Three Hot Topics for the Boomer Market
1. Boomers Continue to Learn
Boomers are life-long learners who continue to seek out quality educational and information resources and they will look for information on several areas of interest. Boomers are heading back to school in large numbers to earn degrees or to upgrade or learn new skills. They also find and read how-to information on a variety of topics.
Boomers access information from both online and off-line sources and through courses and other educational and information products like never before. “Many feel that ongoing education enhances opportunities, provides a good insurance policy against obsolescence, and is one of the most positive ways to increase job security and achieve promotions” (Knable, 2006).
Boomers are interested in a variety of educational topics. These range from financial planning education and services, ways to earn extra money or to start a small business, home-based business opportunities, or entrepreneurial ventures to name just a few areas. Seminars, workshops and other face-to-face educational opportunities attract this audience.
2. Boomers Want Business Information
One of the areas of interest for Boomers is information on business start-ups. They want to use their years of experience to generate funds as a source of continued income or to be able to enjoy life with more relaxation.
Fresh ideas on innovative products or service creation are of interest to this market. A smart marketer will be ready to make necessary adjustments to personalize their offerings to Boomers. You can see that this is a distinctive group with its own needs.
3. Boomers are Health Conscious
Staying intellectually active is necessary for overall boomer health. Reading, learning, and stretching the mind through intellectual pursuits is a way to keep the mind healthy and active. It also helps to prevent or delay the onset of mental deterioration. “A relative increase in the amount of time devoted to intellectual activities from early adulthood (ages 20 to 39) to mid-adulthood (ages 40 to 60) was associated with a significant decrease in the probability of having Alzheimer’s disease later in life” (Friedland, 2006).
On the other hand, the overall health of the majority of Boomers is not what it should be. Many are overweight, or suffer from social diseases brought on by a bad diet and lack of exercise including diabetes, obesity, hypertension and similar diseases. As the population ages, more business related to elder care will be desperately needed.
Where Boomers Spend Money Now
What are Boomers spending their money on these days? The answer could be lenghty but here are five areas where Boomers are spending significant dollars. Since Boomers are less likely to move into a traditional mode of retirement like the generation before them, they will need products and services that help them continue living a healthy and active life.
Of course, talking about a few areas of need can’t possibly cover everything the Baby Boomer market wants. But it gives you at least an idea of how this market group thinks:
1. New Business Support: Boomers want information on money-making ideas. They want to use their lifelong experiences to make income to support their lifestyle, particularly after retiring from their traditional work. Business and entrepreneurial coaching, consulting and programs will go over well in this market.
2. Financial Information. Boomers spend 57% above the average on retirement programs. They are interested in financial programs and information. Show them how to make the money they have stretch through good fiscal programs and plans.
3. Self-Care. Fitness, wellness and nutrition are big interests of Boomers. This group might be growing older in their bodies but not in their minds. The quest for youth will be continual with this market.
4. Apparel. On average, Boomers make about 37% of apparel (clothing and accessories) purchases and spend about 40% on household furnishings and equipment. It’s time for them to fix up their homes and to buy those material items that had to wait until this time in life.
5. Leisure. Travel and tourism is also a growing area for Boomers who love to see the world. Boomers that find a way to combine their love for travel and with a way to earn money will be very happy. Travel and tourism services for this market will be hot for quite a while. Some start their own travel services, which gives them the opportunity to get away while earning a living.
6. Education. Boomers continue to learn and educate themselves about what is going on around them. They look for online courses, continuing education, special interest courses, degree programs, and general interest classes both online and in the local community.
These are not the only areas that gain Boomers dollars but this gives you a great glimpse of ossiblities for targeting what you have to offer to Boomers. Boomers going into business will be a trend that lasts for many years. As the economy begins to rebound, so will Boomer spending so get geared up to reach this market group.
How to Market to Boomers
If you want start targeted the Baby Boomer consumer demographic in your marketing efforts and desire to develop a sustained customer base with Baby Boomers, show Boomers that you understand they are a savvy group of potential customers. When you advertise to this market group, show that you know what you are talking about and deliver a message that speaks Boomer language while addressing their interests.
To market to Boomers means to know them. This group is young at heart and in their minds. They are sharp when it comes to technology (remember that the people who invented and pioneered the new technological concepts are now a part of the Boomer target group).
Contrary to some popular beliefs, Boomers learn fast, think fast, and expect fast results and they are not afraid of the Internet!
So What Marketing Message is Needed?
