Women in Business, Jobs, Women Entrepreneurs, Women in the News: News On Women

Girls Always Use Tech (facebook, cell phones, twitter, ecommerce) but rarely think about it as a Career Option. Let's change that.

Dare2BDigital Conference.

Tell Young Women - Innovation is Everything! Dare2BDigital Conference Starts Us Off

What should we tell young women about innovation? Tell them Innovation is everything! And for everybody! Not just scientists or engineers. Yes we need science and engineering, but we need people to take their innovations and make them mainstream. What would Facebook be without the “friends” who use it? The Dare2BDigital Conference is taking on the challenge of getting more girls to understand the excitement and everyday use of math and science on Feb 11, 2012 in San Jose at the eBay Campus. This is so important because only a small % of high school girls (versus a high % of boys) expressed an interest in starting their own venture, a disturbing fact as our economy shifts in a small business revolution. Richelle Parham (pictured), Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of eBay North America, is one of the keynote speakers.

But why stop with just one conference? Let’s get many more girls involved. And why should we? Because we are still being held back by statistics and stereotypes. If I read one more time how few women are CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies, or what % of women are major executives of media or other companies, or that women can’t do math, I think I’ll scream. That is so last century!! In today's world, media giants and old stereotypes are ready to fall just like the beanstalk in the fairytale. But not if we stay mired in statistics that don’t tell the whole story. I have met so many great women who are doing amazing and innovative things. Let’s follow their lead. We need to get students excited about innovation, open their minds to ways anyone can innovate, and show them how to analyze an industry in search of opportunities where they can create something new.

Everyone who reads this post should take it on themselves to go to their school, their friends, their families and get girls excited about innovation. Here’s a readymade speech that will help you. I call it my “better, cheaper, faster, easier” speech. Add your own flavor and examples. And report back on how many girls you speak to, even if it’s only a few at a time. We will keep count. Can we turn one conference into 1 million girls? Let’s try. So post this on your blog, rt on twitter, start it on facebook, speak at school assemblies, parent meetings, etc. Wherever girls will be, be there for them. Tell them how innovation will make a difference in their lives.

 INNOVATION - Better, Cheaper, Faster, Easier!

What it Means to be an Innovator - What is Innovation and who are innovators? You may not be inventing technology, but how you use technology or how you brand a product can also make you an Innovator.   You have the power, using your own brain and a pencil, to build a better mousetrap. Technology has created a new world of opportunity. Let’s talk about some of today’s really successful companies - the companies that capitalized on the opportunities to innovate with the new technologies available. When you examine who the innovators are, you will see that the companies which really stand out are the companies that helped people look at their world in a new way. They focused on helping people do things better, cheaper, faster, easier, or do something completely new. Some examples: 1. Cheaper - Amazon - started by Jeff Bezos because he wanted a cheaper and easier way to find out-of-print or rare books; One Kings Lane - started by Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus (pictured left) - flash sales in the home décor and housewares market - a new way to buy things for your home. 2. Easier - Zocdoc - makes it easy for people to make doctor’s appointments online. 3. Faster - Google - finding information; Twitter - get news updates. 4. Better - Linkedin helps people network and find jobs; Learnvest – started by Alexa von Tobel so women can learn more about personal finance because she and her friends wanted to learn more about managing their money. 5. Do Something New - Apple – itunes, ipad, iphone; ebay - online auctions; Facebook redefined the meaning of the word community! (Ask students for examples in their lives of “faster” “easier” “cheaper“, - companies they see helping them live their lives in a new way. Get them thinking about how to be innovative - ask for suggestions of areas that they feel can be improved today.)

How Can You be an Innovator? Look at the industries you enjoy and break them down into pieces. Here's an industry example - Healthcare. You no longer have to think about just being a doctor or a nurse. You can work in the healthcare ecosystem in many ways, helping people learn how to be fit, helping people learn how to eat right and exercise more often etc. An example in healthcare of innovation where someone wanted to improve the process of healthcare is Rebecca Woodcock who co-founded Cakehealth.com which helps you understand and manage your health care. Also innovative is Anne Wojcicki, who co-founded the personal genetics company “23andMe”, a source of genetic information for health pursuits named after the fact that we have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Halle Tecco is the Founder and Managing Director of Rock Health, a group dedicated to innovation in the interactive health space, helping startup companies in this field gain access to experts and investors. Each of these women are innovators in their own way. Another industry example that might interest girls is Retailing, a big industry with many aspects to it. Here is a sample of who is doing new things in this industry: 1. Design - Young designers and new approaches like CarrieHammer.com, Carrie wanted better fitting dresses so she started online company for made to measure clothing. 2. Sales - find innovative ways to sell like Go Try It On, a personal style network that allows members to comment on and get feedback about their outfits and the outfits of their friends/community founded by its CEO Marissa Evans. Birchbox co-founded by Hayley Barna and Katia Beauchamp who met at Harvard Business School and started the subscription sampling company to help women find beauty products that they like. 3. Trends - foodspotting - co-founded by Alexa Andrzejewski, helps you find food by looking at photos of dishes of food on website rather than just looking for restaurants. See other innovative women entrepreneurs.

