WonderBranding: Marketing to Women

The Personal Mark of J. Crew

Sometimes, the littlest things can fortify a brand in the customer's mind.

Take this card, which arrived with my J. Crew mail order a few days ago:

(Click on the image for a full-size version)

Polishes away a little of the corporate stigma and lends the personal touch.  Granted, the card is printed, not handwritten, but it's thoughtful just the same.  And smart marketing.  All for pennies on the dollar.

What's keeping you from sending a note like this to your customers?  If you want to connect with the female consumer, this is the kind of no-brainer marketing you need to be thinking about.  Anyone can do it - why not you?

My Newest Hero: Bill Chase II

To:        Michele Miller

From:   Bill Chase II - High Tech Corp.

Date:   Jan 6, 2009

Re:      Real Life Example

Hi Michele,

My name is Bill Chase. I own a Home Improvement company in Haverhill, MA (approx 35 miles north of Boston).

Thanks for your notes on marketing. I really enjoy reading them. Also, enjoyed reading your book and look forward to the next one.

The reason for my email is I wanted to share with you a recent experience that related to one of your last email topics, Connection vs. Control. My experience is an example on giving her control and if you are honest with her and reveal transparency she will become a loyal customer and evangelist for your brand.

A few years ago I did a large project for a single mom we will call Amelia. Amelia is independent and owns her own business. Her life is hectic as she cares for her 8 year old son and runs her business. She has no time for delays in her life. When I presented the samples on my original visit she knew what she wanted and went ahead with the project that same day.

The project was going well until the town stopped us for remodeling her front porch. This was due to a special variance needed that my company failed to obtain. After dealing with the town and having to go before a variance board this delayed the job for almost 3 months! Her house wasn’t in shambles but didn’t look the best. She was very upset with us to say the least.

How did I handle this situation?

I did not blame my staff for the mistake or anyone else. I took full responsibility for not getting the correct permits to begin with. I simply told her I messed up and had made a terrible judgment.  I also gave her my cell number so she could be in constant contact with me if she wanted to. I also took the time and went to the variance meeting with her as she plead her case before the board.

Ultimately, we got the correct permit and completed the job. I must admit I had to bite my tongue a few times throughout this process but never lost track of the goal of making Amelia happy and completing the project.
 
Fast forward 2 years later: 

Last week, I got a phone call from Amelia.

Her neighbor recently stopped her and commented on how nice her house looked. The neighbor wanted the company’s name who did the work for her. Amelia not only gave her my card but called me (on my cell phone)to give me the potential clients information. I guarantee you she would have not reached out the way she did if her problem was not handled the way it was a few years back.

Problems occur in business. Nobody is perfect. This example shows if you are honest and up front despite bumps along the road (some bigger than others) most customers will understand and if handled correctly will be champions for your brand.

Looking forward to a great ’09.

Best,
Bill Chase II
Hi Tech Windows & Siding

Citizen Branding: Urban Planning For Women

Businesses aren’t the only ones who are thinking about marketing to women… now, entire cities are jumping on board.

An article in USA Today discusses the trend of city planning to make urban areas safer and easier to navigate:

“Medical experts, concerned about increased rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension, have studied how the design of cities affects health for some time. Now, they're focusing on its impact on an increasingly prominent demographic segment of the urban landscape: women.”

Philadelphia has put together design teams to study the issue and come up with solutions, including repairing sidewalks, giving women more time to cross at crosswalks, designing housing without stairs, and improving public transportation and exercise options.

Consider these statistics:

• There are 118.5 million women in the nation's central cities and their suburbs, more than half the urban population.
• About 17 million women in those areas are age 65 and older — almost 60% of the total number of seniors in cities.
• Women 65 and older are three times as likely as their male counterparts to live alone.
• More than 14 million women live alone in cities.
• More than 23 million women are heads of households.
• More than 60% of those who care for an older person are women.

All hail Philadelphia for seeing a need and working to strengthen its brand with female citizens.  Let’s hope other cities around the country follow suit.

My New Love Affair

No, no... don't worry.  Husband knows all about it.  I confessed all yesterday, as I couldn't hide my lust any longer.  And he's fine with it, since the object of my desire proves to be no competition for him.

