Are you finding it difficult to engage with seniors citizens online?
Marketing to seniors & selling to them has considerably changed over the years. Especially since digital marketing has become so prominent.
If you fail to understand that the needs & wants of seniors have changed & so have the marketing tactics, you’ll lose out on a big amount of the market to your competitors. Of course, even today, the older generation still likes traditional marketing options such as direct mail & tv ads, but that trend has been shifting for a few years.
According to the US Census Bureau, more than 56 million adults are 65 years of age & older. That makes up 16.9% of the total population in the US alone. Imagine how many senior citizens are living all over the world. Thus, marketing to seniors & tapping into that demography should definitely be one of your marketing objectives.
Proven Tips for Marketing to Seniors
Integrate these modern tips in your marketing strategy for effectively marketing to seniors.
Use Relatable Language
When you market to a certain demographic, you must know what language they speak. Typically, senior citizens do not use internet slang or trendy language. So, avoid using that language to market your product/service to them.
Gen-X & Baby Boomer generations just want products to help them improve their quality of life. They aren’t looking for cool gadgets or toys. So you need to think carefully about how your product/service will suit senior citizens or anyone over 55 years of age really.
Be smart in promoting your business & avoid using a language they didn’t use while growing up. This will help your target demography, i.e., seniors relate more towards your brand’s message. Thus, increasing your sales.
Leverage the Success Stories of Customers
Older people have seen more life than younger people. This means that in order for them to trust your brand, they need to see that your brand is legitimate. Typically older generation does not jump from one brand to the other. Hence, it’s extremely important that you provide them with value & gain their trust before you dream about selling to them.
Stories leave a solid impression on people’s minds. And, when a story is about success, they help people cultivate ideas & emotions that are very positive. Testimonials help your brand to gain trust & build credibility in the marketplace. Seniors are big time on trust & if you successfully leverage this method, you are going to prosper.
Remember, stories leave a greater footprint than facts or statistics.
Hold Contests
Contests are a great way to attract new customers to your brand. People, no matter their age, always like to win prizes & rewards.
You can come up with a week’s trip to the Maldives or an exotic location. Or, you could give people cash rewards randomly from time to time. If you have a one-of-a-kind product/service, you could offer a low-cost complimentary item on each purchase. This can significantly boost your sales.
You can promote these contests on your website, newspaper, tv, radio & catalogs. Senior citizens still consume traditional media, so do not forget to use both traditional & modern media. Leave no stone unturned!
Setting up all of this will take some effort, but the initial efforts will dwarf the massive ROI.
Make their Buying Journey Effortless
Older generations, especially baby boomers, didn’t grow up with smartphones. Most seniors do not understand how modern technology works. So you must carefully craft a website & make them comfortable using it.
I suggest you keep your website as simple as possible with minimalistic features. This does not mean you create a boring website. But don’t go overboard in adding modern templates & multipurpose buttons. They certainly won’t serve your audience well & you’ll end up losing customers.
Have a clear flow in your sales process so your target audience is not confused about where to navigate next.
Start Mailing
Seniors grew up with tv ads, newspaper ads, catalogs received via mail & other traditional forms of marketing tactics. The older generation wants tangible things, something they can hold in their hands, like print ads & catalogs.
Catalogs aren’t dead & they won’t die anytime soon. So make sure you mail your target audience your business catalogs. This increases your brand recall value.
Use Social Media
Although most seniors consume traditional media forms, that does not mean they don’t consume any modern form of media.
There are various popular social media platforms. However, Facebook is the most used platform by older audiences as they are more familiar with it. More than 70% of seniors have an account on Facebook. Hence, you should use Facebook for marketing to seniors.
You should create fun & engaging video content to attract most visitors to your content piece. Also, remember to keep your content clear & easy to read. Some seniors may forget to take action, so you should remind them to click on your CTA.
Along with Facebook, seniors are also opting to use Youtube & Pinterest. What more reason do you need for marketing to seniors via social media?
Things to Avoid when Marketing to Seniors
- Avoid using toddler language. Seniors are well-educated & well-informed demography.
- Don’t scare them by hitting hard on their insecurities. Don’t use their vulnerability for your business growth.
- Don’t just sell. Rather build a healthy relationship with seniors & comfort them with your branding.
- Don’t talk down to seniors. People, especially seniors, easily identify whether a brand is genuine or not just by the tone of their message. Treat elders with respect to gain trust & eventually, you’ll generate business from them.
Final Words
Well, these are my tips to you for marketing to seniors in 2023. They’re extremely important to keep in mind & are relevant for this age. So don’t hesitate to explore more about these tips & modify them according to your business model.
We’ve got a wide range of topics covered on our growth marketing blog page. So make sure you check it out. Lastly, let us know in the comment section if this article was of any help to you or if you have any new tips to share.