To reach the Baby Boomer market, approach them with a marketing message that is honest, respectful, and sensitive to their needs. According to the Focalyst research group, a study showed that “nearly half of the Baby Boom Generation believes there is little truth in advertising and more than 60% wish ads had more real information, suggesting that America’s advertising industry may be missing the mark in targeting the most affluent generation in U.S. History” (Advertisers fail, 2006).
Give adequate information in your marketing to allow Boomers to make an informed decision on a topic. Review your advertising copy. Does it really give enough information to understand your product or service? Some advertisers want to be clever and end up confusing the consumer instead of making their message clear. Baby Boomers do business with marketers who give clear, honest, informed messages about their product or service.
Even large marketing firms make a major mistake when marketing to Boomers. Research found that “more than 70% (of Boomers) are less likely to buy a product if an ad offends them. More than 50% say there is little truth in advertising” (Advertisers fail, 2006).
Learn to develop marketing messages that shows respect for the diverse experiences and backgrounds of Baby Boomers. Use techniquies that reach a market where diversity embraces differences in ethnic, cultural, gender, lifestyle, social, economic, and religious areas. Use language and a message that is sensitive and respectful to Boomer needs and desires in the market.
Build a Boomer Eager Business Reputation
If someone had a billion dollars and offered to give you some, would you take the time to build up the professional reputation needed to work with that person? Well, that’s what’s happening when it comes to the Baby Boomer consumer market. This group is a billion-dollar market that’s open and ready to work with Boomers and others that have the prodcuts and services they seek.
So how do you develop a good reputation with this market? Here are five
tips to get your started.
1. Never underestimate a Boomer. Develop a positive reputation by consistently presenting a high-quality product that is desired and needed by this market.
2. Develop trust by producing and delivering what you say you will; in fact, over deliver on your promises as much as possible.
3. Never resort to hype or lies in your marketing message. Expect Boomers to print out your sales letter and look for the points you promised when you deliver the product. Be sure to deliver the goods or possibly expect a request to get money back.
4. Be willing to build a personal relationship. Boomers want to know the person they work with. Be ready to take the time and make the effort to let Boomers know you through the new avenues of Relationship Marketing.
5. Give Them What They Want. This is the bottom line to developing a reputation as the “go-to” professional in your field with this group of consumers.
Develop the product and services this group of smart, savvy consumers wants, be totally honest, and over deliver and you’re on the way to developing the reputatio that could put money in the palm of your hands.
Boomers Will Love Your Information – If It's Good!
Are you developing information products that target areas of interest of the billion-dollar baby boomer consumer market? If so, you are on the right track.
- Information products are a key to doing business on the internet and Baby Boomers are a great market for these products. Here are some critical factors to consider as you develop your information products:
- Boomers want educational materials that have substance, not fluff. Don’t try to “fool” Boomers into purchasing something that has no relevance or is not accurate or substantial.
- Boomers want practical information products, not just a lot of theory. Make sure you are providing information that has practical application and can be used effectively.
- Boomers want education sources of the highest quality. Back your information up with correct facts and figures. Use language that speaks to the experiences of this age group by using illustrations that relate to what this group understands.
- Boomers want information that is easily accessible. These smart consumers are not afraid of the Internet and use web searches to gather quick information. Online courses and information products can be particularly attractive if the product provides solid information.
- Because Boomers are computer savvy, information products including ecourses, ebooks, mini-courses, articles, and other quickly accessible information are attractive to this market.
However, Boomers grew up with real books and magazines. They held some of the most famous books and magazines in their hands and may had sets of the Encyclopedia Britannia in their homes.
So consider producing printed materials such as print-on-demand (POD) books, home study courses, and workbooks and other printed works. This information could be your ticket to a new income stream if you can produce the quality products sought by the boomer market.
Marketing Your Competitive Edge
All organizations have a lot of competition, particularly as the economic situation tightens up in the marketplace. When potential clients do competition research, what will they find out about your company that is different from any others in your industry? Answering that identifies your competitive advantage. Here are 7 top areas you can use to establish a competitive advantage in your organization.
1. Unique Quality. Promote areas in your organization that highlight its areas of uniqueness. Make sure it’s something others are not able to easily copy. This can be a value added service or products only you provide.
2. Personal Story. Be willing to let clients know the personal side of the organization. Relate the story of how the company got started and people behind the idea. Let that story become a part of your brand. No one has the same organization story and this could be the area that lets the target group connect with you instead of the competition.
3. Education. Promote how you company uses areas of education in the business. Create a presence on educational campuses and open up your company training opportunities to the public. Promote the formal and informal educational background of your employees to increase consumer confidence in your team.