Innovation is Part of Your World so Learn how to Use it. You should examine where you feel comfortable working. How excited are you about innovation? Where do you find an interest? Where do you see an opportunity? You can ask your friends what they need, and create a product or service that helps them. Or you can just create your own products and see if they like them. As you live your life, ask yourself where can you innovate? Innovators do not have to be engineers. But engineers give us the tools to be Innovators. Inventing the technology is only the beginning. It’s the users that make the technology better, the friends at Facebook, the users at Google. So even if you are not an engineer or computer science major, you can still innovate by thinking about how you do the things you do – and how you can do them “better, cheaper, faster, easier”!

DocPons Founder Susan Nicholas and Buyosphere CEO Tara Hunt Among the Ten Finalists for the "Women 2.0 PITCH Conference"

Women 2.o announced the ten finalists for the  Women 2.0 PITCH Conference on February 14, 2012, Women 2.0′s fifth annual Startup Competition for early-stage tech startups. The finalists include Dr Susan Nicholas (pictured), the Founder of healthcare company DocPons, whose online platform allows for purchasing outpatient healthcare services through discount healthcare coupons. Also presenting is Buyosphere CEO Tara Hunt. Read about the other women who are among the finalists for the Women 2.o PITCH Conference as well as who will be the judges, one of whom is Aileen Lee, Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

Molly Line, Fox News Correspondent, Talks about Being "on the Trail" in New Hampshire

Molly Line, a FOX News Correspondent, covered the political candidates on the trail in New Hampshire for Fox. "The first-in-the-nation New Hampshire Primary is a contest steeped in tradition and the voters in the state are proud of the role they play in the nominating process," says Molly. "I have the privilege of covering the races there because I’m based in nearby Boston, Massachusetts and often cover campaigns across the country.  The experience is unique every four years based on the mix of candidates running but the people of the Granite State are always the same- welcoming and tuned in to the political landscape. It’s easy to find voters in New Hampshire who know about the issues of the day, the candidates and are willing to discuss them all, thankfully on camera. This year’s run-up to the GOP Primary had a slow build and analysts argued former Governor Mitt Romney’s wide lead in the polls led to less interest but you would not know it based on the crowds of press swarming the Granite State 48 hours before the voters hit the polls on January 10th."

"I find covering women in political contests to be largely the same as covering male candidates, regardless of whether the race is woman vs. woman or woman vs. man.  Generally, the platforms and parties of the candidates weigh more on any given race than gender. Though Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, the only Republican woman running, pulled out of the race for the White House women still have a very public impact on the process. For instance, Romney was joined on stage at one recent rally in New Hampshire by South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte."

December a Disappointment for Women Seeking Big Corporate Jobs, but Women Entrepreneurs Raise $123 Million in New Funding and See New Horizons

The number of corporate jobs given to women in December 2011 continued the downward trend of the previous month causing a disappointing end to 2011 which had started out strong. Major companies appointing women to big jobs in December included American Airlines, who appointed Maya Leibman (pictured) Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of American Airlines, and she will oversee all aspects of the Company’s information technology strategy and operations. Also appointing women to big jobs in December were Boeing, Viacom, MassMutual, Eastman Kodak, Meredith Corp, Bloomberg TV, PwC, Warnaco, Cosi Inc, Move Inc, Ford Direct and Staples.

And even though the corporate world showed fewer opportunities for women, women entrepreneurs continued to break ground, raising $123 million in new funding in December 2011, significantly higher than the 42 million raised in November. This gives us a total of almost $500 million raised by women entrepreneurs in the past six months. Also in December, Samasource, founded by Leila Janah to connect people living in poverty to work via the Internet, received a grant of $1.5 million from Google for its efforts to bring work to needed areas, and Kelly Hoey, Deborah Jackson, and Veronika Sonsev started up  Women Innovate Mobile, the new accelerator and mentorship program for women-founded companies involved in the mobile technology industry. 

