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The world's largest collection of prices and pricing related support tools for the desktop professional |
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Regional Pricing Tables
NEW 6th EDITION shows typical and
average prices for a wide range of desktop computer services. (Check the
Table of Contents
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Part 1 - Age Groups & Attitudes by ©1998 Robert C. Brenner, MSEE, MSSM
Age plays a critical role in customer buying decisions. In fact, the
generation into which we are born has as much impact on buying and purchasing
decisions as income and education. Our shared experiences determine what
motivates us toward or away from a sale.
Broad-based marketing directed toward a wide consumer audience is being
replaced by targeted, "one-on-one" marketing focused on specific individuals.
Nowhere is the concept of generational selling more important than here.
Most Americans fit into one of four generation categories. "Mature" buyers
were born between 1909 and 1945. Comprising 26% of our population, they
include the depression-era kids and the war babies. "Boomers" (also called
"Baby Boomers") joined our world between 1946 and 1964. They are the largest
group at 78 million (30% of our population). "Busters" (also called "Baby
Busters," "Generation X-ers," "twentysomethings," and "Generation 13-ers")
were born between 1965 and 1980. There are fewer of them (busting the birth
growth curve), yet at 45 million strong, they comprise 17% of our population.
"Millennials" (also called "Generation 2001-ers") were born after 1980. Many
will graduate from high school in 2001.
These four generational groups have unique characteristics, and it is to
these characteristics that you must design and develop your marketing
strategy. Their buying motivations are tied to the underlying values that they
possess-values based on shared experiences. By understanding these values, you
can tailor your products, services and communication to meet their needs,
aspirations, and desires. This knowledge alone gives you an advantage is
sales, today. Let's explore the values of these generations so you can develop
a plan to sell to each segment. Not everyone will fit these typical
characteristics, but overall, the following descriptions are unique to the
generation defined.
The Matures are between 53 and 89 years old. They were influenced by the
Great Depression, World War II, the atom bomb, and the GI Bill. They remember
the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, Vietnam and the radical 70s. They lived
through severe economic upheaval and frightening dangers. They grew up in
tough times when simple things were rationed, when saving for a rainy day was
considered prudent, and when morals and ethics defined the character of an
individual. They appreciate discipline, hard work, and self denial. They are
overall social and financial conservatives.
Matures are slow to embrace anything new. They distrust change and would
prefer the status quo. They saved their money and consider retirement and
leisure time suitable rewards for sacrifices made earlier in their lives. They
appreciate and buy products that satisfy their basic values. Their shared
experiences have and will continue to drive their consumption of products and
services.
Baby Boomers are between 34 and 53 years old. This generation is the most
populous and influential of all. They were born to post-WWII prosperity when
the economy expanded rapidly. Boomers have enjoyed unprecedented opportunities
in education and in employment. They are the "feel good" generation, who take
good things in life for granted. They share an expectation of prosperity and
affluence. They are the "me" generation, who feel entitled to a "good life."
To them, autonomy is key. They want to do it by themselves, and they want to
be individual.
With parents who dedicated their lives to giving their children more than
they had, Boomers are the "spoiled" kids of this century. They are more self-
absorbed, and typically seek instant gratification. Yet, they are more
tolerant than other generations. They are typically liberal and feel that
money will always be available to buy everything for everyone. Boomers want to
share their perceptions of "good" with others. They expect prosperity, yet
they believe they have a right "to do their own thing." Boomers embrace social
programs easily. Yet, most seek purpose and personal fulfillment in their
lives.
Boomers are also the shocked generation. Throughout the past decade, they
have seen their ingrained sense of entitlement ripped apart by unmet
expectations. For many, high-paying jobs, large houses and multiple cars
evaporated with the employment, the careers and the lifestyles that were so
severely impacted by massive layoffs in the late 80s and early 90s. This
global workplace shift produced a shock wave that will be felt for the next 20
years. It's clearly influencing the next generation, the Busters.
The Busters, or Generation X-ers, are between 18 and 34. They are shell-
shocked products of changes that are ripping apart the fibers of society, the
family and the workplace. They see new technology rapidly changing their
world, and to them, nothing is permanent, nothing seems absolute-as though
life is a video game. Busters are constantly buffeted by tumultuous change.
