The mistake marketers make time and again is speaking to women as though they’re all the same. Falling into gender stereotypes is a common pitfall when marketers speak to women in a single, unilateral way – perpetuating the belief that all women want things to be pink, for example. We need to change the conversation from talking “at” her to talking “with” her. When determining how to reach out to women, we look at two key elements to help define our target – the role she plays (Is she a student? A mom?), and her interests (Does she work out? Love to travel, cook, shop?).
The true secret is that it’s more about behavior than gender. So, do the research – look at the data, segment the market, figure out your target’s interests.
Listen and learn before you Launch: Before you reach out to her, understand her lifestyle and learn about what drives her. Next, don’t come to her just to chat – make sure to share a meaningful point of view or solution.
Tap into her emotional quotient: Yes, she has feelings. But unlike conventional wisdom, they don’t cloud her judgment – they sharpen it. Make her feel something about what your product or service is doing for her, for her family and for the world.
Give her what she wants and needs: It’s good for her to get something because she wants it and it’s practical when she needs it – but if marketers can marry the “want and need,” or bring it back to the want at the end, it makes the process much more fun for her.
Reach her where she already is: Marketers should seek her out where she already is rather than always trying to bring her somewhere else. This can be done by targeting the titles she reads, pitching the social media platforms and channels she follows, partnering with like-minded influencers and brands she admires, etc.
STATISTICS
Women account for 85% of all consumer purchases including everything from autos to health care:
91% of New Homes 66% PCs 92% Vacations 80% Healthcare 65% New Cars 89% Bank Accounts 93% Food 93 % OTC Pharmaceuticals American women spend about $5 trillion annually… Over half the U.S. GDP Women represent the majority of the online market
Digital Divas By The Numbers
• 22% shop online at least once a day
• 92% pass along information about deals or finds to others
• 171: average number of contacts in their e-mail or mobile lists
• 76% want to be part of a special or select panel
• 58% would toss a TV if they had to get rid of one digital device (only 11% would ditch their laptops)
• 51% are moms Source: Mindshare/Ogilvy & Mather
Women process information and make purchasing decisions differently than men:
59% of women feel misunderstood by food marketers;
66% feel misunderstood by health care marketers;
74% feel misunderstood by automotive marketers;
84% feel misunderstood by investment marketers
91% of women in one survey said that advertisers don’t understand them
70% of new businesses are started by women
The average black woman spends 3 times as much on beauty products compared with the average woman
Women influence $90 billion dollars worth of consumer electronic purchases in 2007
61% of women influence household consumer electronic buying decisions
Nearly 50% of women say they want more green choices
37% are more likely to pay attention to brands that are committed to environmental causes.
25% of all products in a woman’s shopping cart nowadays are environmentally friendly.When women are aware you support women owned businesses
79% would try your product or service
80% would solidify their brand loyalty
51% would give a company a second chance if a product or service missed the mark the first time
Women make more than 80% of all consumer purchasing decisions
Courtesy :
Md. Nur-Al-Ahad
MBA (UPM, Malaysia), Visiting Scholar (UoM, Japan), BBA (University of Dhaka, Bangladesh).
Lecturer
Department of Entrepreneurship
Daffodil International University
Daffodil Business Incubator Building
105 Shukrabad
Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