Meet my new love affair with the Sleep Squad, a portable mattress showroom company in Chicago that offers the ultimate in customized mattress buying.  When I encounter a business like this that is focused on delivering the best product and unparalleled customer service, I want to run right up to it and kiss it on the mouth...

Ahem.  Sorry. 

Lest I get too carried away here, be sure to check out my extended post on Sleep Squad and a truly remarkable interview with founder Michael Cote over at  AmericanSmallBusiness.com. (And if you feel so inclined, please click the thumbs-up!)  You won't be sorry - it's a humdinger, and inspiration for anyone  who aspires to extreme retail.  This is what it's gonna take to compete with the future.

Do you know of any other examples like Sleep Squad that might get my heart racing?  I'd love to hear about them for research I'm doing for an upcoming book.  Post your info here or email me!

Great Example of Local Marketing to Women

I’d like to take all the credit, but really… just call me a catalyst for change.

All of my WonderBranding students are amazing achievers.  Just the fact that they take several days out of their insanely busy schedules, fly to Austin, AND pay tuition shows their commitment to growing their business through marketing to women.

Every once in awhile, I have a group of students that takes what they’ve learned at WonderBranding and creates a breakthrough campaign.  Most recently, it’s Terry and Bill Oehler, financial advisors for Assante Wealth Management in Regina Saskatchewan.  Working with their Wizard partner, Jane Fraser (who also attended the class), they’ve come up with a spot-on series of radio ads that speak directly to heart of women.

Give a listen to these examples:

Radio Ad #1

Radio Ad #2

Radio Ad #3

Listen for how they:

• Address one point and one point only – time is limited and you cannot tell your whole story in one ad
• Create visual points of reference that are planted in the right side of the brain – “seed time and harvest;” “conducting a symphony”
• Talk about the importance of connection – both personal and professional
• Bring Terry to life as an expert through the referral of people you trust
• Don’t exclude men – they hint at the very special type of man who’ll also love working with Terry

Congratulations go out to Terry, Bill, and Jane for showing how businesses of any size can develop a creative and highly effective marketing message that will only get stronger as time goes on.

Interested in learning how to do what this group has achieved?  Consider getting yourself to Austin for the next WonderBranding seminar on April 22 & 23.  A good time is guaranteed… and you may just leave finding yourself changed for the better!

Move Over Lads - This Ale Is For Her

The up and coming generation of young women doesn’t seem to be sitting still for the current state of marketing to women.  Holly recently turned me on to 3iying, the all-female creative agency and think tank that’s built around teenage employees; their series of flip this ad videos is getting lots of attention from the advertising industry.

Now, a 19 year-old Englishwoman by the name of Harriet Easton is taking on the world of alcoholic beverages.  Tired of the way English ale has been traditionally marketed, Harriet has created Harry’s Ale, a brew formulated specifically for women.

"The way real ale is branded is an absolute turn-off for girls at the moment,” Harriet says.  “Imagine any of my friends walking up to a barman and ordering a pint of ‘Old Ruddy Fart’. I wanted to create a beer that epitomises today's new woman: sassy, beautiful and bright. And Harry’s Ale is just that.”

Anyone can come up with the idea of ale for women, but Harriet is passionate about it.  She raised the necessary funds from friends and family to produce the ale, and did in-depth research to come up with the perfect flavor. 

According to the article:

“… she organised an initial meeting with a tasting panel of 20 women aged 18 to 60 plus to find out what flavour would complement what beer style. It became clear the majority of women preferred citrus flavours, and out of those they then chose their favourite citrus flavours - lime and orange - which formed the basis of the new beer.

For the final tasting sessions, varying strengths of orange were sampled to determine which "hit the spot" on the female palate.

Now fully developed, Harry’s Beer is a modest 4.2 per cent alcohol, and described as light and fruity with extracts of orange.”

Harriet is one smart marketer, mainly because of two things.  One, her taste-testing panel included women ages 18-60 – she didn’t limit herself to age demographics.  Two, she branded the ale through flavor, not name.  Believe me, if you’re an ale drinker, you feel much more with it if you step up to the bar and say, “Give me a Harry’s Ale,” than if you were to order something called Pink & Pretty Ale.

