Presented to Milwaukee WBON on September. 9, 2011. This Powerpoint show explains the strengths of the boomer generation and attempts to explain why boomer business leaders lag behind later generations in adopting social media networking. It describes how boomers can change their approach in order to begin advancing their business identities using social media.

1. Social Media for the
Baby Boomer Generation
By
Nancy Cavanaugh
September 9, 2011
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

2. You will learn…
• The baby boom generation has demonstrated
enormous strength—in its size, collective
experience, and cultural impact.
• But there’s been an ongoing ―disconnect‖
between boomers and social media activity.
• Boomers need to adjust their traditional
approach to the Internet in order to achieve
success in social networking.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

3. What is ―baby boomer?‖
A baby boomer is defined as anyone born
between 1946 through 1964.
• Early boomers span the years 1946-1955.
• Late boomers span the years 1956-1964.
• Boomers have been called the ―pig-in-
a-python‖ generation because of their
enormous numbers—78 million strong.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

4. Why the Baby Boomer Disconnect?
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 4 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

5. Boomers share a
strong collective experience
• Shared media exposure as kids
– TV
– Radio
– Advertising/merchandising
• Development of a ―liberated‖ youth culture
• Active in Civil Rights and Women’s Liberation
• Traumatized by Vietnam and Watergate
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

6. Boomers have become
a vital part of the economy
• 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies are run by
boomers.
• 70 percent of the law firms in this country have senior
partners who are boomers.
• Famous boomers include Donald Trump, Martha
Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, George W. Bush, Bill
Clinton, Clint Eastwood, David Letterman, Jay
Leno, Bruce Springsteen, Hank Williams, Jr., Bill
Gates, Steve Jobs, Tom Hanks, Ron
Howard, Madonna…you get the idea!
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 6 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

7. Big surprise: Boomers are not
in the forefront of the social
media revolution
Boomer leaders have been slow
to adopt social networking to
build business
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

8. There’s a big ―disconnect‖ between
boomers and social media
• For two years in a row, Pews Internet
Research reports that boomers lag behind
younger generations in their adoption of social
networks.
– Only five in 10 boomers aged 50-64 use social
networking sites, compared to eight in 10 users
aged 18-29 and seven in 10 aged 30-49 years old.
– But boomers are starting to catch up. The number
of users has doubled from 25% in 2010 to 51% in
2011—the fastest growth rate of any generation.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 8 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

9. How are boomers ―getting their
feet wet‖ using social networking?
• Keeping in contact with children and
grandchildren
– Sharing photos and emails.
– Signing up for a personal profile on Facebook.
• Seeking online support from others for living
with a chronic disease.
– Blogging.
– Participating in online health discussions.
• Reconnecting with people from the past.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 9 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

10. What has this got to do with
boomer-led business?
Not much.
That same generational lag includes the
failure of boomer business leaders to use
social networking to build business.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

11. Baby boomers are still uncertain about how to carry over
their networking skills on Facebook and Twitter to
promote their businesses.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

12. Why the boomer ―disconnect‖
is harmful to their organizations
• A recent study by MarketTools revealed that 94%
of companies do not yet use social media channels
such as Facebook and Twitter to gather customer
feedback, despite customers’ growing engagement
with these media. Instead, they use email/online
surveys (51%), formal phone surveys (28%), and
informal phone calls (28%). Those that do incorporate
feedback gathered through social media channels are
able to uncover richer insights to help them improve
customer satisfaction.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 12 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

13. My theory on why the lag persists—
boomer Internet experiences focus on
information gathering, not networking
• In May 2011, Pews Internet research confirmed that
the most popular Internet activities over the past
decade have been search and email.
• Business professionals with a college degree who are
part of the boomer generation rely on these same two
activities a bit more than everyone else.
• Email as the ―killer app‖ drew business leaders onto
the Internet. Then search provided a means of
information gathering. It’s all analytical—not based
upon any behaviors that focus on social business.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 13 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

