Where do you start? Start with customer in mind, not product. Have a defined age group in your mind when you’re building a display and then build display with that age group in mind.

Let me give you a simple example based on my observations when it comes to signage on displays. Generation X (I prefer to call them IKEA Babies) know what trends are and what is fashionable. If you sign a product to tell them what is new and trendy, they could feel you are talking down to them and this may resist purchasing.

The next generation up, Jones’ Generation, want to be trendy and fashionable, but they need to be told what’s new. If you don’t tell them what’s new, they may never discover it.

The Baby Boomers tend to pick up trends later. Tell them it’s new and they will often wait while it’s accepted by Jones’ Generation. Greying Tigers may resist new products completely as they look on product as a new gadget which they don’t understand and that will quickly go out of fashion anyway.

Segmentation opportunities Some retailers will go to considerable expense to get formulae right. Wetherby’s in South Africa have divided their store into two. One half is targeted at Baby Boomers and other half at Generation X. Both groups walk through same entrance, but are then split into two, Baby Boomers turn left into store, whilst Generation X turn right. Both sections of store have their own coffee shop to ensure both consumer segments ‘linger longer’ in comfort of their own generational group.

Become a maven of retail generational marketing Encourage your retail team to become “mavens” or leaders of a trend. Make sure that business subscribes to magazines that target each generational group you are targeting. Get team to produce ‘storyboards’ on trends from those magazines that can help them build appropriate displays.

One display will not serve all, start with customer in mind and build displays that a generation can relate to.