There is a market segment outside your doors that controls $2.4 trillion of the $3 trillion (80%) in consumer spending in the United States and may mean more to your business than you realize. Are you interested?

Health care retailers, meet today’s woman. She is more educated than in the past (60% of university enrollment is made up of women), and has a greater influence on business in this country (one in three businesses is owned by a woman). Yet, in the majority of cases, she is still the primary caregiver to her children, spouse, and parents.

Studies have found that women make 80% of all health care decisions for anyone under their care, and in 80% of cases, a woman is the primary caregiver. That means that whether you are marketing a wheelchair for a child or a scooter for a husband, you may first need to sell the mother or the wife.

In addition, on average, women tend to live 6 to 8 years longer than men. With longer life comes an increased chance for age-related disability, which further expands the control women have on the home health care market.

What and How to Sell
Products for women range from breast prostheses through undergarments, hosiery products, and the full gamut of HME. But selling to women is not the same as selling to men. “Women look for a different shopping experience than men,” says Cindy Ciardo, manager of vendor services for Essentially Women Buying Group, Oxford, Mich. “Aesthetics in the store are important to them, whereas men will go to the store, buy what they need, and then leave.”

Ciardo recommends using softer colors to designate the women’s section of your store. “Women are looking for ambience and a warm greeting,” she says. “They want to feel at ease and comfortable where they shop because women tend to spend more time browsing through ancillary and accessory items.”

Women also place a greater importance on quality of life, Ciardo says. When they find products that will make their lives easier, they are often impulse buyers.

Speak Their Language
One of the easiest ways to improve your odds of selling to a woman is to develop a one-on-one relationship with her by listening to her. Give her your complete attention, and never interrupt. A woman is more willing to share personal information than a man, as long as she believes you have given her respect. She is looking to build a relationship. If you listen, it could be the beginning of a long and lasting retail provider/client arrangement.

Also, keep in mind that regardless of age, a woman wants to be attractive for herself and for her partner. Therefore, do not limit your merchandise options. If you sell breast prostheses, it also is logical to carry products for beauty, such as hairpieces, wigs, and postmastectomy garments, including bras, lingerie, and adaptive clothing.

Display these products tastefully and avoid a clinical look. Designate an area away from the main flow of traffic for more personal items where a woman can take her time to compare styles, sizes, and colors. A private interview room and change room will make customers more comfortable, and a small space off to the side where children can be distracted without interfering with shopping will attract women who care for children.

Finally, provide a place for female customers to meet with staff members to discuss personal needs. Trained professionals, such as nurses and other allied health care professionals, provide credibility that the products sold are “what the doctor ordered.” And while both genders can be effective salespeople, female staff members can help female customers feel at ease because there is a sense of security in speaking with another woman about personal issues.

Think Young
Make sure your advertisements reflect a positive image for the female shopper. Savvy advertisers know that consumers tend to think of themselves as being 10 to 15 years younger than their actual age. Therefore, photographs of models using the product tend to either depict a younger model, or obscure the face of the model so that the product is not associated with a particular age group.

In marketing material, use terminology that promotes life and integration. Stress that you and your product lines give customers enhanced life experiences. Thanks to you, grandma can take her grandchild to the park. Thanks to you, mom can go swimming with her children.

People with disabilities or other health care needs do not want products that segregate them as a separate group of consumers. When it comes to general household products, clothing, and personal devices, they would rather have products marketed by their benefits—such as “no tools required,” or “anyone can use”—than products marketed for a specific condition.

A good example of this is the Arthritis Bra. Its name tends to make consumers think the bra is designed exclusively for women who have arthritis. As a result, some women without arthritis who could still benefit from an easy-to-fasten bra will not consider it.

Word-of-Mouth Advertising Counts
Many women patronize stores recommended to them by family, friends, co-workers, and physicians. Therefore, do not neglect any referral sources when marketing to women.

Get to know the physicians, clinics, and hospitals in your area. Make sure they learn who you are and what products and services you offer. Take the time to connect with those who will have a direct impact on your clientele. Send brochures, and invite them to your facility to see for themselves what you have to offer. The more comfortable referral sources are with you, the greater the likelihood they will send their patients to you.

One way to get known to customers and referral sources is to become involved with your community. Help sponsor breast screening clinics. Work with local chapters of the American Cancer Society, the ALS Association, or the Arthritis Foundation. If you have the facilities, let the local chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society use your space to hold a meeting. Provide the refreshments and invite attendees to tour your store after the meeting.

Also market yourself through your clients. Ask if there is anything more that you can do for them. Tell them to come back again and to call if they have questions about the product or its use. Treated with respect, women are generally loyal shoppers and return to a store if they believe they got good service, quality products, and reasonable pricing.

Finally, make the experience of shopping at your store simple and enjoyable. Stress is repeatedly cited as the No. 1 problem of care providers in the home and lack of knowledge about HME and home health care services adds to that stress. Make sure you are easy to find and known in the community. Develop promotional methods that demonstrate your products. Recognize that women control the majority of purchasing decisions, and that today’s woman does not have time to dig and search for information, products, or services. Above all else, listen to what she has to say. The benefits will go far beyond a single sale in your cash register.

Brian D. Kon is president of the market research and consulting firm Sterling Frazer Associates, Niagara Falls, Ontario. Contact him at (905) 704-9806 or visit his company’s Web site at www.sterlingfrazer.com.