I’m in the middle of a dilemma. As always, I’ve been doing a lot of reading about our demographic. In the past two months a lot of studies have indicated that Silver Vixens will not be successful because we do not participate in social networks, we see no value in them, we don’t want to risk our privacy, we aren’t that technologically savvy–and on and on.
Late one night recently I found myself wide awake wondering what to make of all the negativity. Should I give up and pull down the website? Should I change my expectations? What to do?
Here’s what I decided:
- I would take each of the negatives apart to see if there was something I could learn.
- I would go back and check the sources and how they might have benefited from their gloom and doom. Did it make them seem more expert? We all know that bad news sells and good news languishes.
- I would see how their points applied to my business in particular.
- I would compare their findings with what I have seen and heard myself.
I felt much better. Isn’t it amazing how being proactive helps our outloook? Here’s what I learned:
- Each of the points had merit, but they were also opportunities! In response, I have added solid information to the site and will continue to add more regularly; I added the ability to respond to each other anonymously. I will shortly be adding fun, clear ways to learn to use the website.
- Some of the authors were men–very knowledgable, but they haven’t lived our experience and perhaps don’t know the correct questions to ask.
- Where the points applied to Silver Vixens, I mined them for the gold I knew was there.
- We all know how easy it is to trust “experts” over what we intuitively know. I remembered that the worst mistakes I’ve made occurred when I didn’t trust what I really knew. All my knowledge has worth!
Yes, it pays to see what the experts have to say, but let’s not blindly accept their “facts.” Silver Vixens continues to grow and to make a difference!
This entry was posted on Thursday, July 10th, 2008 at 9:20 am and is filed under Marketing, Technology, Personal Growth, General Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.4 Responses to “Listening to the Experts . . . or Not”
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July 14th, 2008 at 11:02 am
I’m over 55 and just opened an online store selling Fun Car Tattoos, magnets for your car. I’m really hesitant to use social networks. Not only do I not understand how they work, I still can’t figure out why people join them in such numbers.
Having said that, I feel like I’m being pulled into the new age. Last week, I had the highest number of “hits” to my website. (www.funcartattoos.com). It turns out that they came from StumbleUpon.com . I’m not sure how my website ended up at StumbleUpon but I’m not complaining. It got a lot of people to my site!
Along these lines, one of my younger friends told me that I just “had” to put a video on youtube. Believe it or not, I do have a video there and it’s getting some response.
I guess that if we want our businesses to be successful, we are going to have to check out the technology that is available and be open to using it!
Jo Anne Cohn
www.funcartattoos.com
July 14th, 2008 at 11:13 am
Jo Anne, Good for you! You have jumped into technology and it’s paying off! Was it tough to put yor video on YouTube?
I really like your business and your website — it really communicates FUN!
July 17th, 2008 at 9:16 am
I have been online since the late 90’s and cannot imagine my life without it. I retired from my 9 to 5 in 2005, however, started writing [freelance] online the year before I left my job because I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Social sites are essential to people like me.
I am not sure where the experts are looking, but you can be sure that there are plenty “after 55’s” participating in online social networks.
Keep up the great work.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Vannie,
I don’t know who the experts are talking to either! But we know how many experts there are — perhaps they talk to each other.
Thanks for the kind words!