Gerri Willis of Fox Business Network Has Some Tips on Using Gift Cards This Holiday Season

Gerri Willis, Anchor of "The Willis Report" on Fox Business Network, appeared on abc's "Good Morning America" to give her take on Gift Cards and how to use them this holiday season. Gerri's show, The Willis Report, focuses on consumer and personal finance issues. Her first tip - understand the fees attached to the gift card. Read the rest of Gerri's tips for using giftcards, thanks to the abc news website.

SheMakes Holiday Festival Features Gift Items from Women Entrepreneurs

The Daily Muse has partnered with Saatchi & Saatchi and 85 Broads to host the first annual SheMakes Holiday Festival. The event is meant to showcase women entrepreneurs and their products, including companies like Artsicle, Baking for Good, and Catherine M. Zadeh (whose jewelry is featured at Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys). "We were inspired by all of the women around us who took big risks in starting their own business and wanted to give them an opportunity to shine" said Alex, Kathryn, and Melissa, Founders of the Daily Muse. "The holidays are a great time to think about where you are buying from and using your purchasing power to support causes you care about, be it local small businesses or female entrepreneurship. We hope that SheMakes will inspire shoppers to be thoughtful in their buying decisions, while also discovering incredible new companies". The event is December 3, 2011, from 12 to 5pm at 375 Hudson Street in New York City. Applications for vendors are still being accepted as long as there is space. Read more about participating.

Ursula Burns, Dany Levy and Lauren Bush Win Best Executives for the Stevie Awards

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business, an international competition which drew over 1,300 nominations this year for consideration in 78 categories including Best Executive, Most Innovative Company, and Best New Company of the Year, announced it winners for 2011. Among them were Ursula Burns (pictured), CEO of Xerox, -for Best Executive (More than 2,500 Employees); Dany Levy, CEO of Daily Candy - for Best Executive (Up to 100 Employees), and Lauren Bush, CEO of FEED - for Best Executive (Non-Profit or Government). Read more about who else won the prestigeous awards...

Nicole Petallides, Fox Business Network News Anchor, Talks to Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel

Nicole Petallides (pictured) Fox Business Network News Anchor, took a trip to Target in anticipation of the holidays. Nicole interviewed Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel, Executive Vice President Tina Schiel and other Target executives during her trip, and discussed with them Target's strategies for the future. One game changer for them is their designers at a discount approach. The company recently introduced a limited-edition "Missoni for Target" line. The Missoni fashion house is legendary and the clothing and other items caused an uproar in the shopping world. Next up, Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Mini kids clothing line in the stores in November. Target also wants us to stay healthy as well as look good, so they now offer a convenient way to get a flu shot in some of their store locations. Nicole spoke with Target Stores Executive Vice President Tina Schiel about how the retail giant is gearing up for the holiday season. Asked about how many more seasonal workers Target is planning to hire this year versus last year, Tina said, “we are expecting to higher a significant amount more, probably about 5-10% more.” Tina also discussed their main focus for Black Friday, saying, “Our main goal is that we provide an experience in the store for our guests that they’re expecting in the way of great products, great assortments, great pricing. But also the in-store experience. Our teams are so excited about this because this is the Super Bowl of retail for us.” Check out Nicole's interveiw with the Target executives on foxbusiness.com.  

Yao-Hui Huang Sees a Women Leadership Network as the Way to "Make it Happen"

Yao-Hui Huang, Founder and Managing Director of The Hatchery, a venture collaboration that works to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and investors, has entrepreneurial experience with businesses and startups in many industries. Yao believes women are the key to economic prosperity, but sees the need to help women "get there". Yao is starting a Women Leadership Network to provide the kind of support for women she sees as missing in today's environment. Here's what Yao has to say about it:

You Want More Jobs? Here’s the Jobs

"Women entrepreneurs are making major moves, but they can’t get the same financial support as male-owned businesses. Did you know that only 11 percent of the technology firms that venture capitalists decide to back are owned by women? Some female-owned businesses can’t get off the ground because of these glaring disparities. But if more venture capitalists took a shot on female-owned start-ups it would add 5 million more jobs to the economy."