Keep your eye on these up-and-comers in the business world.  It’s obvious they will be the catalyst for change in business and advertising, through a do-it-yourself attitude.  And keep your eye out for Harry’s Ale hitting the U.S. in the not-so-distant future.  Something tells me Harriet is not one to limit herself to one side of the globe.

Now I Heart Zappos, Too

Thanks to Seth for pointing out I Heart Zappos, the honest-to-god, real-life, over-the-top, move-you-to-tears customer story of 2007.

Have a small advertising budget?  Want to create something extraordinary?  Read the post and see why everyone is crazy about Zappo's.  Think that post isn't some of the best word-of-mouth ever?  The greatest thing about it is that it was never intended as a marketing ploy.  Zappo's just has a heart, which makes it all the more potent.

Sometimes, I just fall in love with a company.  Zappo's is my new crush.

Biggest Mistakes in Marketing to Women

Wanna make two gynormous mistakes when it comes to marketing to women?  Then:

1.  Believe that low, low prices are the most important thing to her.
2.  Believe that you’re marketing to her and her alone.

Here are some recent purchases I’ve made:

When Price Didn’t Matter

• Spending $5.03 on a small container of veggies at AJ’s because the deli manager took the time to come out from behind the counter and find me in the store to tell me they were freshly steamed.

• Spending $15 more for a pair of fitness shoes on NB Web Express, because they have a free return policy (they even print out the return slip and place in the box) and they write personal thank you notes to their customers.

• Spending more than you want to know (you’d need smelling salts) on my Fuji road bike because when I was first shopping, the salesman at Bikes Direct spent 20 minutes talking about what my needs were and how I’d be using the bike before he even suggested trying one out.

When You Marketed to Me Through My Husband

• Well, there’s that little story of the kitchen tile...

• Recommending a local chiropractor to no less than three girlfriends because of the excellent experience Husband has had (and I’ve never been to see this doctor myself!)

When I Made Purchasing Decisions That Affected Others:

• Choosing Halloween treats for my WonderBranding class, opting to buy from a store that had listed driving directions on its website.

• Making hotel reservations for friends for the upcoming Wizard Academy reunion - choosing a hotel because I love their beds.

• Recommending my vet to a gal at my gym because of the fantastic experiences I’ve had when taking Penny the WonderDog.

Stop thinking you are marketing directly to women and that you always have to reach out for new customers.  Your existing customers are the straightest line to profit and word-of-mouth influence.  And don’t think that because you’re talking to man you have to act differently.  Remember, he probably has a girlfriend/wife/sister/mother/daughter he’s going to turn to when he has a rotten experience, and that can be the worst kind of marketing-to-women strategy.

Where Are We After Ten Years?

Hat tip to TomPeters.com for directing us to Ten Years After, an article by Dori Molitor of WomanWise.com that is a "state of the union" on marketing to women.  It's insightful and calls for deeper understanding of women as consumers.

You can download a copy of the article here.

Hell's New Angels

You’ll not find me dressed in leather chaps, astride a hog anytime soon, but I like what Harley-Davidson is doing to reach out to women.  There’s an interesting article in the New York Times (free subscription required) about H-D’s efforts to connect with the increasing number of female motorcyclists in the U.S.  Twenty years ago, there were about 1,000 hogs sold; last year it was 32,000. 

Read the article for some worthwhile information on Harley’s marketing efforts - there are tidbits of wisdom you might be able to apply to your own business:

• Female clothing that says “all girl” without losing the Harley cachet
• Garage parties, to teach women the basics of motorcycling
• An effective website presence (although they still need a link directly from Harley’s home page!) that highlights lessons, stories, and connects riders

These two quotes say it all:

“Fifty percent of the population is female and there is pent-up demand,” said James L. Ziemer, Harley-Davidson’s chief executive. “We need to remove barriers.”

“I want to get away from the fear,” said Leticia Andrade, a 40-year-old business systems analyst who wore a V-neck Harley-Davidson T-shirt festooned with roses and a butterfly. “My kids are grown and gone, I’m a grandma now, and it’s time for me.”

Women riders are growing at double-digit rates, and Harley-Davidson seems to have a carefully planned, highly focused strategy in place for dominating the market. 

Hmmm.  I wonder if there’s a garage party planned for around here... (shhh - don’t tell my husband!)