Question

Topic: Other

How Would You Market To "impact Women"

Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/17/2004 at 8:32 AM ET 2096 Points
"I am woman hear me Roar & I'm just too big to ignore"...was the lyrics from a famous song in the past by Helen R.

...In this day and age of Single Family mothers who are facing some amazing challenges trying to raise children alone I'm trying to get down to the HOW part. I've been involved in programs that deal exclusively with women and their children and recently I met a wonderful woman who has a heart for women and is trying to develop an avenue to appeal to women exclusively. My many life experiences in dealing with women has sparked the following questions...

Q1) How do we market to empower women in general?

Q2) What kind of things (marketing strategies) will appeal to Single family Mothers?

Q3) What kind of Marketing techniques would you use to get the message across to women who want to develop a sense of Destiny in their life?

Thanks for helping me see this thing clearer, I hope I'm being clear enough for you to get involved. Thanks.

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)

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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/17/2004 at 9:30 AM Author
    WMMA,

    sounds like an interesting suggestion and I'm all for doing this. Could you please at least explain what does not work about the title. I am more than happy to change it to please you but I don't do anything in life without at least understanding why.

    Your Servant, Deremiah
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/17/2004 at 9:51 AM Author
    OLD VERSUS NEW TITLE

    WMMA, I changed it because people might misunderstand but would things would you or anyone else suggest?...the title use to be Marketing to "Empower Women"...what does anyone else think about the title.

    Your Servant, Deremiah
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/17/2004 at 11:23 AM Author
    WMMA,

    My definition is quite simple. When we encourage others to greatness we "by the power invested in us" pass that energy on to another. We all have power but become more powerful when we work together. One horsepower is not as powerful as two horsepower, etc., etc.. But put them together and we can accomplish more. I never intended for others to assume that I think that women are not empowered within themselves but no woman or man is an island. How can we strengthen women by coming along side them with positive marketing material, ideas and suggestions. My question was and still is to be seen in the most powerful light possible. I hope this helps WMMA. Is there anything else I can do for you?

    Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/17/2004 at 12:44 PM Author
    Michelle & My guy KINGWinters,

    Great to hear from you all. Nice input. Michelle I love your willingness to participate (Finally a woman who understands what I mean). Your input open up the depths of this thing a whole lot and I love that. I agree women are very intuitive and men can be too when they get in touch with their real purpose in life. Michelle, I respect your intuition...so tell me how can I translate what you have communicated into some successful marketing?

    KINGwinters, don't hold back...what are those ideas come on share it!
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/17/2004 at 1:19 PM Author
    kwinters,

    I do want to help my client motivate women and reach women but how do you push the rational and the emotional. Or How would you sell this...what I'm trying to say is how would you communicate it effectively? Would you try to mix the two or not? Thanks Kwinters you're a great man.

    Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/17/2004 at 1:23 PM Author
    Come on WMMA, after all that dialog about changing the title I would greatly appreciate your point of view.

    Your Servant, Deremiah
  • Posted by SRyan ;] on 11/17/2004 at 2:08 PM Accepted
    Hello, Dr. D!

    Your question made me think of Landmark Education and its series of seminars. (If YOU haven't been to the Landmark Forum yourself, I'm astonished!) It's not just for women, but it's probably the most empowering experience that I've ever had.

    One thing that is interesting about Landmark is their marketing strategy -- it's almost exclusively done by word of mouth. People whose lives are changed by the experience simply invite other people to get involved, too. And Landmark needs very few employees because so many folks volunteer their time to keep the organization running worldwide. They become THAT committed to improving lives.

    That might help you with questions 1 and 3.

    How to appeal to single family mothers? Reach them through their KIDS. I'm not sure what the policies will allow at most schools, but I know that my daughter brings home a batch of various flyers in her backpack once a week. So there's a distribution idea. But the message? Do NOT say things like "Be a better mom" or "Raise better kids."

    Maybe "Moms Gone Wild!"

    I'll keep thinking...

    - Shelley
  • Posted by Pepper Blue on 11/17/2004 at 11:56 PM Accepted
    Hey Deremiah,

    Q1) How do we market to empower women in general?

    A1) Women today lead multiple lives: mom, wife, grandmother, single, girlfriend, sister, worker, volunteer, boss, entrepreneur, main income generator, second income generator who without her job the family would be screwed, just to name a few.

