Pro Motion Blog

Connect with Your Target Audience: Buying Decisions by Generation

By November 26, 2018 February 8th, 2019 No Comments

One of the most important things to consider when you’re planning an experiential marketing tour is who is your audience and how can you engage them authentically where they live, work, and play. This can greatly differ depending which generation you are seeking to engage.

Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964)

While this generation did not grow up with technology as we know it,  such as the internet, they sure do use it now! Don’t be fooled though. While they are on Facebook and other websites, this group is not likely influenced by social media when it comes to spending. They are most likely to purchase in brick and mortar stores. Why? The personal connection and customer service. They like simplicity and loyalty above all.

To engage with this group in your experiential marketing program, make sure what you offer isn’t too complex and technology-heavy. You should hire very personable people to engage Baby Boomers about your products. Instead of purchasing online, they are most likely to go in the store to purchase it after the interaction.

Generation X (born 1965-1980)

Gen Xers know technology and they love to search online to find the best deal or product in a category. They are big on reading reviews and want to know other people found the product valuable and high quality. Use experiential marketing to show this group of people why your product is the best one on the market.

How else can you engage this group in your experiential marketing program? Gen Xers also love emails. Capture email data at the footprint and they will continue to stay engaged post-event, through email updates and discounts you provide to them. They are motivated to purchase quality products, especially if provided with personalized discounts, and aren’t necessarily stuck in fashionable trends.

Millennials (born 1981-1996)

How do most millennials find products? It’s all about the smart phones and online shopping! Millennials discover most products through their phone. So how do you engage them with experiential marketing and drive them to purchase your product?  Connect with them through social networks and include that as part of your experience on the footprint. For example, you could make a cool Snapchat geofilter for your footprint and encourage Millennials to use it on site.

Millennials are motivated to purchase by ethical brands and brands that give back or connect to community (think Toms, Warby Parker, etc.). How can you include this concept in your brand activation? Is there a way to market the product or experience while also including a philanthropic element? (source)

Generation Z (born 1997 and later)

While Gen Z is very similar in habit to millennials, remember this generation was the first born into a very high tech world. They are all about efficiency. If your website doesn’t load fast enough or isn’t easy enough to navigate, you may lose the sale.

How do you engage this generation in experiential marketing? They want to be involved with brands. So an experiential activation is perfect! Invite them to experience your product firsthand and to give feedback on your product or be an influencer on social media. They are also into creative social media campaigns and prefer the authenticity of real people influencers versus celebrities they can’t relate to as well. Above all make sure your experience and spokespeople are authentic and relay the brand’s values. (source)

Now you’re ready to go out and capture the hearts of your target audience through experiential marketing and staying connected to them long after the event. Don’t know where to start? Call Pro Motion today and learn more about our 20+ years of experience in the experiential marketing world.