Silent Members of the Silent When buying, and in other business situations, Silents prefer Approaching a member of the Silent Generation: <\/span><\/b>Not all Silents As for your targeted message to Baby Boomers—How They Buy<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n Members of the Baby Boomer Generation are a little Boomers value companies with Boomers want relationships with those they work with—an ongoing dialogue Boomers respond well to Approaching a Boomer: <\/b>This Gen X: Extremely Savvy Buyers<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n Members of Generation X are realists, and they can Gen Xers rely on peer-to-peer referrals more than other generations. They This generation is not fond of Unlike older generations, Approaching a Generation For your initial contact, send an email or leave a voicemail that states Marketing to Millennials<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n The youngest generation of purchasers is a bit more Millennials do not make Millennials are civic minded, As you might expect, Approaching a Millennial: <\/b>You They respond well to messages See Figure 1: How To Connect, Communicate, Gain A quick look at qualities and strategies for each Incorporating Your Knowledge<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n How can you implement this knowledge of the Step 1: Identify the Your first step is to know which generation your Step 2: Distinguish Your Consider the preferences of each generation and how Silent customers:<\/span><\/b> They do Baby Boomer customers:<\/b> Generation X customers: <\/b>Gen Millennial customers: <\/span><\/b>This Step 3: Differentiate Your Think about the characteristics and tactics that Building Sales Relationships Building Sales Relationships Building Sales Relationships Building Sales Relationships See Figure 2: A Generation-to-Generation Overview.<\/p>\n An at-a-glance summary for salespeople of each The Critical Connection<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n Remember Jim
\nGeneration purchasers and decision makers demand courtesy from sales contacts.
\nThey expect to be respected, and younger people may find them formal. Silents
\nprefer “standard,” practical service and products rather than bells and
\nwhistles. Similarly, they respond well to straightforward communications—to
\nsalespeople who say what they mean and mean what they say. Silents prefer to
\nstick to the business at hand, rather than engaging in a relationship-building
\nconversation.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nGeneration are loyal to the companies they buy from, and they expect loyalty in
\nreturn. Although they want respect, they also want to be heard—so listen and
\nrespond to their stories and ideas. Silents spend their company’s money like
\ntheir own—very carefully. This generation is financially conservative, and
\nspecial pricing is very appealing. They are disciplined in their due diligence
\nabout your product and your claims about reliability, and they will hold you to
\nthose claims. <\/p>\n
\nface-to-face meetings. They are technically literate enough to email and
\nresearch online, but virtual contact alone is not enough to seal the deal or
\nkeep the relationship strong. They want to be able to speak with their sales
\nrepresentative by phone as needed and have regular, in-person contact.<\/span> <\/p>\n
\nare stuffy or reserved, but they do believe it is appropriate for business
\ncommunications to be formal. Therefore, when speaking with them, your words and
\ntone of voice should be respectful. Start by calling them by their last name
\n(Mr. Jones, rather than Jeff)—you can always ask if it is acceptable to use
\ntheir first name. Strive to use good grammar and clear diction, and of course
\navoid slang or profanity. Keep your focus on sounding and appearing
\nbusinesslike—that goes for written communications as well.<\/p>\n
\nSilent prospects, highlight any aspects of your organization’s successful
\nhistory.<\/p>\n
\nmore complicated than Silents in how they make purchasing decisions. On the one
\nhand, they also like to obey rules and follow procedures, and they are loyal to
\ncompanies they purchase from; but at the same time, they are open to other
\noptions. They are willing to go outside the norm (e.g., question relying on a
\ngo-to supplier) when they think they have found a better option. <\/p>\n
\nmany years in business and good reputations. While they appreciate price
\nbreaks, they are also willing to spend full price if they believe the
\ntransaction is worthwhile.<\/p>\n
\nrather than sporadic communications. Also, like their Silent counterparts,
\nBoomer purchasers need face time with sales representatives and prefer
\nin-person meetings. While they are comfortable with other methods of
\ncommunication and contact, to them—as with Silents—a phone call out of the blue
\nsignals something urgent.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nbusinesslike, politically correct language. They are comfortable with online
\ncommunications but are definitely still open to printed pieces. <\/p>\n
\napproach should be more relational, perhaps over coffee or lunch. Boomers tend
\nto see relationships and business results as intertwined. Take time to ask
\nabout mutual interests or personal details (such as, “How is your son doing in
\ncollege?”). Make the conversation participative by getting their input, and
\nlink the message to the team or individual vision, mission, and values. As
\nbuyers, Boomers are drawn to vendors’ reputation and history, and the perceived
