I was able to get together with our good friend Tony Garcia at The Conclave in Minneapolis at the end of the June.  Tony works with Bob and Sheri the great morning show that dominates with women.  In addition, Bill and Fran Lytle were on hand as well. 

Recently Tony shared some great information about women that Fran had written…

“If you’ve been following these columns, you know that as Radio professionals, we always look for a “Silver Bullet” answer that will fix everything. In this month’s article Fran Lytle explains why it’s not quite as simple as that.
Fran Lytle is a Consumer Behaviorist, Strategist, Author, Speaker and Radio Show Host. Her area of expertise is sharing behavioral differences between men and women, and providing methods to connect with women through programming, communications and events.”

Fran writes…

My partner, Bill, and I enjoyed presenting an interactive session last month at Conclave 2007. Our topic was connecting with women through promotions. Throughout our session and networking conversations, people kept asking us the same question . . .”What works with women?”

First of all, there’s no “silver bullet,” as one guy requested. Women aren’t werewolves, we’re just different from men. And, we respond differently than men to communications, promotions and events. So, here are a few behavioral insights to consider when developing promotions targeting women.

Bill and I developed and implemented a quantitative study for Meredith Corporation last year . . . you know them, Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circle, More magazine, basically most magazines that target female readers. They commissioned us to conduct research that would provide insights into women’s “need states.” They were seeking the answer to this global question, “What are women looking for in their life?”

Women mentioned that they want . . . and need . . . three things in their lives.

Re-connect . . . with herself, friends, significant others and family. Because she’s time-starved, she feels that she loses touch with her true self and other important people in her life. Since establishing and nurturing relationships is her highest Personal Value, a lack of connection negatively impacts her life.

Re-invent . . . herself. She’s looking to grow, enhance, change. This aspect has been successfully addressed by the travel industry. In the past 5 years, we’ve seen the growth of female travel clubs and the increased participation in travel that provides her with an opportunity to re-invent like discovering how to make wine; creating a gourmet meal; or learning a foreign language. She’s also re-inventing herself through faith-based tours, soft adventure and book tours.

Rejuvenate . . . she’s tired! She needs venues that allow her to relax. This is why spas have become so popular. There’s an interesting new concept you should know about . . . it’s called “Massage Envy.” You join like you would join a gym. Your membership enables you to get frequent massages at a discounted rate. Keep an eye on this brand, you’ll start to see them popping up all over the country, because women are looking to rejuvenate. And, let’s face it ladies . . . wouldn’t you rather have a spa membership than a gym membership? OK . . . I’ll speak for myself.

So, if you want to attract a woman’s attention and connect with her, your station’s promotions should offer her an opportunity to experience one or more of these “need states.”

• Re-connect
• Re-invent
• Rejuvenate

If your promotional idea doesn’t address these experiences, I’d recommend that you drop it and move on. Here are some ideas that should jump- start your promotion ideation meetings . . .

Re-connect:

• Wine tours
• Cultural tours
• Book clubs
• Foreign language classes
• Life coaching sessions

Re-juvenate:

• Resorts
• Destination spas
• Day spas
• Restorative yoga
• Reiki sessions
• Meditation sessions

All of these idea starters also provide you with some interesting brand promotional tie-in opportunities.In future issues, I’ll share some additional behavioral insights that will assist you in developing promotions that connect with women, including . . .

• Images that resonate with women
• Key words that connect with women
• Words you should definitely avoid!
• Colors women are drawn to
• What does she want to “win?”
• Events that she wants to attend

Iwon’t be providing you with any “silver bullets,” (male speak). But, if you’re really into metaphors, consider this . . . I’ll be sharing some “pearls of wisdom,” (female speak).

Fran and Bill’s Website

Fran and Bill’s Conclave Presentation

Thanks Fran and Tony!  Great information and it was great seeing you at The Conclave!  Bob & Sheri have been an industry leader in targeting Women because Bob Lacey and Sheri Lynch clearly understand the differences we talk about each month in this newsletter. They turn that knowledge into compelling radio that gets ratings.  Click on the link below to dowload information on how Bob & Sheri connect with women and their proven record of success.

Bob and Sheri info on Ways to Win with Women