Learned on Women

NewsBytes: Small Biz Tech Girl, Customer Insiders and Sustainable Biz (Just Do It)

1) Aliza Sherman-Risdahl, one of the pioneers of women in technology and author of several books (including her latest, The Everything Blogging Book), just launched the Small Biz Tech Girl podcast.  Her years in the business, experience with her own entrepreneurship and ability to make technology accessible to even low-tech girls like me, makes this podcast well worth catching. 

2) If you are curious about how larger brands handle building and managing a "customer advisory" board or panel, you may want to join the Banana Republic version (you've likely received an invite from them already, if you are a customer), BRInsider.  I signed up last week and have been impressed.  Joining it may well give you ideas for how to make "insiders" of your own customers.

3) Sustainable business operations is a passion for me, and one I brought up recently in a presentation to the retail development sector - an obviously very tough nut to crack on this issue.  J. Mitchell McMahon's recent article for MediaPost gives a thorough look at the sustainability landscape, and makes a good case for businesses, in any industry, to get up to speed.  Here's a clip: 

If an environmentally driven business revolution seems far-fetched, consider how the money is flowing. Wall Street investors are sinking big money into renewable energy companies and into energy-efficiency leaders like GE. Venture capital firms including Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers are pouring billions into renewable energy and energy-efficiency sectors. Boone Pickens, legendary oilman, vowed to invest $10 billion into the world's largest wind farm in northeast Texas.

To Reach Women, Tap Into Your Feminine Side

Embrace your feminine side, and you'll go far in reaching women!  This shouldn't be news, but the reminder is always worthwhile.  My latest eBrandMarketing.com post does just that.  Here's a sneak peek:

Business is often approached in a linear, set, "we've always done it this way" manner.  Since patriarchy is our history, it makes sense that the way we all think as business people tends to default first to our masculine traits: What are the numbers?  What is the research?  Just give me the six steps and I'll get it done!"

But, what all the sessions at the M2W Conference last week and my own experience have shown me is that the first big hurdle in marketing to women is in remembering that it cannot be a linear process.  If you want to reach women at the curves along their buying paths, you've got to first curve out of your own business comfort zone to get there yourself. 

Getting Beyond Soccer Moms

Instead of writing a book review of Michele Miller and Holly Buchanan's new book, The Soccer Mom Myth, I decided to interview Michele - who has become a close personal friend over the past few years.  This should give you some inside scoop on the book and a better sense of her background and inspiration.

AL I know you've had an interesting path to your marketing to women focus. Like me - you did not study it in college or even necessarily think you'd go into marketing.  Can you share the couple of turning points in your education/working background that may have started your path in this direction?

MM Sure - can you believe the wild ride we take to get where we are?  In the early 80's, I earned my first degree, which was in music education.  Through my training and teaching, it became apparent to me that girls and boys often learn differently.  Boys seemed to focus in on one thing at a time, where girls approached a problem from a "big picture" perspective.  I remember being fascinated by this process and it stuck in the back of my brain.  Years later, while working in New York City, I struggled with getting arts organizations and clients to market themselves differently from traditional methods  The biggest successes came about through changes in language and communication style.  It was then that I began to research the differences required in marketing to women vs. marketing to men.

AL In the training and workshops you do related to marketing to women, what have been the biggest surprises?   

MM In my speaking gigs and workshops, the biggest surprise has been how people have taken this information (intended for marketing) and applied it to their personal lives.  More often than not, I have both men and women come up to me with a light in their eyes, saying, "My God... now I understand more about how my wife/husband functions, and I think I just came up with an answer to a conflict we've been having."  Once applied to a personal relationship, business owners and marketers see how easy it is to connect and they immediately begin applying it to their business relationships with great results.

AL In writing the book with Holly, what did you want to add to the existing marketing to women resources (which include my own book, Don't Think Pink)?   

MM I have to admit that in the beginning, Holly and I were intimidated about writing a book when such excellent content already existed through books from Marti Barletta and of course, "Don't Think Pink!"  What we realized early on, though, was that if marketing to women is mainstream, there's always room at the table for more insight.  Sort of a "standing on the shoulders of giants" deal.  I think in showing why marketing to women is here to stay, giving some basic scientific information, and step-by-step instruction on how to apply this information to online marketing, we've added valuable content to the discussion.

AL Which one point/concept  introduced in The Soccer Mom Myth is the biggest insight for your readers? 

