According to research from the World Economic Forum, 70% of seniors are now online.
Pew Research suggests that once online, the majority of these users are making internet use a daily part of their lives, with 70% of online over-65-year-olds using the internet on a typical day.
While the elderly may only account for 16.5% of the population (as of 2019), that number is on the rise, and more and more are getting connected and engaging with brands online. Assuming many are not going to be as tech-savvy as your Millennial and Gen Z clients, service-based businesses like salons, spas, and barbershops need to consider their prospective clients’' technological limits and make online booking as simple as possible.
For years, marketing advice and product development research focused on what would appease and attract the younger generations. In the process, we seem to have left the aging community behind. Sure, the buying power of younger demographics is on the rise, but the elderly still need services, too. And their tech adoption is only going to grow.
So, we’ve put together a post to help you market to older demographics and encourage them to book your services online. You’ll also find messaging tips and templates to help you communicate better to elderly folks.
Unsurprisingly, reaching your elderly client base is going to require a different approach than the tactics you would use to reach your younger patrons. Although older folks are online, there is a substantial barrier for many in their digital literacy.
Despite the rising numbers of internet users (73%) and smartphone owners (53%) in the over 65 demographic, almost 50% admit that they need help to set up new devices. Even in San Francisco, 40% of older adults are reported to have no basic digital literacy.
Thankfully, this lack of skill is not deterring older individuals from getting online. Counter to their technical skill level, the elderly are actually moving toward an increasing dependency on technology.
New health apps, wearables, and monitoring devices that help them stay healthy and home for longer incentivize this community to level up their tech skills. And with Facebook and Messenger allowing them to stay connected to loved ones online, this demographic is active and growing in spaces where salons, hairdressers, and spas are already marketing.
Facebook is the most popular social media platform for those over 65, and thankfully it's also a great platform to engage with, market to, and increase bookings from your prospects.
It's fair to assume that most hairdressers or salons will already be on Facebook. Despite the exodus of young people after their grandparents came on, Facebook remains a powerful platform that lets brands advertise to their specific client personas and share a range of communications to build up engagement with clients and followers.
Facebook also integrates with online booking software, such as Booksy, to give you a "book now" button making Facebook appointments as smooth as possible. According to Facebook, a hair business that used its Facebook page to book appointments saw a 40% growth in appointments in less than 5 months.
To see an example of the Facebook booking button in action, look no further than Kinetic Body Therapy, an alternative and holistic health establishment. The company's Facebook page has a clear "Book Now" button that takes users to Kinetic Body's booking portal.
While older people love pretty illustrations, cat videos, and fun graphics just as much as younger generations, you do need to consider whether all your posts cross the generations or not.
Poor eyesight and hearing are a common ailment in the demographic, so content needs to be customized in certain ways to reach them.
Make sure the message is clear. This goes for font, color, and messaging. You need to consider if the font is easy to read and the colors easy to distinguish. If someone were color blind, would they still be able to read the message?
Once the visuals are considered, check your language. Older generations aren't as in touch with the latest Gen Z lingo, nor should they have to be. When crafting communications to appeal to older audiences, be sure to use clear language — no slang. Make the message easy to interpret and act on.
Finally, imagery needs to speak to them. If you're a salon or spa featuring young people being pampered, you will give the impression that it's not the right place for your older clients. Consider diversifying your content to cover all ages, and if you're advertising directly to this demographic, models must be of an age that reflects them.
For inspiration on how to do this, check out Salon 4 Seniors, a beauty and wellness business that focuses on serving clients in nursing homes, assisted living, and rehab facilities. Salon 4 Seniors is crystal clear on who the brand serves. All of the imagery on its website contain seniors, and the text on the page is straightforward, free from slang, and easy to understand.
If you're marketing to retirees, there are certain benefits that you can both gain. For example, your elderly clients are likely to be available during times of day when the majority of your other clients will be inflexible due to work. This is a huge opportunity to customize solutions that are targeted to older clients.
You could offer deals or discounts for appointments scheduled within certain time periods. You could customize an offering based on your particular business that is specific to your older clients’ needs or joys.
For example, if you're a spa, you could design a package that is crafted to mature skincare. Or hairdressers could have a tea and trim package. Consider your clients’ needs, times when you need to boost appointments, and simple packages that could tempt people through the door.
