March 8th, 2010
After literally weeks of cleaning, my house is spotless, at least for the moment. In reflection on the products we used in our toil, I was thinking of how most cleaning products are still marketed primarily to women. True, women are the major buyers, but the gap is getting smaller as more men do the shopping, help with household chores and even stay home with the kids.
If you are promoting a product primarily to women, should you think about
male buyers? If you are advertising mostly to men, should you reevaluate your options and your sales demographics? You will find that will create a big spike in sales.
Digressing a little from household cleaners to personal ones, I think the Dove for Men commercials are appealing because he is comfortable in his own skin. The ads appeal to women, without minimizing the maleness of the man.
As gender roles continue to blur and women become an even greater force in the work place, couples are feeling the impact. More women are employed than men for the first time since WWII. With children, parents, partners and career responsibilities, women are oftentimes overwhelmed. Men can really earn points by jumping in and helping out without being asked, aka “nagging.”
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February 18th, 2010
We will be moving soon, thus we are cleaning out things I didn’t even know we had. I’ve never thought of myself as a pack rat, but when you come across things from 1994 that you haven’t seen in 15 years, maybe I am, just a little.
We had financial records from the early ’90, that I had now shredding. Keeping things for 7-10 years is one thing, forever is probably not necessary, even for
the IRS. We are having a massive garage sale with everything from kids’ toys to tools. House wares, books, furniture, office supplies, picture frames, bedding…you name it and it is probably in the sale.
I can’t tell you how many bags of trash my husband and I carried out on trash days. So what have I learned? One thing is that you should do spring and fall cleaning every year, not just every decade or two. Cleaning should involve more than switching from the winter to the spring clothes. Also, that much of what I have and don’t need or use I can donate to others who will enjoy 
them.
By far my biggest lesson is that it is more fun to collect than declutter. Yet, having the all that stuff out of the house is very exhilarating.
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February 8th, 2010
With Valentine’s Day this weekend, people’s thoughts often turn to romance, picking out just the right
card, selecting delicious chocolates and beautiful flowers, especially roses. While my two books Leading the Way to Success and Targeting the New Professional Woman don’t really reflect the holiday’s sentimental mood, to make their purchase easier, we are running a terrific February Special. After all, when you are thinking about that someone in your life, think about helping them develop their leadership or marketing skills as well. Or, purchase the books for yourself.
Leading the Way to Success is a compilation of renowned management and leadership experts including Dr. Warren Bennis, Jack Canfield, Gerry Myers and James Kouzes. They share how to make leadership development an organic part of your organization, what traits, proficiencies and styles you need to succeed in the twenty-first century and how to develop your own individual and business leadership plans. It also contains a guide for corporations on how to increase the number of women in leadership roles and what women must do to meet this challenge. Additionally, authors answer questions such as what is “mind work” and “self-directedness” and how do these skills help lead the way to success.
Target the New Professional Woman explains that women are purchasing agents for their com
panies, their families and themselves, spending trillions of dollars annually. The book addresses problems industries face and solutions for successfully marketing and selling their products and services to today’s women. Additionally, the reader will learn from examples from well-known companies, relevant case studies, significant statistics and cost-effective marketing tips and techniques.
Go to http://advisorylink-dfw.com/books.html
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January 26th, 2010
There are many books written on the differences in the genders and how we communicate, buy and lead differently. Shaunti Feldhahn recently released The Male Factor: The Unwritten Rules, Misperceptions, and Secret Beliefs of Men in the Workplace. She wrote that the familiar phrase, “It’s not personal; it’s business” concisely states how different men and women are. Men can compartmentalize and focus entirely on work, whereas women’s focus is more encompassing. Leading the Way to Success by Dr. Warren Bennis, Jack Canfield, Gerry Myers and James Kouzes http://advisorylink-dfw.com/books.html is another example in a long list of books on this topic.
In 1994, Dr. Deborah Tannen added to her impressive linguistic work by tackling the subject of communication in the workplace. Talking from 9 to 5 became an instant best seller. Jane Sanders, GenderSmart is another. And of course, the extremely popular Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus series included Mars and Venus in the Workplace: A Practical Guide for Improving Communications and Getting Results at Work.
In addition to numerous books on the subject, companies have created seminars, internet sites and webinars to address gender communications and differences in the workplace. While much has been done and more understanding does exist, there is still a communication barrier and obstacles to women successfully escalating the proverbial corporate ladder.
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January 11th, 2010
When I was looking for depictions of sports fans online, the majority looked like the graphics in today’s blog. While men are great sports fans and should be appreciated as such, they are not the growth market that women are. Without marketing to and interesting women in your sport, more and more stands will host minimal rather than maximum crowds.
Pro sports teams must aggressively and correctly seek out female fans. They need to attract them, retain them, involve them and get them to invite their networks to be a part of this great 
American tradition. It puzzles me why this hasn’t been pursued more intensely by sports marketers, team marketers and general managers.
Women equate to dollars. They buy tickets, concessions and lots of merchandise. Sports aren’t and shouldn’t be thought of as a male bastion. Women enjoy watching the competitiveness and skill of players even if they do appreciate things differently than their male friends, colleagues and spouses.
Rather you are attracting viewers at home or in person, make sure your marketing includes women. 
Where you place ads, how they look and read and what you do at events, tells women where they stand. If you want to continue growing your fan base and profits, it is essential to make sure the major consumer knows she is important.
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January 4th, 2010
What should professional sports teams be doing to attract more women? A lot. They are the growth market and an important component for the future of many sports.
