Are You Doing All You Can for Your Female Customers?
It's smart business to take the necessary steps to ensure your company is doing all it can for its female customers. After all, women initiate 80% of home improvement purchases.*
Below are some tips and guidelines to help you market your business to women in order to stand above the competition, grow your sales, and increase your referrals.
Your website: Women do most of their pre-puchase research online, so it's imperative that your company's website must be accessible, easy to find, and easy to navigate. Be sure to have a clean, professional-looking website that makes it easy for prospective customers to contact you. Include before-and–after images, testimonials, and an “About Us” page that speaks to your expertise, diligence, and pride in a stellar reputation. In many cases, your website is your opportunity to give a first impression - so make it a great one!
Your first phone call: More than likely, the first human point of contact a customer will have with your company will be on the phone. If you have someone answering the phone, make sure he or she is professional and friendly. If you're answering a call or contacting a customer for the first time, begin by thanking them for reaching out and express that you look forward to having the opportunity to serve them. A warm welcome and sincere enthusiasm for serving them and getting started goes a long way.
Leverage the power of social media. Your business should have a strong presence on social media, where women dominate the population. For example, you can create a Facebook page and encourage customers to connect with you for special offers, news, and tips. Your presence should have purpose, but your purpose cannot have a linear focus. You must develop content that will be meaningful to current customers, former customers, and potential customers. Home improvement tips, blog posts, giveaways, discounts, and before-and–after imagery are just a few examples. Be sure to encourage customers to write a testimonial that you can use on many platforms - from your website to social media, print ads, etc.
Take family into consideration: When meeting with a female (or couple) customer for the first time, pay attention to details. Are they new parents or do they have several young kids at home? If so, be sure to take into consideration certain factors that may affect their lifestyle. The simple act of asking which days or times work best to call or arrive at a job site because you can relate to having kids (or because you want to be courteous of their busy schedule), for example, will give them a sense of comfort and appreciation. This is an easy way to make a good first impression and connect with a customer on a deeper level. Be sure to remember to follow through with any promises you make and adhere to any special considerations you've discussed.