It’s Time to Fix It
"I’m an entreprenuerial executive who’s started up a number of successful technology related and digital media ventures. I've been asked by other would-be entrepreneurs, how did you do that? How do you get to where you are considering the challenges? I listen to women tell me stories of being the only females in their work departments. One woman said to me, “I do all the work and bring in all of the sales in the company. I grew a division and still haven’t been promoted.” Well I’m putting out a bold statement: “I'm going to fix that.” But I need your help. I think it’s time for a different approach to getting women to higher eschelons of the corporate and small business world."

A Solution

"So how is it that men manage to dominate in business? Five words: “The Good Old Boys Network.” Men tend to have closer business networks that keep them not only employed, but gainfully employed—poised to crack through that glass ceiling in a matter of years. To date, women don’t have a strong, similar network of female professionals who help each other rise up the corporate ladder. We don’t have a wide-reaching support network of high-powered ladies who want to make deals, make money, achieve more and climb higher. We need more hands on participation from all group members – each woman must take an active role in making positive things happen for her sisters. What we need is a cooperative of female managers, employees, financiers and business entrepreneurs on board to support their fellow female colleagues, and of course receive support in return."

The Women Leadership Network

"A talented group of women and I are teaching a series around leadership to show we can make this happen. The plan is to provide ongoing support through mentors, support teams and hands-on initiatives to help women achieve. We’ll track our progress closely.  We're kicking off the first of a series of meetings next Thursday, November 17 at 6pm. I would love for you to join me and the following wonderful high-powered ladies:
Joanne Zaiac, President of Digitas NY; Diane Oshin, Group Publisher, Time Inc.; Angela Leaney, former CMO, Newsweek; and Valia Glytsis, Leadership Expert. As inspired female actress Taraji P. Henson recently said, “Stop hanging around people with your same problems, and hang with those who have your solution.” Well the ladies on the list above have your solution. RSVP today and share this link with other similarly-minded women you know:  http://wamwomen.eventbrite.com
We would love your support and ask you to share your own personal stories of success at the meeting! Let’s make it happen, starting today ladies."

A New Look at the Forbes 100 Power Women

Courtesy of: OnlineSchools.com

Are Women in Leadership Invisible - Or is it just the Press? Visuals Can Reinforce Stereotypes

I have been so busy this week I had let the papers sit for a day. But this morning I finally got around to the Wall Street Journal "Leadership: Human Resources" section from Monday. Is it just me or do people not get the impact of visuals?? The first thing I see in the lead article about companies not getting the employees they want is a big pair of men's shoes - taking up almost the whole front page. And take note of the guy leaning on the shoes. Am I too sensitive when I interpret this as "companies can't find the guys they want"? Ok, let's move on to the one side column on the front page, an article on problems and solutions with a visual of a guy and his big smile. Then below there's a lead-in for an article on foreign assignments with a picture of - you'll never guess - another guy. While we do find some women in a gym on the next page, it's hardly the "leadership" image I was looking for. But wait - turn the page again and you will find a lion about to eat a little girl in a circus costume - something about trust but I didn't bother to read it. Where's the photo of that woman leader I can look up to and read about? Let's hope there's one on the next page. (Oh wait, before you turn notice the bottom half double page ad - a bunch of guys turning a boat in the ocean - but I can't blame this on WSJ - or can I?) Next page - a small photo of people on a float, I think there's some women there but I can't really see. And finally the last page, another full page ad of a guy sitting next to a duck with a sign saying "One of Fortune Magazine's most admired companies". At least the recycling bin made it...

What I Learned from Steve Jobs

I didn’t know Steve Jobs, but I don’t think he would mind if I called him Steve since he changed my life. Innovation was his middle name. When he started Apple (without big venture capital investors), he changed the world of computers for us. And when Apple fired him, did he give up? No. He looked for more opportunities to innovate, and found them. He created Pixar and changed another industry, animation. And when Apple wanted him to return, did he turn his back on them? No. He went back and changed another industry with itunes. And when he got sick, did he give up? No. he changed our lives once again with the iphone and the ipad. So what have we learned from Steve? We learned we can all change the world, whether we were born with money or not,  if we look to the future and just don’t give up. Innovation is key to our economy, and everyone should be looking for a “Steve Jobs Moment”, an opportunity to change industries, opinions, and each other. Think about how he changed our lives, and ask ourselves what can we do for him? We can learn from his example and keep innovating. Every teacher should teach these “Steve lessons” to their students, every boss to their workers, every parent to their children, every person to their friend. It’s the least we can do for the ultimate entrepreneur.

