When we think of purchasing products and services, we often underestimate the power women hold in making the decisions. Not just in the product categories that are associated with women but also in those that are less obvious, for example:
- DIY: 80% of decisions are made by women
- Healthcare: 80% of decisions made by women
- Cars: 68% of decisions are made by women, 90% of purchase decisions are influenced by them
- Household investments: 67% of decisions made by women
That was not what you expected, right?
So it’s definitely worth investing time in examining the sales journey of your brand to remove any gender bias. You want to do all you can to ensure the marketing and sales initiatives acknowledge the buying power and influence of women.
Here are some thoughts to get you moving in the right direction:
When your prospects are researching for recommendations, how easy is it for women to find your content when they search? Is the conversation only taking place on platforms designed around men? Do the groups encourage men to join them and ignore the value women may bring? For example, we’ve noted that women looking to engage in the subjects of engineering or cars, have to pick up magazines or visit websites that have been designed around the mindset and needs of men.
Items such as websites, social media, brochures and promotional marketing material are the first point of contact for a brand. Are women reflected in the images you’ve used? Are the images stereotypical? Men riding tractors, men making financial decisions or women receiving instruction or advice from men? What do the women you have included look like? Do they only represent a small portion of the group, the ones who are young, nail polished and bejewelled? Then look at the structure of your marketing messages. Whilst women are attentive to detail, they are also empathetic and are better at identifying the felt need underlying their purchases than men. Does your content reflect this?
When it comes to direct interactions with your brand, do you make assumptions based on gender? Not necessarily the obvious condescension women experienced in years gone by but we’re thinking of the more subtle ones. Like the waitron assuming the man at the table should receive the bill. Or the exhibitor at a bridal show presuming the young woman in the group is the bride.
Our last thought is possibly the one we use most often.
Ponder these questions:
Would you speak differently if it was a man in front of you?
Why?
Is it justified? Is it helpful (of benefit to the woman) or are you making an assumption and so exhibiting an unconscious gender bias?
So, are there changes that need to be made to improve the brand’s relationship with your women customers?
The ones that are in control of the majority of the buying decisions.
The ones that have a direct impact on your business performance.