14. Social media as a business tool
And how do you as a boomer business
owner bridge that disconnect?
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

15. What is ―social media?‖
• Social media networks are Internet tools
for sharing and discussing information.
• Social media is the process of building a
community where people share information,
ideas and opinions, photos and videos, all
through social interaction with others.
• The success of a social media network
depends upon the interactions among
participants.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 15 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

16. There’s a big difference between a
profile and a ―Page‖ on Facebook
• A personal profile is meant for friends and family.
– As administrator of your profile, you can set up a
Page that separates business from personal
networking.
• A Page is a separate entity meant for business-
related activity.
– Contact with customers and prospects
– Provide product/service information
– Establish the business/yourself as an industry leader
– What do you want to do today?
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 16 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

17. Social Media is like
a cocktail party…
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 17 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

18. People show up, wander
around and pick up on
interesting conversations.
• For strangers, you might…
– Sample conversations
– Listen for catch phrases
– Look for an opportunity to contribute
• No hard-sell techniques allowed!
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 18 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

19. If you find people you know…
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 19 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

20. Take into account…
– One might be a ―raving fan;‖
– One might be the friend of a ―raving fan;‖
– One might be someone interested in learning
more about what you do.
Your conversation will be different depending
upon who you’re speaking with.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 20 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

21. All this sounds like traditional
business networking. Right?
• Wrong! Traditional business networking—
the cocktail party, the golf game, the dinner
with a client…
– Takes place face to face.
– Are prearranged by appointment.
– Don’t involve any underlying apprehension
about how interaction works online.
Facebook currently has 663 million accounts.
Users make up the third largest country in the
world. It also offers advertisers largest database
of consumer profiles on the planet.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 21 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

22. The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 22 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

23. The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 23 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

24. Major Social Media Networks
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 24 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

25. Why use Social Media?
• Get feedback. Facebook and Twitter are great for
listening to what people say.
• Create demand. Inform your target audience of
upcoming products, services or events.
• Get attention. Example: WisDOT is now tweeting
construction updates.
• Answer questions. People in social media love to
help others. Be one of those helpful folks!
• Empower staff. Train employees to use social media
effectively to win support for your organization.
A simple start: Use social media to facilitate
communication among members of work groups.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 25 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

26. Ask yourself…
• What are the top two or three questions most asked
about your business?
• Are there any knowledge gaps that need to be
addressed?
• What do customers want from a relationship? Are
those needs any different among followers in your
social media networks?
• What will it take to make prospects understand how
your product/service will help them solve their
problems—problems they may not even know they
have?
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 26 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

27. Tip for networking success:
Tell a story
Craft your role as a business leader who has something
of value that makes your customers’ lives better.
• Make a list of your business strengths/assets.
Boomers have much to offer as ―elders‖ in terms
of business success stories.
• Pick 2-3 memorable events and distill them into
short stories to share.
• Remember that social media also involves more than
just text. Facebook is image-oriented; Twitter is link-
oriented. And the increasing popularity of video will
encourage 2-3 minute clips everywhere.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 27 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

28. The 4 ―Es‖ Program as outlined in The
Boomer’s Guide to Social Media Success
Position your organization as a ―thought leader‖ that
is known, liked, and trusted.
– ENGAGE the strangers in the crowd who are
looking for your specific knowledge and authority.
– EDUCATE both strangers and clients by offering
consistent, value-added information.
– ELEVATE awareness of your followers about your
products and services.
– ENLIST followers as ―raving fans.‖
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 28 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh

29. Thank you for your time
and attention.
• To learn more, visit…
www.boomersocialmediabook.com
There you will find information about
my new book, The Boomer’s Guide to
Social Media Success: Harnessing Your
Inner Expert to Promote Your Business.
Released on May 3, 2011.
The Boomer’s Guide to Social Media 29 ©2011 Nancy Cavanaugh