Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Social media has done wonders for businesses of all types. Most people are very comfortable with it. However, the older generation is often reluctant to get involved. If older business people used social media, they would love it.
The big challenge is getting older people to spend the time and effort in social media that is required to really make a difference to their business. Before any work at all is done, you need to understand what a powerful tool is at your disposal.
Older business people may feel that they are more comfortable relying on traditional marketing. If it worked okay in the past, why mess with it now? Many business people who are involved with social media for their business know that although traditional marketing is a worthwhile form of marketing, social media marketing (working alongside traditional marketing) will bring even greater success to their businesses.
There are several different benefits to social media for business, including:
- Cost-effective: It most likely won’t cost you a lot of money to market using social media. Of course, you will be making an investment of time and effort. It is very important to understand that consistency and persistence are extremely important when it comes to sharing content with your online business connections and it is also critical that you understand that as a business owner, you must be committed to working online dia for your business on a very regular basis.People who are not so familiar with social media should start with LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter (and perhaps, Google+). Once he or she has become more comfortable with using those channels, others can be explored. Those channels don’t have a joining fee associated with them. However, it is recommended that the profile for the respective channels should be completed entirely. The reason for that is to allow other people online to get to know the person whose profile they are viewing. Hopefully, it will eventually lead to the establishment of a relationship that will go far into the future.
- You can measure your results: There are several effective social media analytics tools available that are also free of charge. Google Analytics is one example. You can track the number of fans (on Facebook), followers (on Twitter), shares, website visitors, and “likes” (on Facebook). You will see a direct correlation between those aspects of social media and the increased success of your business. Another good thing to do is keep a close watch online on the keywords that are connected with a particular business or brand. What you will want to pay attention to is every time the brand is mentioned (by anyone). This will convince you that social media holds a great deal of value and is an extremely useful marketing tool.
- You need to jump on the bandwagon: Because so many people have started to use social media for their businesses, it is important that you (no matter what your age and level of experience) join in as well. Having an online presence for your business is critical to the success of your business, whether you realize it or not. If you aren’t engaging, you are missing out on a large opportunity to bring your business to the next level. On the other side, your business may not be looked upon favorably if you don’t join in since everyone else is using it and interacting. Your competitors (whether they are younger or older) are using social media and if you want to stay in the race, you need to use it also.
- Your results will increase over time: If you have been in business for a long time, you may not fully understand the power that social media holds when it comes to your business. This is a different world than it was many years ago and the way in which people communicate now is different. They are used to communicating online, where everything is easy, far-reaching and thought-provoking. In the days gone by, your professional network was as extensive as you could grow it. Nowadays, there is no limit to how large and extensive your network can become.
Conclusion
As an older business person, if you are not used to conducting business using online tools, it doesn’t mean that you won’t find it useful if you do get involved. You have nothing to lose by trying. You shouldn’t let the fact that you don’t understand it yet get in the way of applying it to your business. There is no reason why you can’t learn to work social media efficiently and have fun with it at the same time. In most cases, social media is very easy to learn and use and you may very well get a great deal out of it personally as well as reaping the many benefits for your business.
We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a free assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Business Writers of America
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Older Business People are still in business because they have survived. As a member of that demographic, and one who does use Social Media, I can see the value, but I can also see the time-wasting aspects of it. I was brought up to see any media as a tool, not entertainment, and many younger people do use it as a time-wasting substitute for doing real work. For me, my computer, and all the things on it, bear the same relationship to my business as a hammer does to a carpenter. I don’t get it out and play with it, I use it to accomplish a task. When SocMed does that for me, it’s useful. When it doesn’t, it’s useless. The point is, to sell SocMed to the Older Business People, you have to prove to them that it has the same or better ROI as older forms of communication. When you do, they’ll use it.
By Rebecca Baisch
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: The Society For Echo Boomers International ® Entrepreneurship
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Amen to that! I know that alot of folks over 70 are very reluctant to get involved with it, but the Baby Boomers are more open to the idea. Still, plenty of people, no matter what their age, need to be guided through the process and any way that “techie savvy” people can help them would be great!
By jan lewis
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Social Media Consulting
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
As one who has promoted adoption of social to senior business people this is fascinating. Resistance to change is quite high, both because it’s new and because it fosters more dialogue, versus top down and one way controlled communication. “Social media” is what kids do and isn’t seen as having a place in business.
Often the question of “what’s the business value?” or “what’s the ROI?” is used not to gather information but as barriers to adoption. Quite simply, is there a question regarding the business case for using email? What about the telephone?
I’m interesting in learning more about what are others finding.
By David Janoff
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: The Society For Echo Boomers International ® Entrepreneurship
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Jan I so agree I’m 70 and it is a bit of a learning curve I could use some help.
By Paul Foote
Paul, let us know when is convenient for you to talk with us via this page https://www.compukol.com/about/lets-have-coffee/ and we will be happy to help you.
