Q: Why should I target older consumers in my marketing? A: Marketers who don’t focus at least some of their advertising efforts on the 64-plus crowd are missing a big chunk of the pie.There are millions of them in the United States, and they save their money and avoid debt in ways that their younger counterparts only dream of. They still enjoy face-to-face “meetups” (not the kind that take place on Facebook), newspapers and a wide range of television shows. When they receive mail, they don’t automatically toss it into the circular file. Instead, they read through their letters, postcards and other direct advertising carefully before taking action.<!–Google Ad Script 1–><!–Google Ad Script 1–>Who are these people who sound like excellent targets for direct marketers? They are members of the two oldest generations: the “GI” (or “Greate alliance one st”) and the “Silent” generations. Born between 1900 and 1945, these consumers are often overlooked in favor of the 76-million-strong Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), Gen X generation (1965-1981; 51 million) and the up-and-coming Millennials (1982-2001; 75 million). While these three generations use computers and mobile devices more than their older counterparts, those seasoned consumers possess qualities and traits that no marketer can afford to avoid in today’s competitive business environment.Playing against type, America’s older generations aren’t necessarily “locked in” to certain brands or products, and are willing to try out new items that can help make their lives easier, longer and/or healthier. It’s simple to get caught up in the belief that these generations’ product preferences were locked in at a young age, but that’s not the case anymore.