This document discusses how to effectively market to Generation X in the healthcare industry. It begins with an introduction to a series on understanding different generations. The main section then focuses on Generation X, describing them as independent, skeptical, and wanting evidence-based information to make decisions. It provides recommendations for healthcare marketers, which include showing outcome data to back up claims, emphasizing how events will advance careers in a time-efficient way, and demonstrating how Generation X's input is still valuable in their fields. The goal is to establish events as places for meaningful networking and learning to earn Generation X's loyalty and advocacy.

1. What’s Trending
Generation X: If Only There Was a Schoolhouse Rock Cartoon for
Healthcare Marketers
by Shari Short, Director, Research and Strategic Content, ARK MEDIA
Introduction to Series:
Over the years, I have spoken to clients, conference attendees, and colleagues about
what it means to know your audience and it appears everyone defines this concept
rather differently. Some say it’s the demographics, or psychographic behaviors—others
say it knows their specialty in health care. As a market researcher, I’ve come to the
conclusion that it’s one big recipe really. To know your audience, you need a myriad of
data points, and while age is often considered a valuable factor, there’s one ingredient
that has been overlooked over time that can truly help inform audience behavior and
engagement—I’m “talkin’ bout” the generational influence.
Main Article Copy:
A 2009 study by Thomson Reuters Healthcare established a framework for how the four
living generations, traditionalist, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, interact with
healthcare professionals and information.
Generation X:
To kick off this series, we begin with Generation X and I have two good reasons:
1. Because I am a member of this generation
2. Because this generation has become, essentially, the “Jan Brady” of the
generations as the overlooked middle child between the Boomers and Millennials.
WHAT’S TRENDING

2. According to the Thomson study, the overarching arc for this generation is “Educate
Me”. Ranging from 1960-1980, the nation’s first latchkey kids thrived off their
independence and individuality. They were encouraged to nurture this attitude with
messages like “Free to Be You and Me” and non-traditional learning avenues such as
Sesame Street and Schoolhouse Rock. Although empowered, members of Generation
X tend to be more skeptical than their Boomer predecessors and discerning in their
consumer choices and expect valid data to help inform their decision-making processes.
How can Exhibitors and Planners utilize this knowledge to best communicate to
Generation X?
• Evidence Based Information. Do you remember that scene in Jerry Maguire
when Cuba Gooding Jr.’s character kept saying “Show me the money!” Of
course you do, he won an Oscar for that film. Generation X’ers want you to
show them the numbers. Outcome measures are important to this group, as
evidenced in how funding stream requirements changed as this cohort moved up
the ranks in decision-making. HCPs who visit the booth come with expectations
that marketers can back up their claims and are resourceful enough to google
statistics right there in the booth, in order to ask more questions. For Generation
X, show them the data and show them the implications of this data to influence
attitude or behavior change.
• Time is Currency. While the Boomers introduced nonprofit organizations
to the workforce, Generation X initiated the initiative for Work/Life Balance.
This generation’s definition of career investment is vastly different from its
predecessor. The HCPs attending your events view their career as part of their
identity but, only part. They seek opportunities that will advance their career as
long as the time spent away from other areas of their life are clearly worth the
time investment. For many event planners, this means using data to support why
they will benefit from attending the conference at all, let alone booth participation.
• Staying Power. If you’ll indulge me in one more pop culture movie reference,
like Glenn Close said in Fatal Attraction, they are “not going to be ignored” as
a fundamental player in their respective fields or consumer-driven advances.
Media pays a significant amount of attention to the Millennials and how to court
them. But what about us? We’re next in line for the promotions, we’re funding
the startups and venture capital projects, and we’re seeing the fruit of our own
labor as our ideas finally come to life in all areas of research and technology.
Generation X is still in the game.
To summarize, if marketers can help establish conferences and congresses as
places where data comes to life, time is well spent and their input is appreciated,
the loyalty will follow as well as ambassadorship to those younger Millennials.
Maccra Cken, L., Pickens, G., Wells, M. Matching the Market: Using Generational
Insights to Attract and Retain Consumers. Tomson Reuters. 2009.