RESEARCH FROM NIELSEN NEUROFOCUS, reported by TechVibes, has uncovered significant differences in the way men and women make purchasing decisions. In fact, the way men and women process information is fundamentally different. Female brains are wired for big-picture thinking and multi-tasking. This means that women are likely to be engaged in at least one other activity while viewing your ad, so your key message needs to be clear. You would also be wise to repeat your message where possible. Women’s brains are hard-wired for gut reasoning and empathy, so you need to connect with them on emotional levels. It can be easy to apply this research to your own business. If you represent a nonprofit, for example, knowing that women influence the majority of charitable giving, you should lean toward emphasizing emotional reasons to donate, instead of using facts and figures to tell your story. Male brains lean farther away from intuition. Men are goal-oriented shoppers, and they’re willing to pay a higher price to get purchases checked off their lists. Provide logical solutions to their problems, and you’re likely to capture their attention. A company that has provided a simple, logical solution to a man’s razor needs is Dollar Shave Club. Sign up online, and receive new razors monthly. With no commitments or add-on fees, as well as catchy advertising during the Super Bowl, this company quickly made a name for itself. Men are also more competitive by nature, so you can hit home more often by explaining how your product or service can provide an advantage over personal or professional “competitors.” Because men want to limit shopping time, they may pop into a store for just an item or two. Men rarely browse or compare prices. They are, however, more likely than women to make impulse purchase decisions at the cash register, assuming the purchases are something they can use, which may help them avoid another shopping trip. It’s more practical to build your point-of-sale displays with men in mind. Obvious calls to action, like emphasizing that the offer expires soon, may motivate men more often, but this pressure can be a turn-off for women. Women seek social harmony, and so this kind of hard sell is less effective with them. Just as with any form of target marketing, there are always exceptions to the rule. Not all men or women are preconditioned for the exact same type of gender-influenced decision-making. However, applying these marketing principles to your advertising campaigns will ensure your messaging better resonates with your target market.