MM The one area that seems to be resonating the most with readers is the importance of creating "personas," or abstract customer profiles that help you get to know your customer inside out.  That really drives that point home that all women are not the same, and won't react to advertising messages in the same way.  The chapter on how to write copy for different segments of the female market is a powerful one for readers, whether you're new to the subject or a veteran marketer.

AL Where is your work taking you from here on out (I mean, when you get past the mad rush of promoting the book)? 

MM Well, in the "never say never' category... I'm working on another book!  I'm delighted to say that this one will drill down to uncover the subject of "selling to women," rather than the more generalized "marketing to women."  That, combined with my speaking events and workshops should keep me out of trouble till at least late 2010.

AL Finally, the biggest, most important question (ha): how much has your dog affected your life balance as you worked on the book and moved forward with your speaking/writing career? 

MM You and I know what dogs do for our lives - anyone laughing at this question/answer obviously isn't a dog owner.  To come home to a loving husband and dog after two weeks on the road is more than a girl could wish for.  My work is heavily influenced by Penny the WonderDog - she calms me while I'm writing (she's wrapped around my chair as I type) and knows when to give me a nudge with her nose when it's time for a break.  She's always there to remind me never to take myself too seriously, and that to play is what makes us more creative and centered.  Dogs rule!

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You can learn more about Michele and Holly, and The Soccer Mom Myth, by visiting each of their blogs:

http://www.michelemiller.blogs.com/marketing_to_women/

http://www.grokdotcom.com/women

Individual Corporate Behavior DOES Get Noticed

I'm just back from presenting to a roomful of retail and mixed-use developers at an Urban Land Institute conference where I emphasized "eco-responsibility" as one significant way for them to become more relevant to women.  Difficult as that may sound given it is an industry with a naturally large carbon footprint, women will still notice if one shopping development over another, starts to take steps toward a more sustainable existence. 

There are few recognized examples of "green beginnings" in that industry - as is the case in plenty of others, but first movers are at the ready (check out Regency Center's "Greengenuity").  On this particular issue, and no matter the industry, the organizations that make a commitment and begin with a few baby steps in the right direction will get, a) a lot of attention, locally and nationally from press and consumers, and b) catch the eye of women who are already expecting corporations to realize how important the environmental side of things is to them.

That's why some recent research by Havas Media included in a MediaPost article by Sarah Mahoney struck a chord.  According to the piece:

The report unearthed evidence of a trend it calls "sector stretch," with consumers increasingly able to differentiate corporate behavior within sectors, for example, identifying some fuel and energy companies as more responsible than others. "This is great news for brands that communicate legitimate abatement strategies and less good for those who have not yet made a start on mending their ways," the report says, "as their ability to borrow credibility from more proactive peers slips away."

Whoa...   So, consumers are now looking at the individual corporations within an industry with a much more scrutinizing eye?  Interesting...They are no longer lumping together all negative news (to them) about any particular industry, but are instead looking under the radar for those upstarts within the industry that "get" what's important to them.  This is a moment in business worth noting.

For corporations in energy, commercial development and car manufacturing, for example, the perhaps bad reputation of the related industry doesn't necessarily have to hold your brand back.  Why can't you be the crazy upstart that does it differently?!

Thinking you can get away with corporate irresponsibility?  Ignoring or denying the importance of environmental issues?  Such approaches may seem cheaper and simpler to take initially, but not making the move to improve in these areas will negatively influence perception of your brand for the longer term. 

And, who is first to notice such details?  It starts with a "w."

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An aside: The Learned On Women brand (that would be me) is taking environmentally responsible steps too.  I was recently interviewed by WCAX, the local CBS affiliate, about my home's energy usage and how even the small changes can make a big difference.  I'm sure many of you are already doing these things, but just in case - take a look.

ESPN: Transparent Healthcare Marketing to Men

One of my favorite transparent marketing examples from Don't Think Pink, which I use pretty often in my presentations (especially when my audience is fairly male-dominated) is that of ESPN: The Magazine.  That brand (in all its forms) does a great job of nailing its roughly 18 - 34 year old male demographic - NOT through assumptions about men, like using primary blue as its key color or including columns like "his turn", but by really understanding the copy style and humor, the photo style, the types of content and the interests/passions of its hardcore sports fan readership.  Many, many of ESPN :The Magazine's readers are men, but - because they approach their market transparently, it doesn't come off as so "manly" that female sports fans don't join in that conversation too.  I've written about this before.

