Women make the vast majority of health and nutrition purchasing decisions, and they are much more likely to be the primary caregiver of children and elderly family members.1 It just makes sense for health and nutrition brands to understand how, why, and where they search for information.
Many health and wellness marketers lump all women into one huge category, making sweeping generalizations about their habits. Some of these stereotypes are particularly presumptive, such as, “Women want to be part of a club,” “Women make more emotional purchasing decisions than men,” or “Just make it pink.”
As a woman, an athlete and a marketing professional, I’m here to tell you there are dozens of categories of female consumers in the fitness industry alone. From Millenials to Baby Boomers, serious athletes to moms who are trying to shed a few pounds, outdoor enthusiasts to Soul Cycle enthusiasts: Women are not of one mind.
To truly connect marketers must respect who and what women want to be and then decide how their products and services best support their goals—not the other way around.
At Energize, we have created a proprietary set of Health and Nutrition Customer Personas to provide clients with a template for personalizing their brand communications. These personas are segmented into broad categories, including healthcare, fitness, nutrition, mothers/caregivers and quality of life. By segmenting into these categories, we are able to hone in on the values and beliefs that drive women in their daily lives.
Here are 3 questions we ask to understand certain segments of female consumers:
Are They Joiners?
Contrary to popular belief, not all women want to join a club; some just want to make a purchase. When you inundate these women with pleas to become lifetime members of your brand, you may actually be turning them off. Carefully consider the behaviors and attitudes of your current customers before campaigning for their “membership” in your brand’s club.
Who Are Their Social Satellites?
What we do know about the vast majority of women is that they are connectors. They ask for recommendations from friends and acquaintances before they buy, and they give positive recommendations when they are happy with a product or service. Who they connect with can depend on their age, personal status (i.e. married, mom, etc.), economic status, and more. Engaging in a short relationship mapping exercise to understand who these ladies are influencing can help you extend the reach of your brand.
What Technologies Are They Using?
Women are expert communicators, but we don’t all communicate in the same ways. A Millenial prefer shopping on her cell phone while a Baby Boomer may prefer her tablet. But, again, don’t make assumptions. Things like demographics, income and education can affect these choices, too.
If you want to learn more about creating Customer Personas to better understand your Health or Nutrition customers, read my blogpost, How Customer Personas Can Help Market Your Health or Nutrition Brand.
Reference: 1. https://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/8164.pdf
Jessica is a competitive athlete and the President of Energize HNM, a health and nutrition marketing agency. Jessica is committed to supporting health brands of every size by helping them define their missions and connect with their customers on a deeper, more meaningful level.