Turning Silver into Gold:

Reaching the affluent Baby Boomer generation


The Baby Boomer generation, made up of 70 million people, is probably the largest “untapped” market in the United States. Born between 1946 and 1964, Baby Boomers control more than half of all discretionary income in the country and spend more than $2 trillion a year!i Yet marketers are only now beginning to focus on them.

This white paper explores who the Baby Boomers are, what they spend their money on, and how you can market to them effectively.

The $2 trillion question: What do Boomers buy?

Forget stereotypes. Boomers are among the most active demographics in the country. They make up the fastest-growing segment of gym and health club members.ii They're also technically savvy and increasingly wired into the modern world of computers and the Web. Baby Boomers buy a wide range of goods and services. Major categories include:

  • Homes
  • Home goods
  • Automobiles
  • Dining out
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Spas and pools
  • Plastic surgery
  • Cosmetics
  • Music

Reaching Boomers: Best practices for winning their business

Baby Boomers are willing to try new products and brands. That means they're worth trying to reach whether or not they have been customers before. It also means you have to work harder to keep them as customers. This white paper reveals tips for successfully marketing to Baby Boomers, such as:

  • Target them with your advertising. Baby Boomers feel they are being ignored by many marketers. They are waiting for marketers to speak to them.
  • Service, service, service. Boomers tend to be loyal to service more than to products. It helps to offer extras such as custom orders, gift wrapping, preferred buyers' clubs, and private buying hours.iii
  • Remember their diversity. Baby Boomers are not one monolithic segment. There are over 9 million African-American and some 8 million Hispanic Boomers. And of course, over 40 million Boomers are female.iv
  • Forget about age. Experts advise forgetting about age when marketing to this generation. As one consultant says, "They reinvent themselves every three to
    five years."v

Reach them where they live—with direct mail

Boomers are not spread evenly around the country, but tend to live in or near cities and in certain areas of the country. This suggests using media such as direct mail that can be targeted to specific regions. What's more, Boomers are “more likely than consumers under 40 to read catalogs and advertising mail.” Direct mail also is effective in getting Baby Boomers to visit a store, restaurant, or other retail outlet.vi

Business is Booming

With some $2 trillion dollars to spend annually, the Baby Boomer generation represents an unmistakable opportunity for all marketers. Millions of Baby Boomers are ready to buy what marketers have to sell—they are waiting for you to make the effort.

Download Your Free Copy of the Affluent Boomer White Paper Now!



  1. “Spending Power of Baby Boomers – US”, Global Information Inc., February 2007
  2. "It's Not Your Daughter's Health Club Anymore," By Kathleen Doheny. HealthDay Reporter. www.wishtv.com
  3. “Baby Boomers - Know This Consumer,” Missouri Small Business Development Centers, www.missouribusiness.net
  4. "Oldest Baby Boomers Turn 60!" US Census Bureau. January 3, 2006, www.census.gov
  5. "Turning 60," Newsweek, Nov. 14, 2005, www.msnbc.msn.com
  6. Reaching Boomers with Mail, US Postal Service, www.usps.com

Surprising Fact: Baby Boomers are just as likely to buy technology products as are people in their 20's.

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