By Susan Guillory
Are your advertising campaigns talking authentically to girls?
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We’ve gone a long way in terms of advertising, baby, but not quite far enough. We’re still seeing firms advertise to mythical gals who stay at home all day worrying about which toilet bowl cleanser to use (have you ever met one of these ladies?). I haven’t done so.) Despite this, we see way too much pink, flowers, roses, and kittens. Have you ever met a female who targets this kind of advertisement?
It’s time to understand what women want and provide it to them via effective advertising to relevant women in today’s environment.
Get to know your audience.
I hate including this as a suggestion since it ought to be self-evident, but given the commercial messages I’ve seen lately, I feel compelled to pound on it just a little.
Take your mother, for example. Spouse. Sister. Female companions. How much of a personality do they have in common? What’s the difference between them? Your mother could be a mountain-climbing yogini, while your sister knits conservatively. How on earth will you reach every one of them with the same advertising campaign?
Because you can’t design a blanket advertising marketing campaign that will connect with every woman on the market, I’d want you to choose a side right now. You just cannot do so. To narrow down your target market to the exact people you want to reach.
Now is the time to get to know them. Meet with females in your demography in person. Talk to them in focus groups. What are their favorite and least favorite things? Where do they go to research new products? What criteria do people use to decide what to buy?
Commercials irritate me as a woman in her forties. I’m more likely to buy a product that will benefit me (which is tailor-made to my tastes) in my Instagram feed. I talk to my friends about products and read reviews regularly.
This is necessary for comprehending the female customer to whom you’re attempting to sell.
Create a fascinating narrative.
I’m not sure what the science is behind it, but females like stories. They want to connect emotionally with a model. Years ago, when a certain advertisement for cotton fabric came on, I would always weep. My coronary heart swells when I see advertisements featuring animals.
However, pleasure and love aren’t the only emotions that may be conveyed via storytelling. In advertising, a sense of humor is a valuable advantage. Here’s an example that makes me laugh (albeit it isn’t for everyone): Squatty Potty tackles a topic that no one wants to talk about (poop) and turns it into a comedy while also teaching the audience science. Unicorns also defecate rainbow ice cream. Enjoyable!
You may tell a story that has nothing to do with your product, similar to how drug commercials do (“Now that I’m on Med X! I can do so much more!”). I’m a skier! Give my grandson a big hug! “Dance with my colleague!”).
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You may use your model to tell a story. This is a good time to use social media since you can upload photographs of your employees manufacturing your products and provide a behind-the-scenes peek at your company. I know that if I come across a reference to a brand’s narrative, I’m more likely to buy from them again.
Here’s a great example of a model conveying its own story: Fuschia Shoes. The model appeared in my Instagram feed, and I clicked because I liked the design of the shoes and the fact that they’re manufactured responsibly by craftsmen. Yes, okay, I clicked because they were adorable! However, as soon as you enter the website, you will find a video of the creator describing why she felt compelled to elevate the international shoe industry, which is notorious for exploiting people and putting them in dangerous working conditions. You may view photos of the people that create the shoes in Pakistan. That is a fantastic tale.
Pay attention to what you’re preaching.
It’s not enough to sell to women. You should also include them in your advertisements. In your website’s photos. They should be a part of your team. No woman will believe that an organization managed by a group of men would be able to provide for her in the same manner that other women will.
Keep in mind that females aren’t all created equal. They want to see females with the same skin tone as them or who have wrinkles. They want to see real women in advertisements, not airbrushed models. What draws females, lumps, pimples, sunspots, and all, is being real.
Set promoting apart from the rest.
If you have salespeople in your company, retrain them on how to market to women. A gross sales pitch makes us very uneasy. When a salesperson calls, I’m already closed off to whatever message he’s trying to convey because I know he’s not calling with my best interests in heart.
Girls want to form bonds with other people. We’d want you to care about who we are and inquire about our family’s well-being. We’d like to talk about our most recent vacation or what we have planned for the summer. We don’t want to be sold to, but we may easily buy from you for those who care about us.
Girls aren’t like cryptic riddles waiting to be solved. We’re all unique people. Market to us with the idea that none of us wants to be put together and treated as the unique individuals.
Concerning the Author
Susan Guillory is a business writer who uses blogs, web copy and ghostwriting to make her clients appear good. Susan’s entire profile and publications may be found on AllBusiness.com.
