Marketing to Women Online

How To Gain Credibility With Your Customers

I recently wrote about the power of word of mouth, and how men trust authority while women trust common experience.

Whether you're marketing to women or to men, having someone else speak on your behalf can be incredibly powerful.  

Singing your own praises can come across as arrogant or egotistical.  Women are especially sensitive to not appearing like they are "bragging."   So getting someone else to "do the bragging" is a smart solution.

What's the best time for someone else to build you up?  During your introduction.

Progressive Insurance Succeeds By Putting a Face On Their Brand

When I used to think of Progressive Insurance, nothing came to mind.  Yeah, I knew their name, but if you said, "Progressive Insurance," there was a blank space between my ears.

Now, when you say "Progressive Insurance,"  I can't help but smile.  Why?  Because a vivid picture of Flo comes to mind.  I can hear her voice reciting some of my favorite lines from the TV commercials.

When I think of Progressive, I think of Flo.  And that's a good thing. Because I have an emotional connection with Flo I could never have with a nameless faceless insurance company.  And it appears I'm not alone.

Progressive moves up the insurance brand rankings

Word Of Mouth: Men Trust Authority, Women Trust Common Experience

 
I read a fascinating article by Jeff Sexton - The Asymmetry of Trust.  Jeff talks about the fact that people tend to trust negative reviews more than positive ones.

As he points out: 

Basically, we grant others authority in the matter of their own personal experiences. If they say their favorite color is blue, we believe them.  If they say they had a bad experience with such and such a product or service provider, we believe that too, because they are speaking from their own personal experience in that one situation.

You don’t have to be an expert on vacuum cleaners to know that the one you bought has failed you miserably. And your experience alone is often enough to sway someone from buying that brand.

What he's saying, In a nutshell, is you don't need to be an "authority" to know something doesn't work.  But it's also pretty black and white if a product "failed you miserably."   That strikes me not as opinion but as fact.  

But do you then need to be an authority to know something does work?  If you recommend a product, is that now a personal opinion without authority?   Will you need to back up that personal opinion with information that displays your expertise and authority in order for people to believe you?

For men, yes.  For women, not necessarily.

Marketing To Moms - Lose The Stereotypes

I'm sure every mom has been in this situation.  You wake up one day, look around and ask, "Can these really be my children?"  I know my mom's definitely been there.

So, Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there.  In my job, I spend a lot of time researching moms, and I have to tell you, moms - you are one crazy-ass group. 

I am always amazed at the number of bland, cliche, stereotypes of moms I see in ads.  People - have you spent any time around moms?  Seriously.

Take a look at my mom.  (Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's Day Mom!).   Last year I wrote about our relationship - Thanks Mom For Not Disowning Me.  The great thing about moms is, they have a sense of humor.  After reading last year's post, complete with drinking stories,  tales of snoring and squirrel recipes, Mom's reaction was, "This is why some animals eat their young."   You gotta love a mom that can take it and give it right back.

So this year, I thought I'd share a more appropriate story.

(Snort)  Yeah....right.

Kimpton Knows How to Market to Women

Kimpton Hotels knows how to market to women.

Their Women In Touch program is a real winner.  The folks at Kimpton are smart.  They know it takes more than upscale bath products or comfortable beds to lure women to their hotels.   

The Women In Touch program promotes things women like:

• Healthy snacks in the room's honor bar
• Large bathroom counters with plenty of room to spread out
• Hosted wine receptions in the evening (my personal favorite)
• Causes that women business travelers can appreciate

The Ad Industry NeedsTo Tap Into Its Feminine Side

 

Speaking at the recent M2W Conference, Marti Barletta made an important comment

“Stop treating women as targets and start treating them as assets.  We should look at ways we can help women rather than ‘target’ them and make them do stuff."

If brands, marketers and agencies are going to be successful in the new digital age, they need to look at customers and clients as assets, as partners, and trusted allies.  They need to get rid of adversarial language and tactics. In short.....

The ad industry needs to start communicating like a woman, rather than a man.

Male Vs. Female Communication Style

For over five years I've been researching the difference between male and female communication style.