Its often been said women account for 85 percent of all purchases. This stat doesnt just refer to grocery store purchases and shoes at the local mall. Nope, it stands for all purchasesbig and small. So the question is: Do your products and services cater to the bulk of the market share?
Some self-storage operators have made sure theyre reaching this demographic. Case in point: Champion Self Storage and Sentry Self Storage, both with several locations in Florida, have been designated women-friendly businesses by WomenCertified, a company that trains businesses and evaluates their abilities to reach female customers. The company awards organizations that provide consistent, women-friendly customer service, maintain a top-quality facility, participate in community and charitable activities, and other practices that create a positive atmosphere for women customers. In addition to training and certification program, the WomenCertified website includes a referral directorya positive recommendation from a third party.
Of course, you dont need to be certified to satisfy your female customers. Much like their male counterparts, women are looking for quality services at a good price. They also want to buy from companies they can trust, and they want to be respected.
And it all begins online. According to a recent blog, Why Women Rule the Internet, studies by marketing companies Comscore, Nielsen, MediaMetrix and Quantcast found women make up the majority of social-media users, spending 30 percent more time on these sites than men. Plus, check this out: Mobile social network usage is 55 percent female, according to Nielsen.
Leading online marketers say women like content-rich websites with clean designs. For self-storage professionals, a video of the facility would be appealing. Women also like to read reviews, so asking customers for testimonials is another great way to engage your female audience online. Plus, women want easy ways to contact your company so be sure to include a phone number, e-mail and contact page on your website.
For more tips on what women really want, read this article from the ISS archives. The author gives advice on everything from eye contact to how to following up.
There are also a number of books and websites dedicated to the topic, including this interesting website on marketing to women, and a score of YouTube videos.
Whats your take on this topic? Has your facility taken steps to be more women-friendly? Share your comments by posting a comment below or join the thread Women Rule! on Self-Storage Talk.