Marketing to Women 2.0: Word of Mouth
The Connected Generation Podcast: Marketing to Women 2.0 Topic: Word of Mouth, Episode 43
1.0 = Classic truth about women
Women share word of mouth at twice the rate of men
- The average woman will share with approximately 26 people when she is happy or unhappy about something. Men are also talking but tend to talk with an average of 13 people.
- One way to understand this difference is to notice a woman’s gender culture. If I am shopping for a new coffee maker and the couple next to me is looking at a model I already own but do not like, I feel almost compelled to step in and share that that model is a dud but how I would recommend a different brand as an alternative.
- Part of the way women save each other time and the hassle choosing the wrong product service or provider is by verbally sharing the insider secrets we have garnered from our own consumer experience.
2.0 = Fresh ways connected women are living out this truth
Her tight circles and loose connections = word-of-mouth on steroids
- So we all can agree that women are talking. Technology is simply amplifying women’s already connected ways. Things like inexpensive cell phone minutes, texting and email translate into women staying in closer connection with their friends and building larger networks of loose (yet often still helpful) connection through social networking sites like Facebook. These sites, which can act like air traffic control for a larger group of relationships, have become a central online space to efficiently and enjoyably stay connected to people.
Strategy: KEEP IT UNDERGROUND and respect/reflect her insider culture
- Instead of trying to go big, go loud and get in her face often the best way to encourage word of mouth is to pursue a strategy where you go over the top for an inner circle of women who will in turn take your brand story or offering to their larger network. Release everything first in the underground and see the magic unfold.
- Give your most important female customers early access to special edition models, insider information and special events.
- Build buzz using “pop up events” that people stumble on and feel like an insider for knowing about. Dutch brand Dommelsch uses the pop up concept for concerts by putting special codes on their coasters, beer cans and bottles. Enter the code and learn where their next free hot concert will be. No advertising, only the insiders who understand the code system know about it.
- Check out Dove’s highly successful viral video “Evolution” on YouTube. This video had a powerful message that was released first on the web and introduced by email from friend to friend as women across the globe shared this visually impacting video with their circle. In October of 2006 Evolution was the most watched video on YouTube that month.
This post was written by Lisa Johnson
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