Marketing to Women Online

I Want to Be a Phoenix

Holly Buchanan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:01:33 -0500

If you spend any time online, you've seen their banner ads everywhere. University of Phoenix has been pushing their online curriculum for a very long time. But something interesting happened recently.....their ads actually made an emotional connection.

In their "I am a Phoenix" campaign, the University of Phoenix has tapped into one of the strongest motivators known to man - the desire to belong.

And that's not all, they also tapped into the powerful motivator of self identity. My prediction is that this one-two punch will be very successful.

Making an emotional connection and setting themselves apart

People are interested in getting a degree and what that degree can do for them and their job prospects. But if you're going to compete on that level, why does it matter where you get the degree since a degree is a degree. (If it happens to be from Harvard, that is a different story) Most online programs appear very similar. This kind of ad is typical of such programs:

So why not tap into something deeper - something traditional universities have known for a long time - the sense that where I get my degree says something about my self-identity.

I truly love everything about this campaign. It almost reminds me of an armed services ad. (Talk about folks who understand self-identity and the need to belong.)

There's a sense that "being a phoenix" means something. What that something is may vary from person to person. The website focuses on:

"...students who've overcome personal challenges to rise up and earn their degrees."

Check out these videos from real students.

How can your company or brand tap into the need to belong and self-identity to create an emotional connection with your customers?

I'm the Kind Of Person Who......

Holly Buchanan — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:44:00 -0400

The recent M2Moms conference found that :

60% of moms feel that marketers are ignoring their needs.
73% of moms feel that advertisers don't really understand what its like to be a Mom.

Bottom line - advertisers aren't connecting with moms. Moms don't see themselves in the ads.

I believe this is one of the main reasons why so many marketing to women campaigns fail. The images/characters in the ads don't reflect the kind of person she believes herself to be (or strives to be)

I'm the kind of person who....

How does she see herself? What is her self-perception? What values does she see in herself? How does she answer the question....I'm the kind of person who.......

For example. I see myself as a good dog mom. When my lab got home from knee surgery this summer, she was in bad shape. So I pulled a mattress off the bed so I could sleep next to her on the floor. I'm the kind of person who.... goes above and beyond (and what other people might consider over the top) for the dog I love.

When I see a commercial featuring a person who goes above and beyond for her dog, I see myself in that person. The mental association is - women like me who are good to their dogs use this product, thus, I can picture myself using this product.

I'm the kind of person who...does the right thing.

Liberty Mutual got a huge response from the original commercial in their "do the right thing" campaign.

People watch this commercial and think:

"I'm the kind of person who puts litter into the trash."
"I'm the kind of person who chases after someone to return their dropped item."
"I'm the kind of person who helps a nice old gentlemen when he needs a little assistance."
"I'm the kind of person who helps make a kid's day."
"I'm the kind of person who does the right thing."

This commercial connected with so many people at such an intense level it turned into the brand rallying cry for the company.

I'm the kind of man who.....is still in love with his wife.

Jeff Sexton has another brilliant post: Emotioneering Your Messaging: Four Steps For Inspiring Action. He talks about this same theme of tapping into how people see themselves.

"Emotional ads work their magic by reconciling your claims to the audience’s self-image and world-view, evaporating emotional uncertainty in the process and leaving your audience ready to act."

Jeff provides several examples including a radio ad by Roy Williams:

“Ladies, many of you will be fortunate enough this Christmas to find a small, but beautifully wrapped package under your tree bearing a simple gold seal that says ‘Heisenberg’s.’ Now you and I both know there’s jewelry in the box. But the man who put it there for you is trying desperately to tell you that you are more precious than diamonds, more valuable than gold, and very, very special. You see, he could have gone to a department store and bought department store jewelry, or picked up something at the mall like all the other husbands. But the men who come to Heisenberg’s aren’t trying to get off cheap or easy. Men who come to Heisenberg’s believe their wives deserve the best. And whether they spend 99 dollars or 99 hundred, the message is the same: Men who come to Heisenberg’s are still very much in love… We just thought you should know.”

I'm the kind of woman who.....uses credit card points for her own selfish whims.

