For writers of all genre who want to write, and the readers who love them. Find what you want to know.
Knowing Your Target Audience
by Deanna Lilly
Bizness Concepts Web Design
Today you are dealing with four generations to which you have to market your advertising and products. Each of these generations views a website differently. They have different needs and desires, and it is your job to make sure they get what they want when they visit your site.
Although this information is directed mainly at website design, it can also be used for with your writing. This information is presented in a very brief format and does not go into the detail of studies relating to color choices. Please use this as a “guideline.”
MATURES • Duty – Scarification Generation
- Born between 1909 – 1945
- 57.8 Million
- 20.5% of the population
- Wealthiest Generation
- Economic Impact – $20 Trillion
Matures in the Workplace
- Are loyal to their employer and expect the same in return.
- Possess superb interpersonal skills.
- Are enjoying flextime arrangements today so they can work on their own schedule.
- Believe promotions, raises, and recognition should come from job tenure.
- Measure a work ethic on timeliness, productivity, and not drawing attention to themselves.
Matures in the Marketplace
- Have great faith in the nation’s institutions: people (i.e., Charlton Heston), companies, and the government.
- Demand quality. It is more important than speed or efficiency.
- Are loyal customers but aren’t afraid to shop around.
- Willingly follow the rules that have been established. They believe they are there for a reason.
- They don’t want to be on the cutting edge. They want something after it’s been proven. No fancy customization.
Websites
- Useful information.
- Practical and full of factual data.
- Easy to use – read like a magazine (but not in columns).
- Stress value and quality and a reward for hard work.
- Monochromatic Blues – Blue and White – Red, White and Blue (minimal use of red), Greens and minimal use of black or gray (which reminds them of illness and death).
BOOMERS • Individuality – “Me” Generation
- Born between 1946 – 1964
- Biggest generation US has seen
- 82.8 Million
- 29.4% of the population
- Economic Impact – $900 Billion
Boomers in the Workplace
- Believe in the champion, and evaluate themselves and others based on their work ethic.
- Work ethic for Boomers is measured in hours worked. Measuring productivity in those hours is less important.
- Believe teamwork is critical to success.
- Believe relationship building is very important.
- Expect loyalty from those they work with.
Boomers in the marketplace
- Are interested in products and services that will allow them to regain control of their time.
- Believe technology brings with it as many problems as it provides solutions.
- Want products and services that have been customized for them, the individual.
- Believe rules should be obeyed unless they are contrary to what they want; then they’re to be broken.
- Want products and services that will indicate to their peers that they’re successful.
Websites
- Relaxing and de-stressing
- Time Saving
- Things that appear to their kids (grandkids)
- Warm, rich muted colors, split-complimentary, triadic and tetradic – Double Complimentary combinations (think muted flower-power)
XERS • Skeptical, Reluctant
- Born between 1965 – 1978
- 58.9 million
- Make up 20.9% of population
- Economic impact $125 Billion
Xers in the workplace
- Shun the hard-core, super-motivated, do or die Boomer work ethic.
- Want open communication regardless of position, title, or tenure.
- Respect production over tenure.
- Value control of their time.
- Look for a person to whom they can invest loyalty, not a company.
Xers in the marketplace
- Can spot a phony a mile away.
- Rely on peer-to-peer referrals more than any other generation.
- Want options; plans B, C, and D.
- Embrace technology as a way to maintain control of their lives.
- Want to be in control of the sale.
Websites
- Excitement, media and products with attitude, global influences, well designed.
- Innovative, clever, humor, irreverence, peer information and word of mouth campaigns, fun.
- Grey tones, black and white, or extreme bright bold colors variations, split-complimentary, triadic and tetradic – Double Complimentary combinations
MILLENNIALS / ECHO BOOMERS • Coddled
- Born between 1979 – 1988
- 80.5 million
- 28.6% of population
- Economic influence $105 Billion
Millennials in the Workplace
- Search for the individual who will help them achieve their goals.
- Want open, constant communication and positive reinforcement from their boss.
- Find working with someone of the Mature generation easy to do.
- Search for a job that provides great, personal fulfillment.
- Are searching for ways to shed the stress in their lives.
Millenials in the Marketplace
- Want to be like their peers but with a unique twist.
- Don’t want to be hurried.
- Will consider a company’s products if the company is known for their altruistic attitude.
- Are loyal consumers.
- Search for the unique and hard to find items.
Websites
- Exciting websites.
- Extreme or bright colorssuch as cyan blue, chartreuse green.
