In the Age of Centenarians,

You Have to Attract the Senior Customers

Make a note of the ages of the customers coming into your store today. You’ll be surprised at the percentage of senior customers you see. Most consumer behavior research these days focuses heavily on the younger generation. It’s no exaggeration to say that all marketing is focused on the age group of 18-34 year olds. Although they’re one of the largest groups of the consumer demographic, you should not overlook the baby boomers(born between 1946-1965) and senior(65+) consumer groups. According to research from the American Association of Retired Persons(AARP), nearly 10,000 adults turn 65 every day, with seniors having approximately 47 times the personal net worth of younger generations, and baby boomers having the highest spending rate of all generations.

1. Keep it simple and straightforward

When marketing to a senior audience, you want to keep your ads simple and straightforward. Use simple, to-the-point messaging, easy-to-understand words that get to the point, rather than vague marketing pitches.Newspapers and magazines aimed at seniors may intentionally make the letters larger for their readers. Beauty supply stores should also apply these simple techniques by using simple, easy-to-understand wording for senior customers when placing advertisements and product descriptions next to the merchandise and remember to use larger prints whenever possible.

Marketing to seniors: 10 tips that will help your success.   /Credit: Youtube@AI50 Connect
A quick overview of the important things to know about senior marketing. It’s highly recommended to view it yourself for a helpful learning experience.

2. Senior discounts: make it special but tread carefully

Don’t forget that special treatment for senior customers generates loyalty. You can also offer special discounts to customers on their birthdays, give small gifts in honor of wedding anniversaries, and more, and you should take advantage of Senior Citizen’s Day on August 21 every year. During the pandemic, big-box stores like Costco and Trader Joe’s created Senior Shopping Hour so that seniors could shop early in the morning to avoid the rush. If you continue to run campaigns that make seniors feel valued in your stores, you’ll be able to create a positive image for not only them but their families as well. For senior customers, you might also want to consider utilizing a Family & Friends discount coupon to share with their family members and friends.

The caveat here is that emphasizing discounts for seniors too much can backfire. This is because no one likes to be overly reminded that they are “senior”.

How to Make Printable 🔖 CUSTOM COUPONS 🔖 for Free Using Canva!  /Credit: Youtube@Creator CanvasA video explaining how to easily create your own coupons through the Canva website. In addition to coupons, you can find a variety of other templates for your store.

3.  Earning ‘trust’ is a priority

As people age, they become more risk-averse and prefer hassle-free shopping. Therefore, they choose a reputable brand or a trusted retailer. While “trust” in relationships with customers is a rule that applies regardless of age, it shouldn’t be overlooked that baby boomers are highly skeptical of the hype and misrepresentation they’ve experienced through their lives. It’s important to remember that this is a generation that has lived through wars, experienced poverty and wealth, and is therefore a generation that spends based on trust. When describing your product, it’s important to be genuine, simple and to the point, and let them know they’re dealing with someone they can trust. Making a note of your customers’ special occasions and sending them a handwritten, personalized card is another way to earn their trust.

How Millennials And Boomers Do Money Differently / Credit:@ The Financial Diet
This article explains the differences in spending behavior between Millennials and Boomers.

4. Get involved with senior communities

It’s also a good idea to reach out to senior apartments and senior communities. AARP reports that people over the age of 50 account for 51% of all consumer spending and spend 53% on personal care products and services. Given that the majority of products sold in beauty supply stores are personal care products, and that sales such as wigs heavily rely on customer service, the percentage of seniors who purchase products from beauty supply stores should be understandably high. So, reach out to senior communities near your store and actively promote your store, and be proactive about participating in senior events when they happen.

5. Email marketing success with small touches

According to Ofcom’s 2020/2021 survey, 86% of 55 to 64-year-olds use a smartphone, 73% have a social media profile, and 94% use the internet at home. More than 55% of seniors over the age of 65 also use a smartphone. This means that you can actively market to senior customers via smartphone, text message, email, and more. Senior customers are less likely to be exposed to these types of messages than younger customers, making it more likely that what you send will be read rather than simply discarded. So, if you email or text your senior customers with e-coupons, new product information, and in-store event reminders, they’ll be more likely to visit your store. When writing emails, experts recommend using a simple, easy-to-read font, such as Arial, with a font size of 14 to 16 points or larger.

Glam, groovy ‘Granfluencers’ / Credit: Youtube@I Feel Young SG
A play on the words “Grand” in grandmother and grandfather and “Influencer”, Granfluencers hints at the active social media presence of the baby boomer generation.

6. This is what a senior-tailored store looks like!

You provide adequate parking spaces and keep them well lit to make it easier for senior customers to park. Even within the store, you provide benches and comfortable chairs to provide a place to rest during shopping. If you have stairs in your store, mark them with a color that contrasts with the floor for increased visibility, and place signs where there are slip hazards to prevent falls. You also need enough space for wheelchairs to maneuver anywhere in your store. You should also have employees who are willing to help customers when they need help moving heavy items around the store, wrapping gifts, etc. Senior customers tend to value a personal connection with their service providers and are willing to pay a higher price to get better service, so paying more attention to these points can help you gain senior regulars.

7. Senior marketing by mainstream U.S. companies

You can also borrow ideas from retailers (with some regional variations for nationwide chains) that offer special offers to senior customers. At Kohl’s, every Wednesday, shoppers 60 and older get 15% off in-store purchases. This offer cannot be combined with any other discount coupon. Rite Aid offers customers 65 and older 5-times Rite Aid Reward points on the first Wednesday of every month. For every 1000 points you accumulate, you’ll earn $2 in bonus cash. On the first Tuesday of every month, Walgreens offers customers 55 and older who are members of the myWalgreens rewards program a 20% discount on full-price items in-store. Goodwill gives shoppers 55 and older 15 to 25 percent off their purchase one day a week (Tuesday or Wednesday).