As the song goes, “rainy days and Mondays always get me down.” But sharing great resources and insights is a nice antidote!
Welcome to another edition of the Mature Marketing links round-up. This is a collection of content that received the most attention from 50+ marketing pros in the past week on various social channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus, to name a few). And what set folks clicking last week?
1. MOST SHARED: The Baby Boomer Retirement Crunch Begins. US News & World Report took a look at 65-plus Americans, a group growing rapidly as Leading Edge Baby Boomers age. (This age band grew 18 percent between 2000 and 2011.) What does author Emily Brandon see as retirement for the typical 65-plus senior?
* Low incomes – In 2011, nearly 3.6 million elderly people (8.7%) lived below the poverty level in 2011. A typical 65-plus household had a median income of $48,538.
* Reliance on social security – 86 percent of people age 65 and older receive monthly payments.
* Continuing to work – In 2012, 18.5% of Americans age 65 and older were in the labor force. Those aged 65 and 69 are the most likely to be working. Brandon does note that some work because they have to, some because they want to.
RELATED: Re-thinking Retirement – 6 Lessons for Marketers
* Staying put – It’s getting harder for destination retirement communities to attract older adults.
“Between 2011 and 2012, only 3 percent of people age 65 and older moved, compared to 14 percent of people under 65. And most older movers stayed in the same state (83 percent) and the same county (61 percent). Only 16 percent of people who traded spaces after age 65 relocated out of state or abroad. Most senior citizens (81 percent) also reside in metropolitan areas.”
RELATED: Todd Harff discussed locations in this post on Baby Boomer housing trends from the Urban Land Institute conference.
* Making it to Medicare – In 2011, 93% of 65+ers were covered by Medicare and 86% had supplemental coverage to fill in gaps.
* Longer retirement – Retirees and pre-retirees are more aware of the longevity bonus, in which the average life expectancy for people turning age 65 is an additional 20.4 years for women and 17.8 years for men.
RELATED: 5 Facts (& Marketing Tips) about Baby Boomer and Senior Women
Read the whole post in US News: http://bit.ly/12GpXFV
2. MOST CLICKED: 6 Myths about Social Media Marketing. Michael Mothner debunks misconceptions for Inc. We especially liked:
“Myth No. 2: My customers are older, so social media won’t work for my company.
A whopping 56% of Internet users 50 years or older use Facebook. Your clients and future clients are absolutely waiting for you to find them on Facebook–as well as Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and other social tools.”
Read all 6 myths: http://bit.ly/17Trehf
3. MOST FAVORITED (that’s the Twitter version of Facebook’s LIKE): An “oldie but goodie,” this 2011 post by Todd Harff makes clear the new realities of real estate marketing:
“No longer are builders simply ‘hunting’ 50+ homebuyers with oversized postcards targeted by age, zip and income. Prospects begin hunting on their own – starting their research online, on their time, long before they think of paying you a visit in the real world.
So an integrated Internet Strategy that matches your prospects’ preferences is a critical resource to help you pursue AND nurture Leads.
Lead nurturing is an ongoing conversation, not a series of hit-and-run campaigns.”
Read the post: http://bit.ly/11Re4QG
I hope you’re getting nicer weather in your neck of the woods. How about bringing some sunshine to this blog, and sharing your comments or questions below? Happy Monday!