- E-commence opportunities that don’t require a credit card.
- Humor and irony, funny, quirky, never trivialize.
- Direct messages (“Just show me the jeans.”)
- Messages that appear skewed or slightly out of order.
- Ethnicity, age peers, racial diversity.
- Anything to make them feel older.
AGENTS & EDITORS
- 60 Calls for Submissions in June 2021 – Paying markets
- Agents: Knowing When To Hold One and When To Fold
- Getting Offers from Multiple Literary Agents
- Literary Agents List
- Preditors and Editors
- Publishing, Writing Terms, Acronyms
- Tips for a Successful Editor Appointment
- Want More? Here’s How to Get It
- What NOT to Do When Beginning Your Novel
- Windup for the (Story) Pitch
- Write the Perfect Book Proposal
CALLS FOR SUBMISSION
- 2022 JUN Calls for Submission
- 2022 MAY Calls for Submission
- 2022 APR Calls for Submission
- 2022 MAR Calls for Submission
- 2022 FEB Calls for Submission
- 2022 JAN Calls for Submission
- 2021 DEC Calls for Submissions
- 2021 NOV Calls for Submission
- 2021 OCT Calls for Submissions
- 2021 SEP Calls for Submissions
- 60 Calls for Submissions in June 2021 – Paying markets
COMPUTER TIPS
FORMATTING & GRAMMAR
- Achieving 250 Words / 25 Lines Per Page
- And Sammy, too? Oh, No!
- Changing Double Hyphens to EM Dashes in Word
- Edit Easier
- High Hopes–Avoiding Common Mistakes
- Misused Words
- Navigating In Your Novel
- Proofreaders Marks
- Research Links
- Rules for Writers
- Slang and Jargon Souces
- Tightening Your Manuscript and Trimming the Word Count
MARKETS
- 35 Online Work Ideas to Earn Good Money Whilst Studying
- Copyright Primer, Know Your Rights
- EBooks-Fears to Possibilities
- Finding Markets Fiction and Nonfiction
- Freelance Writing 101
- How To Be a (Shiver) Reporter
- Love to Write: Here Is How You Can Build Your Career
- Magazine Links
- Making Money As a Corporate Freelancer
- Market News–All Genres
- Newspaper Writing Resources
- Path to Self-Publishing Success
- Publishing, Writing Terms, Acronyms
- Science Writing Organizations
- Selling to Children’s Markets
- Submission Tracking
- Submitting to UK Markets
- Syndication 101
- To Specialize, or Not to Specialize?
- Why E-Books?
- Writing Groups List
- Youth Writing Markets
MOTIVATION
- A Dream Realized
- Finding Time to Write
- Five Ways to Promote Yourself
- Fun Inspirations 1
- Fun Inspirations 2
- How Not to Procrastinate
- How to Quit Writing and End up on the Bestseller Lists
- Love to Write: Here Is How You Can Build Your Career
- Making Time for Self-Care While Running a Business
- Moving Up the Rejection Ladder
- Pop Quiz: Who Are You?
- Rules for Writers
- The Art of Being Rejected–475 Words
- The Juggling Act
- The Literary Food Chain
- Write Better Naked
- Writer’s Conferences Do You Really Need To Attend?
- Writing By Moonlight
PUBLISHING
- 60 Calls for Submissions in June 2021 – Paying markets
- Copyright Primer, Know Your Rights
- Love to Write: Here Is How You Can Build Your Career
- Making Money As a Corporate Freelancer
- Path to Self-Publishing Success
- Publishers Websites
- Publishing, Writing Terms, Acronyms
- Submission Tracking
- The Great Limbo Mystery Question
WRITER'S BLOCK & TOOLS
WRITER'S LIFE
WRITING CONTESTS
ABOUT WRITING CONTESTS
WRITING CONTESTS
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• ALL WRITING CONTESTS
- 2022 JUN Contests, Workshops, Webinars
- 2022 MAY Contests, Workshops, Webinars
- 2022 APR Contests, Workshops, Webinars
- 2022 FEB Contests, Workshops, Webinars
- 2022 JAN Contests, Workshops, Webinars
- 2021 DEC Contests, Workshops, Webinars
- 2021 NOV-JAN Writing Contests, Webinars
- 2021 OCT-DEC Contests & Workshops
- 2021 SEP-NOV Contests & Workshops
- 2021 AUG-SEP Contests & Workshops
- 2021 JUL-SEP Contests & Workshops
- 2021 JUN-AUG Contests & Workshops