How to Reengage Baby Boomers with Loyalty Programs?

Loyalty programs – especially digitalized ones – are associated with young generations including generations X, Y (also known as Millennials), and Z. Older generations are groups that often might be overlooked. Because Baby Boomers are one of the driving cohorts all around the world (in the USA, baby boomers make up about 21% of the population), it is important to acknowledge their needs and possibilities and perhaps redirect or upgrade program aims in order to engage them into loyalty. But where should you start? 

Who are Baby Boomers?

This is the generation of people who were born between 1946 and 1964. They were raised in an era where wire phones, newspapers, and television were introduced and developed. Their social life was and still is based on face-to-face relations with not only family and friends but also with local vendors. However, it did not stop them from adapting to the upcoming digital era. Nowadays, Baby Boomers are no exception when looking at the loyalty world. Loyalty programs that assist them in managing their health and travel and making their life easier are the ones that they choose. 

How to identify their potential when it comes to loyalty

Start by reevaluating your audience. Does it make sense to include Baby Boomers in your target group? Research shows that boomers are most loyal to brands that they already know, have fair and reasonable prices, and share general values with them. Key functionalities and strategies to implement for this cohort include:

• Using simple loyalty program rules
• Offering applicable and persuasive rewards like coupons or discounts
• VIP treatment i.e. if a program offers tiers, Boomers could start their journey from 2nd tier,
• High quality of customer service
• Personalized promotions
• Easy navigation through mobile app/ website, bearing in mind that Boomers are used to offline solutions like plastic cards
• Omnichannel experience with emphasis on the offline channel
• Employee training on how to present loyalty advantages, as they are the main source of information

It needs to be acknowledged that Baby Boomers are a cohort with a huge loyalty potential that can only be achieved if the approach to them is going to be focused on their needs. Therefore, loyalty programs intended for them should be easy to use, with a simplistic design, personalized content, and most of all, not overloaded with information or possible options. A flexible shopping experience is also a must for them. They value their time, therefore, a piece of actual information regarding whether the product of their interests is in stock in the desired location is a driving factor for them to be a loyal customer. Therefore, a crucial thing to have in mind when targeting loyalty programs to Baby Boomers is to create a friendly space for them, educate them about new technologies by showing the benefits, but at the same time allow them to keep non-digital options and staying offline.

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