I had to watch this commercial a few times before I got it. Chase Sapphire is promoting their new credit card with reward points. In the spot, the wife wants to talk to her husband about using their reward points. He's dreaming of a romantic vacation together, but it turns out she's already used the points to buy a dress.

I'm not including the video here because the comments are so crass I don't want them anywhere near me or my blog. Let's just say, most of the commenters would not be pleased if their wife snuck off and used the points to buy a dress without talking to them about it first. So it appears not only does this spot miss the mark with women, it's missing the mark with men as well.

I'm the kind of person who....doesn't take themselves too seriously.

Compare that to this commercial. In this Visa debit card commercial, who can relate to just letting loose and being yourself - no matter how stupid you look? (I sure can)

How to apply this to your own advertising.

Apply the "I'm the kind of person...." test to your own customers. If you don't know the answer, ask them! Include it in your surveys and focus groups. (Fill in the answer to the following statement: "I'm the kind of person who......) Look at the answers. Does your brand share any of those traits?

And talk about commercial ideas - the answers to this question are creative gold.

Remember, women feel like they don't see themselves in your ads. Use this technique to gain insight and create commercial messages that tap into her powerful self-perceptions.

Female Humor

Holly Buchanan — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:48:24 -0400

In my research on why moms blog, I've come across some of the funniest material I've ever seen.

This makes me happy for so many reasons. So many of the movies and TV shows and, yes, commercials that are supposed to be "hilarious" can't even get a harrumph out of me. (With the exception of Nurse Jackie which is just pure brilliance.)

I have also been studying humor writing. And one of the things that makes material funny is that it strikes us as true. I suspect that's why I enjoy so many humor blogs written by women. There's just this sense of "I have SO totally been there."

Which is why I'm writing this with a sore nose. Snapple Diet Peach Iced Tea was not meant to flow through one's nasal passages. But that's what happened when I read the following post by one of my humor blogging heroes Anna Lefler.

Hair: The Non-Musical.

I had the honor to interview some of the top female humor bloggers at BlogHer this summer. I asked the panel if they thought humor was affected by gender, or whether it is universal. Most thought humor was universal.

I think there is some humor that is universal. But I also think what a teenage boy finds funny may not be what a 40-something woman finds funny.

So I'm curious. Do you think Anna's piece is funny? And could you identify whether you're a male or female? Just a quick little experiment.

Thanks for participating.

Using Boob Jokes to Sell - Dining Room Furniture?

Holly Buchanan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:05:18 -0400

I kid you not.

La Difference is a contemporary furniture store in Richmond, VA. Their advertising has always been stylish and fun. But I really have to scratch my head about their latest campaign selling dining room furniture promoting it as "the perfect set."

If La Diff is targeting men, they may get the fellas' attention with this ad, but I suspect the only "perfect set" the guys will be desiring won't include matching chairs. That's the problem with using sex to sell to men. It may get their attention, but they often don't remember the product.

If La Diff is targeting women, well, my only conclusion is they aren't targeting women. Which is too bad since women buy 80 percent of all furniture sold, according to the American Furniture Manufacturers Association (AFMA).

If La Diff is trying to create "buzz", (and I suspect this is probably closest to the truth) well, they've got me talking about the ad. But I'm talking about it because I won't be shopping at La Dif anymore, which is sad because I've always loved that store.

Why won't I be shopping there anymore? It's not so much that I'm offended by the ad, I'm offended by the laziness and lack of awareness by La Dif and their marketing department. How much money are they paying people to come up with stupid boob jokes? And do they think so little of their female customers that they'd run a stupid boob joke ad?

How to use sex to sell to women

There are so many creative possibilities for selling dining room tables, especially to women. These tables are where families come together to share stories, victories and defeats. These tables are where romances are struck up and rekindled.

If La Diff wanted to use sex to sell dining room tables, why not have a spot where a couple is celebrating a special event (maybe anniversary) with a romantic dinner. The couple leans in for a passionate kiss. Then the camera pans away as you hear plates smashing to the floor as the couple rolls on to the top of the table. (The key being that the camera is focused elsewhere, perhaps doing a close up of the champaign bottle on the table right before it gets knocked off.) An announcer could come in with a tag line about how "sturdy" the furniture is.

