There I go again... writing about ageism!

The reason ageism is a recurrent theme with me is that ageism is a pernicious phenomenon -- a silent form of discrimination we don't expose often enough.

Ageism is typically based on unfounded beliefs and perceptions. Ageism is emotionally hurtful. And if that isn't enough, there is validated proof that ageism has a measurable impact on the health of older people.

Psychologist, epidemiologist and Yale professor Becca Levy has been studying the effects of ageism for over thirty years. In her new book, Breaking the Age Code, Levy shows how age beliefs shape all aspects of our lives. Some of Levy's research studies on the health effects of ageism were cited in a recent article in The New York Times. The specifics with regard to negative vs. positive perceptions of aging are fascinating.

For example, one study followed people for forty years. Individuals who, at young ages, had negative stereotypes about aging had twice as high a risk of suffering cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes. In this same study, individuals who held negative beliefs about aging at younger ages "exhibited a sharper decline in the volume of the hippocampus, the brain region associated with memory. They also exhibited, after their deaths, more of the brain plaques and tangles that are Alzheimer’s biomarkers."

In another study, people over 70 who had "positive age beliefs" were found to be "more likely to recover fully from severe disability than those with negative beliefs."

This is striking evidence of the harmful health effects of ageism. It points out that there are real consequences of ageism that manifest themselves in symptoms and illnesses of older people.

In my view, this is not unlike the research that validates the negative health effects of race and gender discrimination. Still, it is worth noting that not everyone is of the same race, and not everyone is the same gender. However, everyone regardless of race or gender undergoes the aging process. If each of us lives long enough into our later years, by engaging in ageism, what are we really doing? It is ironically and tragically sad that discriminating against older people is basically discriminating against ourselves.

Photo by Muskan Anand

HappilyRewired.com is a Wearever Top 20 Senior Blog and a Top 75 Baby Boomer Blog

Discover How World War II Helped Launch "Boomer Brands"

Guest Post by Carla Lopez

As more Boomers start their own businesses, they need ways to boost sales through successful marketing. You have to use the right approach if you want to achieve your goals. If you aren’t sure how to begin, here are three key tips.

1. Don't Overlook Skill-Building

Many entrepreneurs assume that marketing isn’t overly challenging. However, if you don’t have the right marketing skills, it’s far harder to do well than you’d expect.

That’s why seizing skill-building opportunities is essential. Ideally, you want to begin by getting an online business degree and choosing a business management, leadership, or marketing program. That way, you’ll get a solid understanding of how to approach your company, including marketing it effectively.

Pursuing an online MBA is another excellent choice. You’ll learn about marketing, corporate finance, statistics, and economics, all while having enough flexibility to balance family, work, and school.

2. Partner with Another Business for a Cross-Promotion

Cross-promotions can be an excellent option for expanding your reach and tapping into a new customer base. Plus, it’s an affordable option to explore, potentially costing little more than your time and energy.

When you explore businesses to partner with, avoid direct competitors. Instead, find businesses with customer bases that align with your target market but don’t sell the exact same product or service. For example, if you sell high-end accessories, you don’t want to choose a jeweler if you also sell jewelry as there’s too much cross-over. However, you could partner with a clothing boutique or higher-end shoe store, as you may attract similar customers but don’t directly compete.

After that, you’ll need to find a mutually agreeable approach. One simple way is to showcase each other’s businesses on social media, allowing you to introduce each company to the other’s followers. You can use a similar approach in email newsletters, as well as on your websites.

Offering discounts to shoppers who come from one business and then buy at the other can work. Coming together to sponsor a contest or giveaway is another stellar option, as well as joint-hosting an event, like a fair, concert, or similar community activity.

3. Offer a Free Class that Relates to Your Product or Service

Free classes that relate to your product or service can be great marketing options, especially if your offerings come with a bit of a learning curve. You can show current and prospective customers how to make the most of their purchase, ensuring they see the value in what you sell.

If you’re looking for an easy to deploy, passive option, consider designing an online course that’s available on-demand. Usually, this involves creating a video that you can host on your website or post on a popular platform, like YouTube. That way, you can publish the content once and continuously share information that customers may find beneficial with ease.

In some cases, a live in-person or online workshop could be a better choice. You can engage with customers directly and create a highly authentic experience, both of which may work in your favor. Usually, some simple calendaring and video conferencing software is enough to make this happen

If a full-blown class isn’t ideal for your product or service, you could use a slightly different approach. For example, you can create a post-sale drip campaign to share tips, tricks, and insights over several days or weeks. Along the way, you could even present upselling or companion products and services, potentially snagging a few more sales. Just make sure that the advice always takes center stage, increasing the odds of engaging customers.

These are just three marketing tips to help you find success as a Boomer entrepreneur.

Carla Lopez retired a couple of years ago, but she didn’t lose her entrepreneurial spirit. She created Boomer Biz for retirees like herself who still have a desire to work and achieve. The site is a resource for people in their golden years who want to start their own business or go back to work doing what they love.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

HappilyRewired.com is a Wearever Top 20 Senior Blog and a Top 75 Baby Boomer Blog

Discover How World War II Helped Launch "Boomer Brands"

In February, I wrote a post that cited statistics regarding the high percentage of small business owners who are Boomers. "Small business" is a deceiving term because its definition varies by industry sector. In professional services, for example, "small" could be a business with just a handful of employees, while in manufacturing, "small" may be a business that has several hundred employees. The United States Census Bureau reports a statistic that may shock you: The majority of U.S. businesses have fewer than five employees.

From an entrepreneurial Boomer's perspective, "small" could mean a one-person business. At that size, such a business is likely to be in the professional services sector -- accounting, business consulting, law, marketing and so on. There are many obvious advantages to a one-person business, not the least of which is low overhead. In fact, in today's networking economy, a one-person professional services business can offer even more services to clients simply by sub-contracting other professionals. One person could also operate as an independent contractor, taking on project assignments or filling in as a contracted worker when an employer has a specialized or short-term need. This particular aspect of business is what the "gig economy" is all about.

For older Boomers who draw monthly Social Security benefits and must take Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from their retirement accounts, a one-person business can be an attractive way to leverage work experience and generate modest additional income. For the most part, the primary goal of these Boomers is probably personal satisfaction rather than income generation. On the other hand, there are sure to be a substantial number of older Boomers who have no intention of "retiring" and continue to work in their own businesses, either part-time or full-time, with the goal of making some serious money. Younger Boomers not yet ready to draw retirement benefits may be even more motivated to use self-employment for financial gain.

The "X" factor, in my opinion, is how much drive you have to be your own boss. I'll use myself as an example. I owned and operated a direct marketing agency for two decades, starting out as a one-person business and growing it to more than fifty employees. After leaving that agency, I went to another advertising firm for a few years. Honestly, working for someone else was not something I enjoyed, so my next move was to operate a small business with my spouse for seven years. Then I transitioned to a part-time writing business.

Even though the size of each of my own businesses was dramatically different, I have basically been a small business owner all along. That has helped me understand what it means to be self-employed.

Should you or shouldn't you consider working independently? Obviously this is a very personal decision that involves an assessment of your own experience/capabilities as well as your income goals. But if the drive to be on your own isn't a fire in your gut and you still want to work, you might be better off pursuing a part-time or full-time position with another employer rather than working for yourself.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

HappilyRewired.com is a Wearever Top 20 Senior Blog and a Top 75 Baby Boomer Blog

Discover How World War II Helped Launch "Boomer Brands"