What Do Women Want? Ask Us!

by Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter.

Happy Friday!  This is my first guest post on Yvonne's blog - and it says a lot about blogging relationships and trust that she's asked me to do this (and she's not reviewing before I post.)  So, without further ado, let's talk about marketing to women, we mysterious creatures.

As always, I'm enjoying some of the recent "marketing to women" discussions and articles. Andrea Learned's Huffpo post, Marketing to Women Grows Up; Harley Davidson - Hell's New Angels (from Michele Miller); Seth Godin on Apple's strategy...and so on (Google "marketing to women" and kick back.  But be sure and have lots of snacks by your side, you're going to be reading for a while.)

Ah, the age-old quandary of men everywhere in every culture.  What do those females want?  Of course, the last thing manly men would do is ask. That would involve actual talking.   There are still some retro women out there who'd do the silly "If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you" routine, but most of us will be glad to tell ya.  (Getting us to then shut up is a whole 'nother problem.)

Sure, we may not be able to tell you how our subconscious works (after all, it's "sub") but there are some very conscious things that are critical to successful marketing (to anybody).

Here's the short list of "how to market to women:"

1. Respect
2. Courtesy
3. Honesty
4. Don't assume. Example: Not all women are mommies. Not all mommies are obsessed with diapers...or stains...or cleaning.

Bonus Tip:  Not all women are "white" Anglo-Saxon Protestants. 

As Holly Buchanan notes, simply making your putter pink ain't going to cut it. We're not all enamored of girly stuff...and we like things to make sense.

Conversely - note to my fellow femmes - as Jerry Seinfeld once noted in a classic routine, when you ask a man what he's thinking and he replies "nothing" - that's exactly what he's thinking - nothing.  (I've confirmed this down through the years with highly unscientific research - my Dad, boyfriends, husband, guy friends). Don't nag him for his innermost thoughts - they're not there. That consideration and respect for differences thing should go both ways.  It's really okay to love the Three Stooges even if most of us women Just. Do. Not. Get. It. We also wouldn't run a fastest crapper" race with a bucket over our heads either. 

Read More: Ann Michaels on Gender, Diversity and Learning  (Short blog post, long on smarts.)

Comments

[isabella mori]

wow, was that telepathy or what? i was JUST thinking that a majority of the women i seem to meet online are caucasian ... and here you touch on exactly that: that out in the real world (especially a diverse place like vancouver, where i live) that is so not the case. thanks!

[Yvonne DiVita]

Mary, excellent advice. You outlined the reasons it's good to ASK us... and, as Lena noted, reminded the world that women come in all shapes, sizes and persuasions. Of course, IMHO, the Mom thing is - part of all women's make-up. We're nurturers... but just because we're good at that part of building a relationship, doesn't mean we want to Mother YOU... (mr. or ms. business owner) Maybe, we want YOU to Mother US.

Great job, Mary. Glad to have you on board.

[Mary Schmidt]

Lena,

I hear ya. Until recently, people would look at me with deep compassion and say, "Well, you've still got time." Um, sorry if I'd wanted kids, I would have had them, one way or the other. It's a personal choice, not a biological imperative or obligation.

That said, I love my friend's kids - and I can give the little ones back when they're tired! ;-)

[Lena West]

Mary:

Thanks for having the courage to say that not all women are mommies. I can't stand it when someone assumes that I'm a mom. And, then when I tell them I don't have kids, they look at me like I have three heads.

Some of it is racial, the rest of it is just dumb ass-umption.

And, for the record, I don't want any pink appliances or electronics - black and silver only, please!

-Lena