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Women ,Men, sales and psychology.

art8art8 subscriber Posts: 6
edited October 2007 in Marketing
  I have been doing some  informal market search in local stores to see if they would consider purchasing a decorative item that i have designed that I`m ready to mass produce. Now I`m a male that is artistic and with this product I would mainly see marketing to women. What I have observed so far is that most of the female store owners that I have spoken to have been tentative in there response in that my product is something that is unproven and new to the market. On the other hand the male store owners that I have spoken to have been positive in there response. They see the possibility and the uniqueness of the product.  Maybe I`m  jumping to conclusion too quickly in that  males are more prone to go with some new fangled idea where women are more cautious.  Or that myth have been told too often that we behave accordingly? Would their response be deferent if I was a female? Maybe that is why I don`t see too many  male workers in the women clothing store or the vice versa.  Like a hunter mimics what they hunt. I`m I on the right track or is there a book that might I read to shed some light on  this mater?  I knew I should have stayed awake in psychology 101.   Thanks for the nudged.  

Comments

  • ToddFToddF subscriber Posts: 3
    well traditionally women are more skeptical about purchases, where as men, they see it, like it, and buy it. I suggest getting a focus group of women you know together and walk through the product with them, get their feedback and make adjustments accordingly. Just make sure your focus group is diverse, in the types of women you choose and yet still fit your target market.
     
    By decorative do you mean something they would wear? like jewerly? If thats the case, its a much tougher market, because women are so individual that its almost impossible to get a good focus group or target market together to test.
     
    I wouldn`t say women are skeptical to new things, they set fashion trends, try new make-up lines, colors, etc. Just go look at clothing shop like Forver21. The place has a gazillion different types of outfits, women like variety and ARE picky about how something looks on them and of course if it`s "in" style.
  • art8art8 subscriber Posts: 6
     Thank you for the insight,I have done some focus group and they have been helpful in that they like the product ( home decoration). But now I have moved on to market search of store owners. My approach here is getting a reaction and also see if I can make a sale based on the prototype and photos of the product. If this is something that they would carry in there store. I`m bordering market search and soliciting. I want to make the first sale before going into mass production is the end goal. As of now I see two choices to getting to that goal, bring in a sales rep. or hire a female version of me. Of course I`m open to other ideas. And no dressing as a woman is out of the question. By just the power of observation I think that bias is  human nature. I`m trying really hard to over come it or at least recognize that it`s there.
  • SandraPSandraP subscriber Posts: 3
    Um, ok, I`m going to jump in here - I gotta agree with the theory, that they may be more open to a female sales person. In my experience there are just some products that men sell better and some that women sell better. I also think that there are some products women want to buy from women.
     
    Geesh, so much for breaking down sexist barriers! But hey, I`m just calling it like I see it.
     
    ~SandraP
  • johnqhjohnqh subscriber Posts: 4
    Market to the husbands as "the perfect gift to your wife".
  • art8art8 subscriber Posts: 6
      Thank you for all your feedback this has been quite informative. The one great benefit that I have gained in starting this business thus far is the knowledge and wisdom this has brought me. I was watching Desmond Morris "The Human Sexes". Great and fascinating program if you have a chance, You Tube it. It`s one those studies that makes you look at the world in a totally deferent way. Male and female body make ups and mental make ups are geared for deferent purpose thus creating this yen and yang scenario. Deferent but equal. I`m paraphrasing here and the study goes much deeper into it. But it came upon me that it`s not about the product that`s important it`s about people. Yes, it really helps if the product is good but to push it to greater heights one has to connect it with peoples deep emotions.  To dig down into the marshes of the subconscious mind and connecting the product there. Example would be De Beers and how they have built the value of there product to those heights. Granted it`s a thin vale and that vale has been stained a bit but still a lot of consumers still buy into it.       In another article I read that study groups are not an accurate gager in finding out what people really think of a product. Study groups are good at telling you what you want to hear.  But lacks a deeper understanding of the consumer because of the time frame. What was suggested and I tend to agree is to study 5 consumers for 12 hours over a period of a month.  Something that if I had the money i would love to do.  
    art82007-10-13 19:39:5
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