In a recent post on TanToday, a salon owner asked the question, “How old is your oldest client?” The responses ranged from age 59 to age 101 (seriously!), with most of the responses citing customers in their 70s and 80s. This indicates that tanner demographics cover a wide range of ages—yet it seems that most of the advertisements from tanning salons are geared toward the college crowd.
In order to reach all of your clients and potential clients—not just the 20-somethings—you need to understand what type of marketing medium and advertisement will appeal to the consumer tendencies of every age.
“Different age groups respond better to different marketing,” says Dean Mandos, president of Chronos Marketing. “Web sites and e-mail newsletters may not be the best form of advertising for clients ages 50 and older, and advertising in community newsletters wouldn’t be the best way to reach the younger generation of 20 to 35 years old. There are, however, certain forms of advertising that are able to target most age ranges such as radio (depending on which station) and direct-mail ads. These are helpful if you want to target multiple age groups with one marketing initiative.”
Beyond the medium you use, how you craft the advertisement itself is very important. Try the following tips from Mandos to ensure you tailor your ad to target specific age ranges, from offering particular types of specials, highlighting specific services/products, using certain wording and more.
20s
Today’s younger generation is texting, instant messaging and e-mailing rather than picking up the phone to call someone. Therefore, you must find ways to market to these customers using technological mediums. Web sites (with constant updates on special offers) are a great way to reach this age, as are online blogs or social-networking pages where you can provide up-to-date information about your business. In addition, because budget-conscious college students typically fall into this range, using the words “free” or “save” on your advertisement will make it stand out to them.
30s – 40s
The 30 and 40 age range is very skincare-conscious—they aren’t 20-something anymore but they still want to look and feel like they are. To target these ages, include information about skincare-, health- and fitness-related products and services at your salon. Preventative measures against aging are also big with this crowd—anything that you offer that falls under this category should be showcased in your advertisements.
50s – 60s
This is the generation of anti-aging, firming and rejuvenating. Any fountain-of-youth product or service is what those in their 50s and 60s are searching for—let them know you have what they need. The words “free” and “save” aren’t necessary to capture this group’s attention—they are far more interested in what will provide them with the best results than they are in price. The key thing to emphasize in your ads is the quality of your products and services.
70s and above
This generation (like the college crowd) is price-conscious and is generally on a personal budget—despite the fact that they have disposable income. At the same time, however, they tend to spend a lot on others rather than on themselves. Target that tendency by advertising a variety of gift ideas to this generation.
Overall, age-targeting your marketing initiatives is a great way to boost your bottom line. While the traditional ads geared toward 20-year-olds will provide a nice ROI, you are shortchanging yourself if you aren’t also appealing to your clients and potential clients in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond.