Liz Claman Interviews Lucy Bradshaw of Electronic Arts for FOX Business Network

As part of FOX Business Network’s “Three Days in the Valley” summit, anchor Liz Claman (pictured left) is interviewing tech gurus of Silicon Valley. She recently sat down with Electronic Arts Senior Vice President Lucy Bradshaw (pictured right) to discuss the recent resurgence in the life-simulation game known as the Sims as well as what’s ahead for the future of EA. Liz asked Lucy about the resurgence in Sims activity.“Sims has always been one of EA’s biggest brands," said Lucy. "Since its release back in 2000, it has sold over 140 million copies at retail. With the recent advances in terms of mobile technology and Facebook, we introduced the game with our partnership with our play fish team, and with their knowledge of the social gaming space and our design leadership, we collaborated and came out with something that was really quite phenomenal - bringing an inherently social game to social networks through Sims social.” Liz also asked Lucy what’s ahead for the future.“We’re working on expansions and extensions in our social space for the Sims and some of our other brands," replied Lucy. "It has been exciting because our brands fit that social space for mobile tablet games, and we continue to develop Sims for online players in the digital place as well.” Watch the interview on foxbusiness.

2011 Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Three Women, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman

the Nobel Peace Prize for 2011 has been awarded to three women, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (pictured), Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman for "their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work". Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, is the first democratically elected female president in Africa. Leymah Gbowee "mobilized and organized women across ethnic and religious dividing lines to bring an end to the long war in Liberia". Tawakkul Karman "played a leading part in the struggle for women’s rights and for democracy and peace in Yemen". Read more in the Nobel press release.

eHow Launches New Site for Women Called "Shift"

eHow, a Demand Media® (NYSE: DMD) property and online destination for expert tips, advice and know-how, today announced the launch of "Shift", a new site created to inspire women who want to make changes in their lives and positively impact others around them. Nearly 40 million women come to eHow each month with the intent of “doing something” and seeking both information and inspiration. "Shift" will provide a dedicated home for this growing audience. "Shift" is kicking off with the “eHow 100,” a listing of 100 women who are making immediate, actionable and powerful contributions on their lives and the lives of others. “With Shift, Demand Media is really creating a new genre in women’s online media,” said Joanne Bradford, (pictured) Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer, Demand Media. “As women evolve and take on new challenges, they are becoming experts as entrepreneurs, breadwinners and business leaders.  They are looking for an online resource that reflects their holistic life and supports their goals, small and large. Shift will fill this gap with editorial content designed to inspire and influence today’s ‘complete’ woman.” Shift’s content will be generated in conjunction with Victoria Colligan, founder and CEO of “Ladies Who Launch.” Victoria and her panel of experts will engage Shift readers through blogs, interviews, in-depth features and live events that will speak directly to a number of audiences, from chief breadwinners and budding entrepreneurs to stay-at-home moms and burgeoning creatives. Shift stories and content will be organized into six categories: Deal, Taste, Be, Create, Play and Guide.

Women Having Trouble Paying Bills According to the IWPR/Rockefeller Survey

The Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) / Rockefeller Survey of Economic Security has found that women and single mothers in particular keep reporting "higher rates of financial strain and daily hardship" even though the recession officially ended in 2009. Women say they are having difficulty paying bills on time (84% of women versus 71% of men) and are having problems paying their rent or mortgage (75% of women versus 49% men). According to the survey, another little talked about fact is that young women are having a tougher time finding a job than young men. "Young women have faced disproportionate hardship in entering the labor market. Of those aged 18–34, 50 percent report unemployment for at least one month during the two years prior to the survey—twice the rate for men (24 percent) in the same age group." Read more about it in the IWPR/Rockefeller Survey press release.

Citi Foundation CEO Pamela Flaherty announces Research Study "Asset Building Through Credit"

Pamela Flaherty, President & CEO of the Citi Foundation, announced the "Asset Building Through Credit Program", a research effort run by The Aspen Institute that will study "a multi-dimensional approach to building credit and financial opportunities for aspiring low-income entrepreneurs". Citi Foundation will be funding the study with a $750,000 grant. Read more in the Business Wire press release.