They saw the Berlin Wall crumble and were directly affected as political,
corporate and social structures imploded worldwide. They watched their parents
suffer devastating job losses, and they became wary and uncertain about their
own future. Busters are disillusioned with almost everything. They have been
called the "why me" generation and the "whiners." They feel they are reaping
the sins of their forefathers. Thus, some call them "Gen 13-ers" after a
medieval fable where the 13th generation is the last to suffer from a curse on
their predecessors.
Where the Boomers are idealists, this generation is pessimistic and blame
Boomers for today's problems. Busters are reactive, yet introverted. They
appreciate "cocooning" and "getting away." Yet they are quite social with
their own generational group. They think communally and often make decisions
together.
With low expectations of the "good life," Busters feel that their future
lifestyle will be less than that enjoyed by their grandparents. Pushed by
their parents to get a good education, they now find future employment
comprised of temporary low-paying jobs and short project careers. They
consistently face layoffs, displacement and being "between jobs." They live
for today and don't believe they will ever enjoy the Social Security promised
to all Americans. Over half of them come from broken homes or live in a
"blended" family. The Busters are the first of the "latch key" kids. They've
been jostled, jolted and pushed back and forth by everyone and everything
around them. With a very low trust level, they fear that you too, aren't
sincere. And they desperately want something real in their lives, something
lasting. They seek truth in life and in others around them.
The Buster generation can also be enthusiastic, ready and willing to take on
challenges. They accept hard work as necessary but are less willing to start
at the bottom. Many feel they deserve the best jobs and often migrate toward
technical careers where the pay is better. They are learning to accept change
in their lives.
Yet rapid change IS the way of life for the Millennial generation born since
1980. This generation is under 19 and represents a refreshing mindset as they
join Boomers and Busters in society and in the workplace. Having watched their
parents and grandparents grapple with change, Millennials are growing up in a
world that is constantly in motion, constantly revising and restructuring
itself. To them, change is normal. And visual. They experienced the Gulf War
through the video arcade realism of television.
Through it all, Millennials are developing an amazing optimism and a
conviction that the future will indeed be better for all. They appear well-
grounded and wise for their young age. They feel that preceding generations
have made huge mistakes. It's as though the Boomers and Busters held a party
and then left the mess for the Millennials to clean up. They recognize
problems in our world, and they want to correct perceived wrongs in society,
government and in relationships.
They aren't as radical as the Baby Boomers or as materialistic as the
Busters. But they are goal oriented and highly motivated toward their
perceptions of success. Each seems to have established specific objectives
with a clear path toward achievement. Most are generally pleased with
themselves and are already planning for marriage and a family. Although most
accept divorce as an acceptable solution for an unhappy marriage, they want
long term relationships. Most plan to marry before they are 26 and on average,
plan to have three children.
This generation admires their moms and their dads but trust their
grandparents even more. Yet they have little trust for Generation X-ers as a
whole. They plan to vote, but will determine their own candidates. They are
generally evenly dispersed across the political spectrum but don't believe any
political party has all the answers. They remain pessimistic about the
performance of government leaders, lawmakers, and the media. Uncertain about
the direction America should take, Millennials search for solutions. And they
plan to find them.
Millennials feel that their greatest advantage is being born in a
technological society. They are optimistic about their job future and consider
education critical. To them, every citizen has a responsibility to improve
education. Millennials believe that they have more educational opportunity
than their parents, but they also believe that educational institutions are
not doing an adequate job. Nevertheless, they respect teachers and plan for
lifelong learning experiences.
Many feel that positive race relations are hampered by government
intervention and biases of certain minority groups. They feel these groups
actually prevent races from developing mutual understanding and respect.
Millennials expect to change this. Most are color-blind when they relate to
other people. They accept each other as individuals, little different from
themselves.
Each generation has unique characteristics, and each generation responds to
specific focused advertising. In Part 2, we'll explore how you can use
generational marketing to win in the battle for sales dollars.
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©Copyright 2001, Brenner Information Group, All rights reserved.
revised on July 10, 2001
