We were going to tell a story today...it seems like such a long time since we told a story, and stories are such wonderful ways to convey information...but Jane's desk is littered with unfinished tasks leftover from a week ago, making the storytelling idea an impossibility. We will try to fit one in later this week. We have several to tell.

Before going on to read our update today, Jane would like to direct visitors to the Dickless Marketing website, where Yvonne DiVita has updated the homepapge with an important announcement. Lip-sticking congratulates her and hopes our readers will do the same.

Now, today's update; valuable information to help you capture the women's market in time for ... yes, the coming shopping season, which stretches from Oct of this year through Jan of 2005. Remember that -- Jane begins shopping NOW and continues shopping well after much of the holiday season is officially over. If we have readers who celebrate holidays beyond the common ones here in the U.S., or holidays Jane is not mentioning but should be mentioning, we are eager to hear from you. Do not let us wander around uninformed, please!

At the Center for Women's Business Research Jane learned that

"Washington, DC – Women-owned businesses increasingly are driving the economic health of the top 50 metropolitan areas through job creation and generating revenues. In a report released today, the Center for Women’s Business Research shows that the number of women-owned businesses in the top 50 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) continues to grow faster than the economy in general. The 5.1 million privately-held, 50% or more women-owned firms located in the top 50 MSAs employ 9.5 million people and generate $1.3 trillion in annual sales."

This information is from a study based on "both published and unpublished data from the Financial Statistics Division of the U.S. Bureau of the Census," with tables available in a PDF at Women's Business Research. More information on the trends in women-owned businesses can also be found at Metro Numbers.

Surely, understanding where the fastest growing woman-owned businesses are, and how much money is being spent on these businesses, will help you market to them. Surely, recognizing that women are contributing to the economy on a large scale, is important enough to note on your homepage, or on your updates and info page. Surely, you will NOT ignore these stats?

Perhaps understanding why women are so good at building businesses will also be a help. At the Online Women's Business Center, through the SBA, we learned how the "explosive growth of women-owned businesses over the past decade attests to the Success of their non-traditional style." For example,

-- More than half of women business owners (53 percent) emphasize intuition or "right-brain" instead of "left-brain," which emphasizes analysis, the processing of information methodically, and developing procedures. Intuitive processes often allow someone to see opportunities that aren't readily apparent and to know if they are right without the use of reason and analysis.

TRANSLATION: we use our intuition more often than men, and, studies have shown that this is a useful, viable way to conduct business. You don't have to believe us...in 2002, Business 2.0 published an article on this subject titled "How to Think with Your Gut" noting that "Firefighters don't weigh alternatives. They simply grab the first idea that seems good enough, then the next, and the next after that." While business isn't firefighting, it oftens seems to be fraught with split-second decision making, and, in that case, intuitiveness works best.

-- Women entrepreneurs describe their businesses in family terms and see their business relationships as a network. This "personal touch" is often what drives employee motivation and productivity.

TRANSLATION: Friendship, friendship, friendship...where have you heard that before???

-- Women entrepreneurs tend to find satisfaction and Success from building relationships with customers and employees, from having control of their own destiny, and from doing something that they consider worthwhile.

TRANSLATION: Women are major players in the Give to Get arena. We GIVE of ourselves, knowing we will not only GET personal satisfaction, but we will acquire new customers or clients who openly appreciate that Give to Get principle.

Now, what's not to like about that?