Woman and Men... Marketing Differences
Sunday, June 17, 2007
We all know that men and women are different. After a recent discussion with my wife this weekend I was reminded just how different - from a marketing and servicing perspective of course. My wife described a recent visit to the eye doctor for a regular checkup.
The doctor she has been seeing for the past few years wasn't available on the day of her appointment. So she saw a new doctor who had been practicing for a while but wasn't her "regular doctor". My wife very carefully described how this doctor did everything wrong. "This doctor didn't have the eye chart straight... this doctor didn't make sure I was sitting at the right height in the seat.. this doctor didn't ask me to follow his finger prior to checking my vision".
At the end of the appointment, my wife was extremely dissatisfied and asked the receptionist to schedule an appointment with "her doctor". She complained that she didn't feel right and didn't trust the perscription/information she was given.
A few days later my wife went back to have her eye exam with "her" doctor -the one she's been seeing once a year for the past couple of years. This time, the doctor did everything right... the chair was perfect, the chart was positioned correctly, and she even had her follow her finger with her eyes prior to viewing the chart. When I asked my wife, "So was the perscription any different?" She replies with a "NO... but I felt so much more comfortable".
Now that's a real eye opener. Most men, if they're anything like me, they want to get in and get out. As long as the doctor was pleasant, made eye contact, and didn't annoy me, then I'd be happy. For my wife however, her needs were significantly different. She wanted a doctor she was comfortable with. One that knew her and one she was familiar with (trusted).
Think about this story the next time you're making a marketing promise or watching how the folks in your call center respond to an inquiry. Are they building special relationships with customers? Are they establishing trust and a connection with the customers who need it? Maybe its a function of male versus female or maybe not. We could all use a little attention once in a while.
The doctor she has been seeing for the past few years wasn't available on the day of her appointment. So she saw a new doctor who had been practicing for a while but wasn't her "regular doctor". My wife very carefully described how this doctor did everything wrong. "This doctor didn't have the eye chart straight... this doctor didn't make sure I was sitting at the right height in the seat.. this doctor didn't ask me to follow his finger prior to checking my vision".
At the end of the appointment, my wife was extremely dissatisfied and asked the receptionist to schedule an appointment with "her doctor". She complained that she didn't feel right and didn't trust the perscription/information she was given.A few days later my wife went back to have her eye exam with "her" doctor -the one she's been seeing once a year for the past couple of years. This time, the doctor did everything right... the chair was perfect, the chart was positioned correctly, and she even had her follow her finger with her eyes prior to viewing the chart. When I asked my wife, "So was the perscription any different?" She replies with a "NO... but I felt so much more comfortable".
Now that's a real eye opener. Most men, if they're anything like me, they want to get in and get out. As long as the doctor was pleasant, made eye contact, and didn't annoy me, then I'd be happy. For my wife however, her needs were significantly different. She wanted a doctor she was comfortable with. One that knew her and one she was familiar with (trusted).
Think about this story the next time you're making a marketing promise or watching how the folks in your call center respond to an inquiry. Are they building special relationships with customers? Are they establishing trust and a connection with the customers who need it? Maybe its a function of male versus female or maybe not. We could all use a little attention once in a while.
Marketing Blog founder and top-selling author Michael Fleischner has been featured on The TODAY Show, ABC World News, and Bloomerg Radio. 
1 comments :
This Post Reminds me on how difficult it actually is to market something. First you have to pick the market... I'm a Man, I think it should be easier to market to men, but hey... maybe not.
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