How do YOU like it?

[Tim Moore]

At the April inSide919 Final Friday we took a journey through the different generations and explored how each group likes to make to make purchase decisions and how we prefer to be sold to and communicated with in a sales situation.

It has been said the people love to buy but hate to be sold. What works best for you?

• Matures 66 years & older
• Baby Boomers 47 to 65 years old
• Gen X 31 to 46 years old
• Millennials 14 to 30 years old
• Gen i 13 years Old

Did the information provide an insight for you into how to market and sell to people who are of the same generation as you? What were your take aways?

I'd love to read your thoughts and perspective.

I learn much from listening each time I present the message.

[Leslie Flowers]

http://inside919.ning.com/profiles/blogs/got-collaboration-power-on

Wrote about it : )
No tagging really on inSide!

[Bill Laundon]

Tim- My biggest take away is the emerging market of the Millenials. For service providers like myself, the Matures have pretty much set their loyalties & will be a hard target to pentrate. The Boomers are a great target for me because I fit in this group, and they are looking for help to reach their goals. The Gen X'ers seem to come to the service they desire & we just need to be ready to answer their questions.

The 800lb Gorilla in the room seems to be this huge & growing market of Millenials that want & need our advice to help them reach their goals. You have given me a very clear focus on where the right markets are & how to start down that path. I have to use the wisdom and tools that my parents and their (Greatest) generation passed on to this Boomer in order to help the Millenials secure their future.

I cannot thank you enough for such a great program yesterday. I feel very lucky to have been present when you made your first presentation at a Final Friday Forum.

[Angel Lebak ~ Virtual Assistant]

Tim....as a Gen Xer you are right, don't try to sell me..I am also from NJ so I won't trust a word you say..if you PROVE integrity by how you care for others (and those in need), I will notice.

You were right when you said the "Gen Xers are the most loyal". That is absolutely true for me. I am incredibly loyal (sometimes to my own detriment)....

I can't stop talking about your sharing...Get it on DVD and a book soon. My peeps need this info!! (seriously) :o))

[Dave Baldwin]

You know my thoughts :)

There were a couple of other after-thoughts that I had after the blog post I put up the other day. The Matures, and many of the Baby Boomers, seem to operate under the mantra "Respect Your Elders." My generation does not. That doesn't mean we necessarily disrespect our elders; but most people my age don't buy the idea that anyone is automatically entitled to respect simply because they are older than we are. Conversely, we don't expect people younger than us to grant us any respect as a given. Kind of ties in to the "prove it" mentality.

I've noticed that this can be a point of contention and in some cases can seriously offend members of the prior generations. It's something I've had to watch out for myself, and something to be aware of for a Mature or Boomer looking to sell or market to an X-er.

I've also noticed that older men seem to take for granted that it is perfectly acceptable to use patronizing and/or sexist language with women....such as calling them "sweetie" etc. Female members of my generation do NOT necessarily appreciate this or find it acceptable, but I've noticed that they are also more likely to let it slide coming from older men.

[Tim Moore]

Here is some more information from USA Today: (Thanks to Amy Shair)

Nearly half Baby Boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964 now work for a younger boss, and most report that they are older than most colleagues. But 61% of baby boomers surveyed said their age is not an issue at work, while 25% called it an asset.

Only 14% classified getting older as a workplace liability.

In fact, most of those who have reached age 50 noted that co-workers seek their counsel more now than when they were younger. And a third said their employer treats them with greater respect.

About 1 in 4 boomers still working say they'll never retire, and about the same fraction say they have saved no money for retirement.

A Congressional Budget Office report released March 22 found that while boomers are expected to begin leaving the workforce over the next decade, they may also be retiring later in life than previous generations. And that could "substantially dampen growth in the labor force" through 2021, the nonpartisan CBO said.

[Drew Becker]

As a baby boomer and former teacher, I have seen the concept of respect for elders become less important and agree in principle.

However the baby-boomers were the 60's generation who doubted authority in public using the media as no generation before had done. Remember the Who singing, "We won't be fooled again?"

One of the mantras of my generation was "Question authority" and we thought we had a corner on that market. We learned that we were merely another generation that distrusted the previous one. We just used the power of TV as a new medium to spread the word.

I am delighted the next generations amplified the anthem. We all need to think for ourselves. What we need to learn is to be civil with those we disagree with. I wish my generation had taught the next one to listen to the opposition instead of automatically discarding what they say.

Thanks for sharing these ideas. They have me thinking and looking at my attitudes as well as those of others.

[Tim Moore]

Generations, like people, have personalities. So, who are these 85 million Millennials?

They are the most ethnically and racially diverse cohort of youth in the nation's history. Among those ages 14 to 30: 18.5% are Hispanic; 14.2% are black; 4.3% are Asian; 3.2% are mixed race or other; and 59.8%, a record low, are white.

