Marketing to Women - Lifecycle Performance Pros

120 PART THREE / Practical Applications
threat that your competitors may be in development on something
already.
The primary tools for the operations element of the Situation Scan
are consumer research and “mystery shopper” research.
Consumer research. The next section of this chapter outlines qualitative
and quantitative research techniques designed to generate meaningful
feedback from women customers. Adopt these techniques and
customize them for your company, your product or service, and your
sales force. For purposes of the Situation Scan, focus on the fundamentals
relating to your operation: Have your customers (or prospects)
tried your product? What stood out as good or bad? How about your
competitors’ products?
“Mystery shopper” research. Send women “shoppers” to interact in
person with sales, service/repair, and customer service representatives—both
yours and your competitors’. This is qualitative, of course,
but make sure you budget for at least three to five contacts within each
department at each company, so you can get a reasonably reliable
“feel” for any good or bad consistencies.
Communications Elements
This is the area that offers you the greatest number of opportunities.
It’s also usually faster to change communications initiatives and
materials than to implement new product features or employee behavior
patterns.
At this point, you collect all the current marketing communications
you can get your hands on—from both your brand and your competitors’.
For most Scans, I try to include TV, radio, and newspaper ads; retail
signage, branch layout, and customer service procedures; in-store
merchandising materials, brochures, and counter cards; Web sites, emails,
and even ATM receipts. After you’ve collected all the materials,
have them analyzed by someone who is well versed in communications
strategy/execution and well briefed on the four star points of female
gender culture—and preferably with no vested interest in validating the
status quo.