Who are the Boomers? They are the seventy-six million individuals who were born in America between 1946 and 1964.
- They control over 80% of personal financial assets and more than 50% of discretionary spending power. They are responsible for more than half of all consumer spending,buy 77% of all prescription drugs,61% of OTC medication and 80% of all leisure travel.
- However,60% lost value in investments because of the economic crisis,42% are delaying retirement,and 25% of those currently working claim they’ll never retire.
- As a group,Baby Boomers have an enhanced physical ability in comparison with retirees of just 20 years ago.
- You will see,however,that they span a period of 18 years,so ascribing universal attributes to such a broad generation is difficult.
In any case,they tended to think of themselves as a special generation,very different from those that had come before.
What do they want? They will be seeking activities that utilize their talents and desire to make a difference.
- They want flexibility and shorter time involvement so they can travel,visit family,and spend time on hobbies and their many interests.
- They want to make a meaningful contribution using their skills,talents and experience and seek opportunities where they can contribute directly in their community.
- They like intergenerational involvement.
- Boomers can be expected to seek activities that challenge them,provide flexibility,and an opportunity to volunteer in partnership with family and friends.
What can you do to attract Boomer volunteers? Opportunities that can involve an entire family or social circle will be more attractive to Baby Boomers.
- Marketing to recruit Baby Boomers needs to specifically target individuals from that generation. And since they are not all the same,it needs to be varied enough to attract different segments of that group.
- A personal invitation extended to a potential volunteer can increase the likelihood of participation in community service activities. Active volunteers also play an external role by encouraging friends,family members,and others to commit to volunteering.
Baby boomers have a wealth of experience,knowledge and financial resources that can benefit our society. Most eventually will embrace some form of retirement that will offer them the gift of time. Organizations that pay attention to their preferences and needs will reap rewards from their service. Are you tapping into the value of Boomer volunteers?
Read more:http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/files/r2150-baby-boomers-and-the-new-age-of-volunteerism.pdf
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