UD SBDC and PCS Social Media Marketing program inspire second career
Originally posted in UDaily.
An avid social media user who was embracing his passion for rhythm and blues music with a blog and a couple of Facebook pages, Anthony Powell was looking to do something different after retiring from his teaching career. He read the descriptions for UD’s fundamentals and advanced social media marketing courses, as well as firsthand accounts provided by previous students, and was intrigued by the prospect of turning his hobby into a profession.
“Social media marketing is a wide open field,” said Powell, who will turn 63 in February. “All you have to do is pull up Indeed and see the tons of open jobs. I said, ‘Wouldn’t that be crazy to start my own agency at my age.’ ’’
Like many of the billions of social media users out there, Powell thought he knew a lot about Facebook and the other platforms available to anyone with a computer, tablet or smartphone. He quickly recognized there is a big difference between personal and business social media use and acknowledges that he had plenty to learn before assisting others. Powell was also especially impacted by lessons on using metrics, the importance of social listening to manage and prevent crises, and the need for hashtags.
Shortly after completing the fundamentals class, Powell posted his certificate on Facebook and promptly received several inquiries from organizations looking for assistance with their social media initiatives. With the support of the Delaware Small Business Development Center, he started a business and was hired by a local church as his first client.
