BouncingBabyBoomer.com

Pitch Points That Work (and Not) for Boomer Consumers

As both a journalist and a marketing vet, I spend some time watching sales pitches lobbed at people my age. At the same time, I am watching our evolving sense of identity as the gray on our heads grows more dense.

 

A recent piece aimed at ad pros by Robin Raff at MediaPost explores selling health care to Boomers. I found this angle a bit ironic since the larger question in Boomer health today is how the almost-aging can access decent service at decent rates, not what it takes to make us want it. But it was interesting to see what she thinks will be motivational, since ad types still seem conflicted about how to sell into the Boomer niche.

Below is my own rendition of some of the"pitch points" on which she and I agree along with some added thoughts from me:

• Self-Reliance
  Boomers may like hearing advice, but they don't want to be told what to do, Robin and her sources suggest.

This gets a "bingo" from me. Boomers don't like to feel like sheep, even when they appear to be moving in herds.

Cost and Convenience
Show Boomers how you will save them time and/or money, the author offers next.

As both a journalist and a marketing vet, I spend some time watching sales pitches lobbed at people my age. At the same time, I am watching our evolving sense of identity as the gray on our heads grows more dense.

 

A recent piece aimed at ad pros by Robin Raff at MediaPost explores selling health care to Boomers. I found this angle a bit ironic since the larger question in Boomer health today is how the almost-aging can access decent service at decent rates, not what it takes to make us want it. But it was interesting to see what she thinks will be motivational, since ad types still seem conflicted about how to sell into the Boomer niche.

Below is my own rendition of some of the"pitch points" on which she and I agree along with some added thoughts from me:

• Self-Reliance
  Boomers may like hearing advice, but they don't want to be told what to do, Robin and her sources suggest.

This gets a "bingo" from me. Boomers don't like to feel like sheep, even when they appear to be moving in herds.

As both a journalist and a marketing vet, I spend some time watching sales pitches lobbed at people my age. At the same time, I am watching our evolving sense of identity as the gray on our heads grows more dense.

 

A recent piece aimed at ad pros by Robin Raff at MediaPost explores selling health care to Boomers. I found this angle a bit ironic since the larger question in Boomer health today is how the almost-aging can access decent service at decent rates, not what it takes to make us want it. But it was interesting to see what she thinks will be motivational, since ad types still seem conflicted about how to sell into the Boomer niche.

Below is my own rendition of some of the"pitch points" on which she and I agree along with some added thoughts from me:

• Self-Reliance
  Boomers may like hearing advice, but they don't want to be told what to do, Robin and her sources suggest.

This gets a "bingo" from me. Boomers don't like to feel like sheep, even when they appear to be moving in herds.

That also gets a big "aye" from me. Most Boomers love a good bargain, especially today.

But note to any merchant tempted to bait and switch: We will take the time to verify the bargain is real. (See also next item.)

Future Boomer Centenarians

Have you noticed how often health experts are speaking to us today as if our entire Gen will be full of centenarians? First I heard Mike (RealAge) Roizen on a PBS pledge special last week (links below). Then today, on Today, Terri Trespico from the magazine Body+Soul did a meaty, yet concise, segment with her Top 10 tips for healthy aging. None of it depends on radical regimens, either; all are saying that a few simple lifestyle shifts can radically improve the odds of our own lively longevity.

Spoiler alert: I am going to summarize Terri's top ten tips below, but it's still worth clicking through on the links at the end to watch or read the whole segment from the show.

 

1. Punch up the potassium
The first suggestion was for bananas, papayas, potatoes, and all those great leafy greens like kale. Potassium eaters over 65 kept 3.6% more lean muscle mass in old age.

2. Keep smiling
An upbeat attitude not only makes daily life more pleasant, statistics show it also adds years to the lifespan due to less damage from stress hormones such as cortisol.

3. Breathe deeply and often
Exercise is inversely related to age at death. Aim for 20-30 minutes of brisk activity 5 days per week. Meanwhile learn to breathe deeply several times a day (make your navel rise while inhaling, says Roizen). It oxygenates deep organs and tissues.

4. Swallow a few good bugs
Probiotics, such as found in yogurt or capsules, improve immunity and decrease risk of colon cancer. Other fermented foods such as tempeh are excellent too. (See article link below for more detailed suggestions).

A Coming Boomer "Bump" in Jobs?

... the Bureau of Labor Statistics has recently revealed that the number of older workers not only has been growing over the past decade but will also continue grow at an alarming rate over the next few years. The agency predicts that the number of workers between the ages of 65 and 74 will balloon by 83.4 percent from 2006 to 2016, and the number of workers over 75 will explode by 84.3 percent.

Heather Havrilesky, Salon.com, "Perspire to Retire"

As soon as I read the numbers above, I wanted to ask the Bureau of Labor Stats how many of that "alarming number" of jobs will be at Wal-Mart or MacDonalds? It gives a whole new spin to the topic of "lifelong engagement," doesn't it?

The Net is full of stories by Boomers who were pedaling hard to remain employed at any kind of suitable job even before the current downturn, too often hearing words like "overqualified" to justify hiring someone younger. I could populate a whole blog on this topic alone, but it would be too depressing. However that doesn't mean we won't discuss it at all. So here is a BBBoomer "Story Call"..

If you are over 45 and finding it hard to hold on to a regular salary and you think your age is a big part of the reason, send a summary of your story (max 500 words). If we have a chance to share it, we will write back with details and permissions. Send your submissions to: editor@bouncingbabyboomer.com

Meanwhile, if it helps to know a few 30-somethings foresee their own retirement woes already, click through to read the rest of Heather's story. Her other numbers are also sobering.

Footnote from the Dept. of Irony... Not an hour after posting this, I chanced upon a perfect-sounding job lead for the hub, but hesitated at passing it on despite the good fit because this great-sounding job in a hot eco-niche was at less than half his last salary. Would they even consider him if they knew? Would he be tempted to apply for it anyway? Talk about sign o' the times..

"Un-Retirement" Means More Than One Thing

from the Evolving Jargon Dept./

The term "Un-retirement" appeared in an AP press release I covered this AM on the topic of people deferring retirement. Coincidentally, I happened to use the same phrase when I set up the tag cloud of categories for this blog, but my own use of the term had a slightly different twist.

Lest anyone wonder how I intended it, let me compare the two meanings and then amplify my own.

In my first posting today (Survey Sez), I mentioned a study that ran in both the AP wire and in Newseek.  The authors of that study titled their data an "Un-Retirement Index." In their terms, this meant '"working at least 20 hours per week after 67, the age at which a U.S. worker is eligible for full Social Security benefits."

My own intended use of this still-evolving term is a more general reference to "still working."

Survey Sez "Delay Retirement!" (As if.)

A wire story out of Des Moines this AM on the AP talked about the growing numbers of people nearing retirement who are remaining employed instead.

As if most of us had a real choice. As if it were optional. As if all one had to do was pick from a menu.

After this week on Wall St., I suspect new income now looks essential even for those who thought they already had decent portfolios. These days it's hard to find any ROI worth counting.

Even before this month's upsets, many of the Boomers who are now orbiting 60 were holding on to their jobs, and many of those who had taken a stab at early retirement were recasting their life plans. They aren't feeling secure enough to hang it all up yet, especially given the predictions about our life expectancies.

But the Catch-22 today is how hard it may be to forego the fishing and remain in the game even when work is your preference.

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