Five do's and don'ts when advertising to women
Long ago, women were not really considered when it came to advertising. It was assumed that men made all the money, and hence, they made all the purchasing decisions. Times have changed dramatically, and women now have tremendous buying power. They make important and significant purchasing decisions, or at the very least, influence heavily on them. If you are stuck in the past without a marketing strategy targeting women, you are missing out on a very powerful demographic. Let us take a look at five do’s and don’ts when advertising to women:
Don’t use the same marketing methods as you do for men
Men and women respond to things in very different ways. A marketing technique that proves to be a hit with a male audience will not necessarily deliver the same results when presented to women. For example, men tend to veer more towards a certain brand or style, whereas women are more interested in how a certain product will help fill a specific need in their life. Do some research and test your marketing strategy on both working and non-working woman.
Don’t be condescending
One of the biggest mistakes that marketers make is addressing women as if they do not understand what you are selling, or cannot make a decision without other people involved. The auto industry, electronics makers, and other such companies tend to fall into this trap. These are industries that are viewed as being male dominated when it comes to purchasing power, but take a look at the cars that pass you on the street and see how many have a woman behind the wheel. Never assume that a woman cannot make all the decisions herself.
Don’t assume women will buy from other women
Businesses owned by females often fall into the trap of thinking they will corner the female market by simply communicating that the company is lead by a female. Well, it is not that simple. All of the things described above must be followed to correctly advertise to women. Do not just skip them thinking that women will buy your product or services because the owner (or CEO) is a woman.
Do use a different tone
The biggest difference between advertising to men and women can usually be found in the tone that you adopt. Women tend to respond more to a conversational style as opposed to being told what works. So, adopt the proper tone and choose your words wisely.
Do make yourself known
Men will look at advertising and focus on the list of features the product or service has to offer when making a decision. Women are often more interested in the person or company that is doing the selling. They want to know that they are buying from someone that they trust, which is why taking a more personal approach is better suited when advertising to women.
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