By bbr

by Sarah Warlick, content director

This is not your average Boomer!

Millennials are cute and fresh-faced but there’s an important audience with a lot more money. If you keep up with business and marketing publications, it’s easy to get the impression that the only people buying anything at all these days are the all-important Millennials. Obviously that’s not correct. Older generations have been working longer and have a greater need for various professional services, in general. We discussed the unique mindset of Generation X in an earlier post,  so let’s take a few minutes to think about the Boomers and even older audiences.

It’s not a smart move to ignore the more mature generations in your marketing, and yet the behavior is widespread across most channels and industries. In professional services, there’s a bit less age discrimination than in some industries. That’s a good thing because it’s more important in this industry than in many to address the needs of these older consumers.

Though professionals may wish fervently for young earners to seize their opportunity to take full advantage of compound interest and decades of forethought, it is only as we age that most of us begin to seriously think about financial planning, building retirement homes, creating lasting legacies, putting in place wills and trusts, business succession and the other things we want to accomplish before we check out of this life.

Given older people’s stronger focus on these issues, it is imperative for professional services firms to be conscious of this age group in their marketing. Don’t ignore the hype about Millennials – if you want to woo them, knock yourself out – but be very sure you’re also addressing the mainstay of your business: Boomers and older folks who have already retired or are at, or nearing, retirement age. Try to keep these concepts in mind when you’re marketing to connect with the riper element:

Options: It’s easy to lump older generations into one homogenous group but contrary to the stereotype, they are not all of one cranky, funny-smelling type with a single focus. In fact, they’re just as varied as any other group, if not more so. So what do they want? Whatever they want! Folks who have been adults for a few decades are generally chock full of ideas for doing something different right about now – all those things they’ve dreamed of but been too busy raising kids, working and paying off homes to do. Getting older today can bring more options rather than fewer, so let your marketing reflect that enhanced opportunity for choice.

Action: “Old” isn’t so much a matter of chronology as it is a perception. The concept of a gentle, rocking chair-bound knitter or whittler may be traditional but it doesn’t match the current reality. Boomers see themselves as forever young, and with the good medical care and yoga fetish many of them have been exposed to they’re still bursting with energy. They want action! Retirement these days often means a change of direction instead of a lessening of activity. Communicate less about golden years and more about long-dreamed-of adventures, teaching the skills acquired over a lifetime and beginning new projects that finally fit into the schedule.

Values: Politics, religion and philosophy vary immensely from person to person, but what holds fairly constant is the value we place on family and community. Whether you’ve focused on creating a business, a building or a family (or all three), as you get older you’re thinking about how to keep your treasures safe and secure in the years to come. An honest, realistic approach to these topics goes far in building relationships between professional services firms and their clients.

Goals: What most professional services firms really do is help people align their actions with their goals. Older people cherish most of the same goals as younger folks do – they just tend to have more clarity about which ones matter most. Planning to fulfill personal, professional and philanthropic goals becomes an important line of thought, so your firm should be up-front about its ability to help clients reach every kind of goal.

Marketing to an aging audience doesn’t take gimmicks; it takes honesty and a willingness to address both the infinite possibilities for personal expression and the universality of a limited human lifespan. If you can do this well, you’ll connect successfully with audiences of all ages, but especially those over 50.