    So you market in such a way that makes their life easier and serves all their needs, all their lives, not just one facet i.e. "the mother".

    If you can do this you are further empowering them (giving them the ability) to lead fuller, albeit multiple lives.

    Q2) What kind of things (marketing strategies) will appeal to Single family Mothers?

    A2) Strategies that free up their time, because they have no extra time. Allowing them the time to have an opportunity to be themselves, not "mom" 24/7, maybe only 23/7 or 23/6.5.

    Q3) What kind of Marketing techniques would you use to get the message across to women who want to develop a sense of Destiny in their life?

    A3) I would use multiple integrated techniques that allowed women to accept their destiny but realize they can change or alter it if they want.

    Frequently their destiny is not be what they invisioned when they were younger. What divorced mother with sole custody of 2 children and a deadbeat father ever invisioned her situation when she was playing house?

    But if they are empowered (given the ability) by having access to products and services that address this and allow them to change if they want, they will be better able to accept this destiny and make proactive changes to alter its course.

    I hope those thoughts help! Hit me back if you want me to expand on them.
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/18/2004 at 12:58 AM Author
    Michelle, (Great response...I love your honesty)

    Kevin is offering a very interesting perspective that helps us all realize the EMOTIONAL connection. This has been a very important part of some of my marketing techniques in general but they are also a part of who I am and that works for me.

    Okay Michelle I’ll do it your way…I’ll try to see women as a homogenous group that’s very different. But it’s hard to over look the natural attributes of a woman and not think in a real sensitive way that these are also a direct reflection of her inner self…(my poem) Don’t hate just reciprocate…

    WOMAN
    Soft, warm, affection-nate,
    Makes me be com-Passion-nate
    In-2-Ah-Tive,
    her Inner character
    WOMAN
    Womb elastic, Never plastic,
    Fragile, do not break.
    WO-MAN
    Perfect receiver,
    Never love & leave her
    Never maybe, Marry her
    More than baby carry-her
    WOMAN
    Made in Paradise
    Sweetly fragranced Sugar & Spice,
    More than wonderful
    When everything’s nice.
    Sensitive, Earthy, Woman

    In your reply you've done so much to open my eyes...Is there anything I can do for you?

    Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)

    PS
    Michelle, my friend is trying to work with women in the area of teaching them to live in their purpose & destiny. The thought of trying to assist her in this process is exciting!

    PPS
    I’m not trying to sell anything because I don’t like being sold…I like sensitive relationships… I’m the sensitive type of man that loves real genuine down to earth deep, passionate relationship…do you feel me.
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/18/2004 at 1:23 AM Author
    Sryan---Wow...I appreciate your great but simple advice on extending myself to the children to reach women. I don't think you can come up with a more practical approach.

    WMMA---Thank your wife for the advice and I think she makes a great point!

    night_butterflz---Thanks for going out on a limb to share. Your advice does much to make me think sensitively about how to appeal to the idea of empowering or reaching or assisting women. I agree with you...It's great to here you say "that's what makes women so great".

    Jose04---EXCELLENT! reply...there just is not too much more that I can say about what you said. Honest, relevant commentary with some practical and challenging ideas is what you have given to this discussion. Sometimes it just does not pay to tamper with an EXCELLENT response but could you comment a little more on some practical steps I could use in the area of marketing to secure a more powerful campaign? Be just a little bit more intimate with us and share a little more of your heart and practical steps that we can use to secure positive relationships even if you have to get more philosophical.

    Thanks everyone...Is there anything else I can do for either one of you? I sincerely mean this. There would be nothing more important to me than to build a tighter bond with my fellow KHE brothers & sisters. What can I co for you?

    Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/18/2004 at 1:29 AM Author
    PepperBlue,

    please do elaborate. This is your soap box...Go for it! I like your ideas and I will reflect on your commentary tomorrow. Until tomorrow don't be afraid to go a little deeper. The male/female responses have a nice flavor and I would like any of our guest today to stretch out on what you think generally makes a difference to the thought of marketing to empower women.

    Your Servant, Deremiah, goodnight to some and good morning to others.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 11/18/2004 at 7:14 AM Accepted
    Probably NOT talking to them like a man for a start.

    How many women arc up when they hear a white male elected politician talking for example about removal of a womans right to choose. I don't want to open a right to life debate nor do I want to encourage anyone to behave irresponsibly at any level, but should Dubya and co be telling someone what they may not do?

