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Interest in selling to lucrative seniors market expands in Minnesota
Ground breaking Twin Cities Seniors Expo now offering additional face-to-face marketing opportunities to Onamia, MN It’s no secret that the ranks of mature Americans age 60 and older are growing faster than any other age group. This is a perfect time to create a reputation as a senior-friendly business. Now in its seventh year, Minnesota’s own Seniors Expo (www.101expos.com) has helped many companies break into this lucrative market. “The Seniors Expo, traditionally held in the Twin Cities, has been an extremely popular vehicle for companies that want to sell to seniors. But we’ve heard from companies that they need a similar venue in other areas throughout the state. We’re responding to that market demand by holding this year’s Seniors Expo at the Grand Casino Mille Lacs in Onamia.,” said Robin Kocina, president of Mid-America Events & Expos which produces this annual event and the Seniors Spring Show each spring. “It’s an opportunity to bring the expo to a new group of senior Minnesotans, and to enable our exhibitors to reach out to an expanded customer base.” To enable seniors in the Twin Cities to continue attending the event, Mid-America Events & Expos has teamed with Tourco to develop attractive bus/hotel combination packages. The $45 package tours include bus transportation to Grand Casino Mille Lacs, a hotel room at the casino, admission to the Seniors Expo, and a $45 Grand Rewards card to spend at the casino. Contact Tourco about these packages at 763-780-2985 or 800-868-7261. The Seniors Expo, to be held September 17-18, 2007 features hundreds of exhibit booths, back-to-back informative seminars on everything from healthcare to Social Security, plus senior-friendly entertainment including the annual Ms. Senior Minnesota Pageant, and performances by The “B”zz, a popular seniors dance troupe. The expo provides a fun, relaxing atmosphere for seniors and caregivers to browse the latest in products and services geared specifically for their demographic. Many sponsors and exhibitors have been with the show almost since its inception. “An attendee survey from our 2006 Seniors Expo revealed that 60 percent used the resources available at the expo to help them make buying decisions on health services as well as travel and leisure activities,” says Kocina. She adds that, “Approximately one third came to shop for information about natural health supplements and senior housing options.” Other important shopping categories for area seniors included financial services, assisted living options, fashion and jewelry. “Face-to-face time with seniors is extremely valuable for businesses that want to make an inroad into this market. Seniors are willing to sit in an hour-long seminar, for example, and hear you explain why your product or service might benefit them. Some companies lose sight of the fact that building a brand within a specific market takes time. If you don’t know how to effectively market to seniors, and you give up too soon, the gap is wide open to be filled by one of your competitors,” says Kocina. “Seniors are actually just as likely to experiment with new products and services as younger people but they also like to know that you understand their needs,” she explains. Today’s seniors are in better health, more mobile and more involved in life than ever before. And before they make decisions about where to spend their money, where they’ll vacation or even where they’ll live, many now opt to gather information at a local seniors event. “Seniors pay close attention to which companies feature seniors in their ads, offer special seniors programs, or participate in seniors events. While they may not buy on the spot, many will return to those companies when they are ready to purchase,” she says. Kocina comments that over the next few decades, the growth in the seniors market is expected to far outpace the growth in the rest of the adult population. “If you think your business can’t profit by marketing to this group, you’d better reconsider!” To watch a video of last year’s show and for half price tickets (regularly $6) visit www.101expos.com. Or call the expo hotline at 612-798-7256. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. The Seniors Spring Show is sponsored by KSTP-TV, KSTC-TV, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota, Stressfree Living, Best of Times, Medica, Humana and Icelandair. Media Note: For additional information or to schedule an interview, contact Media Relations, Inc. at 612-798-7220. |
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