Look Fabulous Forever, a cosmetics brand geared towards older women, does an excellent job here. The brand's social content and website copy are crafted with older people in mind, and their needs are always addressed in the content.
For example, the following product page, which markets the brand's face prime, talks about how mature skin is more absorbent than younger skin. The product description then goes on to talk about the primer's ingredients and how they can help older women’s skin look fresh all day.
Consider doing something in your salon or spa. If you’re serious about attracting more seniors and getting them to hit the booking button, make sure the marketing materials and content you put out there speak directly to them. Do your research on specific senior concerns and see to it that those needs are addressed in your collateral.
Your young clients want a somewhat hands-off approach as long as everything they need to go ahead is readily available. Older generations, on the other hand, will require guidance on how to move ahead. Never assume that they know which button to press or the steps to take.
When designing your marketing for older generations, be sure to explain everything clearly. Explain what you're promoting and what they need to do to take advantage. You will need to strike the fine balance between not overwhelming with information and providing clear, easy-to-follow instructions. Ideally, no more than a "click here to book an appointment." The fewer barriers to booking, the more success you're going to have in securing these clients.
Also, make sure that your post or ad has clearly stated where you are located to avoid any bookings that may be canceled later due to misunderstandings about location.
Once your client has booked their appointment, don't assume that they know exactly where to find you or are savvy enough to jump on and figure it out with Google Maps. Be sure to send out clear communications about where you are located, how to get there, and perhaps a link to Google Maps to assist them in making their way there.
See to it that you have a booking confirmation process that lets them put their appointment time in their calendar and gives them reminders leading up to the appointment. Also, if there is preparation required for the particular solution they've booked, it needs to be communicated appropriately before the appointment.
Confirmations should be sent immediately to give assurance that they're locked in, and reminders should be within 24 to 72 before the appointment, giving them ample time to reschedule or cancel if necessary. For inspiration on how to do this right, check out our post on appointment confirmations and reminders.
For older generations, it's recommended you use text messages rather than email for booking confirmation and reminders. According to AARP, among those aged 50-69, text messaging has overtaken email as the tech tool most used to stay connected.
Thankfully, Booksy sends out reminders via both text and email.
Elder fraud is a big problem in the US and across the world. Preying on the tech skill gap amongst seniors, sinister individuals are targeting them in scams and tricking them out of their money or online security. These can come in the form of emails directing people to fake banking sites or other tricks designed to gather enough information to be able to hack their accounts. And they're on the rise. Use a VPN to hide your IP address and hence your current location to stay even more protected online.
Through the pandemic, more seniors have gone online and scammers have followed. Where they used to be targeted mostly on the phone, the second quarter of 2020 saw the number of online scams surpass the number of phone scams, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Hence, your older demographics may have some reservations about taking action online.
To counter these concerns, messaging needs to address their online security and assure them booking online is safe and secure.
Here are some sample scripts on what to say to the elderly to get them comfortable with booking online:
Your online security is paramount to [INSERT COMPANY NAME]. We will never ask for your banking details, password, or social security number. Any communication otherwise should be treated as suspicious.
Click "book now" to be taken to our booking page, where you can select the preferred day and time for your appointment.
* Sharing what they can expect on the next page helps your clients feel more comfortable and confident that they can immediately recognize if something is off or doesn't match what you've said.
Your booking with [INSERT COMPANY NAME] has been confirmed for [TIME AND DATE] at [YOUR BUSINESS ADDRESS].
The simplest way to make your clients feel comfortable and secure is to let them know what to expect at each step. Do this right and you’ll win over the trust and bookings of your elderly prospects.
But that being said, it is also advised to partner with a booking software that’s PCI compliant when it comes to accepting payments securely.
Beyond your senior target clients, crafting online booking processes to be smoother and simpler will also go a long way in capturing the less tech-savvy individuals across the generations. Whether young or old, everyone likes quick, efficient solutions that are clear and assuring. Considering all ages as you work to boost your online booking strategy can help you cover the market and improve processes which impress both young and old.
Booksy helps you organize and manage your small business with a simple, smart, and affordable appointment scheduling solution. Take a free trial today!
.png)
