Dr. Mary Manz Simon,
ALOA Board of Directors
The landscape has shifted.
The post-pandemic older adult prioritizes value. That’s not only true when grocery shopping, but also in choosing how we spend God’s gift of time.
Adopt creative communication in older adult ministry to reflect this recent mindscape shift. Although some of the following ideas might appear counterintuitive at first glance, give them a try!
- Target your market. Who are you serving? The 55+ population? Retirees of various ages? Those 65 and older? Avoid advertising to the world. Instead, focus communication on the defined demographic, your world of older adults.
- Create a pathway. Why should an older adult invest their limited time in your event? Answer this question by highlighting the value of what you offer. If your activity aligns with the needs of your target market, you automatically create a path to older adult ministry.
- Incorporate stories. Stories shift the conversation from “me and you” to “we.” As older adults, we have many interesting stories to tell. Use the stories (but edit for length and details!)
- Images communicate. We are a visually-driven society. Choose crisp photos. Crop smart. People don’t need to see ant-sized people; they only need to see one or two faces of potential friends.
- White space can be a plus. Blank space makes your content stand out. Be strategic with content. Sometimes the more you include, the more likely a person will find one detail that eliminates their participation! Less detail can compel people to participate and find out more about older adult ministry options.
Check out this video to find additional suggestions on how to increase participation in your older adult ministry events.
Take a look at previous posts for more inspiration for older adult ministry.