Gen X or Generation X refers to a group of people born between the mid-1960s to 1980. According to an Insider Intelligence report, there are about 65.1 million individuals in 2022 who belong to the Gen X population in the USA. This is about 19.3% of the residents in the USA.
Gen X may be second to baby boomers when it comes to buying power, but their purchasing influence is much more than theirs as well as Gen Z households. This is why companies need to build their brand value in a way that appeals to the Gen X world.
Gen Xers are known as independent, skeptical, adaptable, and resourceful individuals. To appeal to them businesses need to be authentic, informative, and valuable. According to Forbes, Gen X is focused on a few areas such as work-life balance, nostalgia, health and wellness, and financial security. Any engagement with Gen X will need to touch a chord with their priorities and emotions.
This article discusses some ways to create brand value in the Gen X world.
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Improve Customer Experience
Speed and convenience of purchasing are two things that appeal to most consumers, especially those from the Gen X world. If these consumers find it inconvenient to make purchases on some websites or online stores, they are likely to go away immediately. Hence it is important to have user-friendly interfaces for all online platforms and applications.
Understand the Needs and Expectations of Gen X
Understanding Gen X and appealing to their requirements is essential for building a strong brand. Focus on tapping into customer emotions while creating product ads. Gen X are people who grew up before the Internet and slowly adapted to it. They understand traditional media as well as digital media alike. Branding efforts targeting Gen X should be an ideal mix of the two. Select the right channels and create the perfect brand message that will appeal to them.
Stand Apart from Competitors
Gen X is resourceful. Standing out from the other brands is very important to get noticed and recognized by the target audience. This may even mean stepping out of the brand’s comfort zone. It is essential to go beyond the current market standards and reach places where competitors have not ventured. It is also necessary to try and stick to the core values of the brand to remain unique.
Make Products and Services Remarkable
What is remarkable marketing? It is a technique that helps build certain aspects to make a product or service remarkable. A brown cow will not stand out in a herd full of brown cows. Only a purple cow will stand out! Gen X may be traditional, but they are also looking for innovation. Always focus on superlatives like the ‘best customer service’, ‘happiest employees’, and the ‘most innovative products’ while building brand value.
Maintain a Consistent Brand Voice
Consistency is important for Gen X. Brand is the personality of any company. Gen X will remember a brand only if it has a consistent brand voice. Any brand message should be in the same language and tone and use the same syntax, without any confusion. This way Gen X will be able to associate with brand content easily. It is necessary to have a set of standard guidelines to maintain the brand voice so that all marketing content, be it social posts, emails, or blogs, speak in the same voice.
Keep Design Standards High
Gen X is not easy to please. They are people of high standards. High-quality design is very important in any visual communication targeting Gen X. It is all about the use of colors, fonts, shapes, and other elements on the brand website, email campaigns, and product packaging. This will determine how the brand will be perceived and interpreted by Gen X. Even a small brand may look powerful and impressive through strong visual branding. In the same way, a bad design can be detrimental to brand value.
Be Authentic in Approach
About 85% of Gen X people, prefer authenticity. This is an important factor in their choices of brands. They will not respond to marketing strategies that seem artificial. Hence, it is important to post realistic and genuine content on social media. Honesty and transparency in approach will help create emotional connections with Gen X. Instead of overloading them with information, let them know what the brand stands for. Engage in conversations with Gen X customers to find out what the brand means to them. Seek their feedback to build better brand authenticity.
Partner with Gen X Influencers
While Gen X people may follow many Gen Z creators, they will value content created by Gen X influencers more. To gain credibility and relatability, it will be better to use Gen X social media influencers to get the brand message across to Gen X. There are many Gen X Instagram influencers for verticals such as food, health, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and parenting. Make sure they acknowledge issues that matter to Gen X so that they feel valued. Some of these include health issues, menopause, financial insecurity, midlife crisis, children in college, aging parents, and other aspects they may find challenging. Make it easier for Gen Xers to accept these issues and be seen and heard.
The Bottom Line
Gen X people are savvy digital users who came of age with the Internet. According to Insider Intelligence, about 75% of Gen Xers are on social networks such as Facebook and YouTube. Facebook may be the perfect platform to reach out to Gen Xers and create brand value. It is a great place to share discounts and other offers with Gen X.
YouTube is another platform to post how-to videos, product demonstrations, and useful tutorials that can help Gen Xers understand the brand value proposition. The skyrocketing popularity of TikTok can also be utilized to reach out to Gen X. Make sure to add a touch of humor and nostalgia to the posts. Try not to use blatant sales pitches.
The best way to create brand value in the Gen X world is to use genuine and honest brand messages that reflect the life experiences of Gen Xers. It is all about authentically connecting with them. It is also important to stand out from competitors and reach out to customers with remarkable products and services. However, it is also essential to use a consistent brand voice that helps them connect emotionally with the brand. This is the only way to earn a lifetime of brand loyalty from Gen X.