[I wrote the following post about three months ago and it got such an excellent response that I've decided to re-publish it. If you haven't read it yet, give it a look; if you have read it, you might want a refresher. Starting next week, we'll explore the individual "neighborhoods" of female customers, what makes them tick, and ways to capture their heart.]
I don’t know about you, but the thought of a world full of female consumers scares the livin’ bejeezus out of me.
It’s just too big for me to wrap my brain around.
But a neighborhood of female consumers? That’s a little less intimidating. It’s an easier concept for your noggin to manage. It makes the whole idea of female purchasing power seem less like an alien invasion and more like a block party with really great beer and a kick-ass band.
Let’s say you were moving to New York City. Just the thought of trying to cope in one of the busiest, largest, most aggressive metropolises in the world could easily overwhelm you.
But it doesn’t have to.
Here’s the secret to living in New York: the neighborhood concept.
A New York neighborhood is just a few square blocks in size, each with its own culture and behavior. Focusing on that neighborhood that surrounds you at any given moment helps you to understand and enjoy one microcosm of a much larger society. You get to know the real New York one neighborhood at a time. You begin to appreciate the diverse cultures that are woven together to create a mind-blowing tapestry of humanity. And eventually, you fall in love with a city that initially seemed foreign and out of reach.
What if you applied the neighborhood concept to the world of female consumers?
What if you could break the consumer world down into manageable microcosms of women, each with a specific culture and pattern of consumer behavior?
You can.
In fact, you already have the knowledge you need to draw the defining boundaries. Neighborhoods of female consumers are created through the principles of energy and time horizon.
A neighborhood of female customers, each with its own specific culture and behavior, is determined by the point at which energy and time horizon intersect.
Alice lives at the intersection of Internal Energy & Leave a Legacy.
Janice lives at the intersection of External Energy & In the Moment.
Different intersections. Different neighborhoods. Different behavioral patterns.
Different purchasing processes.
Get it?
Learning that women draw upon different energy sources to charge up and get through the day is the first step to understanding that not all women make purchasing decisions in the same way.
Recognizing that women take action based on personal time horizons is the second step.
Overlaying the two factors brings the world of female customers into focus.
It reveals a collection of neighborhoods that are based not on age, zip code or income, but individual value systems.
It gives you a longitude and latitude to help you get your bearings. It allows you to not only pinpoint the behavioral locations of your customers, but uncovers a map of the territory so you know how to get where she is, and where you need to be.
Suddenly, the world of female customers just got a tiny bit smaller.
And more inviting.
And easier to maneuver.
With tremendous profit potential.
How about exploring the neighborhoods of female customers with me? It’s guaranteed to be an eye opener.
And who knows? You just might end up falling in love with a world that’s really not all that scary.
Stay tuned…
That's just what I needed to read today. Thanks for the info! Very helpful!
Posted by: Julie Stephens | March 11, 2009 at 12:58 PM
A very interesting perspective, and after having been married for 41 years, I agree. Also, living in the midwest - but enjoying periodic visits to New York - I agree with your posting as well.
Posted by: Bob Grant | March 23, 2009 at 09:30 AM
What a unique concept. Thanks for reposting these great insights!
Posted by: Tracey | April 04, 2009 at 01:00 PM
This is great! Thank you :)
Posted by: Jennifer | May 12, 2009 at 08:55 PM