Today Stuart Elliott's New York Times "Campaign Spotlight" column (as written by Jane L. Levere this week) profiles the new ESPN/Weiden & Kennedy public service spots - all around spreading the wise news of how important it is for men to get regular health screenings.  The campaign is  part of a continuing effort by the Ad Council and the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality to raise awareness and inspire more adults to take better care of themselves (hear, hear).  What I love about it is that W&K uses the tried and true, and best, way to reach this market - humor and the loud ranting of much-beloved sportscasters. 

There is no finger pointing or "woe is you, you likely have colon cancer."  Not here.  Rather, the ads use a sort of aspirational/common ground combo approach, as in: "you think Alonzo Mourning is a superstar, right... well, even he had kidney disease."  Here's a clip from Levere's piece:

Print and digital ads both feature an anatomical diagram of a man’s body, with arrows pointing to parts like the kidney, marked “Alonzo Mourning kidney disease,” and the thyroid, marked “Mario Lemieux Hodgkin’s disease.”

The print ad also says: “All sports fans follow their favorite player’s health. However, not all fans pay enough attention to their own.”

And it, like all other ads in the campaign, directs men to the Web site,  www.AHRQ.gov/realmen, “for a complete list of the tests you need, and when you need them.”

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The pace and loudness of the spots definitely make you look (what - is there a breaking sports story?) and then, I bet, a lot of people who stop and watch the ads will think a) that's some savvy ad work, and b) hmmm.. when WAS the last time I saw a doctor (or, as many of us realize - the female significant other may do the final nudge to get her guy to make an appointment).

This is an example of cause marketing that is sorely needed (for whatever reason men don't more regularly go to the doctor, it's got to change) - especially as we face rising, rising, rising overall healthcare costs.  The earlier disease or issues are discovered, the better for everyone contributing to that insurance pool.

Now, I may be more passionate about this sort of effort than the next guy because I grew up with a physician in the house, which meant that going to the doctor was as natural as brushing my teeth.  Still, I think most of us have known friends or family who ended up suffering because they didn't take preventive healthcare seriously. 

It is hard to deny that getting more people, men and women, to visit the doctor earlier on and more often would be a great, great play.  I hope this campaign hits it out of the park.

Andrea NewsBytes: Alltop, 800CEOBook Review, and Me on TalkZone

1) Guy Kawasaki's Alltop single-page aggregation site has just launched a women's category in addition to its science, green, Macintosh, fashion and other topics - and Learned On Women is there.  Alltop is like a digital magazine rack - you can scan blogs for your interests by seeing the last few post titles of each included blog.  Many thanks to Linda Sherman for nominating Learned On Women.

2) I recently read What Men Don't Tell Women About Business, and it gave me lots of insight into male-female relationships and interactions in the business world.  You can read my review of this recently published book by Christopher Flett on the 800ceoread blog.  Here's a clip:

Another apparent self-sabotage mechanism for women is the way they tend to compare failures more than they compare successes (as men are so much more likely to do). Flett writes: "When one talks about how bad her life is, the rest of her support group jumps in to talk about how their experience is worse." Perhaps, just as positioning and status games can seem like obstacles to getting anything done, a woman's tendency to seek common ground in all situations may also get in the way.

3) I was interviewed by Dave Baum on TalkZone radio yesterday as the "dolls" half of their Guys and Dolls themed show (they didn't ask me what to call it...).  The first half was Rose Cameron of Leo Burnett speaking about her expertise in male consumers (I recommend you check out her work via this interview and a google search).  I talk about a woman's buying path in comparison to a man's and how women have driven the green movement. Give it a listen...

NewsByte: Harley-Davidson Garage Parties Don't Include Nail Polish

Harley-Davidson is celebrating International Female Ride Day (May 2) by throwing Garage Parties - women only events where bike mechanics, ergonomics and riding tips will be covered.  There is nary a mention of goody bags that include nail polish or hair care products (imagine that).  Harley continues to do things just right... in reaching and serving their women's market.  Here's the blurb from MediaPost.

On Enabling Sexist Thought Patterns

I came across this post, Word Revocation: "Men" and "Women" on Squashed - and thought it might be a great inspiration/exercise for men and women on marketing teams.  Here's a clip:

The gendered terms don’t fit perfectly or even very well. The words aren’t the cause of sexist thought patterns—but they’re certainly enablers.

