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.

Comments

[Scott Howard]

Thank you for spelling out and sharing examples of how many different ways there are to reach people, once again!

[terry]

ur blog is good for correcting errors in bussiness and in life also. it helps to promote and achieving targets. BraveHeart Women Global Community has launched a new Incredible Vision.
They now Empower & Inspire Women to get to the next level in their lives.
at www.BraveHeartWomen.com

[Piotr Jakubowski]

Based simply on the human need to communicate and gossip (exhibit A: the racks of tabloid magazines), you'd think that these companies would better understand the most effective ways of advertising to their customers.

From what I have learned, the companies that have branded the best may not always provide superior products. They always, however, provide superior service. One of my favorite brands is Singapore Airlines, their service is just in a league of its own. And guess what, I talk about it all the time. If people are flying on routes that are offerred by SQ, I make an effort to let them know that they are available, and they will impress. (A hard sell with all these horror flight stories, right?)

It's just like the example you mentioned of the NB shoes above and the personal touch. I believe that every person is willing to spend more on something they believe truly connected with them. And if my friends talk to me about the positive experiences that they have had with a product or company, why wouldn't I listen to them.

Would you say that we live in an experience econoomy?

[Sharon Gutowski]

What you say is so true! For me, not being taken seriously is the one thing I will not tolerate under any circumstances especially from sales people. I encounter this sometimes when I go to buy camera or computer equipment. Most people's paradigm of professional photographer is a man, and some people just don't believe me. I never buy from anyone who tries to tell me what I want, or tell me why I'm wrong to ask about something they don't carry.

Most people think the bride is in charge of weddings, but I wouldn't say that's the case. Most brides want happy husbands and parents often have a voice in things also.

Sharon