Tip of the Week: Are Baby Boomers your “Ideal Client”?

  

The Baby Boomer Market

 

 

 Last week my blog post, entitled “Who is Your Target Market” addressed the importance of identifying your target market and how to direct your marketing efforts to them directly.

In many cases, Baby Boomers, are the ideal client for some products and services.

Recently, a survey was sent to my email focusing on Baby Boomers and their wants, needs and interests.  I filled it out and was provided with the results.  I found it very interesting and would like to share those results at this time.  As well, I have asked for permission from the lady who conducted this survey  to share this information and she graciously approved.  She asked that I share the link to her website and invite others to do her survey themselves.  She will be happy to provide the latest results of this on-going survey to all participants whose birthdates are between 1946 and 1964.

Her name is Elizabeth H. Cottrell and her contact info is below:

Her website:                            http://www.heartspoken.com/

The link to the survey:            http://bit.ly/8OkAO

And the survey results so far are:

How concerned are you about your financial future?

Concerned to the point of anxiety:      25.2%

Very Concerned:      29%

Concerned:      24.3%

Somewhat Concerned:      15.9%

Not Concerned:      5.6%

How concerned are you about your children (or grandchildren) being able to live as happy, independent adults?

Concerned to the point of anxiety:      5.9%

Very Concerned:      25.5%

Concerned:      21.6%

Somewhat Concerned:     23.5%

Not Concerned:     23.5%

How concerned are you about handling issues that face your aging parents (housing, caretaking, driving, estate planning, end-of-life decisions, etc.)?

Concerned to the point of anxiety:     4%

Very Concerned:     22%

Concerned:      28%

Somewhat Concerned:      19%

Not Concerned:     27%

How concerned are you about environmental issues and sustainability of natural resources?

Concerned to the point of anxiety:     8.4%

Very Concerned:     29.9%

Concerned:      27.1%

Somewhat Concerned:     19.6%

Not Concerned:     15%

How interested are you in cultivating and expanding your spirtual development?

Not at all interested:     12.1%

Somewhat interested:     24.3%

Very interested in spiritual development within current faith:     24.3%

Very interested in all aspects of spiritual development:      39.3%

Please tell us what other media you’ve viewed/used for informationn or entertainment in the last 3 months?

Video/CD/DVD:     77.6%

SmartPhone:     14%

Radio:     74.8%

Internet:     99.1%

Television:     91.6%

Social Media:     81.3%

What are your primary non-employment activities, interests and/or hobbies?

Writing:      71.7%

Woodworking/Carpentry:     3.8%

Walking/Hiking:     47.2%

Travel:     38.7%

Tennis:     3.8%

Spending time with Family:     57.5%

Speed Reading:     1.9%

Relationships/Dating:     5.7%

Reading:      77.4 %

Political Activities:     12.3%

Photography:      23.6%

Outdoor Activities:      31.1%

Musical Activities:     24.5%

Golf:     11.3%

Genealogy:      4.7%

Gardening:      34.9%

Entrepreneurial Activities:      57.5%

Education/Learning:       48.1%

Crafts:      19.8%

College-level Coursework:     9.4%

Collecting:     4.7%

Charitable Activities/Volunteer Work:   26.4%

Camping:      7.5%

Birding:      4.7%

Art:     17%

Amateur Radio:     0%

Many Baby Boomers cherish this time in their lives to learn new things and take on new challenges.  In which of the following areas would you most want to increase your knoweldge or expertise in the next 5 years?

Other:      35%

Writing/Self-Publishing:     69.4%

Spiritual Development:      39.4%

Self Help:       21.1%

Relationships/Dating:     6.5%

Public Speaking:      19.1%

Philanthropy:     11.8%

Personal Finance:      32.6%

Personal Development:     50.5%

Nutrition:      38.3%

Leaving a Legacy:     18.2%

Learning New Skills:     31%

Learning a New Language:     16.8%

Investment Strategies:     18.7%

Home or Small Business Opportunities:    42.9%

Health/Fitness:      40.8%

Grandparenting:      10.8%

Estate Planning:     6.6%

Environmental/Sustainability Awareness:    18.3%

Business/Entrepreneurial Models:     58.8%

Diane L. Coville

ALTERNATIVE OFFICE ASSISTANCE

www.alternativeofficeassistance.com

 

 

Tip of the Week: Who is your Target Market?

