"Wired Matures" -- Valued-Added Communications

By William L. Willard, CLU

"They're educated, affluent and tend to have lots of spare time on their hands. Sounds like the perfect Web audience? That's what a lot of online publishers and advertisers think as they chase after so-called wired seniors. It's a group that includes not just grandparents but the huge waves of older workers now edging toward retirement."

Jane Weaver, MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.com/news)

A lot of Matures are computer literate and like staying on top of computer technology. Some observers expect Matures to surpass even Gen-Xers and Boomers in the use of home computers and online resources. A lot of Matures are computer literate and like staying on top of computer technology. Some observers expect Matures to surpass even Gen-Xers and Boomers in the use of home computers and online resources.

A case in point: An ad for high-speed internet access, Web-TV, running in some parts of Florida, shows a couple of cranky retirees venting their frustration at the snail-like pace of their telephone-access Internet service ("The Internet is slow as heck, and I'm going to take it anymore!" vows the woman in the ad).

Interestingly, the spot doesn't make a big deal about targeting older online customers; it simply depicts Matures in an inoffensively stereotypical, yet humorous way, and ties them to the benefits of the product. Smart. Effective. Interestingly, the spot doesn't make a big deal about targeting older online customers; it simply depicts Matures in an inoffensively stereotypical, yet humorous way, and ties them to the benefits of the product. Smart. Effective.

The Internet has a gold mine of information for Matures on wide-ranging topics, including health, nutrition, travel, finance, romance, hobbies and much more. The Internet has a gold mine of information for Matures on wide-ranging topics, including health, nutrition, travel, finance, romance, hobbies and much more.

Sites for Matures:

• Senior Net (http://www.seniornet.org) - This pay site posted by a nonprofit organization offers 350 chat rooms and discussions on politics, travel, gardening and health. It also has links to senior organizations and publications on the Web.
  
  
• Third Age (http://www.thirdage.com) - Geared to active Matures, this site features news and advice on health, money, work, technology, family and living. It also quizzes and polls on topics of interest to seniors, including retirement housing and estate management.
  
  
• Senior Search (http://www.elderweb.org) - Includes information about health, housing and legal resources. It also lists senior-related Web sites on its Internet resource section.
  
  
• The ElderWeb (http://www.elderweb.org) - This is an online community of older computer users. Its site features areas such as village café, home and garden center, library, cinema and schoolhouse.
  
  
• Senior Center (http://www.senior-center.com) - This site offers free stuff, bargains and late breaking news especially for Matures.

(Source: "Seniors Can Mine Internet for Riches," L.A. Lorek, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (11/3/98)

The widespread use of electronic-mail has brought back the habit if not the formality of personal correspondence. It’s a great way to stay in touch with family and friends, and Matures are drawn to it much as they once were to handwritten notes and letters. The widespread use of electronic-mail has brought back the habit if not the formality of personal correspondence. It’s a great way to stay in touch with family and friends, and Matures are drawn to it much as they once were to handwritten notes and letters.

Try This: If e-mail, the Internet and a computer are part of your marketing and sales repertoire--as they most likely are, if you’re reading this--see how often and in how many ways you can incorporate these technologies into your work with Mature prospects and clients.

Example: Small type-fonts are tough sledding for folks with less-than-perfect vision, including a lot of old people (like me). This is being written in MS Word 95, which allows most users to adjust on-screen type-font size by following this simple sequence of commands:

Start
Settings
Control Panel
Display
Settings
Font Size
Large fonts
OK

This is easy to coach anyone through over the phone, and can be a big help to older computer users. By informally helping Matures (and others) get up to speed with state-of-the-art communications and making life easier for them in simple ways like this, you can be building trust and rapport with future clients. This is easy to coach anyone through over the phone, and can be a big help to older computer users. clients.

And while you’re at it, Financial E-News (http://www.fsonline.com) suggests collecting e-mail addresses for clients and prospects and starting a mailing list; but adds this word of caution: "Do not "spam"! Spam kills (or at least severely damages your reputation)."

Have Other Internet Marketing Tips You Want to Share? If so, please send them to me at w.willard3@knology.net, Subject: "Marketing Tips," (clever, no?). When I get a big enough collection, I’ll post them in a future Market Savvy column.

Want to Know More?

Financial services representatives who want to know more about Generational Marketing should not miss these Marketing Guides available from Pelican Island Publishing:

The Mature Market - A Generation at the Crossroads
Boomers! - Marketing to the "Me Generation"
Marketing to Generation X - New Ideas in a Changing World

(Each is available for about $17. per single copy directly from Bill Willard)

These publications offer profiles of key generational "markers," a review of the expectations each age group has of financial services advisors, plus cohort-specific prospecting tips and hands-on approach techniques.

William L. Willard, CLU is a financial services journalist of some renown. He's also a long-time friend and associate. Bill's writings for clients, about markets, and in many training programs bring information to practitioners that they can't easily get from other sources and rarely as well written or usable. You can contact Bill by email w.willard3@knology.net, by phone at 727-724-8338 or fax at 727-724-9069.

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