    Extend the same "men don't understand women" argument further - how many men can understand the balancing act between kids, career, and glass ceilings?

    Volvo had an all-female team design a new concept car. It's brilliant. No hood to open. Really. The trunk opens when you stand behind it. And so on. 110 years after the first man designed a car and women come up with amazing creativity like that. Car engine bays are so complicated these days no ordinary person should lift their own hood anymore anyway.

    Impact women by involving them at every level in the creative, strategic and executional phases.

    Women are not a segment or target, they're just wonderfully different from men in many ways.

    Hope this helps more than it confuses.

    ChrisB

  • Posted by bobhogg on 11/19/2004 at 1:04 PM Accepted
    Deremiah...

    Another late (male) entrant to this discussion! (Which I've been following with interest, by the way.)

    One or two of the earlier posts have mentioned the word "destiny", and I wonder if that's another factor to take into account. Psychologists talk about people having either an "internal locus of control" or an "external locus of control". Those with internal locus of control believe that "I'm in charge of my own destiny" (in other words, my future lies in my own hands and how it works out is down to me). People with the (opposite) external locus of control feel that their destiny lies in the hands of others, or in the hands of "fate". Most (if not all) entrepreneurs are seen to have a high internal locus of control.

    Where does that fit into this discussion? Well, I wonder if traditionally, in many societies, a woman's "place" is seen to be determined for her - in other words an external locus of control is almost forced upon her. Now that many societies are changing, women are "released" from that constraint, and many are therefore beginning to exercise their natural internal locus of control. In other words, their "empowerment" actually has to come from within them in the first place - and some women will embrace that (i.e. those with high internal locus of control) and some (with external locus of control) won't.

    So maybe that's another way to think about segmentation of your female market when it comes to marketing "empowerment"?

    Bob
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/19/2004 at 7:55 PM Author
    Valhallaessences,

    Not disagreeing with you but I really wonder how many women would agree with you? How many women really lose sight of the fact that motherhood could possibly be a part of their purpose in the earth? And how much does this add to their daily frustration? I wonder how many women come underneath the overwhelming responsibility of having to deal with choosing their dreams? And do they see childbearing as a stumbling to reaching their dreams? Do they come under guilt when they have children and simultaneously strive for the dream? (just thinking out loud a little).

    I hear you saying they feel tied down…sort of obligated to the very real responsibility of trying to manage the lives of their kids while their dream gets lost in the mix. So when we deal with single-family mothers we definitely have to consider the major role their kids play in the entire scenario. And we have to watch how this impacts the lifestyle and the decision making process.

    Thanks for your involvement...and feel free to add to this. Is there anything I can do for you?

    Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/21/2004 at 1:47 AM Author
    ChrisB,

    You entered into the question from a different angle and I’m sure no one wants to hear Government officials trying to tell anyone “what they may not do”…but it appears that when “Someone’s In Charge” they’ll more than likely be the one telling the others “who are not in charge” what to do. Supervisors tell their employees they supervise, while Managers tell those they manage and CEO’s tell other executive officers “what they may not do”…It may not seem fair but in the scope of how life operates this is how it goes.

    I agree with you on avoiding the process of talking to a woman like a man and vice versa because this always makes for better relationships.

    Also I think men can understand women but the question is will we see it eye to eye…I’m not sure. Although I’m not a woman and will never be a woman I don’t think that eliminates men from being able to identify with women.

    And it very well may be possible that most men may have trouble understanding the balancing act between kids, career and glass ceilings but I must say that might very well be the mindset of some men but not all men. I can’t speak from the perspective of a white male in America but I can tell you this honestly, I’ve seen more than a few men go home frustrated, misunderstood, and confused. And then have to go home struggling with the balancing act between their kids, their career, limited upward mobility and glass ceilings. I’m not willing to say that women are the only ones to feel this way. What I will say is that I’m sure the inward dynamics are felt a little differently by women but we all are different.

    IMPACT WOMEN…
    Of all the things you said I really like this one part the best…”Impact women by involving them at every level in the creative, strategic and execution phases.”


    JIM,

    Great input…excellent practical steps (below a summary)

    DETERMINE: What segment you are trying to reach.
    REACH OUT TO: A segment of women that feel some level of stress, despair, complacency, and/or frustration in trying to run a household, achieve success, or establish a "life balance".

