Its Not All about the Cleavage! Or is It?

Times are a changin'! More women today work outside the home, earn (and control) significant amounts of money, and make large, important purchases like houses, automobiles and computers. In the past, advertising portrayed such independence as being primarily characteristic of men. But there has been an interesting role reversal where more men are involved with cooking, cleaning, laundry and childcare. (I know some of you ladies reading this don't believe me, but they are really out there!) LOL

Interestingly enough, the male consumer-whether married or single- seems to be shopping alone. And not all of them shop alike. According to NPD group, a market research firm, more than 45% of menswear sold in the US last year were sold to men who were shopping without women, compared to 26% in 2000.

What kind of male buyer is your target market?

Alan Katz, publisher of the new men's shopping magazine "Cargo", said that their research found three different types of male buyers.

* The enthusiast, who buys a lot across all categories, and is the first to embrace the latest trends;

* The focused buyer, who does a lot of research, but buys in only a few categories;

* The guided buyer, who looks to publications, friends, girlfriends or his wife to tell him what to buy.

SOME FACTS ABOUT MALE CONSUMERS:

Here are some key tips to be familiar with when understanding the male market:

Ain't He Pretty?

They're spending more and more time in front of a mirror, spritizing their bodies, styling and coloring their hair, 15-year-old teenage girls, you ask? Oh, no boys and young men are leading a grooming revolution that has fueled a 2.1 billion dollar industry, and one that is poised to grow in the next five years.

Cut to the Chase!

Tell them, you don't have to show as much. Women have been proven to be more visual creatures. Men want the facts! List the benefits and features rather than showing lots of pictures.

It's fine to have graphics, but make sure the details stand out first, sothat the details are put into a context that makes them easier to relate to. Remember men give directions by using street names; women give directions by using landmarks. It's amazing, but it's true. Please, I can't tell my East from my West most of the time, but I'll know if the store is next to McDonalds and the Big Green Building!

Sell Them with Features (revisits the idea about cutting to the chase)A terrific example is research done by the Center for Women's Business Research and IBM that identified differences in how men and women business owners buy technology. Both wanted a fair price, but men were more concerned with processing power (How fast is it? How much memory? etc.). Women were primarily concerned with ease of use (How easy is it to get this up and running? How easy is it to use? Will someone help me if I have problems?)

Find out more!

-See what research already exists on this topic. I just opened the door, but there's so much more out there?Get to Googlin' for starters...(www.google.com)

-Tailor your benefits copy to recognize that men and women make decisions differently. For example, it's been said that women prefer to make decisions based on consensus, more so than men.

-Lastly, don't obsess over this guys, it's more important to make sure the advantages and benefits of your product are well positioned and communicated, no matter what the demographics of your audience.Good luck and if all else fails?get the girl with the pursed lips to help you out with a photo. Okay, okay, that was a cheap shot, I'm just kidding guys. ~cracking up~ Please no hate mail!

Simone Kelly is CEO and founder of Gots To Have It, Marketing, a firm that specializes in marketing and empowering entrepreneurs with a series of workshops and networking events. Please view her company web sites here: http://www.gotstohaveit.com and http://www.giventakenetwork.org