A tip for marketing to silver surfers

When it comes to marketing, I often come across people who are worried their audience won’t engage with them if they start using tech or social media, because they’re part of an older demographic.

I’ve noticed something about my soon-to-be 70-year-old dad to disprove that.

Alan Liversedge has one O-level (Woodwork) and a smartphone. He’s never used a computer in his life and yet is completely at ease with texting, WhatsApping and taking pictures of his dinner.

Since watching Breaking Bad this Christmas, he’s not only started talking to me using ‘yo’ in his texts, but is accompanying them with some seriously appropriate emojis. (He hasn’t called me ‘bitch’ yet though.)

⚗️?????????

But his most recent triumph is gifs. Now, I’m 41-and-a-half and have only just got into these. He’s better than me at them. Bitch.

That’s all l very interesting you might say, but what’s it got to do with the price of eggs?

Well, don’t underestimate your older client’s ability — and love of — tech, or dismiss it as a way of communicating with them.

I understand that transacting everything online isn’t always possible or even recommended. But a simple text or WhatsApp message to let support your other messsages — especially those that could get lost in a sea of other emails — could help.

As long you’re both using the latest version of WhatsApp, the messages will be end-to-end encrypted, meaning that only you and the person you’re communicating with can read what is sent. So why not give it a try?

These sorts of messages give you an opportunity to show that you care about your client. A helpful prompt such holiday opening times or a reminder about a specific deadline can get important messages across. It’s also a great chance to be a little less formal. Although I’d stay away from the gifs!

And once you move from WhatsApp, who knows where you’ll end up?

Why not start by asking your older clients how they prefer to be communicated with? They might surprise you.

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