Marketers hoping to attract wealthy Americans should focus on quality and convenience, both in their products and customer service. All rights reserved. Peter Cross, business partner of Mary Portas at the retail branding agency Yellow Door, noted last week that while wealthy consumers have become more open to value offerings and selective about purchases, the rules of luxury prevail. So marketers are making a mistake if they shift their entire focus to the shiny penny of millennials, underestimating the value of respectfully building relationships with customers of all ages and of understanding the precious balance between personalization and privacy, according to a recent report from Forbes Insights and Wealth Engine, Engaging 50+ Consumers in a Digital World. Marketing or customer research can’t do this alone. Affluent consumers have high ambitions in both their personal lives and careers. The purchase of apparel and accessories on … “Wealthy clients will notice what you are wearing and they also like that you can relate when coming to luxury brands,” he says. With the exception of travel, mature high-end consumers say they would prefer to purchase luxury products in person. The use of digital media was considered too “brave” and a “waste of resources” while targeting the wealthy. Products and services can appeal to this market by serving a higher purpose than a basic need. For the approval conscious, brands should be quietly impressive. It is time to put this debate aside and pay attention. 92% Vacations 4. These consumers are willing to imitate the wealthy by enjoying, if not their aspirational lifestyle, at least the same brands. Marketing Strategies for Low-Income Consumers. To successfully market to affluent consumers, brands and marketers – regardless of which categories or industries they are in – need to focus on providing value, omnichannel ease and a high-end experience as well as innovating to embrace the healthy living trend. The affluent consumer is a small yet powerful group. I also cover global wealth. An opinion piece by Geoffrey James, seen in Inc. magazine, contends that future sales growth will be either in high-end luxury items or low-quality cheap goods. Relationships and exclusive service are everything. I left then-communist Poland for the U.S. in the 1980s, which has given me perspective on government-run versus free markets. This speaks to the ability to have a more tactile experience, one that appeals to the senses, which in turn strengthens the emotional connection to a brand. Affluent consumers, the wealthiest 5% of the population, have become critically important to technology and service providers. Stay current on luxury marketing news. 58% of Total Online Spending (Source: Greenfield Online for Arnold’s Women’s Insight Team) Women control over $20 Trillion in world-wide spending. In the Forbes Insights/Wealth Engine survey, consumers indicate the two most important attributes of a luxury product or service: quality (82%) and craftsmanship (66%). My personal advantage as a financial and business writer stems from having covered many sides of business as a writer and editor at Forbes. EY & Citi On The Importance Of Resilience And Innovation, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, Michigan Economic Development Corporation with Forbes Insights. Marketing to the affluent is more like business-to-business marketing than business to consumer. On the first day in many Marketing 101 courses, professors often define marketing as, \"all the processes involved in getting a p… Traditionally, affluent consumers were considered a difficult demographic to crack, considering that they limited their exposure to traditional mass media like television, radio, or even mainstream print publications. Contact MDG Advertising today at 561-338-7797 or visit mdgadvertising.com. Wealthy consumers over the age of 50 expect a lot from the luxury brands in their lives. 80% Healthcare 5. What they need to be designing, however, is the entire story of how individuals encounter a brand and the steps they take to evaluate, purchase, and relate to it across the decision journey. Wealthy clients are often busy ones, and service is as important as the product. They need enough detail incorporating edgy, tasteful design to differentiate them from cheaper options. 66% PCs 3. The Forbes Insights/WealthEngine survey of 462 wealthy consumers over 50 indicates that as the technological landscape changes, high-end consumers are cautious, and brands must be attentive to the best ways to embrace technology to interact with their customers and prospects. High-end experiences conveyed by those they trust in their daily lives are a much better way to reach the rich. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Tell them what to do next on every page of your website. Almost two-thirds (61%) are generally okay with it, and 39% report that they definitely do not like it. The dance between on- and offline engagement is evident in how wealthy consumers over 50 prefer to receive marketing and advertising messages. Pricing strategy is a large part of branding. Her articles have covered business, economics and recruitment, among other topics. An article by CBS News, published in August 2011, recommends maintaining post-sale relationships with your clients. Exclusivity is a value sought by the wealthy, and not one that social networking typifies. Customer loyalty is not dead and the idea that all consumers shop around all the time is a myth. The key is finding the right marketing method and messaging to educate and influence your consumers at the right time and place. Luxury advertising plans require a deep understanding of the psychology of wealthy consumers and an ability to use that knowledge to reach them better and more strategically.” Affluent Consumer Insights - Wealthy Consumers Plan Less Restaurant Spending in New Survey. Marketing your products and services to wealthy consumers doesn't have to be a mystery. This is an example of _____. It’s a smaller audience, and mass media doesn’t work as well. Use your website effectively and reach out to clients via your company’s website. Discovering what motivates your target audience is key. 89% Bank Accounts 7. The most important thing in planning your marketing actions is that you can think of low-cost and high-impact strategies that are creative and really