Looking to Market Cars to Women? Take This to Heart

Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky is a great example of a leader and game changer. He said it best when he explained the key to his success, “a good hockey player knows where the puck is – but a great hockey player knows where the puck is going.” True for a hockey player, but it makes sense even for the auto industry.

Today’s auto industry continues to be an industry owned and operated by men. Some 95% of the country’s 20,000 auto dealers belonging to the National Automobile Dealers Association are male, and for the most part, it shows. A staggering 75% of women say they feel car marketers just don’t understand them.

7 Marketing to Women Mistakes Being Made in the Auto Sales Industry Today

1. Making Cars with Men in Mind.
   Female drivers now outnumber male drivers, according to the number of active drivers’ licenses. Still, many car manufacturers continue to craft vehicles with a man’s larger body in mind. Consequently, women are 47% more likely to suffer serious car injuries than men.
2. Ignoring Safety in Favor of Style.
   Marketers insist on presenting cars to women that are sleek and stylish. Isaac Mizrahi even created a new line of clothing inspired by the 2013 Chevy Malibu, reminiscent of the horribly sexist faux pas Ford committed back in the 60s with their matching coats and bags. In reality, women are more concerned with a car’s safety features, along with seating space, power, fuel economy and style. Instead of creating skinny jeans that match her car upholstery, marketers would be well served to show a woman the technology that will keep her family safe.
3. Assuming Men Handle the Repairs.
   Whether they’re handling the maintenance and repair requests for their own car or for the family car, it’s a fact that women schedule the appointments and deal with the technicians. Women make 65% of requests for service, and spend over $200 billion on new cars and maintenance each year.
4. Passing Up the Trucks.
   Sure, women like the idea of sports cars just about as much as men. The fact remains that tiny, zippy cars aren’t always the wise choice. Steering women toward impractical vehicles won’t get a salesperson anywhere. Women know what they want, and a truck just might be her choice. In fact, women purchase 45% of all light trucks and SUVs.
5. Pushing Electric Cars.
   The fact remains that electric cars still aren’t what women want.  In California – probably the most green-car-friendly state – women account for only 29 percent of Nissan LEAF, 24 percent of Chevrolet Volt, and 16 percent of Tesla Model S purchases and leases. Women simply don’t trust the power sources yet, and won’t purchase a vehicle that could possibly leave them, and perhaps their children, stranded.
6. Asking A Woman What Her Husband Thinks.
   One of the biggest mistakes a car marketer might make is to focus on the male part of the equation. This hearkens back to the times when men made the bulk of a family’s financial decisions. Today, 43% of Americans with more than half a million dollars in assets are female, and over 30% out-earn their husbands. In addition, more and more heads-of-households are single moms. Don’t make the mistake of alienating a key customer by buying into outdated stereotypes.
7. Understanding Your Market.
   Sales professionals get one shot to make the perfect first impression, because two-thirds of women who leave a dealership without buying will not return. So know your audience! Women like to tell stories. They don’t talk in bullet points. They want to tell their story, but are typically interrupted and cut off, leaving them feeling embarrassed and disrespected. When a man doesn’t understand that to relate to a woman means he needs to listen — that’s perhaps the biggest mistake of all.

What changes would you make to current car marketing campaigns? I’d love to know which ads strike a chord and which fall flat, so leave a comment!