The invention of technology has provided a wealth of opportunities for individuals around the globe. Social media in particular can benefit individuals in both personal and professional ways.
Whether using social media to connect with friends and family in different cities and countries or as the grounds to start a business, the options are truly endless.
However, contrary to belief, social media isn’t just being used by younger generations. In fact, there is an increasing number of retirees who are turning to social media in order to leverage entrepreneurship.
Why retirees are becoming entrepreneurs
Everyone has an idealised version of retirement, complete with days that consist of games of golf with friends or long lunches with family. However, the latest generation of retirees are well and truly changing the script.
While this may be surprising, once you take into account a few key facts, it isn’t hard to see why retirees are willingly traveling down this road. A good place to start is life expectancy rates.
In recent years, life expectancy rates have become higher than ever before. With this in mind, the older generation are looking to work longer in order to fill the days in and also, to be able to finance living a few more years.
However, the increased prevalence of ageism in the workforce is making working longer too hard a task for some individuals. In fact, the Australian Seniors Series: Ageing in the Workforce 2021, found that 1 in 5 people surveyed experienced age discrimination at work.
Further, 9 in 10 people believe that ageism is prevalent in today’s workforce while over 2 in 5 have actually felt patronised at work because of their age. The increased prevalence of ageism is mentally, emotionally and physically damaging.
With ageism in the workforce on the rise, it’s important to understand exactly what ageism is. In essence, ageism can be defined as discriminating against a person based on their age or generation. This kind of discrimination can be committed consciously or unconsciously.
Therefore, when you consider just how prevalent ageism is in today’s workforce, it becomes clear why retirees, who may not feel welcome in a traditional workplace, are fulfilling their passion for work by becoming entrepreneurs.
How retirees are becoming entrepreneurs
In order to become entrepreneurs, retirees are turning to social media in order to boost their online presence and spread word of mouth. Whether creating a service or offering goods, retirees are using means such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
As a free service, it’s incredibly easy for retirees to leverage social media in this way and also extremely beneficial. Especially when you consider that the everyday consumer more often than not looks for an online presence to determine the validity of a business.
However, just having an online presence or store isn’t enough. Retirees are also using social media to market their entrepreneurial endeavours. This means looking into data surrounding likes, comments and shares in order to boost numbers and hopefully sales.
While there are stereotypes around retirees and technology, in the modern age, every endeavour can be simplified. With key research highlighting how knowledge and expertise keep increasing even beyond the age of 80, retirees are well placed to undertake training.
This training and the intuitive nature of modern tech help retirees gain an understanding of things like website development and social media marketing. All of which will work together to ensure that they are using social media efficiently and effectively.
The benefits of using social media
When using social media, the potential client pool is seemingly limitless. As social media is worldwide, people from around the globe can view your goods and services. Word of mouth is also as simple as visitors to your page sharing content with their friends.
It’s also worth noting that those using social media can leverage influencer marketing. This could be as simple as getting in contact with an influencer who will promote your offerings to their followers. Both increasing engagement and opening your business up to new audiences.
Perhaps the biggest benefit is the fact that social media is free and convenient. This means that you aren’t obliged to pay for uploading content unless taking advantage of additional marketing features. Better still, all these activities can be completed from the comfort of home.
Different ways to leverage social media channels
When it comes to using social media to leverage entrepreneurial endeavours, it’s important to remember that not all social media channels may be to your benefit. For example, each social media platform, whether Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn has a different audience.
That’s why it’s imperative to work out a target audience before any marketing endeavours begin. Otherwise, retirees could find themselves pitching goods and services to a market that has no apparent care or interest.
Once an audience is found, it’s important to work out how to engage them. Social media makes engagement easier than ever before. This means encouraging potential clients to like, share and comment on content.
How does this happen? By creating engaging and diverse content. For entrepreneurs, this means sharing origin stories, fun facts about products and information surrounding purchase options. Even though a brand may be online, highlighting elements of personality is key.
When it comes to leveraging social media, sharing reviews and testimonials can go a long way. This is because people love to be sure when purchasing or connecting with a company online. By having access to other customers’ experiences, potential customers feel validated.
Finally, another way to properly utilise social media as an entrepreneur is to always post relevant content. This way, when it comes to purchasing a product, clients will come to your page first as you’ve remained top of mind.
Become an entrepreneur today
For those who have left traditional workplaces for a variety of different reasons, work doesn’t have to end there. In fact, the invention of technology and different social media platforms, means that work can be completed anytime, anywhere.
This spells good news for retirees looking to spend time trying new and different things. In fact, social media can make life for entrepreneurs much easier. All you need is an internet connection, a great product or service and the will to make big things happen.