Life Stages

People change in two different ways: gradually and suddenly. Some changes take place very slowly and continuously over the days, weeks, and years. The shifting values and attitudes creep so slowly that it is like watching the hands of a clock; they seem to be stable and the only way you can tell they are changing is by comparing them over a broad span of time. However, there are also dramatic episodes of life that produce more radical changes almost at once: a marriage, the birth of one's first child, a mid-life career change, the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one, or retirement. When this kind of change occurs, the person might find that one day everything is as usual, and the next day things have been altered forever. That kind of drastic change can have a huge effect on a consumer's life.

Your wardrobe might be a good metaphor for looking at the two kinds of change over time. You may have build your wardrobe by slowly gathering one or two garments at a time to fit the seasons and the demands of your business and social life. This gradual process may continue for months or even a few years. However, sooner or later, some dramatic change will probably come along. Maybe a new job or some new venture requires very different clothes from those you have collected.

The changes consumers experience do not always happen at the same time or in the same way for everyone, but there is some commonality; people are more familiar than they are different. There are some very identifiable trends and some useful lessons we can draw from that.

Phase			"Buy-Words" That Work the Best
Teens			This is what you need in order to belong.
Twenties			This is what your friends expect of you.
Thirties			This is for a good, solid person like you.
Forties			This is what the pros and experts buy.
Fifties			This is something to judge for yourself.
Sixties+			This is very effective and economical.

Here are some informative and interesting websites about life stages:

A helpful site about personnel growth and planning through different life stages.
An interesting site about life stages and marketing to adults age 50 and over.
A great site about marketing and baby boomers.
A neat site about intelligent health and consumer behavior.