\nquality of your product—simply being friendly is not going to cut it.<\/p>\n
\nspot a phony a mile away. They are shrewd when it comes to making purchasing
\ndecisions and want to control the sale. They can be extremely motivated to do
\ntheir own research (with their sales representative as well as on their own) to
\nfind purchase-related information and gain a deep understanding of their
\nchoices. They will use the knowledge they gain as assurance that they are not
\nbeing taken advantage of and that they are getting the best product and price
\npossible. Deep down, Gen Xers may be just as frugal as the Silent Generation.<\/p>\n
\nlike to confer with peers on purchasing decisions and take those conversations
\nto heart. If someone they know recommends (or can simply shed light on) your
\nproduct, that can give you a tremendous advantage.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nin-person meetings. They value their work time and prefer to do business
\nefficiently over the phone or by email—which also allows them to weigh their
\noptions. Older generations may see this as a hands-off approach, but it suits
\nGen Xers’ personal preferences and buying style. They resist micromanaging, and
\nthis applies to perceived hand holding by a sales representative. The benefit of Gen Xers’ wary approach to
\nselecting your organization as a supplier is that once you earn their trust,
\nthey are the most loyal customers of any generation.<\/p>\n
\nGeneration X does not respond to formality in sales communications. Whether you
\nare writing a collateral piece or making an in-person pitch, keep it simple, do
\nnot waste their time, and focus on the steak—not the sizzle. <\/p>\n
\nXer: <\/b>Unlike Baby Boomers, this
\ngeneration approaches sales and other business relationships efficiently and
\nalmost impersonally. Do not waste their time asking about their weekend.
\nIf you can smoothly get right to the point, you will win points. Continue to be
\nstraightforward in all communications and avoid corporate-speak. If possible,
\nweave referrals from similar customers into the conversation—Gen X values this
\n(more so if they are familiar with the referrer).<\/p>\n
\nclearly what you want, how it will serve the Generation Xer, and when you would
\nlike to follow up. Depending on your own age, this may feel abrupt to you, but
\nthe Gen Xer will appreciate it. When you start the sales process, be sure to
\noffer (or allude to) multiple product
\nor package options for their needs. They are more comfortable knowing there is
\na plan B waiting in the wings. Finally, once you have gained a satisfied
\nGeneration X customer, leverage that relationship—and this generation’s buying
\nhabits—and network with them to find other prospects<\/span>.<\/p>\n
\ncomplex in how they handle purchasing. Because of the way they were brought up,
\nthey can have trouble making decisions on their own. They may be dependent on
\npeers and managers for guidance, as well as on online information. For this
\ngeneration, the Internet holds all the answers, so make sure your company’s
\nwebsite is comprehensive and easy
\nto navigate!<\/p>\n
\ndecisions quickly; they need time and information. At the same time, they can
\nbe impatient and want information from you as quickly as possible. Where Gen
\nXers want to be left alone, Millennials will appreciate extra attention as you
\nguide them to understand what you are selling. Do not be misled by their dependence
\non others, however, when it comes to decision making: Millennials are savvy
\nwhen it comes to buying, and very confident in their abilities. It is important
\nto recognize their confidence even when you see them struggling with the buying
\ndecision.<\/p>\n
\nand messages that indicate your organization or product is contributing to a
\ngood cause or is socially conscious will give you a definite advantage. They
\nare more brand conscious than brand loyal: They are highly adaptable when it comes
\nto bouncing in and out of buying relationships, and will leave for greener
\npastures if they find your competition has more to offer or better pricing.<\/p>\n
\nMillennials are all about communicating via email or even text messaging. They
\nmove fast, and in-person meetings are not their style. They also like to
\ncollaborate with their suppliers via blogging (and commenting on blogs) and
\nother social forums.<\/p>\n
\nwill walk a fine line between facing Millennials’ confidence and giving them
\nsome decision-making support—such as anticipating questions from their
\nhigher-ups and proactively providing that information. Warning: Never be
\ncondescending, and avoid coming across as cynical or sarcastic. <\/p>\n
\nthat target their personal or team goals, so find out what those are. You also
\nmay find success when stressing product uniqueness (if appropriate) and taking
\na collaborative approach.<\/p>\n
\nCommitment, or Kill the Deal.<\/p>\n
\ngeneration.<\/p>\n
\ngenerations into your day-to-day approach to selling? Try adding the steps
\nbelow to your sales process.<\/p>\n
\nGeneration<\/b><\/p>\n
\ncustomer or prospect belongs to. Make generational demographics part of your
\nsales research. Look for data or clues on the age of the individuals you will
\ncontact using online resources and your own observations.<\/p>\n
\nApproach<\/b><\/p>\n
\nyou might differentiate what you say and how you say it during the sales
\nprocess. <\/p>\n
\nnot mind the sales process, so you can be straightforward in your approach.
