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Never before in retirement marketing has it been so important to keep up-to-date to ensure a successful, insight-led marketing and sales strategy. The changing of the guard has commenced with the incoming boomer generation. Like a glacier carving its way through anything in its path, the boomers have forged change their whole lives and now it’s time for them to change the status quo of retirement living. Jeff McGarn, author of Will the baby boomers live in their parents’ retirement village and a boomer himself, pens some insights to the current retirement landscape.

Scones or skinny dipping?

Many seniors say they feel misrepresented in the media and advertising and as a senior myself and as a marketer working in the retirement living sector for over 30 years, I agree!

Advertising images of Devonshire teas may depict the lifestyle at some villages but this isn’t the case across the board - the residents at a project we marketed skipped the scones and celebrated the opening of the swimming pool with a midnight skinny dip!

The reality is that the terms ‘senior’ and ‘retiree’ cover a 20 or 30 year span in which likes, dislikes, beliefs and needs are widely varied. So how can retirement marketing possibly speak to them all?

GBD are Australia’s retirement marketing specialists. Read More…

1 Aug '22

About the author

My name is Jeff McGarn, the managing director of GBD. I’ve worn many hats in the creative field over the last 45 years and have worked on over 350 retirement projects.

Would the Boomer generation live in their parent’s retirement village?

Over the last 30 years marketing for the retirement industry, I’ve been challenged by emerging market attitudes. This blog unwraps some of those thoughts.

I’ve found interesting parallels in the journey of a couple of baby boomers (Heather & Robert) who are in the throes of wedding plans and considering a retirement village in the mix.

So jump on in and follow how they fare, together with my commentary on new and innovative trends in the retirement industry. And let me know your thoughts too!

There are many consultants in the retirement living industry that offer advice on how to reach prospective residents, however very few have the experience, empathy and understanding of our target market than Jeff McGarn.

Jeff has an amazing ability to get ‘inside the heads’ of our target market and is in touch with their thoughts, fears and decision triggers.

He is also not afraid to challenge the industry on how to design senior living communities that will appeal to retirees in the future.

This book is a timely reminder to operators to stay relevant in the future.

Linda Hooper
National Marketing Manager
Living Choice Australia Ltd

1. Would you retire in the same village as your parents?

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s Story
Wedding Countdown - Day-35
Hi Gang. I am creating this so I can share my thoughts with you in order to avoid an impending nervous breakdown. As you may or may not know - and if you don’t well get ready, this is my impending (second) marriage (cue Pink Floyd: “A Momentary Lapse of Reason…”).

2. Are roosters in your sales process?

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s story
Wedding Countdown – Day 32
I’m sitting here curled up on the lounge with Mr Biggles (my tabby), sipping a delicious chai latte as a gaudy Venetian glass sculpture of a rooster stares at me from across the room. It’s eyeballing me. I’m eyeballing him. Mr Biggles is uneasy, sniffing at it and jumping back as if stung by a wasp.

3. What can you do in three seconds?

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s Blog
Wedding Countdown - Day-28
A lot can happen in three seconds: twelve babies are born, an area of rain forest the size of a football field falls to human development, one person dies of starvation in the Third World and Bill Gates earns $750 US. And three seconds for me to make up my mind about Camilla (my fiancé Robert’s Ex). Robert and I bumped into her at an overpriced restaurant last month, where I still have a glass of wine on lay-by.

4. Are retirement rissoles on your menu?

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s Blog
Wedding Countdown – Day-23
Robert and I attended a dear friend’s wedding last weekend. Even though it didn't toast my bagel it turned out to be a good opportunity for gleaning wedding ideas. You see I wasn’t crazy about the use of leather placemats at the dining tables (being a vegan…hellooo) but I adored imaginative touches with the heart-shaped pink ice cubes in the table water. Robert was underwhelmed with the beer selection but talked effusively about the rissoles all the way home. Even texted the groom about them.

5. Marketing for retirement – print or online?

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s Blog
Wedding invitations!
Robert says if he hears those words one more time he’ll bang his head against the wall while tossing a bouquet of spanners over his shoulder. He argues that in a world of high-speed Internet, fibre-optics, texting, Facebook, Instagram and Skype, the only people who send anything by snail-mail these days are banks and divorce lawyers.

6. Can SEO find Wally?

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s story
My Big Fat Geek Wedding 2
So, I’m losing a few kilos for the wedding. (Yes, even vegans need to watch what they eat sometimes. Do you know how fattening carob can be?) This is for two reasons – I want to fit into my wedding dress, and also because I’m broadcasting the ceremony live over the internet.

7. What will retirement for baby boomers look like? Hotdogs, Virgins and screenwriting

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s story
If there’s one thing Robert hates more than a vegan dinner, it’s Celine Dion. In fact, she sits marginally below his hate for Volvos and John Denver – not necessarily in that order. So we’ve been at loggerheads this week over our bridal entrance song.

8. Can a wellbeing program not only be good for the residents but also a revenue stream for the village?

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s story
Initially I became a vegan for health reasons. Then it became a moral issue. Now I do it just to annoy people. That is, according to my fiancé. Robert would easily become a vegetarian if bacon grew on trees. So as you can imagine we are still fighting over the wedding menu. He wants a BBQ. I’m fine with that as long as there is no meat, seafood, poultry or dairy. That’s when he threw down his motorcycle helmet and yelled: “we didn’t fight our way up the food chain to eat lentil burgers!” But I’ve seen Robert with a pair of BBQ tongs. He doesn’t have a BBQ – it’s a cremation! “How do you like your steak” he asks his mates. Yeah right. As if you have a choice. When his steaks are cooked he calls for a plate. Surely an urn would be more apt. He argues that he wouldn’t be cooking on the big day but honestly, a BBQ?

9. Will current retirement villages become white elephants?

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s story
Britney Spears annulled her marriage to Jason Alexander after only 55 hours of wedded bliss. Well dear reader, I may be about to smash that record. You see, it all came about when I asked Robert to book the band for our reception. I distinctly asked for a panpipe group from the Andes as guests arrive, then later, the fabulous a cappellachoral group: Cafe of the Gate of Salvation. Robert said “YES!!!.” But in his defence, this was exclaimed while watching his underdog team win the grand final.

10. Can 'big data' help sell retirement villages?

Jeff McGarn

Heather’s story – The Big Day
My wedding gave rise to so many emotions, but I was bursting with overwhelming joy when I saw my oldest and dearest friend Freja – someone I’ve only seen once in 40 years.

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About the author

Recent Posts

1. Would you retire in the same village as your parents?

2. Are roosters in your sales process?

3. What can you do in three seconds?

4. Are retirement rissoles on your menu?

5. Marketing for retirement – print or online?

6. Can SEO find Wally?

7. What will retirement for baby boomers look like? Hotdogs, Virgins and screenwriting

8. Can a wellbeing program not only be good for the residents but also a revenue stream for the village?

9. Will current retirement villages become white elephants?

10. Can 'big data' help sell retirement villages?

Recent Posts