    CREATE: a supportive community
    CREATE: a strong foundation of Education
    CREATE: straightforward, helpful information and suggestions.
    CREATE: a learn from each other environment
    CREATE: a give back community.
    CREATE: a baby sitting service
    CREATE: some free time
    CREATE: a knowledge base resource
    CREATE: a new legacy
    CREATE: financial independence


    Kimbiqua, Excellent short but sweet input.

    CREATE: a unified group
    CREATE: a “vote” by purchase
    CREATE: A larger voice in the local community that deals with social or business issues.
    CREATE: a lobby for women’s issues
    CREATE: a product participant program.
    CREATE: group power.


    Jillc, interesting soapbox moment.

    Question: can we be equal if we are different? What do you think?

    CREATE: a gift of time
    CREATE: a gift of organization
    CREATE: a make me feel unique & wonderful experiences.

    Jill you were not preachy but you did come across as a spirit filled passionate evangelist.



    Km2000, I will reach out to you to get the information you suggested and as far as your 2 cents is concerned I thought it was worth a few thousand dollars J



    Andlearn, Please tell me more…(good stuff)

    Bobhog, Never late when your insights are as valid as yours were. Thanks everyone for participating.

    EXPRESS YO-SELF…MAKE YOUR MOVE NOW…If you know anyone else among the KHE experts who should participate like Jett or someone else please have them get on this post immediately. I will be open to anyone who has commented commenting on someone else’s post. You can respond in agreement or disagreement but please feel free to express yourself.

    Is there anything I can do for any of you? I would love to help and I’m sure since you all are the independent, self-reliant, you got all the power you need type I may not hear from you. Well let me be the first to say I need everyone of you all…life just wouldn’t be any fun without you. Thanks so much.

    Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)
  • Posted by Carl Crawford on 11/22/2004 at 6:51 AM Member
    hi Deremiah,

    have you read " Dont Think Pink What Really Makes Women Buy And How To Increase Your Share Of This Crucial Market" by Lisa Johnson and Andrea Learned ?

    if you haven’t then i suggest you read it. I have a copy in a help file format. If you would like me to send you a copy just email me.

    have a nice day

    Carl Crawford
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/22/2004 at 8:01 AM Author
    Carl Crawford,

    Sounds GREAT! Please feel free to share this and anyother ideas you have whereby I can help out my friend who's looking for ideas on how to crack the female market. Thanks.

    Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE
  • Posted by telemoxie on 11/23/2004 at 11:03 PM Accepted
    It is not clear from your question if you are talking about B2B or B2C - but I'm a B2B guy, so I'll offer the best perspective I can.

    I'm on the phone every day talking with both men and women, and I can tell you, there are some substantial differences.

    For example, I generally won't call for a woman at work after 4:30. Many women (especially single mothers) are so overburdened by responsibility that the organized ones plan their day to be long gone by then. Therefore you can "empower" such a person by giving them tools so they can accomplish their responsibilities more quickly at work.

    From a technology point of view, I personally believe that many women are much more focused on the here-and-now than their male counterparts - they are less likely to use what free time they have figuring out how things work in advance of a requirement - and therefore providing easy access to specific "how-to" technical instructions (e.g. how do you set up a blog?) empowers women.

    I'm a person who focuses on the long term, and most men I speak with will give me an immediate answer (no, I do not need that now, I will call you if I do) while women seem to want to remain more open minded and keep options open, and some seem to want to present a range of options and build consensus rather than rule by fiat - thus you can "empower" them by providing a stream of info on your offering over time.

    Regarding helping women open their eyes to consider their potential - I was supervising a woman whom I felt had potential, but seemed to me to be limited by her self image. I saw a flier on one of those all-day sessions with a series of motivational speakers, and suggested that she attend. I do not know if this developed a "sense of destiny" - but it sure seemed to me that it made a difference. Within a year, she was consistently dressing better in the office, she was selling real estate on the side, and she began to outgrow her position.
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 11/25/2004 at 11:41 AM Author
    Happy Thanks Giving...

    Well it'a a great day to give some points up and I really appreciate all of the answers. I've got a lot to think about as it pertains to "Empowering/Impacting Women". This quesion really sparked some great dialogue and I will have a spin off question to this one in the near future. Thanks everyone. Is there anything else I can do for you?

    Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)
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