And Cheryl, you are so true - listening is the key.  BUT, when you are writing marketing materials whose purpose is to sell (which EVERY business should be using), then you must do your research and listening before the materials go out.  You can’t have a piece of paper listen for you, so the research is critical.  If you don’t do it first and foremost, you will miss the mark in your message.  And women are also the prominent buyers from direct mail as well - so those who get it and do it right - can sell via the printed word just as well as face to face.

Bob, too true.  The women’s market is ripe for better service, better listening skills, and better all around marketing.  It’s truly sad more people don’t see this and tailor their marketing efforts in a more effective way.

Alison,  selling to men is a skill in it’s own.  Men typically buy faster, with a more linear progression through the sales decision.  Women think more about things like: can I trust them, what do my contacts say about this, do I personally like the person who is selling this, do I respect them, how is their appearance positioned for what they are selling, what is their reputation, etc. And all these factors come in to play at once. Men go through some of the same decision making process but it is more in a logical flow from step 1 through step 9.  Men like more action, more decisiveness, and more direction from women that are trying to sell to them,
The key to all of this is… make sure you know WHO you are selling to! Men or women - they need to be understood to be sold to.  Way too many websites I see out there, clients I talk to, startups I get request from, etc… they are severely lacking in preliminary work they should have been doing from day one!  They jump in - assume they know who they are selling to and what it is they want to buy - and completely miss out on a fabulous opportunity to make a lot more money, gain a lot more devoted customers, and become a much more prominent player in their industry.  All it takes is some effort - and the leverage you get from that effort is immense.  Defintiely worthy of further research and questioning. 

Great article and especially interesting as I did my best to extrapolate how this information would work for me in my position as a woman selling to men.  I am selling commercial insurance products to men in the trucking industry.  I think bringing the feminine aspect of practicality and focusing on service to the customer, rather then focusing on closing the sale is very important.  When I say focusing on the service, rather then the sale, I mean the sale will come if I do as Cheryl suggests and listen for understanding.  I also know men are problem solvers and if I ask questions that show the men I am working to exact their vision, to pinpoint their needs, and to let them know I’m willing to research their issues, I may gain some amount of respect.  Even if I don’t make a sale, I may win a referral.  This type of customer query can yield useful information for both of us and build a relationship.  I need to find a balance between my femininity and my ability to think like a man. As a woman, I assure you, thinking like a man has its own set of challenges too.  

As always, you are a great read.
Alison
alison@harrisburginsurance.com

And I especially pay attention to what women want as about 90% of our business comes from women. I don’t speak the language as fluently as my wife does but I am learning.

Women want to improve, are willing to do what it takes and to spend the money, knowing that it’s important to feel good and have balance in life.

Cheryl’s comment is also good and I will add that it’s all about a persons values, male or female. You explained it even if you didn’t say it. Give a person what they value most and you will have a very satisfied customer.

Bob
http://www.lifepotential.ca

Even though there are cultural differences in what "women" consider acceptable behavior and "men" consider acceptable behavior the secret to selling to either sex is always first and foremost listening for understanding.

Once you understand the the prospect the next most important thing is to recognize the behavioral differences among all "people".  A dominant woman will be hard driven quick to take action and make logical decisions just like her male counterpart. 

Again listening and observation will serve both you and the prospect well so you both have an enjoyable and profitable sales conversation.

Cheryl
http://increasesalescoach.com

The program is intense!  It’s not just a matter of recognizing the fact that women make or primarily influence 91% of all new home sales and 86% of ALL consumer purchase.  It’s more than that.  It’s learning about the personalities of women, what moves them online, in print and in person (and yes, there are very specific woman-centric ways to design websites to maximize her experience online), and how to anticipate her needs even before she realizes them herself.  

It’s all very exciting!  And the most exciting part of it is that it WORKS!  So, Troy, you are absolutely right in your article - brief, but 100% spot-on.  Those companies that make the leap to a woman-centric approach will see their profits soar - not just with their female customers, but also with men.  Why?  Because it just makes so darned much sense!

Thanks for the article, Troy!  I get excited every time I encounter one more person who "gets it"!

Regards,
Melissa
rabblebabble (at) hotmail.com