Why would this work? Women respond to sex when it's in the context of a man showing emotional intimacy, commitment or devotion. It's about a committed couple being romantic rather than a woman making innuendos about a body part.

Be careful of the slippery slope of using sex when advertising products where women are the majority of the purchasers. Andrea Learned has some questions about using sex to sell....pistachios.

Yup....pistachios. I kid you not.

Marketing Pet Products to Women

Holly Buchanan — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:43:21 -0400

This afternoon I saw Martha Stewart on CNBC, along with her two dogs Francesca and Sparkey, promoting her new partnership with Petsmart.

Next to the financial industry and the auto industry, I believe the pet industry has the most potential to reach out to and truly tap into the power of women consumers.

I was reminded of this when looking at the Whiner & Diner website promoting eco-friendly pet accessories.

Everything in her home is a home decor item - everything.

Whiner & Diner features pet accessories made out of wine crates. I was instantly captivated by their elevated dog feeders made of authentic wooden wine crates.

My pooches eat out of pink plastic bowls. Frankly, it's embarrassing. (especially for my male Boston Terrier). Why is this a problem? Because everything in my house is a home accessory item that says something about my style and taste (or lack thereof). This goes for the dog bowls on my kitchen floor.

Imagine how much hipper, trendy, and stylish my kitchen would look with dog bowls encased in an authentic wine crate? How much more personality it would have!

Pet accessories that double as home fashion accessories. Brilliant. Which is one of the reasons I suspect Martha Stewart is getting into the industry in a big way.

Remember, everything in her home is a home decor item - whether it's her cookware, vacuum cleaner, diswhasher, electric toothbrush, teapot, or pet bowls. Design and style matter.

Does she use your product in her home? How can you make it more stylish?

A Woman's Nation - The Shriver Report

Holly Buchanan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:49:44 -0400

If you are involved in selling to, marketing to, working with, hiring or having a relationship with women - you need to be following the coverage of A Woman's Nation - The Shriver Report.

The Shriver Report presents an accurate and detailed portrait of American women and families at this transformational moment in our history.

Here's an interview with Maria Shriver discussing the report.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I think one of the most important takeaways is that women do not see themselves reflected back in the media. As one African American woman said when Maria asked what she wanted the government to know about her, she replied "that I exist."

That I exist.

There are all sorts of profound implications in this report, but from a marketing to women perspective, there are two key takeaways for me.

Women don't see their lives reflected back to them. For some women, like the young African American woman, they feel like government/media barely knows they exist.
Women's ideas of success and how they define themselves can be different from men. Whether it's a TV show, a movie or an ad campaign, the images of success are often focused on winning, gaining more power, living a life that is "better than" other people. These are often male definitions of success. Yes, there are many women that are driven to be CEO, but many women would trade power and extra responsibility for flexibility, for the chance to be with their kids, have a healthier lifestyle, have more control over their own schedule.

Women respond to companies who they feel know them, understand their lives. They want ads with scenarios they can relate to - that make them feel, 'Yes, that's my life. You get me."

Kudos to NBC for their fabulous coverage of the release of The Shriver Report. The conversations this report has sparked are fascinating and critical. If you're marketing to or selling to women, I highly encourage you to follow these conversations to gain critical insight into what life is like, and what matters to today's women.

Why You Need to Be "Her People"

Holly Buchanan — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:53:34 -0400

One of my favorite commercials is for American Express and features Ellen DeGeneres. After Beyonce invites her out and requests - " Have your people call my people," Ellen goes on a search for "her people."

Women are in need of "people." Women are often the caretakers, the organizers, the planners. Sometimes they need someone to caretake, organize, and plan for them.

I was reminded of this on a recent speaking trip to Corpus Christi, Texas. Apparently, Corpus Christi is on the Gulf of Mexico. Seriously. Who knew. I suddenly found myself with half a day of free time and a gorgeous waterfront to peruse, but nothing but heels and business suits in my suitcase.

Where were my people to say, "Holly, Corpus Christi is on the water and the weather is supposed to be beautiful. Be sure to pack some cool casual clothes and sensible footwear so you can explore the waterfront."

