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05/12/14 | Uncategorized

11 Female Founders Give Their the Do's and Don'ts of Marketing to Women

Is marketing technology to women fundamentally different and if so, how? 11 female founders offer their opinions and advice.

By the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC)

We asked female founders what they thought one thing tech startups should keep in mind when marketing to women vs. men.

1. Do Your Research

Erica BellGender-linked behavioral patterns can help you better understand how to effectively market to men and women. For Hukkster, that meant learning about the differences in the way men and women shop. Through research, we’ve learned women are more likely to browse before pulling the trigger and this informs how we market our value prop to specific audiences.
Erica Bell, Hukkster

 

2. Consider the Big Picture

Alexandra LevitMen tend to be linear and compartmentalize different areas of their lives. Women, on the other hand, are always looking at the big picture and how your product or service will affect their existence holistically. Show women how they can use your technology in both their personal and professional lives.
Alexandra Levit, Inspiration at Work

 

3. Focus on Aesthetics

Kim KaupeAesthetics plays a huge part in decision-making for women. From the latest app to the newest service, if the appearance and experience is unsavory, women are less likely than men to recommend it to their friends. Making sure that your marketing is on point and not just “good enough” is essential for capturing and engaging the ladies!
Kim Kaupe, ZinePak

 

4. Hire Women

katrina_lakeAll startups should be marketing to women from the get-go — women control 80 percent of the wallet and drive a majority of household purchase decisions. The best advice I can give is to hire women! They’ll be able to give honest feedback early on about what will work and what won’t, and will ultimately save you a lot of effort, money and code.
Katrina Lake, Stitch Fix

 

5. Don’t ‘Pink-Wash’

Alexis WolferA lot of companies seem to think that pink-washing (in color and scope) makes anything appeal to women. Don’t forget that while women do have their gender in common, we’re as multidimensional as men.
Alexis Wolfer, TheBeautyBean.com

 

 

6. Tell Your Brand’s Story

Vanessa Van EdwardsDo you know your brand’s story? Women place an extremely high value on the ‘why’ of a brand. As a tech startup, you can share your product benefits along with how you got started and why. Tell women your story so they can connect with you.
Vanessa Van Edwards, Science of People

7. Offer a Solution

Brooke BergmanTell us how your startup will help improve our lives both professionally and personally. Give us one easy-to-use solution for both.
Brooke Bergman, Allied Business Network Inc.

 

 

8. Create a Dialogue

Heather LopesShare a wealth of information on your business, your team and your story so that women customers can get to know you — then open up a conversation to ensure their voices are heard. Introduce a team member they can contact with questions. Send personalized emails requesting feedback. Make sure the lines of communication are always open.
Heather Lopes, EarlyShares

 

9. Remember That Women Relate to Tech Differently

Thursday-Bram 2Show a guy a location-aware app and he’ll think it’s cool that his phone knows where he is. Show a few women and the opinions will be split: some will be worried about who can find them, others will consider it a way to keep safe when they’re out. As a general rule, we relate to new technologies differently because of the larger sociological and cultural experiences we have.
Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting

 

10. Build Case Studies

doreen-blochOne effective way to tailor your marketing efforts is to build case studies that appeal to or resonate with women and men separately. For example, if your technology has a track record of supporting women in a unique way, create a case study that highlights this use case for your business.
Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc.

 

11. Provide High-Touch Support

Elizabeth SaundersWomen like to talk and they don’t like to feel alone. One of the primary reasons I’ll choose one technology service provider over another is whether or not I have the ability to quickly connect with a person who will solve my problem. I don’t want to be forced to go through endless help pages or send you an email. Offer good, fast sales and support service and women won’t stop talking about you!
Elizabeth Saunders, Real Life E

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