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: The Society For Echo Boomers International ® Entrepreneurship
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Paul…..I have a sibling in your age group, so I can understand.
I’m in the Boomer gang lol so we basically have had to learn the trend due to business and personal communications….and my young son, of course, was taught computer skills right from first grade! lol I was a holdout for a Long time though…refused to even give it a try, saw no reason I needed to learn.
Wanna know what motivated me? I had a lawyer who seemed to communicate the best via email plus I wanted to have the fun of communicating with friends and family with email too….so I decided to get serious and learn!
It took me a month, but I went to various local libraries and bugged staff as to how to do this, how to do that, and finally Yours Truly was on board! Like that tv commercial song “I’m a Big Kid Now!” 🙂
Ok, now that I have learned basics on the computer, my friends and my son are prodding me to get with the program and learn to text! omg, does it ever end??? lol lol
By jan lewis
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Writers World
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Carolyn,
I wrote a book about how to play golf better. It was selling about 20 copies a month. I paid for a course on how to advertise over the internet via social networking and other endeavors, and have sold over 9800 books and ebooks.
The fee I paid for the course was paid for from less than one month’s royalties.
By Fred Fields
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Music Business Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Many of us 60 and 70 year-olds use social media regularly both socially and for business.
I have a large number of facebook friends and also use Twitter both personally and for the business that I run. I do realise that some older people and indeed some younger people are wary of social media but they tend to be wary of computers and IT altogether.
By Andrew Wright
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Connected in Union-Morris-Essex Counties NJ
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Agreed! I have several older business clients that I’ve introduced to social networking for their businesses and they’ve found them very useful and effective!
By Tara Ortiz
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Connected in Union-Morris-Essex Counties NJ
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
I’m older. And I use it. And I’m just as caught up in it as the next person. The challenge for me is that there’s so much coming at me at once that I can’t even begin to benefit from all the good stuff that’s out there. I do love the interactivity…but oh, for the days of quietly enjoying a good read on a piece of paper. There’s a delicious feeling which can go along with that sort of interaction which is gone, gone, gone and very hard to explain. But trust me – something’s been gained and a lot’s been lost.
By Jacqueline Herships
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Oh, yeah. Facebook works for me up to a point (need to get a “fan page”), but I steer away from Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and the like. My great-grandchildren are more comfortable with such things than I am. Maybe in the spring, I will try learning something new . . .
By Linda Lane
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
The thing that’s cool about all these new media tools is that they put new power into the hands of users … and we are all sorting out how to use them to best effect for various puposes.
The thing that is annoying about them is that the providers tend to change things for their purposes, not ours. A. They provide it for free so how can one complain? B. I’m a little worried about corporations owning so much of the public space. C. I’m not VERY worried, because I’ve observed that people tend to find ways to adjust things to their liking–or leave for somewhere more pleasant.
My advice: Jump in and have fun with it all. Just use common sense.
By Michael Aschenbach
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Good advice, Michael. Jump in and have fun. As a book writer/editor, I use the Internet for the major part of marketing my books and my editing services. Group sites on LinkedIn are very helpful (duh!). I use my website to “tell all” about me and my work. I offer a Facebook page focused on my independent publishing company. I use blogs for some of my books and always email my friends when a new book comes out. I tweet on Twitter, but that’s more fun than it is productive. And it doesn’t hurt to list your services with other businesses that use the net. Every little bit helps! Oh yeah, my age is well over my sell-by date.
By Val Dumond
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Connected in Union-Morris-Essex Counties NJ
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Older people and Social Markeing…
It’s a good subject to bring up. As Jacqueline said, there is something about having the communication from others as a physical thing you can hold in your hands.
I love reading. I have TONS of books (more than my bookshelves can hold!). I don’t buy an ebook reader because when I read, I LIKE holding the book and turning the pages. It’s part of the experience of reading for me.
When it comes to introducing Social Media to clients that are not on the cutting edge of online Social Marketing, the important thing is to not present it in a way that is replacing what they use or know. You must relate it to what they already use. Show them the similarities. Give them something to latch onto that has an air of familiarity.
Then show them the advantages.
By Joseph Ned
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Indeed! I think it’s not so much age related – but more because small publishers (like myself) are short of time to learn about it, as we’re working flat out on all the day-to-day tasks involved in publishing a new book or updating an online magazine. How can Social Media enhance my business?
