Article
by Barbara Ashton for SOHO Report September 2006
Seven Ways to Please a Woman

We all know about the incredible purchasing power of women over 45 but we still have a hard time filling up one hand with companies doing it right.

Yes, marketers like Revlon and Dove are embracing a woman’s new image of beauty.  But for the large part women 50 and older still say they feel invisible to marketers. 

Understanding the Unmet Needs of Women

This should be the goal of every savvy marketer.  If, like they say, 50 is the new 30, and pink is the new black, marketers need to be vigilant about paying attention to the ever-shifting demographics of their female consumers.

"It's the psyche of a company that needs to change," said Fara Warner, author of Power of the Purse.  "There has been this sense that you can come up with a tactical way of reaching women in ad campaigns, but what really makes companies understand women is seeing them as their most important consumers instead of a specialized category."

Women are: Loyal customers Relationship-oriented Interested in group consensus Thorough in their research prior to the purchase Worried about the feelings of others Value-oriented Appreciative of respect and integrity in a business relationship

Deliver on Your Promises

While women form more emotional connections with a brand, they are harder to attract than men. Women are also less forgiving than the male consumer, so delivering on what you say you’ll do, or where she thinks the next click is taking her, suddenly becomes very important. 

At the sticks and bricks retail level, when a woman enters your store your brand is much more likely to stick when you engage all five of her senses, i.e., think softer lighting, offer water or candy, use mildly scented aromatherapy, background music, comfortable chairs and fitting rooms.   

Get Involved in Her Community

According to Leslie Grossman, author of Sellsation! How companies can capture today's hottest market: Women business owners and executives, “Women like to invest in companies that work to build a relationship with them.”

Why not set up special interest groups and panel discussions on your website?  Or try your hand at sponsoring conferences.  Set up women-only in-person gatherings at your place of business.

Grossman cites MicroSoft which organizes events for women executives, including golf training. Microsoft realizes, unlike most men, that women prefer a training session at golf rather than a ‘golf-day’ in which they would be playing against each other competitively."

Add Loads of Online Content

Women read more online than men do.  "Companies need to acknowledge that women weigh more factors than men," says Marti Barletta, author and CEO of the Trendsight Group. “Women shop Men buy! Their purchase paths are as different as day and night.”

According to Barletta, you can “convert female prospects into customers by understanding her purchase process and delivering the information she craves at the
right time and in the right place”

By offering reference links that she can go to for more information, you’ll gain long term credibility and keep her online longer with each visit.   And don’t be afraid to tell it like it is.  Your site’s customer testimonials come off a great deal more reality based when there are a few un-outstanding ones thrown into the mix.

Women Like Options

Offer multiple conversion activities, including an email newsletter sign-up form, a classic contact us form, event registration, and links to buy product

Books sell credibility much better than videos.  Women feel stuck when a video starts and will skip them more often than men do. A word on selling books online:  Linking to a credible bookstore says clearly that your book is not self-published.

Community Sells

Women like to feel part of a community.  Open your site up to stimulating voices and perspectives by welcoming reader comments on your site.  Invite and offer up fresh ideas and creative solutions.  Do this right and she’ll not only come back for more - being the consummate viral messenger, she’ll tell her friends about you as well.

Don’t Stereotype

Know this: Brands that in any way stereotype women sexually or occupationally in advertising are a real turn off, especially to the more powerful over 50 crowd.  Women will consciously turn away from these companies.  If at all in doubt, don’t do it. 

Do acknowledge her achievements, her diversity, her financial clout and perhaps even her lack of sleep. Just keep in mind that she doesn’t just expect or hope for respect; today’s woman demands it.

Barbara Ashton is the principal of About Women, a consultancy on building online women’s markets, and Ashton Online, a full service online marketing agency. Engage, Shift, Optimize … Ask how at www.ashtononline.ca or call Barbara Ashton at 604-805-5869.

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