BIG's Blog: “I Just Know” – Boomer Response

Some individuals are born with a strong intuition. They will tell you that there are times when you “just know,” that your “sense” is right. And, as you age, life’s experiences come more from an emotional response (intuition) versus reasoning. Life experiences have taught you that your sense is right.

My intuition tells me that there is a market for religious nonprofits; but, how we reach out to the Boomer market will need some thought. The spectrum of how they believe is large. Finding your organization's “niche” with this market will take some effort.

In 1978, a Gallup poll stated that 39% of Boomers said religion was very important to them. That is good! At least over a third of this group thinks about religion.

In 2007, an AARP study found that 85% of Boomers rank themselves as either “somewhat spiritual” to “very spiritual.” But, what does that mean to religious nonprofits trying to find support? How can we build a relationship with the “Boomer” generation whose religious belief is so broad?

Having a consistent message for your mission across all marketing efforts is a start. Make certain that all efforts stimulate either an emotional and/or rational experience. This is the first step in building a relationship with a “Boomer” cohort.

Compared to WWII and Depression cohorts, researchers have shown “Boomer” cohorts to be the best educated which means they will want to understand why the mission is important to them. It could be for numerous reasons such as: family belief, the search for faith, love of Church or a need to take care of the world in need. Take the time to think through how your message resonates with this generation of cohorts. They will not respond like their parents.

They will also look for fiscal responsibility. They will question, “Is the nonprofit using their gift in a responsible way?"

Give cohorts of any age an opportunity to learn about your mission through visual, verbal and auditory experiences that stimulate an emotional response. If your marketing efforts are able to do this successfully you will benefit from their support. Trust me, “I know.”

-Gail