What are the most important things to keep in mind when marketing to women online? What are the best things you can do? What are the worst things you can do? There's no simple answer. Marketing to women online is about creating a relationship with your visitor/customer. Websites that truly speak to women in their language, addressing their needs are magnetic.
So, when marketing to women online, how do you create a magnetic website? Dancing Elephants (one of my all time favorite names for a company) has some of those answers.
Dancing Elephants Achievement Group is a company that helps business owners and sales people enhance their performance. Laura Posey and Will Turner are the head pachyderms. They recently published an article "The Magnetic Mindset" which listed the ways in which you can be magnetic. Many of the principles apply to marketing to women online.
Focus on Relationships - choosing the right relationships and nurturing them will pay dividends. ONLINE - create relationships with your customers by answering her questions, speaking her language, and listening to her. Create meaningful emails. Create discussion forums and online communities where she can share experiences with others.
Serve a Higher Purpose - What's your purpose for being? How can you make a difference in the world? ONLINE - If you are connected with a charity, let her know about it. But choose a charity with a cause you or your company are truly passionate about. Dove's Self Esteem Fund is a great example.
Act with Integrity - Do what you say you are going to do, not sometime but all the time. People want someone they can count on. ONLINE - If you tell her it will ship from your warehouse within 24 hours, it needs ship within 24 hours. If it's out of stock, tell her. If she fills in a form and you say you'll get back with her the next business day, contact her the next business day. If your money back guarantee does NOT include shipping costs, tell her. Be upfront and be specific.
Don't Focus on the Money - If you focus on money, you will lose site of what's important. ONLINE - price is a viable comparison point. but the lowest price does NOT always win. Other things may matter to her more: how quickly she can get it, if she can get the exact color, size, etc. she wants, if she feels you are a credible, trustworthy company, if she feels she has a relationship with you.
Find Your Voice - Be yourself. Be authentic. Don't pretend to be someone you're not. ONLINE - get rid of the technospeak. Create a voice or "personality" for your site - one that accurately reflects who you are, and also who you are not. If you're going for "trustworthy", get rid of all the hype and be more plain spoken. Instead of a "Better than Money Back Guarantee" change the verbiage to "Money Back Guarantee - We Mean It."
Be an Expert - Expertise will set you apart. You are compensated based on the value people feel you provide. ONLINE - create a section of your website that answers her questions and provides valuable information - free. If you are a website selling rugs, create a section where a rug expert talks about the different kinds of rugs and which one is right for you. If she has that expert information, she will feel more confident in her choice and more likely to buy, and she will be more likely to buy from you since you took the time to provide her with the information, and she didn't have to leave your website to find it.
Take 100% Responsibility - Take 100% responsibility for everything in your life. No excuses. ONLINE - in your error messages, don't blame her, blame yourself. Don't say "you failed to fill in the following fields correctly". Say "we're sorry, we didn't understand, can you fill in this field again." Damaged shipping, unsatisfied with the product - take it back, no questions asked, no hassles. When you take responsibility, your credibility goes through the roof. Blame it on her or someone else or take the "I didn't know what was going on" route and you'll end up like Ebbers and Kozlowski.
Those are just a few ways to be magnetic when marketing to women line. Read the rest of The Magnetic Mindset.
Holly, the taking responsibility is -- IMHO -- the #1 successful way to reach the women's market online. So many sites have poor navigation or dismal checkout strategies, and rather than owning up to it, then fixing it, they whine that it's the Internet, or your computer, or some other lame excuse.
You have really gathered a list that speaks to the women's market. Great job!
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Thanks for your list:) It was a great help to me!
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Posted by: Rasine | August 28, 2009 at 04:58 PM
This has been a very interesting read, would love to read more on this. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Brian Clark | June 17, 2010 at 06:55 AM
We women are so relational. I would say building relationships with your clients/visitors is a great way to advertise.
Posted by: Sofa Burbank | November 08, 2011 at 04:38 PM