Women are key in making buying decisions, especially within households. As you segment your target market, you may find more and more that your target market is made up of primarily women.
In fact, data shows that women make 85% of all consumer purchases, and the women, not the men, tend to spend 80% of the combined income in households.
As a result, you want to make sure you are doing your best to serve your female customer and to best market your product to women. This will allow you to grow sales, but it also sets you apart from the competition. Women also have strong proponents of customer loyalty and referrals.
Here are are top five tips for marketing to your female customers:
- Be honest and present all the option. Women are looking for quality products that are consistent. It needs to benefit them or those they care about. For that reason, they want to hear the truth and all of the option. High pressure sales environments are not likely to attract women. Instead, they want a hands on personal approach. They want someone to sit down with them and walk them through the process or explain the product in a truthful manner.
- Use, use, use technology. Website and social media are a direct link to your female customers. Most female shoppers do research and/or shopping online. With more testimonials and easier usability, the better your website and social media will become, and the better these become, the better you will be catering to your female customers.
- Leverage your existing female customers. Women respond best to referrals and recommendations from friends. Word of mouth is far more powerful than conventional advertising. By encouraging women to share their experiences with your product, you can better leverage your female customers to gain even more female customers.
- Remember who you are selling to … It is key to never forget to understand your target audience and what their demographics are. Once you understand that, this understanding should be reflected across the board in sales promotions, in social media, on your website, and in even your own sales force. Women respond extremely well to other women, as they understand how to better cater to the needs and desires of the female customer. It would not make sense to have men selling makeup products as they will not understand how these products will benefit women from personal experience. Plus, having women showcasing these products will make other women more comfortable.
- Be responsive. As with any customer, it is important to respond in a timely manner and provide the quickest and best service possible. However, it is especially important with women. Many women are running households and are going to not only go with the best quality, but also the fastest service. For example, women home with a baby can’t wait a week for the plumber to respond to her phone call, even if he does the best work.
These five simple tips are only the beginning of how you can better target your female customers. As you look at your industry and your female customers, there are sure to be additional ways you can further cater to their needs. This could be through technology or through simple improved communication methods.