• by Whitney Hutchinson , February 2, 2009

Barack Obama brings a lot of firsts to the White House, including a BlackBerry. He is so addicted to his BlackBerry that he's been quoted as saying that somebody would have to "pry it from his hands" before he would give it up.

By contrast, John McCain is still working on his Internet skills. I recall the New York Times interview where McCain said, "I am learning to get online myself, and I will have that down fairly soon. ... I don't expect to set up my own blog, but I am becoming computer literate to the point where I can get the information that I need."

I was surprised by this comment, but after some reflection, came to understand McCain's position a bit more, as a member of a generation not brought up in this age of technology. Are we, as marketers, properly managing this very important segment of our customer and prospect databases -- those baby boomers and seniors who are actively consuming our marketing messages in the digital space?

Per the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2005 and 2030, the senior market will grow to over 95 million people. Add to that the fact that seniors control over 70% of disposable income and currently spend over $7 billion online a year, and it's clear that this is a group that deserves specialized attention.

Here are some thoughts on how we can effectively do this.

Offer special discounts. Seniors are often on a fixed income and, especially now, may need a bit more incentive to act. Make special offers specifically to this segment -- test and track to see if this makes an impact.

Adjust creative. Think about your creative from the perspective of an older consumer. Is your font large enough to be easily read? Are you ensuring that calls to action are obvious, in plain sight, not diminished by overly stylized creative? Are you using images of young hipsters -- or more mature, responsible-looking people? Make sure that users feel that they can relate to the products, services and consumers depicted.

Provide clear, step-by-step directions on how to purchase.We may be desensitized to the complications that some registration and/or purchasing processes possess. Think about it from the perspective of a parent or grandparent. Is the process intuitive? Is it transparent? Is it simple?

Offer purchasing options in more traditional channels. Many older consumers are skeptical of the Internet and specifically of digital purchasing channels. They are hesitant to share personal information, especially credit card numbers. Give them other purchasing channel options -- a toll-free number, an in-store coupon -- anything that will allow them to convert somewhere else, if they are nervous about the digital channel.

Provide phone numbers for questions/follow-up. In the same vein, sometimes consumers can get confused, may have questions or need further information before they purchase. Give them a toll-free number they can call for help. Again, the key is to allow them to engage with you in the channel in which they are most comfortable.

Establish credibility and respect privacy. It's vital that you establish credibility and respect with this audience segment. If they don't know you, trust you or like you, they won't do business with you and they certainly won't refer you to their friends or family. Make this a key tenet for your dealings with them -- establish yourself as a trustworthy business, and then do exactly what you say you're going to do.

Hold back on the hype. Stick to the facts. Be transparent in your dealings with this consumer group and don't over-hype. This is an incredibly smart, mature and rational demographic. Give them what they want, and don't try to sell them on something they'll see right through.

I have great hope for our country in the coming years and great hope for us as marketers that we can harness the power of email marketing to make it a relevant, targeted and effective channel for all of the audiences we talk to. It is unique in that sense -- and I encourage you all to utilize it to its greatest potential.