Xers appreciate their individuality, and they will notice if you do, as well. Create genuine, to-the-point campaigns that are tailor-made to reflect their family values and they’ll stick with your brand for good.

Millennials

Right after Generation X and before the 21st century kicked in, a whole generation of digitally savvy, independent people was born. Online is their domain, they dominate social media and they have taken the world of entrepreneurship by storm. Another crucial characteristic of millennials is their never-ending search for purpose and meaning as they yearn to make a difference though work and raising social awareness.

They have completely adapted to the world of purchasing online, and they have a tendency to listen to their friends’ recommendations, especially when they are able to experience some of the fuss right there, on Facebook or Instagram, where everyone shares their latest outfits, meals and fitness accomplishments.

Millennials also appreciate innovation; you will gain their trust by offering them a product or service that has a revolutionary approach and a trustworthy identity combined with an impeccable service, especially presented via a carefully built social media presence, branded hashtags and email campaigns. To make the greatest impact, offering fun, original loyalty programs and various rewarding schemes to millennials will definitely resonate with them.

But talk about an unexpected turn of events – millennials love the radio! They seem to enjoy this old-fashioned way of getting information for about 11 hours per week, so not reaching them via this medium would be a waste of an excellent opportunity.

To sum up, while all of these generations have some common traits, finding unique, carefully crafted ways to reach your target demographic is a needed strategy for any aspiring small business that wishes to build a strong bond of trust and loyalty with their customers.

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Emma Miller is a marketer and a writer from Sydney. Her focuses are digital marketing, social media, start-ups and latest trends. She’s a contributor at Bizzmark blog.

2 comments

  1. ColourBangla says:

    Great post I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this interesting and knowledgeable article.

  2. Informative post for marketers. Thanks for sharing the facts with us.

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