Who are you selling to? We know it's mostly women who buy our product, whether they're making purchases directly or telling their significant others what type of plants and flowers to buy. But it's not just flower selection and use where women are flexing their decision-making and financial muscles. At this year's American Nursery & Landscape Association Management Clinic in Louisville, Ky., marketing consultant Michelle Miller of Wizard of Ads (www.wonderbranding.com), discussed how the ornamentals industry can stake a claim to the "Mother Lode" by marketing to women. If you mistakenly thought women only play a supporting role in purchase-making decisions, it's time to readjust your thinking. According to Miller and data from the National Retail Federation, it's women who have the real buying power in this country. Women account for or influence 83 percent of all consumer purchases. In regards to specific product categories, women make the following purchases: 94 percent of home furnishings, 91 percent of new homes, 60 percent of automobiles, 52 percent of consumer electronics and 50 percent of do-it-yourself products and services. Women also account for 89 percent of new bank accounts and 80 percent of health care expenditures, and they own 53 percent of all stock. Center for Women's Business Research (www.womensbusinessresearch.org) reports that women own 1 million companies in the United States and that nearly half of the 10.6 million privately held U.S. firms are 50-percent or more women-owned. Eighty-six percent of women entrepreneurs use the same products and services at home as they do in their businesses. CWBR reports women emphasize relationship building as well as gathering facts. They are more likely to consult with others, including experts, employees and fellow business owners. They also may take more time to make decisions. Establishing an emotional bond Miller said it is the relational woman customer who our industry should be trying to woo. These are the consumers who are likely to become repeat customers. These consumers think long term. They hope to find an expert to trust because their only fear is making a bad choice. To connect with the emotions and senses of these consumers, Miller said, a company must be able to effectively communicate what its product or service will do for them. This means being able to tell the consumer a good story that uses the word you and that connects with her emotions and senses. Miller said we need to start showing people with our product, not just the product itself. Bring out the emotional aspects by showing what plants will do for the consumer and for her life. Miller said women want to be talked to as individuals. This means there is no such thing as a soccer mom. Generalized categories aren't effective in trying to connect with these consumers. Miller said the way to reach these consumers is through their values, focusing on what she embraces. She said companies need to create at least two or three personas (i.e. guardian, healer, adventurer and visionary) of their customers. Then write a story about what their lives might be like with plants and flowers. Over the next five years, there will be a major decline in traditional advertising, such as Yellow Pages, Miller said. Companies that thrive will be those that connect with their customers, like Unilever's Dove brand, which launched its Real Beauty marketing campaign (www.campaignforrealbeauty.com) that aims to raise self esteem among women and girls. Send this article to a friend Enter your e-mail address: Enter your friend's e-mail address: Click the image below to send: © 2006 Branch-Smith Publishing