Health. That deceptively short word occupies a very significant amount of a woman's mind. Whether they're thinking of loosing five kilos, buying a face-cream with sufficient sunblock or contemplating which yogurt contains less sugar and more active bifidus and is therefor healthier for the kids, not a day goes by in a woman's life without her considering someone's health - either her own or someone close to her.
I could therefor only applaud when Isabella Lenarduzzi of JUMP recently launched the 'Women's Health Academy' - a series of workshops centering on women and their health that she plans to build up over the coming months. Why? Because women are actively looking for information on how to improve their health - be it to slow down the aging process, loose weight, osteoporosis or breast cancer - and all too often brands do not make it for them to find the info. Clever are those, such as Isabella, that facilitate this knowledge transfer by bundling information on topics and invite experts in to discuss and answer questions as she does in these workshops.
Traditional loyalty strategies such as incentives and coupons are no longer enough to help you effectively reach your female consumers. If you are in the healthcare marketing business, here are some vital tips to reach your female consumers:
1. Talk with your female consumer. Women are often called "co-creators". Use this willingness to get involved and share their opinions, experiences and insights to your advantage. Ask them what they want, how they want to see your product / service evolve in informal 'feedback groups'. Not only will you get a wealth of valuable information, your consumers will also feel more connected to your brand.
2. Educate her. Women are constantly looking for information on topics related to their health. They will research and seek information in much more depth than men do. Why not facilitate this need for information by hosting a series of workshops or building a central knowledge platform on your product or service? Women value a personal and interactive experience that shows that you care.
3. Make it practical. Make sure your information offers a good combination of solid fact and real-life experience. A professor or doctor to provide the theoretical facts, ex-patients or "experience experts" to give a view on the actual experience.
4. Engage rather than sell. Remember that men and women buy differently. Men are driven by the deal. Women, on the other hand, first need to form a relationship of trust. Listening, coaching, engaging and offering her the opportunity to co-create are all ways to ensure you establish a long-term relationship with her.
5. Cut the cr*p! There's nothing worse than knowing that you're not being told half the message because people think you won't understand. Don't dumb down your message. Yes, take her level of subject knowledge into account (she's not a doctor or a scientist), but never speak down to her. Instead, provide detailed, truthful answers to concrete questions.
As Kelly Connors of Real Women On Health says: "marketers who shift their marketing paradigm from a "sickness" model focused on the treatment, to a "wellness" model focused on the individual woman will succeed."
And then there's the age old "be real" that we at Muse always harp on: "There's nothing more personal than healthcare and women detect inauthenticity quickly", concludes Connors.
