110 JUNE 2010BCM

By CAROL JEAN BUTLER

Every day another 10,000 of them turn 50, but none of them are getting old.

That may sound like wishful thinking, until you consider they are the first gen-eration in history to reach retirement age

BOwLiNg BOOmERs

A Bowling Center’s Guide to attracting America’s Newest Senior Citizens

112 JUNE 2010BCM

with the relative certainty that they will be around for another 30-40 years. These are the Boomers, born between the years 1946-1964, a population more than double that of the generation before, with more money and time to spend it than any other demographic.

Marketing experts agree it’s time to shift our fo-cus to those over 50, but be advised, today’s Boom-ers are most definitely not your rocking-chair senior citizens of days gone by.

“This has become one of the big age groups of bowling,” says Laurie Dunlap, assistant manager of Strike Zone Alleys in Pottsville, Pa. “And the No. 1 thing is the socializing.”

According to authors Matt Thornhill and John Martin, founders of the research-based Boomer Proj-ect, now considered the national leading authority on marketing to today’s Boomers, these “boomer consumers” put social and physical activities at the top of their list, and look to focus spending on goods and services designed to help them stay vital. “I think that’s why most of our seniors are here,” says program director Roberta Green of Crosley Lanes, Wa. “Companionship, a place to meet friends. And you get exercise.”

Scott Carlson, owner of Country Lanes North, Minn., notes, “Though a lot of them golf in the sum-mer time, you’d be surprised by how many of them are here every week. It’s a big social event.”

114 JUNE 2010BCM

These centers have worked hard to establish pro-grams for senior bowlers, and it has paid off. “They’re very instrumental in keeping us going during the day,” says Carlson. “Great people, and a lot of fun.”

In their book, “Boomer Consumer”, Thornhill and Martin further the point: “If your company or orga-nization can help Boomers in their 40-year quest for vitality, in any way, you will be successful.”

Funding expansions or renovations in today’s econo-my may be difficult to pull off, but expanding or updat-ing your senior bowling program doesn’t have to be. The following insight into today’s most powerful con-sumers and the “new rules for marketing” can help.

TARgET LifE-sTAgEAccording to the Boomer Project research, baby-

boomers will ignore any sales or marketing message targeted to those who are “old.” They simply don’t see themselves that way.

“Boomers have extended ‘Middle Age’ to practically last a lifetime,” say Thornhill and Martin. They won’t see themselves as officially turning old until they’re almost 80.

Now is the time to modify the names of senior pro-grams positioned to attract this demographic. Success-ful marketing strategies target “life stages” as a way to get Boomer attention.

For example, the “grandparent life stage” or the “empty nesters” offer words more suited to the Boomer mind-set. When designing posters or advertisements, use meaningful concepts, positive words and images. One photograph of someone laughing and enjoying time among friends bowling will have more of an im-pact than a list of alley features and league facts.

Boomers do, however, want the full story, and your website is a good place to give it to them.

According to a recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 80% of Boomers search and find information online, the same percentage as young adults.

The new seniors are comfortable with computers, and want easy access to all the facts.

115JUNE 2010 BCM

CUsTOmizATiON is KEy Boomers are the group of

people responsible for the over 221,184 possible ways to order a Whopper sandwich, so a one-sized-fits-all Senior League isn’t going to cut it. Today’s retiree can be at many life stages come the sixty-five year landmark, and though alleys with estab-lished senior programs have always tried to be accommodat-ing, today’s Boomer will likely require even more creative for-mulas.

“We try to make it flexible for them so they don’t feel obligat-ed,” says Carlson, “And 90% of them are still here every week.” Country Lanes offers both USBC sanctioned league bowling as well as the more relaxed Break-fast and Lunch Bowls, where seniors arrive as early as 7:30 in the morning to sit and have coffee. At Crosley Lanes, senior league bowlers aren’t charged the lineage fee if they can’t show up, and at Strike Zone, the senior programs are run more like socials and are pay when you come.

“That way they can travel and not worry about finding their re-placement,” says Dunlap, “They can go away for three months to Florida, and then come back and still bowl every week.”

However you do it, customiz-ing packages is a powerful loyalty builder for today’s Boomers. Ac-cording to Steve Howard, author of “Boomer Selling,” once Boom-ers realize that you can provide a “package” with benefits resulting in an experience tailor-made for them, they won’t go anywhere else.

LOOKiNg fORwARd TO VOLUNTEER

By the year 2015, all 78 million Boomers will be over the age of 50, and no one can say for certain what they will be doing. We do

know that they are accustomed to being vital, active members of the professional community, and that even when employed, volunteer their time at a rate higher than that of any other generation. Give them a way to give back, such as opportu-nities to serve as coaches for youth leagues, and Boomers will be there.

“The man running our Monte Carlo program is a volunteer,” says Green. “He wanted to do something, so he’s the man with the microphone, announc-ing the pins. We give him free bowling and soda pop when-ever he’s here, and he really en-joys it.”

At Strike Zone Alleys, seniors are sometimes hired as part-time greeters for busy nights, and there as well as at Country

Lanes North, seniors help coach the youth programs. “The tradition of the senior leagues has always been

about building relationships and creating a unique at-mosphere,” adds Carlson, “And that’s really what the life-long sport of bowling is all about.”

For further insight into America’s wealthiest and most influential

generation, Thornhill & martin recommend the following as Boomer

required reading:

“Age wave” by Dr. Ken Dychtwald. Also producer of

Boomer Century, a 2007 documentary. For more info: www.agewave.com

or boomercentury.com

“Ageless marketing” by David Wolfe.

Download the summary report “wealth with wisdom: serving the Needs of

Aging Consumers” at www.deloitte.com.