Stop using the words “men” and “women,” at least temporarily. Try it for a few weeks. See what it does to established thought patterns. Your brain will need some categories to work properly—and maybe you can come up with more appropriate—or at least more interesting—categories. Do we say “men” or “women” when we mean “creepy sociopaths” or “people I find sexually attractive” or “people who think differently than I do” or “people who intimidate me” or “people with money and power” or “irrational people”? Eliminating the use of two words should reveal gender stereotypes we weren’t aware we had.

For marketers, try a week of targeting: "people who are passionate about _____ (your product here)" or "people who are focused on their kids" and so on.  Any examples you'd like to add?

Green Messaging: Consumers Are Really Going Online To Check Up On Your Brand

You can't just say "it is so" and have consumers believe it.  Today's shoppers are looking under the hood and behind the scenes to see if your brand's environmental claims, for one, are true.
It's an awful lot like the process of committing to marketing to women - you can do lots of PR and add a "for women" tagline to your ad campaigns all you want, but the consumers you really want to impress will need to see some serious back-up for all that you proclaim. 

Web sites are a great place to demonstrate that you are doing both: investing in the women's market, and working on your environmental responsibility.  Particularly for the green business practice/green messaging realm, having that sort of information posted online makes it a lot harder for your brand NOT to live up to its marketing pitch.

Recent research from a Burst Media survey found that green-aware consumers notice the environmental claims that brands are making in full force these days, but they remain skeptical.  And - this should be no surprise - they do go online to investigate those claims.  Yet, consumers are finding that many sites lack in this regard. 

Talk about a missed and easy-to-remedy opportunity!

Here's an excerpt from a MediaPost ResearchBrief about the findings:

The survey found that four out of five (79.6%) respondents use the Internet to conduct personal research on green initiatives and products, and many respondents find the availability of corporate information on green and environmentally safe products and services lacking. Burst's survey showed that:

• 41.6%    would rate corporate information as only average
• 20.8%    rate the information as fair
• 17.2%    rate it as poor

If you are waiting until you can say that everything your brand is doing is perfectly "green" before putting information on your site - don't.  You will likely never reach perfection.  But, women will give you points, and more chances to become their brand of choice, if/when they see steps and plans in the right direction. (Of course, if, two years from now consumers see no further developments from those initial steps, they'll see right through those claims too.)

"Transparency" is already the buzzword for a brand's social, environmental and corporate responsibility issues.  Many people are heading online and to your site to explore your brand - to see how transparent you are willing to be.   So, if your site isn't mentioning or addressing those concerns at all, it could be more than a little suspicious to green-savvy shoppers.

Instead, try this: Commit only to what you can do, but keep it coming.  Publicly share your brand's environmentally sustainable developments as they increase and improve.

Start With What's Right: Making Change Through Appreciative Eyes

At a time when nothing seems to be heading in a positive direction (the economy and the political campaigns for two), interest in, and passion behind, making change has to start with some nugget of hope.  In my latest Huffington Post piece, I consider a way to inspire new thinking that can be applied to marketing to women or any business/life challenge.  Here's a clip:

I recently met someone on a consulting project who got to know my inquiring mind well enough to suggest that I might "appreciate" something called Appreciative Inquiry. The (very) general idea is that groups of people often settle into assumptions as shorthand cues for working together and then forget why they have been thinking one way for so long. Group members will then have trouble digging out from under those assumptions, unless they re-frame the issue(s). The AI theory posits: "Watching a long-held assumption be questioned and replaced tends to inspire people to question other long-held assumptions." And, a creative vein is opened.

In the marketing to women realm, where I focus much of my attention, a lot of re-framing is begging to be done. The difference in how men and women buy is not an extreme Mars/Venus question, in my mind, but it does involve a raising up and examining a few behavioral patterns -- all within a positive frame. So, for example, the issue in training male minds on the topic is not to focus on the fact that "men are so dense that they could never understand a woman's buying mind" - because that isn't the case. Instead, try asking whether or not the men, themselves, have noticed that the women they know think and communicate differently. Yes- they probably have. There's the opening to point out the nuances and make the exploration of this enormous market opportunity a more collaborative and productive pursuit.

If this resonates with you or you have a different perspective - please add a comment to the piece on HuffPo.