They are starting out as the most politically progressive age group in modern history. In the 2008 election, Millennials voted for Barack Obama over John McCain by 66%-32%, while adults ages 30 and over split their votes 50%-49%. In the four decades since the development of Election Day exit polling, this is the largest gap ever seen in a presidential election between the votes of those under and over age 30.

They are the first generation in human history who regard behaviors like tweeting and texting, along with websites like Facebook, YouTube, Google and Wikipedia, not as astonishing innovations of the digital era, but as everyday parts of their social lives and their search for understanding.


They are the least religiously observant youths since survey research began charting religious behavior.

They are more inclined toward trust in institutions than were either of their two predecessor generations -- Gen Xers and Baby Boomers when they were coming of age.

[Tim Moore]

Generation X

The 45 million members of Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, grew up in a very different world than previous generations. Divorce and working moms created "latchkey" kids out of many in this generation. This led to traits of independence, resilience and adaptability. Generation X feels strongly that "I don't need someone looking over my shoulder."

At the same time, this generation expects immediate and ongoing feedback, and is equally comfortable giving feedback to others. Other traits include working well in multicultural settings, desire for some fun in the workplace and a pragmatic approach to getting things done.

Generation X saw their parents get laid off or face job insecurity. Many of them also entered the workplace in the early '80s, when the economy was in a downturn. Because of these factors, they've redefined loyalty. Instead of remaining loyal to their company, they have a commitment to their work, to the team they work with, and the boss they work for. For example, a Baby Boomer complains about his dissatisfaction with management, but figures its part of the job. A Gen Xer doesn't waste time complaining-she sends her resume out and accepts the best offer she can find at another organization.

At the same time, Generation X takes employability seriously. But for this generation there isn't a career ladder. There's a career lattice. They can move laterally, stop and start, their career is more fluid.

Even more so than Baby Boomers, members of Generation X dislike authority and rigid work requirements. An effective mentoring relationship with them must be as hands-off as possible. Providing feedback on their performance should play a big part, as should encouraging their creativity and initiative to find new ways to get tasks done.

As a mentor, you'll want Gen Xers to work with you, not for you. Start by informing them of your expectations and how you'll measure their progress and assure them that you're committed to helping them learn new skills. (Members of Generation X are eager to learn new skills because they want to stay employable.) Gen Xers work best when they're given the desired outcome and then turned loose to figure out how to achieve it. This means a mentor should guide them with feedback and suggestions, not step-by-step instructions.

[Dave Baldwin]

Since this seminar I've been noticing a lot of things about how I relate to the different generations. I'm more likely to assume that someone in my age range understands my vision and explain it in depth. With someone older, I'll instinctively keep the conversation simple and superficial unless they ask about my business.

Here's the part that surprised me - when I talk to a Millenial, I'm the most concerned about what they will think about me. One of my defensive fronts to hide insecurity is acting skeptical. It puts the other person on the defensive and sets up the conversation such that I feel like they have to prove something to me - so that I won't feel like I have to prove something to them.

These are my default unconscious habits that have been operating for years. I'm just now starting to see them thanks to the presentation last week.

Still getting a chuckle over the Flintstones cigarette ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc1TBBp4dC8

[Tim Moore]

Baby Boomers Buying Habits Change

I saw this article this week by Jim Shea of the Hartford Courant about how the buying habits of Baby Boomers is changing. It is interesting. What do you think? (LOL - funny view of the whole thing)

Because the way we think and process information evolves as we age, experts say the way we behave as consumers also changes.

As a result, members of the baby-boom generation are now at a stage in life where emotion and gut feelings play a bigger role in deciding about a purchase.

Younger consumers, in comparison, are much less emotionally invested, and more focused on plain-and-simple bottom-line value.

I'm not so sure boomers are all that different.

I mean, I don't remember having any particularly strong feelings toward the lawn trimmer I bought last summer. Not that it isn't attractive. Not that it doesn't have a wonderful personality. Not that it isn't fun to be with. You know, maybe it's not the trimmer, maybe it's me?

That said, I did once have a kind of cougar thing for an old toilet, but that breakup is still too painful to talk about.

Besides the actual product, baby boomers are also said to be more attuned than their younger counterparts to how something is being sold to them and who is doing the selling.

Older consumers, in general, don't like the hard sell or pushy salespeople. They prefer the situation be more laid-back and less pressurized. This is why finding the right salesperson is really important for baby boomers.

If, for example, you are in the market for a used car, this is relatively simple. Just find the guy with the worst sports jacket. When it comes to cars, the better the suit, the pushier the salesperson.

Finding the right person with whom to do business is more difficult in large box stores, for a couple of reasons:

One, they all tend to wear the same color jackets.

And, two, they are really good at avoiding customers.

On those rare occasions when one has a choice of big-box sales associates, my advice is to opt for the one with the most jewelry sticking in, out or about his or her face. These folks are usually helpful and couldn't care less if you buy something or not.