The good news is that women have a lot of power in their wallets. In the U.S. alone, women spend $6 trillion annually. This is equal to the entire annual GDP of Japan. The power of her dollar doesn’t stop there. Worldwide women are now the largest group of buyers.

The bad news is that the typical selling conversation turns female buyers off. Even worse, sellers of both genders often unknowing engage in costly communication blunders daily when dealing with women. 

How to Communicate When Selling to Women        

A woman will tune you out faster than you can say, “Show me the money” if you sound like you’re trying to make a sale. In the 1980’s, when my first business opened, I entered into a twenty-year endurance test of sitting through endless vendor sales presentations and pitches.

Sales presentations don’t work with women. Women place a high value on their connections with others. Good connections in their personal and profession lives are built on a foundation of trust. Sounding and acting like a salesperson doesn’t earn the trust of woman. Like many women before and after me, I had to come to my own rescue.

When a women senses she is being SOLD she can quickly and skillfully tune a seller out.  Most sellers don’t even recognize that she’s turned her attention to other things. They’re too busy reciting the amazing benefits of their products and services.  You know you sound like you’re selling if any of your sentences start with “our company, our product or our services.”

You’ve come along way baby. Women influence and/or make up to 80% of all buying decisions. When a woman buys products and services, she views it as making an investment. The higher the price, the higher the investment is at stake. To feel fully confident in her decision making, women need to know that the seller really gets her and gets her needs.

The paradigm of boldly telling a buyer why certain products and/or services are perfect for her or him doesn’t cut it with women. Even if you have the charisma of a rock star, if a woman hasn’t been asked targeted questions which reveal her exact needs, she’ll move on so fast it will make your head spin. She is on a mission to find the seller who will take the time and interest to understand her.  For a woman, the ideal seller is one who grasps her situation fully. Using open-end questions is a great way to find out what she really needs and wants.

Classic open-ended questions beginning with who, what, when, where, and tell me about, work very well.  They not only provide valuable information, they also include a woman in the buying and decision making process.  All of this builds trust.  When a woman sense that a seller can be trusted it increases her comfort in sharing essential information.

The most exercise that some sellers get is from jumping to conclusions. When a woman responds to their inquiry questions, many sales pros do what I refer to as bottom-line listening. They’re listening to hear only what is of interest to them. In this case, bottom-line listening means quickly deciphering what the customer wants and when she needs it by. 

If your assumptions were correct then you lucked out.  If not, you’d be best to move on and find different customer.  At this point, the chances are high that she’s already mentally crossed you off of her preferred vendor list.

The long story short on how women communicate is that women tell a story when answering questions. Within that story there is a goldmine of important information.  You’ll hear about her fears, concerns, hopes and wishes on everything from what she needs in products and services to her expectations for the vendors and companies selling to her. 

Listening to a women’s story is the surest way to find out what she is really expecting from you and the wares you provide. It also puts you in a great position to make customized recommendations that are a perfect fit for her situation. Now all you have to do is to deliver. 

Communicating a Woman’s Way Pays Off
Communicating in a style that works for women can really work for you. Sellers who quit doing tired sales presentations are the ones who stand out with female buyers.

Asking targeted questions and truly listening to hear what she wants, needs and expects can quickly put you at the top of her list. 

The best news is after you’ve demonstrated that you can meet her high buying expectations a woman will typically pass your name on to at least ten other people in her personal and professional network. That powerful word of mouth marketing is worth it’s weight in gold.

About Kelly McCormick

Speaker and Entrepreneur Kelly McCormick’s insider secrets on selling and women increase sales, from both sides of the counter. Frequently quoted in national media, Kelly offers insightful and entertaining presentations. Her How to Sell to Women and Selling Skills for Women sessions are a hit with corporations, businesses, franchises, and associations, both nationally and internationally. Kelly’s unique ability to customize her presentations to meet the specific needs of her audience continue to make her a highly sought after speaker. Born in Canada, Kelly now resides in Southern California. For more information or to sign-up for Kelly’s Communication E-tip visit www.mccormickteam.com.

Permission to Reprint

You have my permission reprint this article. Please leave the bio and article intact. I would appreciate it if you could let me know where you published it. Thank you - Kelly McCormick