By Catherine Beattie
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
I see using social media hasn’t affected your sense of humor Val. There are a lot of great reasons to jump in the social media pool, but if you don’t get wet, you won’t have as much fun. Like Val, I use several forms of social media, each one for a different reason. I rely on LinkedIn the most for professional exchange and networking. I have a web page for my book and blog, and Tweet a little. Recently I found a fabulous reason to exploit Facebook capabilities to my advantage. I signed up for a writer’s retreat; Wild Mountain Memoir Retreat, that will be held in March at Sleeping Lady Resort in Leavenworth, WA. Contrary to popular belief, I am very shy. After I signed up, I had a panic attack about all these talented women I would meet….And then it hit me…I went to the retreat’s Facebook page. I clicked on “see who’s registered” list (there are 62 so far) and I sent them all a “friend request”. This way, if they accepted my request, I would have a few months of opportunity to get to know them before the retreat through their posts…..and it has been nothing shy of astounding. Not only have I learned more about them…and their family and friends, but have captured many great tips of the trade, exposed to some of the best writer’s links, read interviews of the 6-member faculty team, and seriously cannot wait to meet each and every one of them. Doing this has diffused the anxiety that might have erupted to the point that I would have backed out of the retreat even knowing that registration would not be refundable. My big toe is not wiggling around the shallow end of the pool now. I am ready to execute a perfect cannonball dive into the deep end of the pool without a lifejacket. Jump!
By Suezy Proctor
I am a baby boomer who loves social media, facebook mainly, on a personal level. It has enabled me to reconnect with many people who left my life years ago, even way back in primary school. It was surprising to learn how similar our lives had been, despite all the different professional directions we had taken.
I have always been an employee but I am in the process of setting up my own business. I will set up a Facebook page and a website because I realise the importance of that to my business, purely because everyone else is doing it, and I know that if people want information about a business and what is offered, then the net is the quickest, most effective way to start. On the other hand, this cannot replace speaking to someone in person, shaking their hand, smiling at them or laughing with them when it is appropriate. There will always be that human interactive factor to sales and marketing, despite some employers’ desire to chop that out of the overall process, especially when hiring employees.
I like LinkedIn and other networks, but what I object to is that it s becoming THE network of everyone who is supposed to be noteworthy, so some people are able to pay a fortune for unknown others to design their profilesc that enhance candidates’ experiences far beyond their real world capabilities. It is even more sad that the honest people are not even read or considered for jobs because they aren’t aware of these ‘providers’ and the work that they di.
I would like to see more honesty all round.
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
I believe I am one of your ‘older’ people, Carolyn.
Perhaps you might take into consideration that some of us blazed your trail. If SJ were still alive today, would you refer to him as an ‘older person’?
Pshaw! Shame on you for an ageist.
Be very, very careful when treading on the ties of your elders.
By chris gray
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Please define “older people”.
By Jim Gabal
Catrin, Jim, Chris, older is babyboomer and older than that. PS: I am 53 so also fall in this category 🙂
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
I don’t much appreciate the term “older business person.” Cantankerous, crochety, senile, seasoned, experienced, weathered, gassy, curmudgeonly…any of these might be more appropriate!
By Gary Bloomfield
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Business Writers of America
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Great summary, Rebecca. We “older business people” (I prefer experienced) understand how communication has changed, both in the decline of quality as well as the means by which we converse. The distinction between “social” and “business” communication is still clear to us “veterans” of business. That doesn’t appear to be the case for “inexperienced” business people. Unfortunately, we have to wade through far too much social drivel (playthings) to get to useful business tools (our “hammer”).
By Larry Brummond
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Business Writers of America
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Linked In – good research tool – I’ve found connections at target companies, gotten introductions and made some good connections. Email marketing is alive and well. In fact, studies show that most companies are increasing their email marketing budgets. I use Constant Contact and my e-newsletter link automatically gets posted to Facebook and Linked In.
By Larry Brummond
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
For goodness sake….Old is a state of mind. I am a 62 year old boomer. I run circles around my Gen X husband and his Gen Y kids in every realm of life.
By Suezy Proctor
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Well, Suezy and Val,
I guess I’m a pre-boomer. Which makes me redundant in the West, or – in the East – wiser.
Maybe ‘youngerr people’ need to learrn a bit morre, a bit soonerr 🙂
By chris gray
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
I’m young, by Carolyn’s definition
And I am gritting my teeth over the need to address social media networks and the like when I launch my business. As a source of information, inspiration and useful contacts, I find the internet invaluable. But I dislike the idea of being constantly tied down to tweeting and blogging, and am particularly sceptical about the ability of tweets to generate anything resembling a profit. I think the clue is in the word “social” media, as opposed to, say, “business” media. But I suppose I shall, reluctantly and resentfully, have to face up to it
I wish all the luck in the world to boomers and pre-boomers and hope that experience leads my attitude to become more like theirs
By Catrin Thomas-Price
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and Editing Professionals
Discussion: Introducing Social Media to Older Business People
Confession:
I only just got round to reading the intro text here. I hate FaceBook, mainly because it exposes my friends’ friends [and their faces!] more freely than my friends would wish. Would *you* want *everyone* to know the names and face of everyone you know? I cannot be bothered to Tweet, likewise, and Twit[ter] reminds me of a word we used to define a fool.
As far as ‘media’ [social or otherwise], I’m obviously an older person. To me, ‘media’ is plural, which makes me well redundant.
So I shall graciously retire from this debate.
Over and out.
By chris gray