Marketing to Women Online

Websites for Women - Common Mistakes Part 3

I was talking with Jean at All Moms Go To Heaven, our guinea pig site, er....our test subject, and she has seen a definite increase in activity on her site.   By fixing her home page, and and making the suggested changes to her nomination form, she's seen an increase in sales, nominations, and overall positive comments on her site.

But there's still a lot of room for improvement.

So - let's take a look at another common mistake when creating websites for women - category pages.

I've written about category pages before and how important they are, especially if you are targeting women. 

So let's take a look at All Moms Go To Heaven and see what improvements we can make on their shopping page.

Websites for Women - Common Mistakes - Part 1

So, you've finally done it.   You've started your own business.   You've found something you're really passionate about.  You know it's a good product/service.

So now that you have a business, you know an important first step is to create a website.  You contact good people, throw down some cash, and voila - you've got a good lookin' website. 

There's just one problem.   You're not getting any results from it.

I know.  I've heard from all sorts of women (and men) who are just as frustrated as you are.   So in a series of posts, I'm going to look at some of the most common problems when creating a website targeting women (since most of you ARE targeting women), and how to fix those problems.

Jean Johnson at All Moms Go To Heaven has bravely volunteered to be our case study.  Her site has many of the most common problems I see, so it's the perfect example to work with.

Websites for Women - Common Mistakes - Part 1 - The Home page

All Mom's Go To Heaven suffers from an ineffective home page.  Visitors see nothing but images and very little copy.  (see example to left as the actual page may have changed by the time you view this) Your home page must do two things....... 

Dove's Pro-Age Campaign

Here's something to get you thinking...

Nearly 60% of women globally believe that if magazines were reflective of a population, a person would likely believe women over 50 do not exist.

It's tough to respond to ads when you never see yourself in those ads.  When you do see women over 50, it's almost always a stereotype in an ad for Medicare, or a financial planning service, or someone's grandmother.    Break away from those stereotypes and she will notice you and your ads. 

Dove is doing just that....again.   They are generating a lot of interest.  Check out Michele Miller's blog for some insight into how women feel about the campaign.

As usual, I was interested in how well the website was integrated into their marketing strategy.  I think they did a pretty good job this time.  But I do have one suggestion (Come on Dove, you didn't think you were going to get away that easy :)....

There is some awesome information, but it is completely buried in the FAQ section.   Some of this should really be front and center in their campaign. 

I was curious about the products - if they aren't supposed to stop aging, what are they supposed to do? 

 

Have You Stayed at a Kimpton Hotel?

I'm standing in the lobby waiting on some friends when a guy walks into the beautiful marble foyer with his pet Pug.  The bellman walks over, leans down, and asks the Pug how his stay was.   The pooch responds with a smile and a tail wag.  The bellman gives him a scratch behind his ears and walks back to his post.

There's a difference between saying your hotel is "pet friendly" and actually being pet friendly.  Kimpton Hotels understands that difference.   We are surrounded by so much marketing hype it is truly refreshing to see a company who believes in "showing" rather than "telling."

It isn't one big thing that Kimpton Hotels does that impresses me - it is the dozens of little things.  And it's the consistency.  The total experience from pulling into the front door to check out is seamless - as is their follow up communication.

This should be especially good news for Kimpton since they make an active effort to market and cater to women.

So what specifically is Kimpton doing that has converted me into one of their biggest fans?   Here's a list......

Better Characters Make Better Commercials

Ever have one of those "aha!" moments?   Mine usually come at 3:08 am.   No kidding - there is about a 7 minute window but it's almost always between 3:05 and 3:12 am.  Must be something going on with my biorhythm.

What was my "aha" moment?  I've seen this commercial about a dozen times - the diamond anniversary pendant commercial.  You know the one - the guy gets up in the middle of the night and puts a beautiful 3 diamond pendant necklace on his sleeping wife.

I really like the guy in that commercial, but I couldn't figure out exactly why - until 3:08 this morning.   Was it the beautiful diamonds he gave to his wife?  Was it the cute way he put the necklace around her neck?  Was it his amazing sense of romance?   No - it was because he shut the window. 

Right after he gets out of bed, he shuts the window.  It was obviously cold outside, and had probably gotten cold in the room - and he didn't want his wife to be cold.    That's what sold me on this guy.   It was extremely subliminal - but it worked.  (probably because it was so subtle)

What happened at 3:08 am this morning is - my synapses fired and I connected the commercial with an article Bryan Eisenberg sent me about character development.   That article is a must read for any marketer who wants to truly connect with their audience.

Here's why it's so powerful...

When To Create Discussion Forums

One of the best ways to generate word of mouth and create brand evangelists is to create a discussion forum.   What could be better than giving hundreds, thousands, or even millions of your customers or potential customers a forum where they can talk about your products day night?  They can swap stories and passions and ideas.   

Many companies think creating a discussion forum is a great idea.  They think, "of course - people love us and our products - they'd like nothing better than to have a place where they can meet and talk about us for hours".

I wonder what would happen if I, Holly Buchanan, created my own discussion forum.  All my fans could congregate and talk about me and all the things I'm passionate about, from marketing to women, to addictions to Swedish Fish , to what to do about your Boston Terrier's snoring problem.

There's just one problem - no one cares about Holly Buchanan.   (Ok, my mom does, but.....)   