Sandra Smith, Fox Business Network Reporter, Talks About the Challenges on the Trading Floors

Sandra Smith is a Reporter for the FOX Business Network and frequently broadcasts live from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). With all the market volatility over the past few weeks, it’s certainly been an interesting time to be a business news anchor—especially a female one. After the Dow Jones industrial average on Friday suffered one of its worst weeks since the the financial crisis in 2008, Smith weighed in on what it’s like to be a woman at the frontlines of these market moves:

"To say I am comfortable on a trading floor would be an understatement. As a youngster I spent a lot of time on trading floors in Chicago where my father was a floor trader for 15 years as well as my brother and uncles.  I am the youngest of 6 children, 5 of which are girls, and my dad gave us all a fair shot at going downtown on the train to work in the trading environment. One could call it a bit of a man's world, but my early experience and submersion in the environment at a young age gave me needed confidence to overcome the obstacle of being one of a few women on the trading floor. Time has proven that women are as good, if not better when in a quick-thinking, on-your-toes type environment. I later studied for and passed key trading exams to become a licensed professional trader for firms in both New York and Chicago."

"I use the same instinctive trading skills I used then, to cover the quick-paced markets today as a journalist.  One thing I learned very quickly as a trader: leave your emotions out of it. Same thing applies when following the big swings in today's market environment. Don't let your emotions get in the way of getting the real story. When I am on the trading floor at the CME Group in Chicago, I find out what is moving and get the best scoop from the trading pits to explain to our viewers why something is moving.  While the Chicago trading pits are not quite what they once were, there is still the thrill of seeing real-time price discovery... hands waving, arms flying, voices yelling, and papers flying!"

Marketing Expert Helen Fang Talks about Improving Sales through Social Media

Helen Fang, Marketing Manager at Vendio, is charged with helping entrepreneurs and small businesses sell online to grow their profits. In this post, Helen shares her thoughts and insights from the ecommerce world on how social media can be leveraged to grow sales for your business:

"It's common knowledge that women are more social than men – both online and off. For anyone who doubts this theory, there has been extensive research done on the topic. In a study conducted by SheSpeaks.com, researchers found that three quarters of women online regularly frequent social media sites like MySpace and Facebook. Visiting social media sites ranked third on the list of the top activities that women partake in online. An interesting item of note is that, when asked what kinds of things they talk about with their social connections, 65% of those surveyed said they shared information about products and shopping among their peers. Given this information, it's no wonder that shopping ranked first on that list of top online activities of women. By paying attention to the data gleaned from these studies, female entrepreneurs can use social media to sell more online. Here is how:

Learn How Women Shop

In order to create an effective marketing campaign geared toward women, understanding how they shop is imperative. For example, a study titled, "Men Buy, Women Shop," conducted by researchers at the Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative found that women require stronger personal interaction with sales associates than men do. Women associate store loyalty with the ability of the staff to meet their needs by having a working knowledge of the products they sale and the ability to recommend one that will best suit their needs. The majority of women polled in the study reported they pay little attention to ads and many reported being annoyed by them. Since women make 80% of the purchasing decisions in every home, attracting and keeping their buying power can be very lucrative.

Build Your Brand Socially - One Mention, One “Like” At A Time

When women find a product that works for them, they are fiercely brand-loyal. According to Wikibrands, the average female will reference a brand over 150 times in a week while making product suggestions and referrals to others and also during in normal conversation. This word of mouth advertising is one of the most powerful marketing tools that a business can have. On the flipside of that, women are just as likely to negatively reference a brand just as many times so the female perspective could very well make your brand – or break it, just as easily.

Mobilize Your Brand

If you want to reach your target audience, you have to invest your efforts where the audience congregates. Waiting around in your corner of Cyberspace, hoping they find you is both unrealistic and potentially devastating for your business. In this case, your target audience is women so you want to concentrate your efforts on networks created by and for women. Some suggestions are Work-from-home mom sites; Mommy blogger platforms; Women's issues forums; and Websites for local women's groups in the community.

As we mentioned before, the driving force behind whether or not a woman is likely to make a purchase from a particular merchant depends heavily upon the rapport she's able to build with the sales person. This is why you don't want to just show up on one of these women's networks and introduce yourself as having something to sell. Participating in the community and creating relationships with other participants is a great way to establish yourself as an expert or authority in some area related to your brand. Making valuable contributions to the communities by sharing your knowledge with others makes them sit up and take notice. This way, they're more likely to appreciate a product recommendation from you – even if it is for your own brand."