Savvy marketers know the statistics about the purchasing power of women and the importance of effectively reaching these super-consumers. That’s why you may have recently attended M2W in Chicago – to learn how to sharpen your marketing communications to women and increase your sales to female consumers. Business demands don’t always allow for you to attend industry conferences like M2W, so we’re bringing key learnings from the conference to you.

Ketchum was an associate sponsor of M2W again this year, and Kelley Skoloda, Partner at Ketchum, presented proprietary research and client case studies to conference attendees. Marti Barletta and Bonnie Ulman, marketing-to-women experts and advisors to Ketchum, also spoke at the event.

Here are quick summaries of their presentations:

Before Women Go Shopping,
They Go CROPing^SM

• Female consumers are multi-minding^SM and have little time for commercial messages.
• Ketchum research shows that multi-minding women use shortcuts to get the right information for their purchase decisions.
• Before women go shopping, they go CROPing: they seek out CRedible OPinions from influencers – opinions leaders in their families or communities – for advice.
• Friends and family top the credible sources list for women across food, consumer electronics and consumer-packaged goods categories.
• What does it take to connect with multi-minding women?
• Credibility
• Bite-sized, repeatable messaging
• 360-degree touch points
• Consistency

Stay tuned for Kelley’s upcoming book, Every Woman Does It: Multi-Minding, for more examples of successfully connecting with multi-minding women.

The Power of
PrimeTime Women^TM

Marti Barletta demonstrated how marketers can capitalize on the convergence of two lucrative demographic trends (women and an aging population). Her presentation featured new research conducted by her think tank, The TrendSight Group and DDB Worldwide.

• PrimeTime Women (women 50-70) are the prime marketing target for the next 20 years and they’re in the prime of their lives.
• PrimeTime Women: The Silver Bullet
• 96% of the population growth between now and 2016 will be in the 50+ market. Translation: There are more PrimeTime Women buying your products.
• They are buying new stuff, trading up to higher-end products, and they are not more brand loyal than younger generations. Translation: Your brand needs to stay (or become) relevant to her.
• They are influential in their own households and across generations.
• Marti’s “To Don’t” List:
• Don’t rely on the youth market to meet your numbers.
• Don’t make the mistake of marketing to outdated stereotypes.
• Don’t overlook the opportunities of new lifestages and lifestyles.
• Marti’s “To Do” List for reaching PrimeTime Women:
• Activate – Create and communicate “active lifestyle” by adapting existing products, creating new products and making them “cool.”
• Authenticate – Insist on authenticity: internal (self-acceptance) and external (appearance). These women gain release from conventional family roles and are not fighting age, which is an irrelevant number.
• Re-calibrate – Shifting priorities:
1. They have a new value of time. “No time for nonsense” and “No time like the present.”
2. They are looking for their “next quest,” not thinking about “empty nest.” More time and money = freedom.
3. They want to collect “experiences” more than “things.”
4. They are concerned about their personal and public legacy. They want to benefit their descendants and make the world a better place.

Shock and Awe: Why Women Should
Be Driving a New World Order
of Customer Service

In the world of customer service, and certainly when a woman is involved, "how can I help?" doesn't always cut it. In her soon-to-be-published book, Bonnie Ulman turns the magnifying glass on how this functional area can be a bottom-line asset for any organization. Bonnie shared insights from the research that formed the foundation of the book at M2W.

• The perception of customer service is nose-diving:
• 74% less honesty, trust
• 66% believe there is less intelligence
• Consumers are less forgiving:
• 23% will grant one negative experience
• 55% will grant two negative experiences
• Consumers want to achieve or exceed an intended effect, which is potential.
• The ability for a company to deliver potential to a female consumer is extraordinarily powerful for its reputation and bottom-line.
• The quest for potential cuts across gender and age; the only difference is the effect they want to achieve.
• Half of survey participants believe women have customer service needs different from men.
• 73% of survey participants (male and female) believe women have higher expectations for customer service.
• 85% of women believe their expectations are higher!
• Her expectations are higher in the following categories:
• Automobile
• Food and beverage
• Electronics
• High-end department stores
• Boutiques
• Healthcare providers
• Service providers