focused on your business’ persona. We’ve surveyed internet users in over 40 countries, and in this report bring to light the characteristics of the top wealth group in each country. The luxury strategy aims at creating the highest brand value and pricing power by leveraging all intangible elements of singularity- i.e. © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. Wealthy people rarely comparison shop. These steps can lead to customer loyalty and lucrative repeat sales. Ambitious. It is easy to discuss how to take care of the customers and give them what they want, yet it is just as easy to lose sight of the business side of things. Marketing is the process of teaching consumers why they should choose your product or service over those of your competitors. The older cohort (71+) has the most privacy concerns. I write about what gives corporations advantage in terms…. Attributes like prestige of ownership (19%), brand name (17%), function and price (11%) are considerably less important when defining what luxury really means. “They are generally very private and want utmost privacy on what they are purchasing, but if they can see that I am wearing a Cartier bracelet, for example, they comment on it and, as bad as it may sound, it puts you on a similar playing field. Our customer.com research shows that more than one-third of consumers prefer to consistently shop with the same retailer for particular needs.. This is followed closely by both online search (47%) and visiting a known brand or retailer web- site directly (46% choose this as one of their top three). When it comes to marketing luxury to the super-rich, being a thought leader can prove instrumental in cultivating these exceptionally wealthy consumers directly. Marketing Articles | May 28, 2009. Caroline Banton has more than 14 years of experience in the communications and publishing fields, working in global development and finance. Highly customised, very interactive, entertaining Futurist presentations, every industry, >50 nations. The … Marketing attempts to influence the behavior and buying patterns of consumers. After all, the more specific your actions are to your niche, the greater your chances of attracting customers. © 2019 www.azcentral.com. Banton holds an M.B.A. in marketing management. The crisis has affected all of the country’s income levels, however, and data on reactions to it remain inconclusive because the situation is changing so rapidly. Do you have a service that attracts these wealthy buyers? Luxury goods are held to the highest standards of detail and design – and the right packaging is equally indispensable. The next most popular ways consumers like to receive marketing messages is print or via direct mail from a known brand or retailer (33% include each of these in their top three). (Source: Muhtar Kent, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company, Oct… Marketing to these consumers requires adjusting and readjusting to the changing digital world and having the flexibility to adapt to consumers’ differing comfort levels with technology. I am an editorial director at Forbes Insights, the thought leadership and strategic research arm of Forbes Media. I am an editorial director at Forbes Insights, the thought leadership and strategic research arm of Forbes Media. The higher the price, the better quality a brand is perceived to have. Women account for 85% of all consumer purchases including everything from autos to health care:* 1. How to attract customers with a marketing strategy According to J. Paul Peter, and Jerry C. Olson, authors of “Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy,” visible products serve as symbols of status, and the wealthy are more likely to spend on such items. Data collection and personalized messaging work when done right. The luxury of choice and quality brands is not always an option, and value for money is the main motivator when making a purchase. What sways high-end 50+ consumers? Quality branding is essential and should reflect the lifestyle of your target consumer. Privacy concerns cause some discomfort here, but survey respondents seem to understand that data sharing is the tradeoff for receiving more relevant and targeted messaging. Wealthy 50+ consumers accept data collection by luxury brands as necessary because it’s become an industry standard. Ultimately, affluent consumers tend to worry about money, shop around, and wait for sales—in other words, they tend to behave remarkably similarly to non-affluent consumers. Marketing to the affluent millennial consumer is going to be a key skill for luxury companies. Does your product have the built-in quality factor that this demographic desires? 76% of this group say they’re motivated to be the best they can be, which aligns with their desire for higher value products and status-elevating items. So luxury brand marketers must work to support these high-end consumers throughout the buying process, by integrating on- and offline experiences and understanding the best time, place and manner to inspire and engage. Make sure you are crystal clear about what you want clients to do when they get to your website. When asked how they feel about the fact that luxury brands and retailers collect data about them for marketing purposes, there’s certainly not an overwhelmingly positive response. Yet, marketing to consumers is not as easy as it seems. You may opt-out by. Even in the downturn, China remains one of the world’s few growth markets, with GDP expected to expand by 6 to 8 percent in 2009, according to official and private estimates. At one apparel retailer, managers from multiple functions go together into the field to do deep ethnographic research— watching how customers shop, … Futurist speaker and Advisor to >400 of world's largest companies. 