Well, the hotel gift shop sold flip-flops. So I decided to toss pride by the wayside, buy some flip flops, and simply wear my PJ's (purple Big Dog boxer shorts and old T-shirt) for a stroll along the water. I mean, It's not like I knew anyone....except for heads of the group I was speaking to.

Which is exactly who I ran into on my way to the water. I noticed a raised eyebrow when observing my outfit. I did my best to put on a charming smile and exclaim how excited I was to speak to the group. But I fear my Big Dog boxers did not inspire confidence.

Where were my people?

Where were they when I needed assistance? Where were they when I needed proper planning? Where were they to prevent my client from forever associating me with giant purple St. Bernards?

Be "her people"

What can you do to anticipate your customers' needs, to assist her, help her plan, be there for her?

Two great examples of companies who get this concept are Verizon and Southwest Airlines.

Verizon features their "network" - a great visual of this crowd of "your people" who make sure you're never alone. Wherever you go, you have coverage from this network.

Southwest Airlines has a series of commercials right now featuring their bag handlers to promote their "bags fly for free" promotion. I love this campaign for so many reasons, but the care they give to your bags, it just makes you feel like "these are my people."

How can you be "her people"?

Marketing to Women Online - Middle Sister Wines Case Study

Holly Buchanan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:16:14 -0400

Women, websites and wine are three of my favorite subjects. So when I met Susan Lombardi at a recent conference and found out she was working on a website for a new wine company targeting women, I sat my butt down and settled in for a lively conversation.

Middle Sister Wines has done a masterful job of creating a brand and an online presence to connect with women consumers.

First - a little background

Middle Sister Wines was created by Erin Wassum - a real middle sister, and Terry Wheatley - a wine professional with over 30 years in the business. According to the website:

Terry’s mission has long been to bring a female point-of-view to the male-dominated world of wine. Terry started her wine company, Canopy Management, with friends in the wine industry to create delicious, affordable wines with stories that come from her life experiences. Middle Sister was inspired by the style and attitude of the sassy second daughter of one of her closest family friends and the middle sisters she has met along her way.

Why Middle Sister Wines' website is so successful

Middle Sister understands what women want from a website.

Bright colors - The site uses a variety of bright fun colors, but with plenty of white space so it's not overwhelming.
Unusual fonts - We learned from Gender, Design and Marketing that women like unusual fonts. The fonts used on the site are informal and fun - just like the brand itself.
Interactive, interactive, and more interactive-The whole site is designed to create ways for customers to interact with the brand and with each other with features like quizzes, photo sharing, and social media links. My favorite is a picture of Rebel Red you can print off and take with you to include in your photo ops which you can then post back on the site. Too funny.
An open design- Women like design that is open, less compartmentalized. Instead of lots of boxed elements, the site features a more holistic, open feel with only squiggly lines to separate elements.
A fun personality- Everything from the copy to the labels to the personalities of the wines themselves are fun and engaging. The brand has a very distinctive voice. This is critical when you're marketing to women. Here are a few tips on how to find your brand's voice.

The site only launched recently, but they've seen a huge increase in site visitors, newsletter sign-ups, and Facebook page fans.

What do women think of the site?

The most important question is - does the Middle Sister Wines website connect with women consumers? Here are examples of the feedback so far:

This site ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Sister! I just discovered your wine, found at a little shop in
Lambervtville, New Jersey. They carry the Drama Queen PG. It's delicious and particularly appealing to me as I AM the middle sister! Great website!

Had the Rebel Red for the first time and loved it!! Your marketing is
brilliant. We really hope to get your wines added at our local shop!

Love the wine and the labels! Sisters are the best

Just bought my first bottle at Target b/c I LOVED the label! I can't wait to try the wine. You all are very clever and funny...love it!!

You ladies are too cool!

LOVE the new website!

Love the logo. I have 2 sisters and I am the middle one! Took the quiz and it was pretty right-on. I LOVE pinot grigio

What do women think of your website? Is it female friendly?

Estee Lauder Creates a Powerful Social Media Campaign

Holly Buchanan — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:38:31 -0400

For me, a successful social media campaign is one which drives people to take a specific action. Hopefully, that specific action can be tied to an increase in sales.

