Is Your Message Being Heard Generationally?

By Heidi J. Ellsworth, HJE Consulting. 

Expand your marketing approaches and reach more people from a variety of ages.  

As the world begins to adapt to the new normal of currently living with COVID, we are seeing that the discussions of using more technology and more digital resources in roofing is now a present and critical need. So as contractors and all roofing companies begin to look at how they communicate with customers, it is going to need to encompass a new way of reaching and engaging them. In fact, while companies will need to embrace technology, they also need to look at generational solutions for reaching their audience. 

I am a big believer in multi-generational learning and the fact that we do not all learn the same. Beyond the generations, it is just a fact that every person has different tools and preferences in how they learn. Understanding that some people may need to read something to understand it while others may need to listen, watch or actually do it with their own two hands before they can truly absorb the knowledge. 

From a marketing standpoint, the same is true. As you may have heard many markets say, a potential customer needs to see the message at least seven times and in today's noisy world, I believe it is much more than that. I also believe that prospective customers need to use many of their senses to truly absorb marketing messages. Thus, the use of multi-media solutions becomes increasingly important not only for generational learning but to cut the white noise produced every day from our society. Here are three different approaches that will help expand your marketing and messaging to help get your company in front of a wide range of potential customers. 

The written word 

Some things never go away, and the written word is one of them. Maybe it is not always in print anymore, in fact the demand for content (articles, blogs, white papers) is larger than ever in order to drive website engagement. Articles that are used in blogs, sent out to online and print publications and actually used as website content, can help search engine optimization (SEO) along with providing easy information for those of us who still learn best by reading.  

Generationally, research from www.libraryjournal.com reported that the following identified with being an avid reader; 36.3% Gen Z, 47.9% Millennials, 50.7% Gen X, 55.7% Baby Boomer and 58% Silent Generation. The study conducted in 2019 surveyed 2,232 readers with at least 400 in each age group—Generation Z (16–22), Millennials (23–38), Generation X (39–54), Baby Boomers (55–73), and the Silent Generation (74–91)—to explore those differences. From a marketing standpoint, it shows that each new generation is learning new ways of learning that may not include traditional reading. Yet, for now, having strong written content is reaching the age groups who are home and business owners. 

Podcasts 

Podcasts have become a popular media form to consume information, learn new things, and stay up to date on industry trends. Podcasts are engaging, easy to listen to and mobile. People can listen in their cars while they commute, on their phones while waiting in line, or on their computers. Forbes reported, “there are over 800,000 active podcasts with over 54 million podcast episodes currently available worldwide.”  

Apple first introduced the world to podcasting 15 years ago in 2004. They offered more than 3,000 free podcasts to iTunes users. Podcasting has since become mainstream. Edison Research and Triton Digital found that, “there are now 62 million Americans listening to podcasts each week, [which is] up from 19 million in 2013.” According to the New York Times, “More than half the people in the United States have listened to one [podcast], and nearly one out of three people listen to at least one podcast every month. Last year, it was more like one in four.” 

For roofing companies, this can be a great way to engage new Millennial homeowners. Studies show that the Millennial generation does not just want to be sold to, but they want to learn and understand the process and installation. Podcasts that share information about different roofing systems, progressive environmental solutions and information about the culture of the company can engage potential customers while helping to also convert them. Look to young people in your company to help with production of the podcasts. It is not hard and can even be done organically on an iPhone. 

Video 

Pretty much everyone is using the internet to figure out problems, installations and learn how to. YouTube leads the views for all generations, although it is used much more by Gen Z. According to a study by Pearson, Beyond Millennials: The Next Generation of Learners, we learn that the use of video and online learning by Gen Z tops all other generations. The study found that the number one social media medium for Gen Z was YouTube. In fact, the results from the study showed that YouTube was the #1 preferred learning method and most contributed to their education for beyond Millennials.  

Although the first Gen Z adults are just now graduating from college, this trend is being pushed back to older generations as Gen Z kids teach Gen X parents how to use the medium. Studies are also showing the great influence that Gen Z has on their parents in decision making, family units and overall support of embracing the digital age. For roofing companies, this means that video will continue to play an important part in marketing. Sharing how the roofing process works, the culture of roofing companies and the opportunities for progressive products that help not only protect the building but also our planet is going to be an especially important marketing message for all companies and all generations. 

Know your audience 

As roofing companies look at their markets, I would recommend being very aware of the age demographics of your market. Homeownership in the U.S. as of April 2020 according to realtor.com was comprised of 3% Gen Z, 53% Millennial, 28% Gen X, 15% Baby Boomer and 1% Silent Generation. Understanding how your audience wants to receive information especially now with social distancing and online learning at an all-time high, it is more critical than ever for your business to embrace new learning and messaging styles. Helping your sales and marketing teams to research the age demographics of your prospects and overall market will help them deliver important information in the right way to not only close the sale but also build lifelong customers.

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