Women are relationship-oriented. They want to know about players both on and off the field. Is he married? Does he have kids? What does he do in the off season? What charities does he support? Is he involved in politics or business ventures? What other sports or hobbies does he like?
Women are educational and informational-oriented. Do you have classes or events that will involve and educate women? Are your players, coaches and key personnel part of the functions? How are you positioning them? What type of invitations are you using?
Women are family-oriented. How does your team influence kids? Are the players good role models? Are they active in teen activities nationally or in their community? Do they support kids? sports? clinics?
Women look at a sport?s sponsor base as well. Are your advertisers letting women know they view them as part of the spectator base by providing commercials that appeal to both genders, not just one?
Teams that succeed with women have women initiatives. Do you have a program in place or are your women?s initiatives a hit and miss situation? Are discounts for merchandise and games available to women who participate in other team-related activities?
Whether you are involved in racing, golf, basketball or soccer, women should be an important part of your marketing mix. Make sure your marketing dollars are spent to attract them. The dividend on your investment will be amazing.
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December 28th, 2009
A new year can be exciting. One of the fun times of the holiday season is celebrating with family and friends. I love getting together, catching up and all the delicious food that seems to accompany these kinds of festivities.
You have time to reflect on what you accomplished in the previous year and plan all you want
to do in the new year. It’s like having a blank slate and being about to create the perfect scenario. Of course, being realistic, we all know that fate steps in and changes things some. But even then, it doesn’t hurt to have the vision and the dream for a great year.
2009 has been a challenging year for many people—the economy hit problems, unemployment rose, America is still at war on two fronts, home and car sales dropped and the list goes on. While illness took its toll on family and friends this 
past year, we managed to survive and probably even grew a little closer as a result.
We also shared many good times—family celebrations, birthdays, business successes, weekend retreats and more. Advisory Link survived the tumultuous year and is set for growth in 2010. We know it is because of the strong services we provide our clients, including our Exec-U-Link groups http://advisorylink-dfw.com/execulink.html which help support other women business owners, executives and car dealers. Additionally, our focus on the very important women’s market has always provided innovative ways to businesses on how to attract and retain women as both loyal customers and employees.
As this year draws to a close, I toast to everyone’s success—big or small, and to the bright future ahead.
Of course, my toast isn’t with champagne, but chocolate—so have a sweet year!
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December 8th, 2009
As I watched the University of Texas and Nebraska football game, which was an incredible game if you missed it, I began to wonder why women support their teams while in college, more than they do in the cities they live in.
I’m not saying that all women lose interests in sports after school, but it seems like a large number 
do. Maybe it?s because in school, women feel more connected to the institution and the players themselves. After all, the athletes are fellow classmates. Schools promote team spirit, hold pep rallies and other activities that get students excited and involved.
Most professional teams don?t do this. Perhaps they should take a page from a college or high school playbook and look at ways to get females interested in attending games, not just with their significant other, but because they are immersed in the game and its culture.
Many teams have designed programs to get women more involved in sports. The Dodger WIN (Women?s Initiative Network) is just one approach. The Washington Capitals set up the first female fan club called 
Club Scarlet. The Minnesota Twins created Wine, Women & Baseball pregame events. Other teams conduct educational programs such as football 101 to familiarize women with players and coaches, as well as the rules. These have been so successful that some teams are teaching 202 advanced courses.
Making women feel a part of the team is one key to success. Innovative ideas will propel sports teams? attendance and revenue.
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November 30th, 2009
Aging is a normal occurrence. It happens to all living things. At different stages in life, women have different lifestyles, wants and desires. Millenniums are more focused on now, the environment and how they can make the world a better place for all. Gen X women often balance careers and family responsibilities. Boomer women control much of the money in the U.S. as a result of their careers and inheritance. Additionally, they often shoulder much of the responsibility for both their own family needs and those of their elderly parents.
To market to the variety of women consumers, companies need to realize their time constraints, values and respect their complex lives. Younger women are very tech savvy and utilize its convenience to shop, research and connect with others. Career mothers are the most time restricted and welcome products and services that make their lives easier. Senior women today are active well into their seventies enjoying recreational activities and travel when they can afford it.
Today is not like yesterday and it won’t be the same tomorrow. Smart companies are ahead of trends. They realize and meet the challenges they face in marketing to a diverse group of women whether they are selling healthcare, financial products, automobiles, homes or cosmetics.
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November 24th, 2009
In the past, Thanksgiving meant a day of cooking, cleaning and preparing for women. Men enjoyed watching football, eating and relaxing. These roles in no way took away from the meaning of the holiday—sharing food with friends and family and giving thanks for what we have and for each other.
As with many things, traditions are changing. More women enjoy the football games and more men are doing the cooking. Men are more involved if frying or smoking the turkey is the method of preparation, rather than roasting the bird in the oven. But as far as my own family, it is a mixture. I imagine a lot of people are creating new traditions as roles evolve. One of my sons does all the cooking, except for what the guests bring. While both he and his wife like the Cowboys, she may be the bigger fan. My other son is very familiar with the kitchen, but his wife is the one in charge of planning, a lot of the preparation and most of the clean-up. She has a large family and on Thanksgiving the women gather in the kitchen, while the men watch football. My daughter is the cook in her family…on Thanksgiving and every other day.
I used to be the family cook as well. But since I currently work longer hours, my
husband does most of the cooking. He has made some very impressive dishes. However, on Thanksgiving, it is definitely me in the kitchen and him in front of the TV. Some of my friends choose to go out to eat rather than cook, but I love smelling the wonderful aromas that are abundant at Thanksgiving.
What’s happening in your family? Who cooks and who watches football?
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