 

 

 

I am sure you have heard about your “Target Market” before  but  many business owners decide what kind of business they are going to operate, whether it be products or services, and after they have hopefully done their Market Research,  the numbers have justified their belief that their product or service is needed and will help solve their client’s problem.

But a lot of business owners actually haven’t defined who their Target Market is and sometimes that is very difficult until they determine who their ideal client is.

For instance, a real estate salesman who specializes in selling estates, wouldn’t have much difficulty determining that their ideal client is someone who has the money to buy.

I have had a business  helping seniors live independently – I’m “sort of” the extended family member who steps in to help the senior.  Originally, I was thinking of the seniors themselves – they would be my ideal client – but my “target market” was the children of seniors who didn’t live close to the senior or had a life full of home, family including children, a full time job, who already had a full plate and couldn’t always be available to their senior parents.

Once you have determined your target market, then you must decide how to market to them.  Where do they hang out?    How will you get your message to them directly?  Decide on your search terms and start looking on the internet.  This not only applys to a internet based business, but now that social media is thriving, you can search for local markets as well, such as that real estate salesman who is selling estates.

The largest and one of the most important strategies in your marketing efforts must be in defining your brand and getting your message to your target market or ideal clients.   What makes you stand out?  What is your expertise?  How do you want your clients to perceive you and the products or services that you offer?  How can you help your client solve their problem?

Your logo is a part of your brand but your message to prospective clients is much more important.

Clearly identifying your target market or ideal client along with developing a precise marketing strategy including your marketing message will, over time, bring great success to your business but it doesn’t happen overnight.

On the subject of your ideal client, would it be a Baby Boomer?  In my next blog post, I will be revealing the results of a survey that was done recently on the needs, concerns and interests of Baby Boomers.

If you are still struggling to identify your target market, seek a mentor or a business coach who will be glad to help you.

Diane L. Coville

ALTERNATIVE OFFICE ASSISTANCE

http://www.alternativeofficeassistance.com

Tip of the Week: How Blogging is more Popular than Ever Before

 

How Blogging is more Popular than Ever Before

 

 

 

 

Although I already knew that Blogging has found a new life with the onset of Social Media, I recently attended a seminar presented by Hubspot, Inbound Marketing Specialists, entitled, “How to Use SEO, Blogs, and Social Media to Get Found Online”.

They provided some pretty amazing statistics on Blogging.

• 97% more Inbound Links for Companies that Blog
• Google weighs optimization of your site:  25% On Page, 75% Off Page
• Statistics on two examples:

1. Website with Blog:  99 Google indexed pages & 6,000 unique visitors
2. Website without Blog:  8 Google indexed pages & 2,200 unique visitors

• 434% more indexed pages on Companies that blog as opposed to Companies that don’t
• 55% more visitors to Company sites who blog as opposed to those that don’t.

Of course, blogging is just the start.

√ A well thought out Title will invite and entice readers.

√ Content in the blog is extremely important.  If you are marketing your products and services, you are unlikely to have repeat visitors to your blog.  If you are producing great content that will interest your prospects or show them a solution to their needs or problems, they will come back.  And your blog is a perfect way to demonstrate your expertise in your field.

√ Optimizing your Blog for great Search Engine Optimization is very important too.  You want Google to find your blog and raise your Search Engine ranking.

√ Social Media is the next piece of the puzzle in order to spread the word about your blog.

√ And creating accounts on specific Blog sites and entering the link to your Blog site is pertinent as well.

√ And finally, create interaction with other Bloggers.  Research blogs of some of the prominent bloggers as well as industry specific bloggers.  Make comments on theirs and ask for backlinks.

√ And one final note.  Make sure your Blog invites comments from your readers.  Another great way to interact and build relationships.  Just don’t forget to read the comments and respond!

If you want to check out Blogspots webinar on this subject the link is:

http://www.hubspot.com/marketing-webinars/sbsm-get-found-online-archive/

 

Diane L. Coville

ALTERNATIVE OFFICE ASSISTANCE

www.alternativeofficeassistance.com