For example, the KelloggCares Facebook page asked fans to donate $5 or more to feed the hungry and receive $5 in coupons for Kellogg products. It drove a specific action which resulted in product sampling.

Estee Lauder is the latest example of a company who understands how to successfully tap into the power of social media to drive specific consumer action.

They are offering offering free makeovers and photo shoots at their department-store cosmetics counters coast-to-coast to produce shots women can use for their online profiles.

Purchase isn't required, but the promotion does get women to the counter to talk with reps and try makeup, a habit Estee Lauder and the prestige beauty industry, hit hard by recession, would like to help restore.

That's why I love this campaign. It drives women to a store where they can try new makeup - a proven sales booster.

The other reason this campaign should do well is the built-in word of mouth. Women always comment on your profile picture. Your response will now likely be, "Thanks! I had it done by Estee Lauder. They have a great campaign where they do your make up, then they take a professional picture. How cool is that? I haven't looked that good in years!"

Estee Lauder is giving their customers a reason to talk about them AND come to stores to sample their products. Great job.

Are You Losing Your Customers at "Hello"

Holly Buchanan — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:00:20 -0400

When my book The Soccer Mom Myth first came out, I did a reading at a book store which was attended by an old friend of my father. This guy had been in advertising for a long, long time.

After my presentation, he came up to me to tell me how much he enjoyed it, and that he disagreed with everything I said.

"Um, OK" was about all I could manage. How could he have disagreed with everything? All of the points presented in the book are backed up by research - from neurology to behavioral scientists to my own research and online testing.

What was the problem? I lost him at "Hello."

He disagreed with my very first premise, which is that men and women have different buying processes.

If you want to change someone's mind, you have to start with a point on which you agree

I'm a total geek when it comes to wording and messaging, or, in more fancy language, rhetoric and logic. There's an incredibly powerful principle/technique every marketer should understand - Enthymemes.

I realize at this point I risk losing all my readers with the possible exception of Jeff Sexton who is an even bigger writing geek than I am. (and I mean that as the highest possible compliment). But hang in there with me.

Here's how The Modern Scholar: A Way With Words defines an enthymeme:

An enthymeme is the point of the argument where you lean forward, look the other person in the eye and say: “Can’t we at least agree that . . .” and then go on from there.

Here's why enthymemes are so important:

The most important thing you can do in constructing your argument is the creation of an effective enthymeme. Without an enthymeme, no real argument is possible. With the right enthymeme, you can get someone to agree to pretty much anything you want. If you have defined the starting point properly, and if you use your logic correctly, your reader or hearer will have to arrive at your conclusion because it will be forced upon him or her by the logic.

Are you trying to change the way people think about you, your company, your product or the subject matter you're teaching?

If you're trying to change the way people think, take a look at your presentations, your marketing materials, your sales pitches...you have to start with something you can all agree on.

I know this is a sensitive topic, but......For example, if you look at the abortion debate - if you wanted to try to change someone's mind, you have to start with a point on which you all agree. An enthymeme you could start with would be:

We want to reduce the number of abortions. Hopefully both sides could agree on that statement.

When I do training or consulting on marketing to women, I no longer assume that everyone agrees that men and women are different.

I've changed my presentations to start by focusing on real world situations everyone (or at least almost everyone) can relate to. I throw out a scenario and get my audience/clients to tell me what their thought process is.

I start where they are, with something we can all agree on.

Then, and only then, do I move on to lay out my argument and advice on how men and women are different, and how that affects the way you market to them.

No matter how much research or testing or evidence I present, if they aren't with me on the basic premise that men and women are different and have different buying processes, they aren't going to take my advice or use the techniques I show them.

What's the starting point of your commercial or sales message?

One of the biggest reasons why marketing to women fails is because of the starting point.

Women put a lot of weight on corporate responsibility. The starting point of GM's new commercial is that an auto company chairman is a credible spokesperson. Remember, women have long memories and the outrage over Wall Street and Detroit executive behavior is still fresh in their minds.

Always did a whole campaign around the starting point of being happy during your period, thus the "Have a happy period" campaign. Well, we all know how well that turned out.

If you want to be persuasive, start with an enthymeme. Build your campaign/presentation/argument from a starting point you all agree on.

Otherwise you risk losing her at "Hello."