Tips and insights for marketing to Baby Boomers
In the marketing world, Baby Boomers are an interesting bunch. They were the first generation raised on television, played a key factor in the advancement of civil rights in America, and now make up for nearly 70% of the country’s disposable income.
Erica Sell of Harmony Home Medical
In this installment of This Week in Marketing, we bring in Erica Sell, owner of Harmony Home Medical in San Diego. Erica is a Certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), which led her to launch the company in 2008. Harmony Home Medical specializes in selling medical supplies to improve everyday lives. This includes wheelchairs, walkers, power chairs, stair lifts, and more. The majority of Erica’s clients are Baby Boomers shopping for their aging parents, as well as conducting early research for themselves.
In segment one, we introduce Erica and learn more about her company, the history of these types of medical supplies, and the industry overall.
In the second segment, we dive into the background of the Baby Boomer generation and how to market to them in a way that resonates. We discuss some of the key psychological differences in comparison to other age groups, and how businesses can use it to their advantage. Erica gives us a few awesome pointers for conducting research and targeting this incredibly vast customer segment. Erica emphasizes the importance of building relationships and trust with Baby Boomers before trying to sell to them. She lays out some specifics on how she organizes in-person events and expos to build rapport.
Segment three was all about the different types of online channels that work well with this generation. We touch on the fact that Baby Boomers love video content just as much (if not more) than their younger counterparts. Erica goes into detail about creating instructional videos for how exactly her products benefit customers and how to use them to the fullest capability. We talk about the importance of share-ability and how to make video a powerful marketing weapon, even on a small budget. Interesting fact: Baby Boomers are more likely to share content than any other generation!
Check out one of Erica’s videos below:
Don’t forget that there are excellent ways to market your products to Baby Boomers even if you do not have a room full of awesome products to highlight. We use VitaMedica, a supplement comapny, and a products like lotions as examples on the show. Baby Boomers like to see content that is informative and helpful for their daily lives. Even if your product is not photogenic, be sure to create videos that explains the benefits!
The final segment continues our discussion about marketing channels. We talk about the importance of email marketing and developing a web presence for online lead generation. More importantly, the key here is being quick to respond to inquiries. Being as how we are living in the age of constant connectedness, this is vital for marketing to any generation. However, Baby Boomers have a huge appreciation for brands that are on the ball and go out of their way to provide a personal touch!
Check out the full show for a complete picture!
About the Hosts:
Sam is the Communications Chair of AMA San Diego. He works for a digital marketing agency called Inseev Interactive. Sam supports businesses, both small and large, with their marketing efforts. When he is not surfing the web, you can find Sam off the coast of Pacific Beach, catching the evening swell.
Kevin works for E2M Solutions Inc. where he is the Chief Content Strategist and a Senior Copywriter. In addition to content, Kevin also hosts E2M’s company podcast titled: The Marketing Microscope. Outside of work, Kevin is passionate about travel and leisure writing. Recently, he used his marketing knowledge to pen this article about SEO tips for travel bloggers!
Comments