Archive for August, 2009

What’s on the mind of the Baby Boomer?

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Could it be Healthy Aging?

Marketing to the Healthy Aging need

Health Care and the concerns of our current system are on everyone’s mind these days, no one can escape it!  I am seeing and hearing more and more about preventive strategies for healthy aging every day on the television, the radio and on the web.

I am a Baby Boomer and a family caregiver.  My mother is on Medicare, and yesterday she went to the pharmacy and paid over $600 for 3 prescriptions.  You can bet preventive strategies for healthy aging are on my mind for several reasons: quality of life, economics and my family’s future.

What does this mean for your business?  Marketing to the Baby Boomer’s healthy aging concerns is a market niche many businesses haven’t even considered.  Healthy aging can and should be promoted by businesses in all industries, not just in the medical professions.  Healthy Aging encompasses not only your physical and mental health but economic, environmental and spiritual health as well.  Positioning your business so that your products and services are viewed as preventive strategies for healthy aging will give you a reason to reach out to your current client base and the Baby Boomer Generation with fresh, innovative ways for them to live a healthy life as they age.

Don’t forget to discuss your marketing strategy with your staff, make sure to let them know how important providing your existing clients and the Baby Boomer with choices for healthy aging is to your business success.

For ideas on how your businesses’ products and services can be promoted as being preventive strategies for healthy aging visit “The Choices for Healthy Living on-line Community” or call the staff at Viva! Choices (530) 742-8482 or (888) 384-8482.

Providing the Baby Boomer with preventive strategies for healthy aging that will help them to fulfill their need to age healthy will create client loyalty, increase your profits and ultimately position your business for success today and in the future!

Posted in Attitudes and Preferences, Lifestyle, Special Needs | 3 Comments »

Give Baby Boomers what they need…More time!

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Market your business to the recapture your time need.

We all know that one of the keys to building a successful business is filling a need.  What are the top needs of the baby boomer?  You can be certain that the ability to recapture time is among the top 2 or 3 and is number 1 depending on the day.

What does the ability to recapture time mean to the baby boomer and your business?

For the Baby Boomer, time savings represent a contribution to the means by which they will live the lifestyle they intend as they age, period.  Most Baby Boomers have can-do attitudes that speak volumes.  In short, they want to do life their way.

For your business, this need to recapture time can translate into opportunity.  Any business that customizes their product or service to meet the growing needs of the Boomer Generation is going to be rewarded for their efforts.

The Baby Boomers, also known as the sandwich generation are extremely busy.  They are many times sandwiched between 2 to 3 generations, taking care of children, sometimes grandchildren, parents and sometimes grandparents while managing a career and trying to stay healthy.  Anything you can offer the Baby Boomer that will simplify their life and allow them to recapture their time will be rewarded.  This could mean delivery of a product or service, going to the client instead of having them come to you.  Build flexibility into your business system to meet the growing needs of the Baby Boomer and help them to recapture their time, and then TELL THEM about it in your marketing!  DO YOU NEED TO SAVE TIME? NEED MORE FLEXIBILITY IN YOUR LIFE?….WE SAVE YOU TIME, WE OFFER YOU FLEXIBILITY, WE WILL MEET YOUR NEED!

Discuss this strategy with your staff; let them know how important it is to the business… and how helping the Baby Boomer to recapture their time will contribute to the businesses’ success giving them better job security.   The commitment to helping the Baby Boomer and all of your existing clients recapture their time is a good reason to get in touch with them.  Let your clients know you are committed to the flexibility that allows them to recapture their time.

Another resource for helping your clients save time is The Choices for Healthy Aging on-line Community:  “A gathering place for Boomers and Businesses who redefine aging choices”.  Providing the Baby Boomer with the resources, services, products and support to help them recapture their time will generate profits, generate client loyalty and ultimately build your business.

Posted in Attitudes and Preferences, Family, Lifestyle, Special Needs | No Comments »

Say Your Business Needs a Marketing Revolution?

Friday, August 28th, 2009

The 2nd of 7 critical insights into the mindset of the Boomer Generation

Insight #2 – Boomers are Boomers, but they aren’t all alike. 

Born between 1946 and 1964, the Baby Boomer Generation is comprised of individuals who are anywhere from 45 to 63 years of age.  This sizeable difference in age is one of the things that make this generation stand apart from others.  Diversity coupled with rapidly increasing competition make it necessary for business owners to improve their ability to target their best prospects and retain their more lucrative customers.

