BY KERRIANNE SULLIVAN
To successfully sell your product or service, you need a deep understanding of who you’re selling to and how to reach them. Age is an important factor to consider for the who and the how. As generations age, so do your buyers. For the past couple of decades, Baby Boomers and Gen X have dominated the B2B decision-making process. Today, Millennials are taking center stage in the workplace and buyer market, with Gen Z following close behind.
According to recent reports, Millennials make up 73% of B2B buyers. While Millennials gain more influential roles as B2B purchasing decision-makers, Boomers and Gen X still occupy many C-suite and board positions. Then there’s Gen Z: the new kids on the block (no, Gen Xers, not the boy band). Gen Z’s expectations of brands and buying patterns are already drastically different from the traditional marketing approaches we lean on today.
What Makes Boomers Tick
Baby Boomers, born between 1946-1964, witnessed powerful protests, medical innovations, and momentous political events that have shaped who we are as a country. These events not only defined history but they influenced how Boomers live their lives—from their core values to buying decisions. While some are off enjoying retirement, Boomers still account for 41 million people in the workforce and shouldn’t be discounted as your company develops a B2B marketing strategy.
While “older” in age (according to science, not in our hearts), don’t underestimate a Boomer’s technical abilities. A study revealed that Boomers spend an average of five hours per day on their phones, which closely rivals Millennial’s screen time. While this statistic may be surprising, because Boomers grew up in a time of economic uncertainty, their buying journey tends to be longer, and they prefer to do their due diligence. In addition to being avid Google users, email has been part of their lives for most of their adulthood and remains an effective communication method in their personal and professional lives. However, when targeting this generation, it’s best to avoid unnecessary frills such as emojis or GIFs and give a second thought to the font size and color selection in your email campaigns. As for content length, which is a delicate balance with other generations, Boomers actually prefer longer-form content and will engage with a lengthy email. Also, differing from their generational neighbors, they value face-to-face (or Zoom-to-Zoom) conversations early in the purchasing journey, so don’t be afraid of a “contact us” CTA early in your campaigns.
Like emails and other written content, Boomers appreciate longer-form videos and have more patience than a tech-savvy Millennial or Gen Zer. Boomers also value traditional marketing tactics, such as radio, print, mail, and billboards. But don’t get it twisted; traditional doesn’t mean boring. They still appreciate a punny headline and eye-catching piece of collateral.
It’s the Millennials’ World and We’re Just Living in it
In media and marketing, Millennials, born between 1981-1996, are often treated like the favorite child, while Gen X, born between 1965-1980, fill the stereotypical middle child role. However, the two generations’ habits and traits are actually very similar. While Millennials are dubbed the “digital natives” and grew up with a smartphone glued to their hand, Gen Xers are digital pioneers and were the first generation to grow up with personal computers. Because of Millennials and Gen X's tech-savvy nature and experience with the digital world, industries of all kinds—from healthcare to financial services—have shifted to meet the new key buyer profiles.
Millennials value companies with a strong online presence, succinct brand identity, and the courage to join online industry conversations. If you’ve created an online presence, you’ve likely already gained the trust of Gen Xers and Millennials. Having grown up with the internet, search engines are second nature to Millennials and Gen Xers. For a company in the B2B industry, that means they’re doing their homework. Before a Millennial or Gen X buyer meets with you, they’ve already read your reviews, analyzed your website, and stalked you on LinkedIn. Additionally, because research is such an important first step of the buying process, it’s crucial that B2B businesses put stock behind their SEO practices, content, social media, and video strategy. A consistent online presence will put you ahead of competitors and leave a mark in Millennial’s and Gen X’s minds.
According to an IBM Institute survey, Millennials place great trust in the people they surround themselves with and are unlikely to make a purchasing decision without the advice of friends, family, or colleagues. About 36% of Millennials ask friends and family for their opinions before deciding to buy B2B products or services. It’s no surprise that they value peer reviews and customer testimonials. Knowing opinions matter and samples of work are important, B2B companies targeting Millennials should ensure they have case studies and testimonials to offer as resources.
Hooking the Next Generation
Ask a Gen Zer to use their hand to depict talking on a phone. Feel old yet? Gen Z, born between 1995 and 2010, is the most diverse and inclusive generation we’ve seen to date. For many, the first president they learned about and saw on TV was black; they’ve experienced dynamic family structures; and many have seen reversed gender roles within the household. While only about 11% of Gen Z has entered the workforce, they should not be overlooked in your B2B strategies. In addition to having influence over Millennial B2B decision-makers, their characteristics and buying patterns will take some getting used to. Gen Z values authenticity and expects more from brands—like being environmentally sustainable and taking a stand on social issues.
Additionally, with platforms like TikTok and Instagram serving up customizable content and utilizing live video, these trends are already starting to bleed into B2B marketing. Plus, as a generation that values social media influencers, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more influencer marketing make the crossover. Before the pandemic, we might have predicted that this social media-crazed generation would be fluent in texting, email, DMs, and FaceTime, and favor those mediums at work. While that may be the case sometimes, having experienced a digital-only learning and social environment due to COVID-19, it’d be a safe bet that this generation will prefer face-to-face conversations and phone calls early on in their purchasing journey. With many unknowns, investing in this generation early on will yield long-term benefits. But for now, marketers can breathe a sigh of relief.
Learn by Doing
While understanding your audience’s generational gaps and overlaps is important, there’s not a one-size-fits-all marketing solution. Factors such as gender, culture, and geographical location should also play a role in a company’s marketing strategy. To get to know your audience, don’t be afraid to try different tactics and optimize along the way. What works well for one subset of your audience may not work for another—and that’s ok. What’s most important is staying true to your brand and creating a narrative that allows you to connect with your audience and leave a mark in the marketplace.