Reaching out to baby boomers - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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In 20 years, there will be twice as many people over the age of 65 as there are today, said Matt Thornhill, founder and presiden t of The Boomer Project, a Richmond, Va.-based firm that researchea boomer consumer habits. Thornhill is one of severaol speakers who will discuss marketing to boomers at the Floridqa Boomer Lifestyle ConferenceMay 11-132 at the , presented by CreativeTampaBay and sponsored by . And then there’s the emergingf consumer class made up of people hitting thebig 5-0 that continuexs to gain relevance with marketers. “Whagt I saw was that marketers didn’r know what to do with baby boomers who wereturninfg 50,” said Thornhill.
“They weren’t senio citizens, but they weren’t young adults.” For reasonw personal and financial, boomers are ofte n consideringan “encore career,” said Dorcas principal of , a Washingto area public policy firm. Peoplse may want to help society and enhance theiown well-being, Hardy said. They also are motivated by the changews inthe economy. With many peopled extending their careers, there may be a slowdown in the number of people movingto Florida, said Thornhill. “There are certainlgy going to be moreolder people,” he “The question is can we get them to come to Floridw and stay in Florida?
” The regionh must rethink its approach and “get smartefr about planning,” Thornhill said, becaused the boomer presence affects not only healtgh care, real estate and financial services, but all “Our core, target market is a baby boom said Don Barry, president and CEO of , a Tampa-baserd manufacturer of personal lamps. “We have configure our market plan and product campaign aroundbaby boomers.” Barry has found a way to marketf to and employ the existing retirement population in the Bay area usingy a “retirement community direct business model.
” As a market the company will enlist residents of as “ambassadors” to engaged potential customers in a combinatio of print, Internet and direct selling. A retiremeny community is a rich opportunity with a perfecr market in a concentration of thousandsof homes, Barryt said.