BOOMING TO DIGITAL SUCCESS

The baby boomer generation accounts for 80 million of the U.S. population

The baby boomer generation accounts for 80 million of the U.S. population Social Media Matters for baby boomers (2018). In my professional experience, I initially found that baby boomers were extremely hesitant to join social media platforms, stating it seemed “intrusive and unnecessary.” One of my clients said sternly, “I see no reason why my professional experience needs to be plastered online for the whole world to see.” This statement came from a seasoned professional who wanted to promote his new book on leadership. It baffled me that he was willing to sell his book on the Internet, but not willing to put his bio on his website and LinkedIn. I calmly said to him, “How else will new readers learn about who you are and why they should listen to you?” After that conversation, he obliged my request, and we were able to move forward with his marketing plan. The baby boomer generation is a group that will require more explanation into how social media will help grow their businesses.

Statista (2019) predicts that “3.1% of females and 2.7% of males” ages 55-64 and “2.1% of females and 1.9 % of males” over the age of 65 will utilize Facebook world wide in 2019. This may seem like a small percentage, but it’s a population full of knowledge and information. These individuals have the experience, expertise, and skills that have carried the world in all industries for the past 30 years. They are the generation that created businesses, opened the global economy, and built countries with their bare hands during the industrial revolution. They are also full of former CEOs, COOs, and other leadership roles that have wisdom in running and maintaining successful organizations for generations. This knowledge will be lost if it is not shared on a digital platform.

In an article written by the Social Media Explorer (2017), it lists five (5) reasons why YouTube is such a great example of the power of social media. The first reason mentioned is that YouTube pays its creators, which is huge for a former CEO of a successful company. They know that time is money. I will never forget a statement made by one of my baby boomer clients, who is the CEO of a million-dollar consulting firm, he said “My car does not move unless I am receiving compensation. Everything else can be handled over the phone.” I had never heard anyone discuss consultations in that way, but his rationale made sense. He always weighed his opportunity cost. This simple information will benefit so many if shared on a digital platform like YouTube. This would also expose the baby boomer to more efficient ways they can capitalize on their expertise in addition to writing books.

I was able to offer another suggestion to my client that would help him keep in line with his current values, which is the use of virtual meetings. Even the healthcare industry has embraced the idea of having doctors meet with patients through services such as HealthTap (2014), which was created by Ron Gutman to “help with the inconvenience of visiting a doctor.” These platforms are only the beginning of how the digital age influences every industry that exists in the world today. This is also why taking the time to explain the benefits of social media to the baby boomer generation is a way to help share their valuable wisdom and insight with the world for generations to come.

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