Marketing to Women

truckmount girl

1800greenglides
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
8,880
Location
Sun City, CA
Name
Lisa Smith
It seems to be on everyone's mind....how best to get the ladies to notice and be receptive to you and your business.

I've got a little insight on this topic, AND I don't have a marketing program to sell or work for a company that sells them...so here goes guys....BUT WARNING, many of you won't like what I have to say as it goes right in the face of a lot of "conventional" marketing legends and myths.

....secrets of the sisterhood.

Seriously, here are some do's and don'ts when marketing a service business to a largely female client base:

Cutesy is not cute, it's just lame:

1. Stupid, silly names for your company.

2. Pastel/floral equipment and company colors.

3. I know this one's popular, but sorry guys: Pictures of you and your family in your marketing. Unless they're on the truck working with you it looks like you're trying TOO hard to portray you're a family man, and not hard enough to convey you are competent.

4. Goofy cartoons - I'm not 6 years old.

5. Another popular one: BABY pictures, if you think women don't know that you are trying to appeal to their maternal instincts, then you don't know kaka (caca?) about women. We see through it.

Insulting:

1. Fear-based marketing with pictures of dust mites, mold spores, etc. Turns me off faster than ANYTHING! reminds me of those stupid ads for home security devices. This marketing is deceptive, overly-emotional and manipulative...DON'T EVER USE IT!!

2. "Don't call another cleaner....before you listen to my ten minute recorded sales pitch", "WARNING...", etc. any marketing that sounds like a used car salesman wrote it, or it came whith the Reader's Digest Sweepstakes packet. Do not use advertising that is negative to your competition...OR IS EXTREMELY DULL, FLAT AND WORDY. We weren't born yesterday and hate being manipulated....and boring and texty is boring and texty.

3. Free "carpet audits/inspections"...we know you just want to get your foot in the door. We'll look for the guy who gives phone estimates because we know it's easier to get you off the phone than out of the house if we don't want to use your service. We also know you're in business to make money, and you wouldn't do something for free unless you stood to make more money by baiting us with the "free" word.

4. Don't treat us like we don't know the difference between a socket and a screwdriver. Don't try to convince us that your porty is the same as a Vortex...we have eyes you know. We know you generally get what you pay for, and if they are the same EVERYONE would have the porty. Some set ups OBVIOUSLY cost more and are more industrial/professional than others...we are impressed by men with industrial size tools.....as long as they are skilled in the use of those tools and don't tear apart our house or damage things in the process, we want you to be careful with our stuff too.

JUST PLAIN WRONG:

1. Pictures of your crew if they look like you recruited them from skid row, the local prison, or your kid's high school.

2. Detailed schematics of your machine, even GUYS who aren't in the industry have little to no interest in how your machine is put together and what size blower you use. It's meaningless to all except those in the trade. but DO convey the quality, industrialness and power of your equipment. If You've got a Vortex, put a pic of that baby in the ad. if you've got a porty....get an RX20 or Rotovac and market that.

3. Door hangers - Annoying and make our house and neighborhood look trashy. But for some reason we LOVE fridge magnets, send those out along with a letter of introduction.

GOOD MARKETING:

1. Use HUMOR, not goofy humor, but dry, subtle humor. If you can make us laugh (not cringe) your 3/4 of the way there...this applies to dating too!

2. Simple, bold, LARGE graphics catch the eye and stay in the memory...but don't get hideous. Keep your graphics and color schemes consistent in all of your marketing.

3. Market your experience, education, quality equipment, reliability and specialties. DON'T EXAGGERATE!

4. Pics of professional, clean equipment and friendly-looking owner/techs. Uniforms aren't important, but just look decent. If everyone wears T-shirts with the company logo and jeans...that's fine, in fact it seems more friendly and open than a guy in an uncomfortable uniform or the ridiculous ties!

5. Stress the unique selling points of YOUR business without bashing anyone else or other methods.

6. Choose a name that is easy to remember, and pass out fridge magnets like candy. Most of us don't call the last guy back because we honestly don't remember who he was! But newsletters and reminders are on the pushy side.

