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When we talk about marketing, there should be something for everyone. By this we mean there should be something for everyone because it is true what they say, “Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.” This includes making sure that people of all ages are considered when developing strategies, especially seniors.

If you are looking to find out how to reach seniors through digital marketing, this is the article for you. There are certain things that need to be considered when developing strategies to target the older population. Contrary to what one might think, it’s a lot more than bigger fonts and more photos.

What are the problems with current marketing strategies?

The older generation, for example your parents, is getting more tech-savvy every day. Our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles are very fond of Facebook these days – as we all know. YouTube is another platform that is very popular with them.

Today’s marketers make the serious mistake of not including even the older age group in their strategies because they think they won’t get it or it will be an unsuccessful endeavor. You’re wrong here.

Think of it this way – some people in this demographic are living the last few years of their lives although it seems strange to read. So they try to make the best of life. And while in India the population is mostly young, the others cannot simply be ignored.

Since they are already spending a lot of time online these days as mentioned earlier, you need to take advantage of this to increase your sales. There are only a few things that need to be considered when creating marketing strategies for them.

Points To Consider When Reaching Out To Seniors Through Marketing

The following things need to be kept in mind when working on strategies to reach the older generation:

Go beyond influencer targeting

While there are obvious ways you can get them to use your product or service (through their children, other family members, etc.), you need to target them and create content that suits their preferences.

While we’re not opposed to this practice, if you create content that is specifically tailored for you, you will be more inclined to follow it. Do you know that, according to a survey, 67% of India’s urban population are highly dependent on smartphones and most of them are seniors?

Hence, it means that you need to improve your mobile marketing and social media marketing game.

Channel their loyalty

As we get older, we begin to instill habits or stick to our established choices. Because of this, it has been observed that the older generation tends to stick to websites or apps that they have used before because they are already familiar with them.

This can be very helpful or challenging for marketers depending on where you are at. If you managed to get their attention, you will have their support until the end, but if you don’t, convincing them will be no easy task.

For marketers, this should be an incentive to be the first to educate seniors about their brands. If you can pull this off, 90% of them will become your loyal customers. Keep that in mind.

Make sure your message is clear

When it comes to digital messaging, marketers tend to go a little overboard, which, to be fair, takes most of the time. However, it is better for the older generation not to overwhelm them with too much information or fill their inboxes with tons of messages.

You want the information to be conveyed to them clearly and concisely. It is easier for them to connect to content that is relatable and easy for them to understand. This is why videos and pictures are very popular with them because they say so much in such a short amount of time.

Take a multi-channel approach

The most effective approach to developing marketing strategy for seniors is to use traditional marketing methods in addition to digital marketing. The multi-channel approach works for them because although they may have switched to phones and tablets, they’re still old school.

They still watch TV, listen to the radio, and read newspapers and magazines. Hence, marketers need to take a more thoughtful media approach that supports both traditional and digital marketing.

Work on personalization

These people are used to receiving quality customer service that has always been personal. They didn’t have any automation or self-service during that time. You are used to face-to-face interactions with another person. Because of this, marketers need to work on personalization for seniors.

Personalization is an extremely effective tool as it provides the customer with an experience they will remember for a long time. It helps in developing a connection between the brand and the customer. The “personal touch” becomes even more important when dealing with the older generation.

Keep it as simple as possible

Simplicity is the key. These people have just started using smartphones and tablets, so they are not as familiar with their various functions as we are. You need to make sure that any apps or websites you create are easy to use and don’t require complex actions.

By that, we mean if you want to get your customers to read the fine print or click on various icons, you shouldn’t do it. This only results in you losing several potential senior clients. So focus on creating a simple and clear strategy.

Conclusion

One mistake a marketer should never make is turning a blind eye to a potential customer base. So, with the points above, start working on marketing strategies that will not only expand your customer base but also improve your existing strategies.

For more advice on optimizing your marketing strategies and other related content, see the Digital Ready blog section. Also, check out the different digital marketing courses we offer and take your first step to become a digital marketer.