How do you communicate with your customers? Email? IM? Twitter? Social Networks? Snail mail? Phone? Print, Handwritten, Virtual?Knowing your target customer's demographic is essential in planning your communications campaigns!
To grab your customer's attention, your messages need to be seen, so ensure that your customers are receiving communications in a way that they embrace. With so many distractions in the media today that competes with your business messages, you may as well purposefully plan to distribute your messages in a way that will be delivered successfully to your customers.
Here are the top three generations and known communication preferences:
The Y Generation (Net Generation Millennials, Echo Boomers, and iGeneration): born 1976-2001
This is the first generation to grow up immersed in a digital and Internet-driven world and all uses of digital technology is the way to reach this group. Cell phone texting, social media, Internet, blogging, and microblogging will win over standard single email campaigns.
Gen X: born between 1961 and 1981
Gen X grew up with computers in classrooms and later on, computers in their homes. As users of early cell phones and the World Wide Web, Gen X continues to embrace technology and gadgets. As adults, they still strive to increase their level of automation in their lives. Email campaigns, as well as Internet-based communications and promotions are received well by Gen X.
Baby Boomers: Born between 1946-1964
This group was introduced to technology in the 90s as they approach their 50s. Technology was not embraced for its value, but seen as a fun gimmick with no real value.
Older boomers may utilize email, but checking email is infrequent and social media is not a desire or skill. Personal communication, such as handwritten letters and notes and even phone calls will win over many boomers before email campaigns or tweets.
Generational demographics are interesting, especially in how you should structure your marketing efforts to reach them. There are many books on the subject. Here is a list of interesting books from Indie CEO on how to market to generational demographics that you might like to peruse!
Be sure to check out GalleriaLinda and IndieCEO's resource page for links to things you can use!
The Y Generation (Net Generation Millennials, Echo Boomers, and iGeneration): born 1976-2001
This is the first generation to grow up immersed in a digital and Internet-driven world and all uses of digital technology is the way to reach this group. Cell phone texting, social media, Internet, blogging, and microblogging will win over standard single email campaigns.
Gen X: born between 1961 and 1981
Gen X grew up with computers in classrooms and later on, computers in their homes. As users of early cell phones and the World Wide Web, Gen X continues to embrace technology and gadgets. As adults, they still strive to increase their level of automation in their lives. Email campaigns, as well as Internet-based communications and promotions are received well by Gen X.
Baby Boomers: Born between 1946-1964
This group was introduced to technology in the 90s as they approach their 50s. Technology was not embraced for its value, but seen as a fun gimmick with no real value.
Older boomers may utilize email, but checking email is infrequent and social media is not a desire or skill. Personal communication, such as handwritten letters and notes and even phone calls will win over many boomers before email campaigns or tweets.
Generational demographics are interesting, especially in how you should structure your marketing efforts to reach them. There are many books on the subject. Here is a list of interesting books from Indie CEO on how to market to generational demographics that you might like to peruse!
Be sure to check out GalleriaLinda and IndieCEO's resource page for links to things you can use!
Great blog! My target market are teenagers, so it's internet all the way! Great info, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSocial Media definitely applies to Gen X. The fastest growing demographic on Facebook is women over 55, and 2/3 of Facebook users are outside of college :)
ReplyDelete