4. Experience. Your organization experience is developed over the years. Create case histories of what the company has experienced and show the lessons learned. Let consumers know about special certifications, innovations, creative concepts, or behavioral ideas that are exciting and unusual that makes your organization shine.
5. Hire Locally. Find ways to create employment opportunities in the community. Hire locally or take on interns from the local college. Letting students work with you to learn business is a newsworthy idea that could possible let you get recognized by local media.
6. Suppliers/Service Providers. Your suppliers and providers could give you a competitive edge by providing consistent quality, quick turnaround and unique items.
7. Price Right. Are you priced right? Do you have the goods to deliver? You make your business accessible by pricing your offerings so people can buy them without feeling like they are destroying their budgets. Be flexible and offer a range of prices to keep your target market during economic shifts.
Your competitive edge can be something small but it has to be identifiable. More often, it’s how you promote your competitive edge that makes it an advantage for the organization. Increase your marketing efforts by learning and using creative ways to establish your competitive edge as an organization or company in any field.
Create a Marketing Strategy that Influences the Bottom Line
Every organization that’s alive and thriving needs an effective written marketing strategy. A marketing strategy consists of a series of ongoing activities you plan to implement over a period of time to achieve a particular goal in your business.
Planning your marketing strategy lets you know the actions you will take on a regular basis to keep your business growing. Most people think of marketing as something that is done on an occasional basis without a real plan, usually when it seems convenient. For example, you might have a Twitter or Facebook account. When you feel like it, you make a tweet or put a post on Facebook. But with a marketing strategy, you pre-plan when you’ll do these activities on a regular and consistent basis if it feels convenient or not.
By designing a marketing strategy you take your business to a whole new level of preparation. Here are 7 top tips to help you design a marketing strategy to build your business.
1. Overall Goal. Start by determining the overall goal you want to reach through a marketing program. Do you intend to increase visitors to your website or storefront? Do you want to increase the amount of programs or services you promote? Do you want to increase the income for your business? Do you want to do all of these things?
2. Select the time period. Over what period of time will you pursue these goals? Designing a year-long marketing strategy gives you a good period of time to create a plan of action. It gives you time to develop consistency in placing your business name in front of the public which will only build your business.
3. The Target Market. A specific target market is needed to effectively design a message that speaks directly to the heart and mind of your consumer base. If you don’t know who you’re marketing to you waste time, money and effort trying to promote to everybody which is an impossible task in business.
4. The Message. With the target market identified you can create a marketing message that makes them pay attention to your business. Design an overarching slogan or theme for your marketing program that enhances your brand and places you in a positive position in the mind of the target consumer.
5. Chart Your Path. Get a calendar for the year and chart out the important marketing activities that you will do on a regular basis each day, each week and each month. Be consistent with these regular activities. This can include writing and publishing a weekly web article or posting to your blog and social networking sites on a daily basis.
6. List Periodic Activities. Next identify the activities you will do periodically such as once each quarter, twice a year or annually. These could include a special live or Internet based event, getting published in a newsletter or online ezine of a joint venture partner or writing an article for a magazine.
7. Chart Special Opportunities. Find opportunities that offer special opportunities to promote your business. For example, will you purchase a booth at a women’s conference, be a speaker at a networking group, or offer a door-prize for a school fundraiser? These opportunities might come up only on special occasions or be annual events you decide to participate in during this marketing year. Chart these on your marketing strategy plan.
This is a simplistic way to get started on a marketing strategy. You can see that it gives you more than one way to do your marketing. It also means you have to sit down, think things through ahead of time, and plan a whole year’s worth of activities. You won’t be caught off guard about marketing activities. You’ll also start to develop an ongoing presence with your target group which helps to build trust while building your business.
Be a Good Driver – Of Web Traffic
Good News! Driving traffic straight to your website doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. This quick report will give you some fast traffic driving tips.
Traffic builds your online business. One of the most important parts of a business is building your mailing list. For instance, when you look at a list building system, you learn how to build a mailing list in easy steps. To build that list, you need web traffic.
Direct the Traffic
Just like getting behind the wheel of a good vehicle, you can set your goals to drive traffic right to your website. To build a good steady stream of traffic, define your target market well. You can have all of the traffic in the world, but if people feel they reached the wrong destination by coming to your site, they will only drive off, never to be seen again!
Know your audience and what they are looking for so you can have the products and services they want. Then your conversion rates will be much higher.
