Innovators in the AgeTech space face a host of unique challenges, not the least of which is making meaningful connections with their potential customers. At every stage from concept to go-to-market, startups are well advised to nurture that connection by centering their end users in the development and marketing of their solutions.
But that can be easier said than done. To get some insight into how startups and other AgeTech-oriented organizations can do this, we spoke with Carey Kyler, senior director of consumer insights at AARP Services, Inc. Kyler shared four key steps that organizations, whether B2C or B2B, can take to effectively reach and serve their customers.
1. Understand the problem you’re trying to solve
This might seem self-evident, but innovators should lay a solid foundation for their product or service by having a clear understanding of the real-world problem they’re targeting, and exactly how their solution solves it — versus creating an exciting product that’s in search of a problem.
“Any time you design a product or service, you have to put the consumer and their actual needs at the center of your efforts,” says Kyler. “You may have a passion for your project, but if you’re not solving a problem for your customers or removing barriers for them, you’re really not doing anything for them.”
Understanding and keeping the focus on the problem encourages companies to develop features that are actually practical, and customers will intuitively understand how it benefits them. It also makes promoting the product easier. “Centering the customer and talking about their problems proves to them, ‘We get you,’” says Kyler. “That’s much more effective than simply talking about the feature set or attributes of your product.”
2. Dive deep with customers to understand their real pain points
Part of keeping the customer centered means understanding that problem from their lived experience. And to gain insights into that experience, companies need to intentionally interact with their audience. Using free or inexpensive online survey tools is one good way to yield insights from customers about the real-world pain points they face.
Kyler emphasizes, however, the need for deep probing during this step. She relates an anecdote about older adults filling out a survey to describe the steps they took to wash their clothes. “People said, ‘I go to the laundry room, open the laundry detergent, pour the detergent into the machine, and wash my clothes.’ That seemed pretty straightforward.”
But when researchers got more granular by going into people’s homes to watch them wash their clothes, a slightly different picture emerged. Says Kyler: “One man put his clothes in the machine, took out his box of detergent — and then he pulled out a screwdriver and started jabbing at the box to get it open. He hadn’t mentioned a screwdriver in his survey! That was an ‘Aha!’ moment for the team about a real problem the survey hadn’t uncovered: The box of detergent was difficult to open.”
Not everyone can go into the field to connect with their audience firsthand, but the principle remains: Whatever methods you use to gain insights, get as granular as possible. This helps ensure your solutions are user-centric and relevant.
3. Clearly articulate how your product solves the problem
When it comes time to promote your product, it can be tempting to put all your product’s nifty features front and center in your messaging. But putting the spotlight on the product or service itself is less effective than promotional materials that continue to center the customer.
“Don’t just give your customers a list of features,” says Kyler. “There’s a three-step method you can use to effectively connect to users and get your message across: Explain how your product solves the problem, how it benefits them personally, and why they should believe that it will deliver on that promise.”
First, share the insights into the problem that you’ve gained from your research. Says Kyler: “Let’s say your product is a shampoo. You can set the stage with the problem to be solved by, for example, acknowledging how annoying it can be to wash your hair one day, only to have it feeling dirty again the next day.”
Second, describe the specific benefit the product provides: “If you use our shampoo, your hair will feel clean and fresh for three days.” Finally, Kyler recommends giving end users a reason to believe the claim. “This is a place where you can back it up with science or user research for added credibility. Highlight how your shampoo’s special ingredient works to keep your hair clean, or that four out of five people report clean-feeling hair after three days. This gives people peace of mind that this product is trustworthy and will deliver against its claim.”
4. Embrace the diversity of the 50-plus market
The 50-plus demographic is remarkably diverse, but persistent stereotypes tend to portray older adults as a homogenous group that’s isolated, unhappy, unhealthy and technology-averse. Playing into these stereotypes can blunt the effectiveness of attempts to connect to and serve your audience.
Take advertising, for example. According to Kyler, only about 5% of advertising shows a person over 50 interacting with technology, and the bulk of those instances feature a younger person showing the older person how to use it. This plays directly into the stereotype that older adults do not use tech — despite research showing that older adults are more tech-savvy than ever and only becoming more so.
It can also alienate potential customers. “Most people feel 10 to 15 years younger than they actually are,” says Kyler. “When they see an ad featuring someone who is chronologically their age who is depicted as isolated or sick, they’re not going to feel that that product represents them.”
When it comes to the marketing and promotional phase, Kyler recommends using a different model altogether: De-emphasize age altogether. “Harvard Business Review has suggested that focusing on the number of chronological years people have lived on Earth is less effective than focusing on the time they have remaining,” says Kyler. “That can change how people view things. When we perceive that we have many more years ahead of us, we’re more likely to feel good about ourselves, prioritize new experiences and try new things.”
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