\nThey prefer a trusted “blue chip” business to a newcomer, and testimonials from
\nrespected publications or individuals will go far with them. Key closing
\ncommunication: Summarize their expectations, how you met those expectations,
\nand ask for their business.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThis generation also does not mind the sales process and expects strong selling
\nand closing strategies. They like to be courted, appreciate processes (and
\nproducts) that save them work and time, and will respond well to upbeat news
\nabout your business or industry. Key closing communication: Demonstrate that
\nyou are working hard for their business, and then ask for the sale.<\/p>\n
\nXers are skeptical of sales pitches, though they do appreciate
\nstraightforwardness. They are particularly resistant to pressure or hard
\nselling. Offer them options and provide resources so that they can do their own
\nresearch. Key closing communication: Be direct, open, and understated. Inform
\nand educate, answer all their questions, and let Gen X close themselves.<\/p>\n
\ngeneration of avid consumers enjoys the sales process, although pressure and
\npushiness will not work with them. They want to hear why your product is
\nrelevant and important to them. They are very receptive to companies with ties
\nto community service, charitable causes, sustainability, and social and
\nenvironmental responsibility. Key closing communication: Help them relieve the
\nstress of the process, guide them, and gain agreement one step at a time
\n(“staircase” to the close).<\/span><\/p>\n
\nRelationship Building<\/b><\/p>\n
\napply to each generation and how to incorporate this information into your
\nfirst and ongoing impressions. <\/p>\n
\nwith Silents: <\/b>Introduce yourself in an in-person meeting and then stay in
\ntouch and make it easy for them to do so. Have a clear, linear agenda for the
\nsales process, and deliver the goods with no up-selling. Remember to ask for
\nthe sale!<\/p>\n
\nwith Boomers:<\/b> Invest in these relationships. Get on their team by meeting
\nface to face as well as using technology to communicate. Stay in touch by
\ncalling about special promotions and offers, send them cards and letters at
\nappropriate times, and use giveaways and rewards as signs of accomplishment.
\nNote that late Boomers (those born between 1955 and 1964) seem to have a hint
\nof the skepticism that we usually associate with Gen X. <\/p>\n
\nwith Gen X:<\/b> Approach these customers by being straightforward and
\ntransparent, communicating efficiently, and being truthful and authentic. They
\nlike salespeople who can inform, educate, and offer them alternatives and
\nfallback plans. Be mindful of their time and make the process quick and easy. <\/p>\n
\nwith Millennials: <\/b>Use crisp, clear, and concise communications. Recognize
\ntheir identity and individuality, offer guided decision making (but do not talk
\ndown to them!), and cater to their love of instant gratification by moving
\nfast. <\/p>\n
\ngeneration. <\/p>\n
\nfrom the opening scenario? Jim knows that a customer’s buying decision is
\napproximately 85% emotional and 15% rational. He realizes from his own
\nexperience that the emotional part of the decision is based on 2 qualities that
\ncustomers feel toward the sales professional: respect and likability. He knows
\nthat as long as he is doing his job well, his customers will respect and
\nappreciate his competence, professionalism, and knowledge. After studying the
\ngenerations, he knows that they will like him more when he demonstrates that he
\nunderstands and appreciates their preferences—that is when they lean in and
\nlisten. Like Jim, when you speak a common language using the messages and
\napproaches your customers prefers, you can connect with them. Then, you are on
\nyour way to successfully selling across all generations.<\/span> <\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/insulation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/IO131101_01.jpg\")
<\/a>Figure 1<\/b><\/div>\n