Marketing for Seniors
5 Marketing Avenues for Seniors
Wishing to Start Their Dream Businesses
By: Marcus Lansky, for Pro Se Litigation Website
12/27/2021
Starting a business as a senior may feel like a giant hurdle. However, running a successful company has far more to do with strategy than age. Marketing is one of the key aspects of many lucrative businesses. If you are older and plan to open a company, Pro Se Litigation[1] shares these five marketing avenues to incorporate into your business plans.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
1. Proposal
Before marketing your goods, you need to develop a marketing plan.[2] Without outlining how you intend to advertise your business, you will likely struggle to execute successful marketing campaigns.
The great news is you can develop a comprehensive plan by yourself without having to spend loads of money on an expensive agency. Make sure your plan includes key marketing factors, such as determining your target audience, knowing why consumers should pick your business over competitors and choosing what routes you will use for marketing your company, like print media or online media.
Your plan should also include a section for thorough market research. Market research[3] is gathering facts and statistics about the people and current business trends in your area. The more you know about the audiences and current practices, the better informed you are to make important business decisions. Plus, you will know exactly what locations need your products and services.
2. Social Media
While some earlier generations shy away from social media,[4] embracing it can give you a fantastic, inexpensive marketing tool. A couple of the most popular social media platforms[5] for business owners are Instagram and Facebook. With these sites, you can create a free page with informative business content and intriguing photos to market your company. You can interact with potential customers on your pages via messaging, posts, and likes.
3. Online Directories
Instead of turning to a hard copy of the YellowPages,[6] many consumers now turn to online directories. Like social media, create pages for your business via online directories,[7] such as Yelp, Google My Business or Angi. While some social media sites also support business pages, these sites are created specifically for business information.
As with social media pages, make sure your listing is eye-catching and tells consumers why they should choose you. Additionally, many online directories feature customer reviews. Reviews can make or break a business. One report states that 95% of people turn to online reviews before buying a product or service.[8] Encourage customers to leave reviews. Once you have built a good reputation, you can market your amazing reviews to entice new customers.
4. Website
Think of your website[9] as your online storefront. If your store is unattractive and difficult to navigate, chances are people will not make a purchase or return. The same goes for your website. No one will stick around to see what you have to offer if your website is boring and clunky. Plus, your social media marketing can direct users to your website, so make sure it is attractive and easy to use.
5. In-Person Gatherings
Fairs, farmer’s markets, and town events[10] are excellent options to set up a booth and market your company. You can sell goods, and this is a great opportunity to get consumer feedback to determine which products are desirable and which are not.
Although it may be intimidating starting a business in your later years, having a plan can make all the difference. By clearly laying out steps to market your company, you give your new business the best chance to succeed.
[1] This article was prepared especially for Pro Se Litigation – https://proseparalegal.us/
[2] A marketing plan is a strategic roadmap that businesses use to organize, execute, and track their marketing strategy over a given time period. Marketing plans can include separate marketing strategies for the various marketing teams across the company, but all of them work toward the same business goals. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-plan-examples
[3] Market research is the process of determining the viability of a new service or product through research conducted directly with potential customers. Market research allows a company to discover the target market and get opinions and other feedback from consumers about their interest in the product or service. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/market-research.asp
[4] The term social media refers to a computer-based technology that facilitates the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and information through virtual networks and communities. Social media is internet-based and gives users quick electronic communication of content, such as personal information, documents, videos, and photos. Users engage with social media via a computer, tablet, or smartphone via web-based software or applications. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-media.asp
[5] Social Media Platform means an Internet website. https://www.lawinsider.com/ dictionary/social-media-platform
[6] https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/social-media-platform
[7] See https://www.business.com/articles/50-free-websites-to-list-your-business-2/
[8] https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/online-review-stats/
[9] (Internet) A collection of interlinked web pages on the World Wide Web that are typically accessible from the same base URL and reside on the same server. https://en.wiktionary.org/ wiki/website
[10] An event is: something that happens or is regarded as happening; an occurrence, especially one of some importance. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/events
J & J Ranch, Stone Mtn, GA 