By: Erika Serrano Accudata
When you think of the “over 55” group, you might not think of technology first. Millennials tend to get thought of as tech-savvy (glued to their phones) younger generation who would respond to something like emails or a Facebook advertising campaign, but in truth the senior market is actively participating in these trends too!
Just consider: one in four mobile shoppers in the United States is 55 and over. While this group also tends to still want the option of a telephone contact, they are still making purchases on mobile, according to iContact.
Additionally, more than 80 percent of Baby Boomers have a cell phone and the top activity they use that phone for is checking emails1. If you aren’t using mobile-friendly email campaigns to reach this important target audience – you’re losing money.
How To Use Email Marketing for Seniors
There are more than 76 million Baby Boomers in the United States, so you want to appeal to this generation the right way. Here are a few tips to make your targeted emails for seniors more engaging:
Imagery: Choose images that are 10-15 years younger than your target audience, and avoid stereotypical photos of people in rocking chairs or on golf courses. Try photos that show grandchildren, sporting events and travel to improve your responses.
Subject Lines: Always try testing your subject lines lines for best results, but in general choose openings that appeal to Baby Boomers and their challenges.
Use Discounts: Baby Boomers tend to value free shipping the most at 32.5% of those surveyed, followed by dollars off at 21% and then buy one, get one free offers at 17.9%2.
Gift Givers: Plan ahead for seasonally-targeted advertising campaigns and birthdays – even knowing birthdays for kids and grandkids is a great opportunity to target this audience!
Add Videos: Seniors will spend time watching videos on social media or in emails. Capture their attention with a video to watch in your next campaign!