As a business owner, you know nothing’s more important than defining your customer. So who’s yours? A twenty-something social media guru who owns all the latest tech gadgets and an espresso machine? A forty-ish stay-at-home mom who loves to cook? Or maybe a sixty-year-old retiree who’s looking for a new hobby? Whoever your customer is, learning about their generation is a solid place to start when developing your strategy. From Boomers to Gen Z-ers, here’s what you need to know.
Baby Boomers
Born between 1946–1964, this generation has the biggest income and biggest network. There are over 76 million Boomers, so there’s lots to sell to. It’s no surprise that boomers are online. At least 65% of them can be found on at least one social media platform, whether it’s Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. In general, Boomers like getting straight to the point — they want all the info before they make a purchase. Since this generation grew up when human interaction was more of a thing, businesses who value a “human touch” get bonus points.
Generation X
Born between 1965–1980, Generation X is considered the “middle child” of the generations, and it’s the smallest generation of these four. When selling to a Gen-X-er, keep traditional media in mind — 48% listen to the radio, 62% read the newspaper, and 85% watch traditional TV. But they’re also on social media. More than 60% prefer Facebook over any other platform. And more than 68% make buying decisions based on reviews, so if you’re selling to them, keep testimonials in mind.
Millennials
Millennials make up 25% of the U.S. population. Born from 1981–2000, you already know they’re on top of the tech game. So how do you reach them? Considering that they spend about 8 hours a day online, it shouldn’t be hard to catch them there. They prefer being contacted through email and 84% don’t trust traditional advertising, so Facebook Ads and the like have a greater effect. If you really want Millennials to buy what you’re selling, you need to make sure your product enhances their lives. To them, “useful” is considered “cool”.
Generation Z
By 2020, this generation, born from the mid 1990s to the early 2000s, is expected to reach 2.56 billion globally. They’ll make up 40% of all U.S. consumers, so they’re the next big audience. When approaching this generation, keep in mind that you have 8 seconds to catch their attention. When they want to find a new product, about 85% of them use social media to search. What are they looking for? This study from Google shows that they prefer brands that represent their values.
Social media helps you reach more customers from every generation online — big time. And Mopro has tools that make managing your social media easy. Email hello@mopro.com to get started.