In the book Marketing to the Mindset of Boomers and Their Elders, Carol Morgan and Doran Levy, Ph.D. break the Baby Boomer Generation down into four Lifestyle Segments: Upbeat Enjoyers; Insecure; Threatened Actives and Financial Positives.

Upbeat Enjoyers are enthusiastic, active, involved and they believe that their future is bright.  Viewing the world through “rose colored glasses”, upbeat enjoyers believe that age has increased their attractiveness.  Expanding intellectual horizons, working when it is interesting or convenient to do so and having little concern about future financial security are all traits of the Upbeat Enjoyer.

Baby Boomers and Elders in the Insecure segment are deeply troubled by their lack of financial security.  Looking back on their difficult past they see little possibility that their life will improve.  Many are concerned about being the victim of a crime and will end up working well into retirement with few other plans and goals.  Not at all happy with the effects of age on their memory and appearance, the Insecure will purchase all types of products that they believe will make them physically and mentally younger.

Threatened Actives are very intent on preserving their independence by working as long as they can, remaining in their home and continuing to drive their own car.  With a mostly positive attitude and outlook on life, they are accepting of who they are.  Threatened Actives feel that they are somewhat financially secure, they would like to leave some of their assets to their children, are a bit concerned about their safety and do not view retirement as a time for cultivation of new interests.

Those in the Financial Positives segment are realistic and they have spent time and effort in long term planning.  Because of this they definitely do not intend to work in retirement.  Savvy buyers, Financial Positives are seekers of value in everything they purchase regardless of what it is.  They are not satisfied with their appearance and memory making them strong candidates for plastic surgery.

Morgan and Levy have written a book that gives incredible insight into the Lifestyle Segments of Boomers and their Elders.  Think about how you can use this information to define a more specific segment of the Baby Boomer Generation to target and then consider different ways that you can customize your product or service to fit their needs.  Soon you will realize that you are well on your way to experiencing the Boom your business needs!

Posted in Attitudes and Preferences, Buying Habits, Lifestyle | No Comments »

Say Your Business Needs a Marketing Revolution?

Friday, August 21st, 2009

The first of 7 critical insights into the mindset of the Baby Boomer Generation

Insight # 1 – Boomers want to change the world and they have done it every step of their way.

The Baby Boomers Generation, (Boomers as they are sometimes called) comprised of 78 million people who were born between the years of 1946 and 1964, is the largest generation to be born in the history of the world.  If you had been an observer in 1946 when our men came home at the End of World War II, you probably would have been amazed at how many young women were pregnant!

In the 1950’s as American Companies saw this trend continuing, many decided to capitalize on the “Baby Boom” by awarding stock, cars, money to couples who had their baby on the companies anniversary, sales or other date they deemed relevant.  Parents all over the country had something new to be excited about – would their child be born on this or that important date?

In an effort to try and keep track of the Baby Boom a “census clock” was placed in the Commerce Departments Washington D.C., headquarters.  Multicolored flashing lights on the clock signaled a birth every 7 ½ seconds, a death every 20 seconds, the arrival of a new immigrant every 1 ½ minutes and the departure of an emigrant every 20 minutes.  The result was an increase in population of one person every 11 seconds! 

Baby Boomer Power

Parents, Companies, Churches and Government all have catered to the Boomer’s needs over the years by giving them choices that other generations would never have dreamed of.  Today, a Baby Boomer turns 60 years of age every 11 seconds, and as a result, there is a significant daily increase in the total number of people who are over the age of 60. 

What does this huge demographic shift taking place in our world today mean for you and your business?  Think about ways that you can position your business to help the Baby Boomer Generation change the world (make the world a better place) for those who are aging in place and you’ll be well on your way to developing the Marketing Revolution to enhance your business.  You’ll give it the “Boom” it needs!

 

Posted in Attitudes and Preferences, Buying Habits, Demographics, Family, Lifestyle, Marketplace, Special Needs | No Comments »

Aging in place Baby Boomer

Friday, August 21st, 2009

I’ve been trying to find sites to help me to cope with aging and caretaking at the same time.�
I would recommend www.vivachoices.com and appreciate any other opportunities that are out there.

Posted in Demographics, Family, Special Needs | No Comments »

Is There Balance?

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Being over 50 has its share of stresses.  While I find that taking care of my mother, who lives with us, is rewarding it also has it’s challenges.
I’m trying to find balance in my life and would like to know how others in a similar situation cope with this challenge.

Posted in Attitudes and Preferences, Demographics, Family, Lifestyle | No Comments »