Marketing is all about emphasizing how your product or service will fill a need for your customer. And marketing to women is especially concerned with connecting values to decision-making. Here are some values that women cherish. It’s not a ground-breaking list, but based on my survey of marketing efforts today, these values could certainly use some contemplation.
- Warm, close relationships – Personal ties are a good thing- in fact, the best thing. Freedom is not nearly as important as friendship. Who cares if you can do anything you want; if nobody likes you, what’s the point?
- Girlfriends – Women’s relationships with their close women friends are some of the most cherished elements in their life. Marketing that effectively uses this value will portray women in small groups, animated by lively conversation and laughter or warmed by caring concern (think of the Olive Garden commercials).
- Men who are thoughtful, caring and considerate – No, not men who are women; rather men who are men and then some. You don’t usually get a whole man like this, but occasionally you get moments, so women cherish the moments.
- Children’s accomplishments – The emotion women experience for their children’s accomplishments goes far beyond parental pride. As one of women’s highest values, helping their children succeed and be happy engenders a feeling of love powerful enough to warm a village. This kind of depth just isn’t felt in marketing messages showing women and their children.