The Edge Marketing

Details, details, details. They usually bore us men to tears or sleep. Here are some details you won't cry or snooze over when you read them. We are asleep at the advertising and marketing switch if we ignore this freight train of information about how women think and make decisions.

The five stages of the buying process:

1. Deciding to buy. Women usually make the decision it's time to buy.

2. Research. Women "shop" the market for possibilities, eliminating the non-contenders.

3. Purchase. Women usually close the sale alone (with exception of car purchases) by making the deal.

4. Maintenance. 83% of household finances are handled by women. If they don't like the attitude, treatment or "feel" of the company, they will fire the company.

5. Referral. Women are much more likely to provide referrals. In insurance, over the lifetime of a customer, a woman provides on average 28 referrals, vs. 13 for men.

Did you catch the word women in each of the five stages above? The points are taken from an interview by Tom Peters with Martha Barletta author of "Marketing to Women."

This shouldn't be a shock, men, but I want to remind you that women notice more things than men. As examples, women notice the belt loop you missed when you got dressed, the look the clerk at the hardware store gave to her, the tone of the teller at the bank. They also notice the grime on the office entry door, the fact that the salesman directs his sales pitch to the male in the couple and that car repair guy has no patience to explain the problem.

Guys, here is the one thing that I want you to notice. Take a deep breath, focus and read the following sentence. Women are the primary customers for your goods or services. Wouldn't it make sense to spend some time and money to do a better job marketing to them?

That doesn't mean we have to enroll in sensitivity school. (although this might not be a bad idea) It does not mean that we have to create new products or services just for women.

Here is what you can do:

1. Recognize and track your female customers who make 85 % of all household purchases.

2. Refocus your advertising and marketing efforts to women when appropriate.

3. Reward referrals since women's word of mouth endorsements will carry much credibility to the listener. Track where the referrals come from and say thank you.

4. A small gesture of a hand written thank you or gift box of hand soap will create a mountain of good will.

Guys, there is more material than ever available on the web and in books and magazines on marketing to women . . .pay attention, are you listening?. . . get the details working for you.

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