A 1992 book called Men are From Mars and Women are from Venus explores and explains the relationship between men and women and the way women and men communicate and view things differently. The author explains that“ not only do men and women communicate differently, but they think, feel, perceive, react, respond, love, need, and appreciate differently.”
Business across industries have to addressed the fact that women and men respond differently to the sales pitch, the way they are addressed, and the information they received by the sales people. We all know sales people are doing their job, and that they have to “pitch” their products and services. We – as employees ourselves-know they have to do a job. But, the way they do it can be pivotal to the sale.
According to the US Census Bureau there were an approximate 12 million single parent families last year. And of those 12 million single parent families households, more than 80% were headed by single mothers.
When female customers call a company for a free consultation for a home project, and the company asks whether they are married or not, or that the male of the house needs to be present for them to come over, it sends a message that perhaps women cannot make a decision or worse yet, they cannot possibly understand their “lingo.”
For any big or small company doing business in the United States, it pays to consider this: A 2008 Pew Research Center Survey found that in 43% of all couples, the majority of decision making is done by women. That is to say, if a woman calls your business and asks for a quote, chances are that she will be making the decision to hire you or not.
The times have change, but the decision making in a household has not. From which company to invest, how much money to save, or where to go on a vacation, women are the decision makers in a family.
Studies in the United Kingdom have shown the prominent role women play in financial decision making. More and more, women research what they need and they communicate their decision to their partners. Up until the last stage of the decision making process will the “spouse” play any role in making a financial decision.
In the United States, the similarities are the same. Financial decision making is mostly a woman’s role.
