Word of mouth and Women from authors of The Soccer Mom Myth

[Jackie Huba]

Michele Miller and Holly Buchanan are the authors of the new book "The Soccer Mom Myth: Today's Female Consumer: Who She Really Is, W... Based on extensive research and work with businesses and corporations around the globe, Michele and Holly show why marketing to women has gone mainstream and is here to stay; the physical, environmental, and psychological factors that play a critical part in how and why she buys; and the importance of four different types of female consumers. Here, Michele and Holly share five tips for understanding word of mouth and women.



Do women and men differ in they way make recommendations or share information?
Women are three times more likely to share personal stories with a friend than men. Ask any woman how she found her hairdresser, doctor, or favorite wine, and she is likely to tell you that it was from a friend. Women are natural word of mouth spreaders. They are wired that way – with four times as many connections between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, women tap deeply into that area that is responsible for bonding and connecting with others.

What can you do to make increase women’s word of mouth?
Here’s the wrong way to do it: “Sign up three friends and we’ll give you a 15% discount.” This feels like you are asking her to sell out her friends. Instead, change the offer to “You and every one of your friends who signs up will get a 15% discount.” Now she has special access to a discount that she can pass along to friends. You’ve made her the hero. She can offer value to her trusted network. She has just increased her trust and standing.

What about asking women for referrals; good idea, or bad idea?
This is tricky. Because women are such great referrers, it seems logical. If you are doing business with her, and she values your relationship, it may seem perfectly acceptable to ask her for a list of friends who might benefit from your services. But that may not be a good idea, even if she thinks you’re the best thing since Starbuck’s drive-thru. She is the gatekeeper of her relationships. She’s not being stingy, she’s being protective. A better idea might be to give her a few of your business cards and say, “if you know of anyone who might benefit from my service, feel free to give them my card.”

If women talk more than men, how do we avoid bad word of mouth from them?
The “duh” answer is, meet or exceed expectations. The other answer is, communicate clearly and often. If something goes wrong, explain to her exactly why, then do your best to make amends. Basic, fundamental communication can go very far to deflect bad word of mouth.

How can you delight women?
Give her the personal touch. It does not have to be fancy or extravagant (though that’s always appreciated). A personal thank you note mailed the old-fashioned way may be enough to get her attention and touch her heart. Remember her kids’ names, and even more importantly, the names of her pets. Give her a gift she can pass along to family members. A financial advisor for my friend Holly knows Holly has two dogs. Every visit, he sends Holly home with two dog biscuits. He even knows their favorite – Snausages. Holly likes his work but what really endears him to her are the Snausages. It’s a personal touch that makes life better for those she loves.

Interested in a free copy of the book? Add a comment expressing your interest to this forum post. Deadline for the book giveaway is Friday May 16 at 5 pm CDT. We'll give 5 copies away (to be drawn randomly).

Want to read some of the book right now? A free chapter is attached as a PDF to this forum post.

[Michele Miller]

Hi Dean - great comment and question! You're absolutely right - the land of marketing to women was never intended for the meek. :-) Being forthright, genuine and authentic works like a dream every time. I would imagine you give your clients such a great experience that they never hesitate to offer referrals... unfortunately, some businesses are ONLY out for referrals, which often makes women feel "used." It's all about giving your customer such a terrific experience, you may never have to ASK for referrals... she'll do it all on her own.

The book does touch on deeper word-of-mouth and gets into blogs, but when the book went to press we hadn't yet broken the threshold of social media phenoms like Twitter, etc. That's exactly what I'm working on right now, in my next book. Stay tuned!

[SkinCareGirl]

Excellent information! Thanks.:)
I've been doing it all wrong.
Going to make some changes right now!!

[Neil Phillips]

I don't doubt a bit of this. As a coach in the direct sales industry, the majority of the people I work with are women. Over eighty percent of the people in the direct sales profession are women. Women (whether by nature or nurture) are more relationship driven and much better listeners. In a nutshell, the differences are fundamental to their success. If your marketing and sales efforts depend on trust and service, then turn to the people who do that well.

[Michele Miller]

Right on, Neil. You must live and breathe this everyday, given your line of work. Holly and I say, "Vive la difference," -- there's nothing wrong with the fact that men and women ARE different! Once you understand those differences, you learn how to market differently to each gender without taking sides. The beauty lies in the balance... good marketing to women is actually marketing to the right brain, which eventually hits the male market, too. It's just that with four times as many connections between the two sides of the brain, you can capture the heart of a female customer much faster. I say go for the gold!

[David Preciado]

Jackie,

I hope I am one of the 5 who get a copy of your book.

Niche marketing in general is more important than every. However I marketing towards women can be used as a general strategy.

My favorite example is Panera Bread. It is a brilliant concept that has show explosive potential. If you take a close look at the subtleties of their brand, from the logo, to the color scheme and especially the menu you will notice that it is target towards women. It is truly one of the main reasons they are so successful.

Does your book touch upon marketing to women in highly masculine brand environments such as boxing?

[Michele Miller]

Good example, David. Panera has quietly done many things right and hopefully will continue to do so.

While "The Soccer Mom Myth" doesn't delve into highly masculine brand environments, we do have a chapter called "How to Market to Women Without Alienating Men." We also explore how to market to women through the men in their lives... a fascinating subject all by itself.

[Jean Sexton]

Interesting post; I've been trying to put my finger on the difference between Panera Bread and Atlanta Bread Company (both relative newcomers to my area). PB is much more appealing, even without the fireplace/comfy chairs/decor style of ABC, plus ABC (at least in my area) feels "colder" and less interested in providing service. The two venues are very, very similar, and yet...I've completely abandoned ABC (of which I was never truly a fan) for PB. My women friends and I have often discussed what makes the difference between the two, because we can't quite understand why PB satisfies, but ABC always leaves us wanting more.

[Mike & Marcy Cunningham]

funny the 1st Panera I ever saw had the fireplaces etc.

and now that you mention it, the newer ones in my area, don't have them. I wonder if its a geographic thing, I was in Eastern Pa before and the ones i visit now are below the Mason-Dixon line (about 25 miles from home in Martinsburg WV) in MD, VA, WV.



Get Your Name On!

Mike

[Beth]

I think most marketers miss this boat...and it amazes me that with women making 80% of buying decisions that we still don't get it. I especially love it when I see a group of 5 or 6 men in my company "brainstorming" an idea targeted to women - and then develop a campaign or program that shows absolutely no understanding of how women work (and with absolutely no awareness of the fact that they don't understand...). Get some women involved! See what appeals to them...mobilize them - and watch things happen.

[Michele Miller]

Beth,

I, too, have been privy to meetings like that, with groups of men brainstorming... the interesting thing is, I've even experienced groups of WOMEN who have missed the boat on how to market as well! As Holly and I point out in the book, we see mistakes being made on both sides of the gender table when it comes to marketing and advertising. The key is to get the right people, period... folks who understand the needs women have from the inside out, and can speak their language. The magic is in the message!

[Keri]

Great to see some specific behaviors for establisihng personal connections. I work in marketing education, and trying to teach actionable behaviors under the goal of creating emotional connections can be a bit of a challenge. Most of the individuals I train are operations focused, and they tend to perceive marketing as "fluffy." It is nice to see research-based facts that back up many of the practices we have been teaching for building connections with customers.

[Michele Miller]

Thanks for your comment, Keri. That was exactly the goal for Holly and I: to not only provide the "theory" behind the importance of marketing to women, but some "nuts and bolts" ideas and concrete actions the reader can take to see a difference in their business. We're happy you picked up on that just with these short tips!