3 Ways To Use Social Media To Target High-Net-Worth Consumers Traditionally, marketers tend to segment their customers into either a B2B or B2C relationship. Manage the purchase after it is made, provide maintenance plans, and reduce the effort and work involved for the consumer. Forbes, in an article that was published in October 2012, recommends reaching wealthy potential clients through their confidantes and advisers, executive directors at family offices, or consultants that business executives employ. “Luxury marketing to affluent consumers is not as easy as geotargeting a wealthy zip code with digital ads or adding a household income qualifier to a media purchase. The Wall Street Journal: Five Rules for Selling to the Very Rich, Entrepreneur: Five Tips for Reaching the Rich, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights. The survey confirms that people aged 50+ still strongly value offline experiences. Wealthy Consumers. Discovering what motivates your target audience is key. The dance between on- and offline engagement is evident in how wealthy consumers over 50 prefer to receive marketing and advertising messages. I'm an editorial director at Forbes Insights. Word of mouth is tied (along with direct mail) for the top preferred method for receiving marketing messages about luxury products; eight out of 10 respondents report being willing to promote a brand via word of mouth. According to James, if your target market is the wealthy, use an aggressive pricing strategy to differentiate your product, because the medium-income demographic is rapidly diminishing. Timely messaging and promotional offers.Seven out of 10 survey respondents say that a marketing message prompted them to buy because it was timed to when they wanted or needed to buy the product or service, and just over half purchased the product or service because of a specific promotional offer. Anticipating the needs of a client will impress him greatly and ensure that you are not only remembered, but called upon in the future. Spending for dining at upscale restaurants is to be reduced by 54% of the affluent consumers and to be increased by only 2% of the affluent consumers. This consumer segment continues to value traditional and in-person interactions with brands. Maintaining strong consumer relationships is the key to a business’ survival, and effective marketing is the only way to ensure long-lasting consumer loyalty. Low-income consumers face the challenge of meeting day-to-day expenses on a limited budget. Marketing MCQ Marketing Lexus targets wealthy consumers with similar needs and buying behaviours, even though the consumers are located in different countries. I write about what gives corporations advantage in terms of innovation, technology, diversity and talent management. I am also an entrepreneur, as I run a boutique content provider, McParlin Partners. 65% New Cars 6. Exclusivity costs. There is constant chatter about millennials and whether they work hard or are hardly working. It is important to consider a few key things when evaluating customer loyalty strategies. The online market for luxury goods in the USA continues to develop at a rapid pace, according to Milton Pedraza, CEO for The Luxury Institute, which has published its findings on the internet usage habits of the country’s most wealthy consumers. Engaging 50+ Consumers in a Digital World. Anecdotal evidence, particularly discussions with luxury marketers serving China, suggests strongly that spending by wealthy Chinese is growing more slowly but hasn’t dr… While attention to digital outreach and engagement is growing, high-end 50+ consumers are not necessarily driven or inspired by digital relationships and new technologies—they are the segment that reminds us people still read direct mail. A significant part of Ferrari’s revenues come from Today, many companies have successfully defined and addressed customer interactions across a few channels. According to luxury marketing firm Unity Marketing, they represent 20% of U.S. households, with an average household income of $181,905, .. Affluents have 50% of the nation's income and represent 40% of all consumer spending -- a powerful pull for a luxury brand.. They are much less thrilled than the overall respondents with sharing data: 22% of respondents 71-80 and 35% of those over 81 report wanting to keep all their information private, versus 18% of the overall respondents. 93% Food 8. Word-of-mouth marketing is social media for the rich and lead generation for the provider. Will your service make them look good? Author 17 Futurist books on Future Trends. My areas of coverage have included personal and corporate finance, international wealth and business, and health. 93 % OTC Pharmaceuticals 9. 50+ consumers care about their privacy and respectful marketing. Chairman Global Change Ltd. Key strategic foci when marketing to affluent consumers . The Persuasion Techniques of Beauty Product Advertising, Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy; J. Paul Peter and Jerry C. Olson, Forbes: Marketing Luxury to the Super-rich. Ranked one of 20 most influential business thinkers alive. Product and marketing managers need to recalibrate strategies to accommodate the shifting demographics of affluent consumers, including the retiring baby boomer generation. The 50+ population has $3.6 trillion in annual income, which accounts for 49% of all after-tax income in the U.S., according to a 2014 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Marketing provides a medium for effective communication and interaction with the consumers to adequately convey a brand’s values and convince them to avail a certain product or service. If you're not doing that, then you're not marketing. 91% of New Homes 2. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. While they might not be as digitally savvy as their children and grandchildren, they still have more discretionary funds to spend. In the business of marketing to the wealthy, luxury packaging plays the role of creating desire, indicating quality and prestige and ensuring continuity and cohesion in brand messaging that entices HNW consumers. Word of mouth wins the top spot, with 48% of respondents ranking this in their top three choices. This tells us affluent consumers prioritize brand status over the practical value of the product. Three Consumer Shopping Personalities. Marketing attempts to influence the behavior and buying patterns of consumers. While they spend less time on social networks, luxury 50+ consumers are still influenced by referrals from family and friends. Highly visible products, clothing or appliances, can command a high price tag, but require the quality reputation to match. For the wealthy, life’s necessities are covered, so they often turn to the pursuit of luxury, image and lifestyle. Futurist Keynote Speaker Patrick Dixon: 15m unique visitors, 6m video views. 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