7. BIG HINT: When seeking carpet cleaning women aren't approaching it like shoe shopping...they don't expect, nor want it geared for "femininity". The industry is overwhelmingly male/masculine and women feel somehow it's more like plumbing or electrical contractors, not maid service, so when we seek these service providers we look for companies and individuals with an image similar to what we would look for in a potential partner/husband. You don't go out on a date wearing pink suits, flowery perfume and carrying stuffed animals do you? You are appealing to women, but not imitating them! Appeal to them with your marketing and personal presence with traits and characteristics that women value:

1. An excellent sense of humor
2. Honesty
3. Relaxed, casual, open
4. Genuine, warm and friendly (don't go too far and get creepy!)
5. Reliable
6. Competent
7. Self-Assured
8. Respectful (that goes for not just how you treat her, but your techs, and others as well.
9. Exhibit pride, but not arrogance.
10. TRUSTWORTHY - Don't eye her daughter, talk to her boobs, ask how much something costs, check out the valuables, etc.

Do this and you will do well with the women in your market.

Now that I have shook up most of the marketing programs and "what women want" myths out there...don't blame the messenger boys.

Take it for what it's worth.

Take care,
Lisa
 

XTREME1

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Greg Crowley
I got my 16 cents worth today, Can You Paypal 16 cents?
 

Tahoesteve

Member
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Feb 20, 2007
Messages
150
Thanks Lisa.

This is priceless information.

I am happy to admit that I am only guilty of the door hangers and the newsletters. In defense of my newsletter, I write my own, add some humor, throw in a recipie or two, have some fun facts, a carpet cleaning related article and include a monthly brainteaser with a Starbucks gift card prize for the first correct answer. Have had great feedback from the female readers on that...and so far a woman has won each of the past 3 months since I started it.

...now if I can just find a date...

Thanks again!


Steve
 

Jim Pemberton

MB Exclusive.
Joined
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Name
Jim Pemberton
Great points, Lisa. I'm always suspicious when men tell us how to market to women.

Earl Nightengale had a discussion about marketing to women, and how men talk down to them in advertising. He concluded that, in many cases, "women just don't like us (men) very much, and I don't blame them a bit"

I'm going to use your recommendations and hand them out in my next class.

Thanks.
 

truckmount girl

1800greenglides
Joined
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Messages
8,880
Location
Sun City, CA
Name
Lisa Smith
Newsletters are not really bad, some can be positive.

But in the real world, the vast majority get tossed in the trash unread as more annoying junk mail....and some people who really hate junk mail, make special note of where it came from and make decisions not to use companies that market in such a way.

If you absolutely feel you MUST market to your past customers, my preferred way would be an eye-catching humorous postcard with a seasonal special or something. It is smaller and less obtrusive than a newsletter or flier.

One GOOD piece of marketing would be a nice, professional tri-fold brochure handed to the customer as you leave giving post-cleaning instructions, spotting guide, tips for maintaining their carpets, etc. that they can tape to the inside door of their cleaning cupboard/broom closet for reference throughout the year. Make sure your phone number is prominently displayed on the side that would face OUT if it was taped to a door.

Take care,
Lisa
 

Tahoesteve

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
150
Lisa,

I forgot to mention...my newsletter is an email newsletter. It goes out to past customers and prospects.

I like your post card idea. And the leave behind brochure. I am actually working on my leave behind package to include the brochure, a bottle of spotter and a BC magnet. Do women like the free bottle of spotter?

Take Care,
Steve
 

tcul

Member
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Oct 12, 2006
Messages
155
Just put a picture of a mother with her child in all your sales literature.

Will Trablika
 

Desk Jockey

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Rico Suave
Great post!

Much appreciated, I have often wonder if we missed the boat by not doing some of the things you listed as "Lame" and "insulting", glad to know by luck and procrastination we didn't fall in to any of your catagories.

Well if you would exclude the talking to boobs thing! :shock:

Kiddin....I'm a leg man, and I've worked on not getting caught looking! :wink:
 

-JB-

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here
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JB
Here's our post cleaning/Thank you tri-fold.

THANKYOUTRIFOLD1106-1.jpg


THANKYOUTRIFOLD1106.jpg
 

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adamh

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Location
Nampa Idaho
Name
Adam Hale
The not putting your ugly mug on the flier thing is very correct. There is a guy in this town that is 100% ugly!!! I mean scare the kids ugly! His biz sucks and I hate to say it but I think he freaks people out. I know that shouldn't be but I really think some people are freaked out by ugly people.
I had a guy working for me 3 years ago part time. He was 22 and looked like he walked out of a GQ magazine. The ladies went crazy for him. Even tho I was the boss he got asked all the questions and the woman flirted like crazy. I hate to say this but I think its easier for good looking people to make it in this world than ugly people.
 

