I was reading through our recently released 2012 Digital Marketer Report and came upon one of my favorite sections: the segment profiles of “The New American Consumer.” I love that marketers have the ability to target and engage their customers and prospects armed with a true understanding of their behaviors, likes, dislikes, preferred communications channels and such. Here’s an excerpt from the report about Fast Track Couples – a highly desirable segment of online denizens – based on insights gleaned from Experian Marketing Services’ Mosaic® USA Consumer Lifestyle Segmentation tool:
Fast Track Couples consist of young couples and families already on the road to upward mobility. Although 90% are under the age of 35, most are married, work at good jobs and own their homes. About one-third of Fast Track Couples have already started families, and others might look to start one soon. Other key characteristics that describe this segment include the following:
- Nearly all have at least some college education, which has helped them obtain decent-paying jobs in sales, white-collar professions and technology. More than half of these households have dual workers in the labor force.
- These young couples live comfortably in homes valued close to the national average, though they have yet to sink deep roots. Most have lived at the same address for fewer than three years.
- Fast Track Couples are informed customers, not impulse shoppers. They’re acutely aware of demands on their budgets, and they want to make sure they get good value for any purchase.
- Fast Track Couples are focused on their careers. A significant number are entrepreneurial and dream about starting their own business.
- They are mostly novices when it comes to financial investments and have not saved much money nor invested in many stocks, mutual funds or bonds. A high percentage have 401(k) accounts, and those with young children have started 529 College Savings Plans. Their balances, however, are still relatively modest.
- Many members are comfortable with debt. They’re still paying off student loans and have added auto loans and first mortgages to their liabilities.
- Fast Track Couples lead socially active lifestyles. They enjoy going to bars, movies, comedy clubs and rock concerts.
- They prefer their vacations to be filled with heart-pounding sports, including skiing, scuba diving, water skiing and backpacking.
- Self-described early adopters, they like filling their homes with the latest customer electronics and technology.
The best channel to reach Fast Track Couples is the Internet. They are highly receptive to digital advertising via online search and sponsored links. Few segments spend more time in cyberspace. They are enthusiastic Internet users, going online to simplify their lives. They use the Internet to manage their financial affairs, make travel arrangements and check out new job, car and home listings. They also use the Internet as their chief form of entertainment, downloading music, listening to Internet-only radio stations, watching videos and sharing digital photographs. In addition, they’re comfortable telecommuting and shopping online. Having grown up with communication on demand, they don’t care how they get their Internet access. They bounce seamlessly between cell phone, laptop and wireless connections. Although they dislike email ads, they respond to sponsored Websites and links — especially when doing product comparisons. They like shopping for games and software to improve their online experience. In a list of popular Websites, it’s difficult to find any that they don’t visit, opening up many possible touchpoints for marketers looking to engage this segment.