Prepare for Drive-In Visitors
You want to have good quality information ready when visitors arrive at your website. So before you even navigate a course to your site keep these tips in mind:
- Make it a point to keep fresh and timely content on your site.
- Make it a goal to add new articles on a regular basis and at least every week.
- Make keyword research a habit to know what visitors are searching for that you provide.
- Make each page keyword relevant to the content on that specific page.
- Make sure to have a way to capture emails at your site once the traffic arrives.
Now that your know the importance of driving traffic to your site, get your site ready to impress those visitors that come over to say “hello.”
The Special Report as an Internet Marketing Tool
A special report is a brief document business professionals can use to highlight a focused topic area through internet marketing. You write a special report for a variety of reasons. This article gives seven ways to use a special report as a marketing tool for the savvy organization professional.
1. Write the special report to promote your business or services. Highlight a list of the services a give a brief explanation of each emphasizing the benefits to the clients. Even though you are marketing your business services, be sure to focus the report to serving the needs of the end user, not just as a promotional tool.
2. Give Your Report Away. Write the report and use it as a promotional give away on your website. You can create a report to be a viral report. A viral report is one that is freely distributed online with the hopes of being widely spread around. Be sure to put links back to your site.
3. Solve a Problem. Use a report to present a problem you know your clients are concerned about and that you can solve. Either provide the answer in the report or lead them back to your site where you present your programs of services to solve the problem.
4. Provide details. Use the special report to provide details on issues you have a particularly knowledge in. If your product or services are fairly common, detail new ways of using them or create a new connection to a common issue.
5. Make it Enjoyable. Your report can contain information that potential customers can use and will enjoy reading. Give clients something they can use and they will be more inclined to listen to your message and possibly buy the product.
6. Make it Brief. If you are not sure about writing the report, don’t sweat it. Just use a conversational writing style and a good command of spelling and grammar. If spelling and grammar are not your strong points, you can always use a spell checker and a proofreader.
7. Let Someone Else Write It. If you really don’t want to write your own special report, hire someone to do it. There are plenty of freelance writers out there who would be happy to put together a report. They might even be willing to come up with a topic if you can’t get past that part of it.
Use these seven tips to find a focus for writing your first special report. People search the Internet for information and a special report with your name on it makes you an expert in your field. Learn to write these reports and it will be an Internet marketing tool that builds your business and professional reputation.
E-Terms That are Changing Everyday Operations
If your organization is up with modern technology you know a language has to be learned. Certain ecommerce terms are changing how business operations are conducted on a daily basis. These 10 terms are ones your organization will need to know in order to be successful.
1. Ecommerce. The most basic term to understand in order to help to demystify the process of getting started is the term “ecommerce.” Ecommerce means selling on the internet.
2. Storefront. In order to sell on the Internet you have to have a place for people to shop. In ecommerce, the “place” customers shop is the website, sometimes called the storefront.
3. Internet Server. Just like a physical business has a location, a website needs a place to be located on the web. An ecommerce location in found on an Internet server. This is the software that controls the appearance and functionality of the website.
4. Ecommerce Marketing. To get people to your website with all the competition on the web, it’s necessary to use ecommerce marketing practices. Some of these techniques include advertising your ecommerce storefront on other websites or using search-driven services such as Google AdWords.
5. Ezines: One of the most effective online advertising concepts is creating information-packed email publications called ezines or opt-in newsletters, which require potential customers to request the information.
6. Traffic. When customers come to your site to click on the link in your newsletter, ezine, or ad, you have taken the steps to drive traffic to your site.
7. Landing page. Your landing page is the first page your web traffic sees. This is where you should provide information that lets them know about the organization. The copy on the page should be convincing enough to get the person to take some type of action such as registering for your newsletter or ezine or making a purchase.
8. Impressions or Hits. When a person comes to your site, she is a “visitor.” Each new visitor counts as a page impression, or hit. Tracking these numbers gives the e-tailer (you) an idea of the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
9. Fold. The best way to write your content is to position the most important information or items positioned above the “fold.” This is the part of the web page that shows up before you have to do any scrolling on the page. It is common practice to use this prime position to promote the products or services you most want customers to see.
10. Cookies. Even though most people don’t know it, when a person or customer visits your storefront, cookies are deposited in their computers. These small files track your customer’s preferences. For example, cookies record what pages have been visited and what products have been placed in the customer’s shopping cart.
These 10 tips on the language of ecommerce give you a good start in being able to converse in a way that takes your organization from a beginner online to a more educated ecommerce based business.