6 Keys to Selling to Generation X
Over at my other blog I describe how understanding generational cycles can give insights into the future. In this series of posts I will describe the best strategies you can use to sell to the various generations. The first post was about selling to Boomers, born 1943-1960, this one is about the next Generation, Generation X (born 1961-1981).
Each generation has a unique character, and members of those generations have common attributes. Although it is impossible to make specific claims about each individual in a generation (since they span 20 years or more), generational theory (developed by Neil Howe and William Strauss of lifecourse.com) is useful in understanding how members of a generation will likely act in a sales situation. It is also very useful when assessing the character of an organization, since when members of a generation work together they often exhibit even stronger generational qualities.
Generation X, is larger than most people think, because the cohort born over 20 years (even though birth rates were declining) . They were the children born into the social chaos of the Consciousness Revolution of the 60’s,70’s and early 80’s. Kids were not the priority during their youth and they were, in many cases, left to their own devices. Generation X’er developed a reputation as slackers, cynics and individualists.
Generation X in midlife are the survivors who have the skills required to handle the crisis. But they also are very individualistic and tend to only want to protect their “tribe” (their immediate family, in most cases). They can act quickly and decisively and posess both the competence and pragmatism to get stuff done. They don’t go in for ideology (unlike their elders, the Boomers) and often get frustrated by bureaucracy. They prefer to deal with people one to one rather than with faceless organizations, and they will hold individuals accountable for their promises and actions. Many Gen X’ers are comfortable with technology but prefer face-to-face interactions.
6 keys for selling to Generation X’ers:
- Make a personal connection to the individuals involved. Gen X’ers judge others based on their individual competence, so created a personal trust connection with each important individual involved in a sale is critical. They may not judge your entire company if you come off like an idiot, but they are sure not going to do business with you. If you can’t make a personal connection you won’t make the sale and it is better to hand the deal off to someone who can. The relationship between your companies will not be enough to convince a Gen X’er they should put up with sub-par performance. For a Gen X’er, there is just you and them, not two organizations working together.
- Don’t try to appeal “higher up the food chain” to get a deal signed – Going above a Gen X’er in their organization to get to the “decision-maker” is not a good idea, as the Gen X’er is likely to hold a grudge. This is especially true if their boss is a Boomer (or worse yet, a Millennial, born 18=982-200?). Gen X’ers prefer to be treated as equals in all things, judged by the merit of their actions.
- Show them concrete benefits that can be measured. Gen X’ers are a practical bunch and will want to know the benefits (in concrete dollar terms if possible) of buying your product. They might get distracted by fancy bells and whistles, but not nearly as much as other generations. The benefits can certainly appeal to their vanity (Gen X’ers like to look cool, even in midlife) but a list of features is not going to get them excited.
- Be ready to be challenged on any marketing BS. Generation X grew up being bombarded with corporate marketing messages and they don’t easily buy into the hype (and often regret it bitterly later when they do by accident). Telling a Gen X’er a few horror stories of when your company’s product had issues may create a lasting trust worth more than the bad news itself. If you try to feed them a marketing line, be ready to see some eyes rolling.
- Talk in terms of goals rather than ideals. Boomers love talking about ideals, but Gen X just wants to get stuff done and move on. Talking about pie-in-the-sky ideal states won’t get you far with Gen X’ers. Stick with pragmatic goals that you have proof to back up.
- Recognize they see themselves as independent from the company they work for. Gen X’ers are often considered “mercenary” in their attitude towards jobs. They will want to know what is in it for them as much as what is in it for their company.
To experienced salespeople this list is going to look like common sense. Because we have been selling to Generation X for a while now we consider their attitude towards products to be the mainstream. But they are different than their elders (Boomers) and their juniors (Millennials, born 1982-200?) in many regards. So selling to X’ers may seem easy but that is because it is what we are used to doing right now.
Some people believe these characteristics are really about age rather than generation. Although the character of generations shift as they age, they don’t act like the cohort that came before (or after) them at the same age. Each generation has a unique character at each age and understanding that character can help you sell.
Look for further posts on each living generation in the coming weeks. If you would like to learn more about how to sell to generations, please sign up for notification of my upcoming e-book on the topic “Selling to Generations”.