Do people share some of my same passions?  Sure they do.    I know I have more than one reader, so someone other than my mother is reading the blog.   But is my brand strong enough that people really want to talk about me?   No, it's not.

Yet many companies think their customers are so passionate about the company and what it sells that, of course, they need a discussion forum.    Apple needs a discussion forum - you probably don't.......unless......

Women and Word of Mouth - Good and Bad

I attended the Women's Internet Marketing Summit this weekend put on by the Women's ECommerce Association International.    There was lots of great stuff, but by far the highlight was the heated discussion about ethics in blogging.   The "Harnessing the Blogosphere" panel featured several top women bloggers. 

The key question was - is it ok to get paid to blog and what do you need to disclose. 

the overwhelming response was - keep it authentic and true.  If you absolutely must do a blog that is paid for by an advertiser - you must be incredible explicit and offer full disclosure.

One of the panelists writes a blog that is sponsored by an advertiser.  She gets paid to write the blog.  But she is very specific and up front about her relationship with the advertiser.   

I still sensed some squirming.    This is a subject these women are really really passionate about.   Authenticity and transparency in blogging is something many bloggers, including myself, hold sacred.   I'll just say, from the panel discussion, it's a really really sensitive subject.

Women and Word of Mouth - Bad

payperpost.com is a website that pays people to blog.   More specifically - they pay you to write about their advertisers' products.   

Here's what they say on their site:

Get Paid for Blogging. You've been writing about Web sites, products, services and companies you love for years and you have yet to benefit from all the sales and traffic you have helped generate. That's about to change. With PayPerPost advertisers are willing to pay you for your opinion on various topics.

But what if you have a negative opinion?    Will they pay you for that?  In an Ad Age article about payperpost.com - they say this:

a "Postie" (PayPerPost's term for its 6,000 bloggers) can't criticize the product, in this case. The tone required by the opp is neutral.

Payperpost.com is working on "disclosure" issues - but - I don't know about you, but this whole thing creeps me out. 

       

Why Do Women Ask So Many Questions?

My God I'm annoying.  I really am.  Sometimes I just want to ask what is the matter with me?   Until I really grasp something, until I know and fully understand everything, until every last one of my questions is answered, I won't let it go.  I won't move forward.  I won't agree with you.  I won't buy from you.

What's up with that?    I checked  my lineage and while there is some arrogant French and some stubborn Cherokee - at last search there is no Pitt Bull in my blood.

My only comfort is - I am not alone in this behavior.  As a matter of fact, I am finding that women everywhere share this same trait.  We ask a ton of questions.   And we won't move forward until we get every last one of them answered.

Women often have different buying processes than men.  In case you missed this great post by Michele Miller - here's an explanation of how men and women have different buying processes. 

I recently found an article that further added fuel to my theory that women have more questions or ask different questions than men do.  Oddly enough, it wasn't about marketing, it was about increasing shareholder value.

All Girl Marketing Agency

When you think of most 15 year old girls, you probably have pictures of somewhat immature but fun loving girls whose only interest is fashion, boys, and the latest gossip about who dumped who.   You probably picture them barely managing an allowance or working some part-time job in McDonalds or a mall boutique.   

You probably wouldn’t picture them living in NYC, with more talent and marketing know-how than advertising professionals three times their age, helping to run a hot up-and-coming marketing agency working with huge brands like Unilever, Playtex and Jones New York. 

But it’s true. Yup – 15 year old girls.   Sound crazy?  You won’t think so after you read about my conversation with Heidi Dangelmaier, founder of 3iying, an all girl marketing agency.

3iying specializes in marketing and design strategies for girls 15-25.

It takes a lot to impress me in the brains department, but Heidi is just scary smart.   She is a self described “girly scientist” who was the only female robotics student in the Princeton PHD program.  She went from the world of science, to the world of video games, to the world of marketing.   She is an inventor, and has used her scientific background and innovative imagination to create a company that can consistently come up with new, relevant ideas that resonate with their target audience.

You see – 3iying specializes in marketing to girls from 15-25.   The women who make up the company are 15-25 themselves.  After talking with Heidi I think there are four reasons for the company’s success:

Oxygen Study on Women and Technology

Marketing technology to women - It's a hot topic.  But what exactly is "technology"?  What falls into that category?  I took a look at my own life to see what "technology" I use on a regular basis.

Cell phones - I have two of them (believe it or not, I got a second phone in an attempt to simplify my life)   One is a Blackberry with Internet access and email capability.  My second is a plain flip phone with texting capability.   I email, phone and text from my cell phones.  (but don't see the value or have the desire to use a picture phone)

I have a laptop that goes everywhere with me and I use every day.  I read blogs, but have not set up to receive any RSS feeds.

I actually decided to go without the GPS nav system in my new car, but have decided that was a mistake, as I have needed it almost 5 times since deciding I didn't need it.  I am seriously considering buying a personal GPS system.   

I have a video iPod.   

Yet I do not play video games, or own a plasma TV, or have bluetooth in my car.   

So - am I tech savvy?  maybe, maybe not.  Am I technology challenged?   maybe, maybe not.   

I bring this up because of a new survey done by Oxygen, the women's media network, on how women use technology. (hint - it's not by making devices pink) The study is called "Girls Gone Wired" and has some pretty interesting results - like 79% of women feel comfortable using tech - and that's just the beginning of the interesting stats.....