Business Boom

As they reach their late 40s, 50s and early 60s, baby boomers continue to pursue new experiences and education, and they have the money to spend on it. National and local businesses have taken notice.

Born between 1946 and 1964, this generation of Americans turns 44 to 62 this year and figures more than 75 million members. Florida faces more competition from other warm-weather retirement destinations than in previous generations, but a significant number of baby boomers still are expected to make their way here as they reach retirement age.

But don’t expect them to act or think like their predecessors. They don’t want to be called "senior citizens," "aging" or "retirees," says Chuck Underwood, founder of The Generational Imperative, a Cincinnati-based consulting firm. And don’t even think about calling this their "golden years," or their future as "prime time."

"To the boomer generation, every second of their lives has been prime time," he says.

If this group is a potential customer base for you (and, as Underwood says, it should be), a marketing strategy that focuses not only on their age, but also on their desires and interests is crucial.

Gulfshore Business asked Underwood for his insight into the baby boomer market, and spoke to three local businesses trying to attract that group.