Building Business Starts with Understanding Women

–News Direct–

In ancient times, women like Cleopatra, Boudicca, and Esther were recorded in the history books as revered rulers and warriors, proudly standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. However, in the fourth and fifth centuries AD, women began taking a backseat as the world defined and encouraged a female’s role solely as a homemaker. Women couldn’t vote, were discouraged from owning property, and were barred from opportunities to make strides in an increasingly male-dominated world. But one thing has never changed: women do, and will continue to, influence all household purchases. Women are the Chief Purchasing Officers in their households and the most influential consumers in the world. We are the economy of the United States, and our earning power only continues to grow.

As women have become more educated, with far more financial strength and decision-making abilities, capturing not just their attention but their loyalty is key to a business’s ongoing success.

According to the Inclusionary Leadership Group, women make or influence a staggering 83 percent of all non-business-to-business consumer purchases. Not only do females hold veto power on the majority of purchasing decisions, they are a business’s number one referral source! In a recent study, Gender Marketing Strategies found that women are 25 to 30 percent more likely than men to make referrals. The same study revealed that generally, women are more socially generous when it comes to sharing purchasing decisions, as well as positive and negative consumer reviews. Being aware of her impact is the tip of the iceberg.

The unfortunate reality is most businesses still don’t take this huge female customer segment very seriously, and organizational team members are not given the tools to tailor the customer experience to women. In a very real, male-dominated world, women are still dealing with the long-standing idea of the perceived female lack of power when, in fact, she has been the main influencer of purchases for centuries. Reaching female customers is made even more difficult by the fact that men make up 76 percent of C-suite level executives, 73 percent of senior vice presidents, 70 percent of vice presidents, and 65 percent of senior managers/directors, according to the most recent Women in the Workplace Survey. At the same time, 91 percent of women still feel misunderstood by advertisers and, according to Linkage Research’s Entrepreneur Tracking Study, 76 percent of women question whether or not most companies even comprehend their needs.

That changes today.

Imagine a new world where your company knows how to talk to women because you know their desires and needs, and you can meet their expectations. Imagine a world where women fall in love with your brand and remain loyal to you. In this world, you would not only see an enormous increase in customer satisfaction (and profits), you would also be able to close the gap between what you want to achieve and how your team members go about achieving it.

Consumers—especially women—want a tailored experience that speaks to them personally from start to finish, and this has completely changed the marketplace. If you want your organization or business to undergo real, sustainable change regarding the experiences you provide to the female consumer, you must be willing to take a good, hard look at who women are and what makes us tick. Your organization needs a belief system and culture women can get behind, a shift in mindset, and a willingness to make changes to the core of your business—changes that speak to women as respected customers.

You hold the power to impact your customer’s day with a single interaction. You have the ability to be the highlight of her day by taking the time to personalize the experience you provide, being compassionate and anticipatory. You’ll knock the competition out of the water and gain the ultimate power as a brand if you focus on the experience you provide to your female consumer.

Consider me your guide as you work to achieve these goals. I have researched the habits of female consumers and the impact women have on households, businesses, and the world’s economy. I have used my own experiences to build upon this research and discover how to create a successful brand experience for women. Whether you’re a woman or a man, as a business leader, you need this knowledge to transform the way you deliver a customer experience, made custom for her. Only you stand in your way of capturing women’s dominate force in the economic world.

CustomHer Experience is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere books are sold online. Learn more about my book on my website katiemares.com.

About the Author

As a brand experience expert, Katie knows firsthand the challenges organizations encounter as they strive to design a sustainable and effective CX program tailored for the female consumer. Using her experiences as a Chief Inspiration Officer, building company infrastructure and designing customer experience programs, she is now a leading voice for positive, actionable change in the organizations with which she partners. Katie has a master’s degree in Adult Training and Development from Schulich School of Business and a Certified Training and Development Professional (CTDP) certification.

As a highly sought-after speaker, Katie has inspired audiences around the world to think differently about the female consumer, customer experience, and leadership. She has worked with globally recognized brands, including Honda, Celebrity Cruises, and Canada Post.

Katie lives in Toronto with her three children. When she is not traveling around the world consulting and speaking, she can be found on a yoga mat, in a shoe store, or snuggled on the couch eating homemade popcorn and watching a movie with her three little ones.

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