Don't Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy -- and How to Increase Your Share of This Crucial Market [Hardcover]

Lisa Johnson (Author), Andrea Learned (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2004

"Don't Think Pink" will help marketers see their brands through a woman's eyes, unlocking the secrets to developing products, services and marketing strategies that truly resonate with female buyers. "Don't Think Pink" reveals: how generational history, culture, life stages, and daily realities influence a woman's buying mind; how the manner in which women buy is more critical than what's being sold; how listening to women earlier and more often leads to more powerful strategies; how to best use the Internet and other technology both in market research and during the buying process; and how to map the way to a bigger slice of the awesome purchasing power of women.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With women heading some 40% of households in America, making 85% of consumer buying decisions and running 40% of all companies in the U.S., according to the authors, it makes sense that marketers would want to appeal to this huge audience. However, Johnson and Learned, cofounders of the consulting firm ReachWomen, believe that too many companies either don't cater to women or repeatedly send misleading messages. Marketers need to understand the customers, get their feedback and focus on the context of the product. For example, some products should be given out in a doctor's office while other items should be sent to the consumer. It's also important to understand the difference between generations. A younger woman might focus more on finances while an older woman may feel as if she can pamper herself, after working and raising a family for many years. To support their thesis, the authors provide examples of positive innovations. For instance, hotels have attracted women business travelers by improving hallway lighting and installing security cameras; greeting card companies have used different images and ethnic language to attract minority purchasers. The authors present their information clearly and concisely and the advice on using the Internet both to sell products and conduct surveys is particularly helpful. This is a solid guide for marketers at any corporation who want to reach the women's market.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

Choice: "A resource and roadmap to seeing through the eyes of women in their buying process. This book is must reading!"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 17 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 1st edition (June 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081440815X
• ISBN-13: 978-0814408155
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,289 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful !, March 22, 2005

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Don't Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy -- and How to Increase Your Share of This Crucial Market (Hardcover)

Women are the most powerful consumer force in the U.S., but they do not approach buying decisions the way men do. That's intriguing, but it doesn't mean that exhaustive demographic and sales statistics make interesting reading. Authors and marketing consultants Lisa Johnson and Andrea Learned explain how to direct your marketing efforts to women. Each chapter deals with a different subset of women - old, young, black, white, Hispanic, married, single - but the groups are compared along similar lines and the information is sliced the same way in most chapters. The authors liven up their exposition with short illustrative case studies, but the cases often feature products for which marketers have made no concerted, specific effort to attract female buyers. For instance, the decision to sell single servings of food occurred because of other demographics (more people living alone) and was not intended just to attract women buyers. Still, the thesis here is important enough to carry the authors' occasional tendency to twist product features to fit the theme, as well as their branding jargon. Acknowledging the significance of marketing to women, we recommend this information-packed book.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They Get It!, October 6, 2004

By 

Helen Thompson "President/Resonate" (Kansas City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Don't Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy -- and How to Increase Your Share of This Crucial Market (Hardcover)

After nearly 30 years in the marketing business, I am delighted to find two dynamic thinkers who have written compelling, concise and creative content on the needs of this country's most powerful and influencial market. Too long overlooked, women have different priorities, values, communication styles and preferences than men consumers. Learned and Johnson aptly address key differences, important nuances and critical factors that drive decision making, the customer experience and brand loyalty by giving actionable strategies for gaining women's trust and turning them into true brand advocates. Don't Think Pink is an easy read business book, dotted with personality and fun. If you want to train your brain to think differently about the women's market (not to mention grow your bottomline), but hate to be weighted down by the business-speak in a typicial business book, Don't Think Pink is for you.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your average marketing book!, May 28, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Don't Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy -- and How to Increase Your Share of This Crucial Market (Hardcover)

I've read a lot of business-related books and rarely do I find one that I can't put down. As a woman consumer, I read Don't Think Pink and I found myself feeling understood. As a businesswoman I believe that organizations that truly embrace the marketing philosophy, strategy and tangible suggestions that the authors provide will find themselves able to break ahead of the pack to reach their women customers innovatively.
The personality and expertise of the authors come through in their writing, which makes this book not only incredibly relevant in today's marketplace, but also just a fun, conversational, easy read!