Jimmy L

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Ne
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Jimmy L
Your marketing should read like a romance novel.

Gentle , thorough , rejuvenating.
Giving you the deep down cleaning that you want..........and need.

I await your call.................call me.........now.
 

Tahoesteve

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
150
Hey JB,

Nice brochure.

Coupla typo's I noticed (26 years of printing):

On the "Get The Most From Your Carpet Cleaning" panel.

In paragraph 1. ...that you leave theses tabs there until...

"Thank You" panel: ...hear a complaint than not here from you again.

Take Care,
Steve
 

-JB-

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Messages
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here
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JB
Always room to improve, thanks! :)



EDIT- Okay. their all fixed, Damn! Their I go again. :x
 

Jim Martin

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Oct 7, 2006
Messages
10,878
Location
Arizona
Name
Jim Martin
All marketing is different..........
There is more then a few things on her list that she says don't do but have worked out 100 % so one cant put a finger on what will and what will not work (no silver bullet)

Just because it did not work for one "woman" does not mean it will not for 8 others you just have to learn your market

There is also a lot of good point in there as well
But they would be even better one they are structured to your area not any one else


JB nice tri-fold
 

Fred Homan

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Oct 7, 2006
Messages
1,142
Women want to see a pink Vortex with flowers. And a cleaner with a pink shirt and tight short shorts. Like Mikey....LOL.....
 

Bob Foster

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Oct 8, 2006
Messages
8,870
Lisa, I would appreciate it if you wrote us a nice ad to show us how to do it right. And of course I'm going to copy it too.


I like your ideas! Thanks alot
 

joey895

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Joey J.
Dang it! I was just about to sign up for Jon-dons newsletter program. Guess I have to procrastinate ... umm I mean think about it a little longer.
 

billyeadon

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Indianapolis
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Bill Yeadon
marketing to women contrarian

Manyof Lisas points are commonsense. Others are questionable.

1. If babies don't work someone needs to tell Michelin to stop one of the most successful ads in history; the baby sitting on a tire which added emotion to a non emotional product.
Someone also ought to tell Stanley Steemer, Chem Dry and Dalworth that they don't know how to market. Take a look at the new redone website of Dalworth to see what picture is on their home page.

2. Pictures of equipment are a waste of time to most women. Do you really think they know the difference between a Prochem versus a Vortex? Do you think a woman understands the reason an RX 20 is a superior tool over a wand. When Roto Rooter shows up at a woman's house do you think she checked out the equipment and chose the company based on the tools used to unclog the drain.

3. Uniforms: Why do Fed Ex, UPS, USPS, State Troopers, Doctors and Dentists wear uniforms? They impart professionalism.
According to recent studies people form an opinion of a person within 1 minute. Uniforms help to reinforce a favorable opinion. Jeans are very comfortable but don't give a professional image.

4. Carpet cleaning is not a big deal to anyone other than carpet cleaners. This means that it is hard to get people to remember you after a short time. Whether it is a post card or a newsletter, or a bottle of spotter something needs to keep your name in front of them. Would a refrigerator magnet work? Yes but I would want one that has a message board attached so that it differentiates from the other 10 magnets on the fridge.

5. Humor is one of the most difficult things in the world to pull off. Men love slapstick women think it is stupid. Trying to write humor for a diverse audience of women is almost impossible. Women tend to laugh at their own foibles whereas men laugh at others misfortunes. Men write what they believe is funny. Women may not see the humor. I agree with Jim P in that I don't believe men should write the ads or the humor.

6. Marketing is about differentiation. Another ad showing a truck or a guy using a wand gives new meaning to the word redundancy. Using a picture of your family gives a personal touch to an industry that suffers from a "me too" syndrome which leads to commodity pricing. When we can't see a difference in companies we choose by price.

7. Lisa has a definite chromosome advantage over me. She also has an advantage over 99% of the women in this country in that she can tear apart a truck mount and put it back together better than most men in this industry. But I think she is too close to the industry to have a handle on the average woman that purchases carpet cleaning.
 

Rex Tyus

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
3,720
My wife knows SQUAT about truckmounts. She read Lisa's post and agreed completely.

Just because everybody does it does not mean it is the most effective thing to do.
 

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