Tips and Trends to Help You Better Market to Women in Chicago

According to Bloomberg, it’s estimated that up to 80% of all consumer purchases are driven by women, both from their buying power and their influence. What’s more, women are also likely to become brand loyalists once they find a product that works for them (and pass that loyalty on to future generations). It begs the question: Who are you targeting in your marketing campaigns? If it’s not women, we recommend developing a plan today, as their influence as consumers continues to rise. Here’s a look at some tips and tactics to help you better develop marketing toward women in the Windy City.

4 Tips and Trends for Marketing to Chicago Women

1. Don’t generalize

When many people think of women, motherhood is a role that may come to mind. But brands that attempt to generalize women and only market toward a specific type of woman are going to lose out. A better strategy is to market toward women’s interests or perhaps their life experiences.

Also, avoid stereotyping when marketing to women. After all, not all women like the color pink or wear high heels, so including these elements in your creative won’t resonate with every woman. The ultimate goal is to ensure you’re connecting with them beyond just their defining roles and characteristics.

2. Use an integrated approach

When you’re marketing to women, it’s not enough to just pick a single platform – you have to identify their buying habits and behavior, and use them to guide your marketing. For instance, when a Chicago-area Volvo dealer set out to increase its female clientele, it ran a marketing campaign across a variety of platforms to position itself as a woman-friendly business.

An integrated approach also spans various social media platforms. For instance, about 40% of all women use Pinterest in addition to the other major social media sites. (Keep in mind that an increasing number of women are becoming brand influencers, and social media is their preferred way to heap praise on brands.) Radio is also still an effective marketing technique as well, as up to 55 percent of women say that they listen to commercials in between music.

3. Go visual

Visual marketing is the key to reaching female consumers, especially Millennial women who are more likely to create and share content online. Not surprising, using visual platforms, like Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube, can help you effectively reach women with your messaging. For businesses seeking to reach women in the Chicago area, having a keen focus on visual branding and marketing can increase your chances of marketing success.

4. Be inspiring

What’s your brand’s story? Women want to know. That’s because women don’t just want to purchase a product, they want to be empowered by it. Some brands have done this well, like Vanity Fair’s “Women Who Do” campaign, which aims to market more than just a product.

Women don’t just place a high value on inspiration and expression, but on a brand’s character as well. So if your brand can market itself in a positive light, you’re likely to score some major points with this influential consumer demographic.

While women’s purchasing power is increasing, the majority of women note that advertisers don’t understand them and what they want. It’s time for marketers to get with the program. Use these tips and trends above to effectively market to women in Chicago.