It will come as no surprise to our readers that many of our clients target women, especially those 30 plus in years. We spend our days thinking about "Her," and have contributed to some successful campaigns and initiatives. But what do we really know about Her - is it even possible to understand women? In light of recent financial events on the world stage and the fact that many retailers will be tightening their belts, we took some time to share our learning informally with a group of interested colleagues. It may not be scientific -- in fact much of it is common sense -- but to date, it's been valuable in helping to increase sales and traffic for clients with a female target.

Generally speaking, she is part of a group that is more empowered, self-sufficient, educated and assertive than past generations. Her power is undeniable in that she works outside the home and contributes to household earnings. "Almost all of the growth in family income since the seventies is because of her; the standard of living enjoyed by many families simply would not be possibly without her."¹ As well, she influences almost all household purchasing decisions, including auto, electronics and travel - areas previously thought to be "the man's" domain. Connected 24/7 with access to a world of information, ideas, and opinions, she's informed and weary of false pretenses. And for many in this group, especially those with children at home, they are still responsible for a predominant amount "of laundry, cleaning, homework assistance, and chauffeuring to and from activities."²

What are some considerations when marketing to her? There are many, but these are 4 of our golden rules.

She's not a number.

It used to be she was a demographic - a specific age, in a certain postal code, with a certain household income. As Boom highlights, "she's her stage, not her age. Lifestage events are not as age specific as they were at one time."³ For instance, many women in their forties are caring for young children today, just as many are seeing their children off to university. In addition to this, we believe there are many other ways to think about her. For instance, in our work with shopping centres, we have learned that there are many different types of shoppers - defined more by how they think and feel about the shopping experience than demographic numbers. As a marketer, it's very helpful to know if your core target is a price sensitive but affluent shopper versus a multi-tasking, convenience seeker.

Read her mind.

Okay, you can't read her mind, but you can take the time to understand what's on her mind when it comes to her relationship with your product or service. What nuances can you reflect that will show her you understand her in ways that are more relevant and engaging than your competitors? Make sure you understand what you are really selling to her. Ikea does a wonderful job selling what all women want:  to love their home, but without spending a fortune. Years ago we did a project for Muffet and Louisa to increase sales of flannel sheets. The solution - create a program around the idea that flannel can be comfortable and really sexy. Flannel sheet sales went through the roof.

Be authentic.

More than ever, this group appreciates and responds to authenticity and honesty. She's been influenced by Oprah, Dove, lululemon, Whole Foods, and the Body Shop - among many others. More than ever, she wants to be part of and support something real and true. One can only imagine how the corporate scandals and financial travesties of the past several years will increase her resolve in this area. She looks for brands committed to corporate citizenship, causes and communications aligned with her values.

Eileen Fisher is a role model in this area in terms of advertising that shows a range of real, beautiful women in clothes that allow them to show their own style. It is also committed to "living in balance with nature" through various initiatives including its wellness and education benefit program for employees, its contributions to programs that help girls and women build self-esteem, and by supporting fair trade practices. At one point, Eileen Fisher communications included the line, "Women Change the World Everyday" -- a true testament to the company's philosophy and practices. Supporting this idea is W Network Media which reports that "boomer women are not afraid of getting older, and their attitude is that beauty is how you feel, versus how you look."⁴

Solve her problem

Take the time to truly understand and address her needs, wants and most importantly, her latent and unexpressed dissatisfactions. W Network Media reports that she's "time starved, overworked, and doing it all without a lot of outside help."⁵ Increasingly, marketers are truly helping her. For instance, allow her to customize. Swimco does a wonderful job of this with its Mixables line of swimwear - shoppers can mix and match tops and bottoms of different colours and sizes. Land's End offers custom made jeans - customers can choose the fabric, features and fit.

Aside from customizing, help educate her and give her the information she needs to make decisions with confidence. Remember, she's busy and aspirational, so make it easy for her to do business with you. Home Depot offers decorating and renovating seminars for women - many of whom return to the store afterwards, with their husband in tow, to make a purchase. Benjamin Moore helps to educate women about painting and decorating, and offers many tools such as its Personal Colour Viewer to help them see what different colours look like in actual rooms.

And finally, help her save time. In retail, hell hath no fury like a women that has to wait or can't find something that's on her mind - online or at the store! Enough said.

¹ Business Week, How A Women Spends Her Money, February 14, 2005.

² Business Week, How A Women Spends Her Money, February 14, 2005.

³ Mary Brown and Carol Osborn, Boom, Marketing to the Baby Boomer Woman, 2006.

⁴ W Network Media Research

⁵ W Network Media Research