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When you set up a sales appointment to meet with homeowners to discuss their new roof and why they should choose the brand of asphalt roofing shingles you recommend, how often is a woman present? If you’re like most of the professional roofing contractors we’ve talked to, it’s pretty much a given.
According to Forbes and various other sources:
Imagine what it might do for your bottom line profitability if you were able to successfully bridge that gap and tap into that under-served market. In this article, we’ll explain what women reportedly want and how you can modify your approach to achieve greater sales success with them. There are some very easy and cost-effective solutions that only require your awareness and understanding to implement.
First, let’s agree that while men and women are equals, they do think and behave quite differently. In general, men focus on transactions; women focus on relationships. It’s so important to understand, respect and appreciate those differences while avoiding stereotypes.
For more eye-opening insights, read Marketing to Women: 30 Stats to Know.
That means a good interaction with a female customer can be a sales multiplier, spreading your business to her friends and family, while a negative interaction can potentially harm your business’ reputation. The stakes are high when marketing to women, and too many companies are still getting it wrong. Don’t be one of them!
Paco Underhill, author of What Women Want: The Science of Female Shopping, has a short list largely based on retail shopping but these four elements can be extended to aspects of how you present yourself and your company to female prospects. They are:
The Forbes article cited above makes these further suggestions: “show her how your product will improve her life, don’t stereotype her, avoid chest-beating messages and be quick to solve her problems.”
Before discussing how the above factors can be woven into both your in-home presentations and online marketing, here are a few things NOT to do.
Bridget Brennan, author of Why She Buys and CEO of Female Factor Consulting, cautions companies to avoid the following pitfalls when marketing to women:
Once you obtain a lead, the next logical step is an in-home visit with your prospect(s). This first face-to-face interaction is your best opportunity to start building that relationship that’s so essential to your female homeowner. Remember the old adage is true: you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.
IKO ROOFViewer® Interactive Shingle Selector Tool makes it fun and easy to pick the right shingle color.
Underhill’s final suggestions of “safety” and “considerateness” go hand in hand. If you’re marketing to moms, your female customers may be at home with small children when you’re roofing. To make them comfortable with you and your crew and to develop their trust:
Mothers do not want to worry about their little ones stepping on roofing nails and other homeowners may have similar concerns about their pets. Allay their fears by discussing upfront how you intend to keep everyone safe as well as protect the property from potential damage such as falling shingles during their removal.
Women will appreciate knowing that you care enough to cover their shrubbery, flower beds and other landscaping features. These principles are important for every job, of course, but may they may be critical in the eyes of your female customers.
Marketing to women online is easier than ever before with social media. According to BrandWatch:
Also, according to research from Nielsen, Black and Hispanic women are more likely than their non‐Hispanic white counterparts to use social media sites. If you’re targeting either group, you may gain more benefits from investing in social media.
Overall, using social media is a smart strategy to connect with women. How do you do it?
As a general demographic, women comprise a vast group. While it can be a challenge, the more you can segment your potential customers into groups, the more effectively you can guide your marketing efforts and the better the results will be. Consider segmenting by:
For example, a woman may wish to find a high-end option that matches her estate home’s architectural features. Present her IKO’s premium shingles, whether online on in‐person. If marketing to moms, you may need to focus more on the practical aspects such as the roofing shingles’ performance or their energy-efficient properties.
According to this article:
IKO has shingles to fulfill all of these consumer desires; you just have to know what she wants.
You can target a new segment of the female market, or you can learn which segments you’re already appealing to, in order to reach out to more of them. To do this:
Getting your hands on this knowledge could be as simple as developing a short questionnaire and asking for feedback from them. Figures from this article indicate that 76 percent of women want to be part of a special or select panel. To further incentivize them, offer each participant a ticket in a raffle for a gift card or other prize.
Anyone can learn how to reach out to female customers but recognize the following:
Hubspot’s research has found that women salespeople make 11 percent more closing on average. Of course, don’t exclude male salespeople, as research from McKinsey has suggested that teams with both genders, and other types of diversity, produce more revenue than uniform teams.
All marketing involves trial and error, and marketing roofing to women is no exception. Experiment with your strategies before investing all of your marketing resources into a single one. When you get results, continue along the same lines to refine your strategy and get the most out of your marketing efforts.
IKO offers other advice about how to grow your roofing business, including how to deal with negative online reviews and how to prevent callbacks. Find even more great information on IKO’s blog.
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