Reaching the Female Shopper

Designing and producing a female-friendly food or drink is only half the battle. Reaching women and teaching them the importance of various nutrients is another part of the women’s health puzzle. Fortunately, when it comes to health, women are the more in-tune gender and are increasingly adjusting their care to focus not just on family, but more on themselves.

“Eighty percent of all grocery shopping is done by women,” quipped Lizanne Falsetto, CEO, thinkproducts. “Additionally, not only do women shop for their own needs, but they act as gatekeepers for other members of their family. As such, women exert a powerful influence on the success or failure of brands.” She added her company’s target consumers are people who are trying hard to live healthfully and vitally. “We believe the women's market is more informed and more proactive about making choices that help them achieve this goal,” she said.

Female consumers have become much savvier regarding health and wellness, which Michelle Traub, nutritionist and Web marketing coordinator with Thompson Brands, partially credits to the online education revolution. “The Internet provides easy access to health information,” she reasoned. “So, many female consumers really do their research before selecting a product.”

Meredith Lincoln, cofounder of NutraBella, which makes BellyBar, agreed women are more informed than ever before. “Women are careful label readers, and their awareness of and preference for natural ingredients have driven exceptional growth in the natural marketplace,” she reported, noting this awareness is beneficial to natural food companies, which can elevate the conversation about the diverse benefits of products. “Consumers are increasingly informed and demanding, but this development creates a great opportunity to deliver the products women are proactively seeking.”

With such a smart audience hungry for knowledge and healthy products, manufacturers have many options to reach these shoppers, including packaging, online marketing and event sponsorships/participation.

Lincoln confirmed: “This thirst for information can be served through packaging, on the Web and in supporting marketing materials to help women understand not just products and their benefits, but also the collection of knowledge that would create the basis for understanding why a product is what it is and why it may fit into her and her family’s food choices.” She added marketers are well served to remember a savvy natural products woman is looking for helpful information, not just a product pitch.

Lynn Yako Graham, cofounder, LightFull Foods, said packaging is key and has to be convenient to fit into women’s busy schedules, as well as speak to their needs. “Our smoothies feature our hero, the Lady Juggler, on our packaging,” she explained. “She is who we all identify with, the woman who is juggling it all—work, spouse, children, parents, friends and personal time.”

Falsetto suggested calling out key highlights of products via packaging, market research and advertising. “These methods are effective,” she said. “We have found our partnership with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure brings great product visibility, as does our annual thinkVitality fashion show, which wraps around the concept of inner and outer beauty in a high energy, elite atmosphere.”

Events seem to be especially effective, said Traub, who reasoned most women have become fairly skeptical regarding fancy marketing and packaging. She argued women want to see or try the product for themselves. “At women’s health fairs or trade shows, women will approach our booth doubtful that a calcium supplement could actually taste good,” she reported. “It is not until they try the product that they believe that it is truly chocolate and does taste good.” She is convinced this face-to-face sampling at female-focused events seems to be the most effective way to develop regular consumers because they can fall in love with the product and then tell their friends. “Information helps too,” she added. “We have a Web site as well as a newsletter that is research-based and not too salesy—women don’t want to be sold; they want to make an educated decision, so that is what we try to do.”

Graham echoed praise for a multi-faceted approach to reach female natural health consumers. “We think the best way to market to women is simply to put our smoothies into the hands of our consumers, and then let them run with it,” she said. “Women love to share great finds with their friends and family, so we really look at our job as first and foremost: deliver a great product they love, and then empower them to spread the word.”

In addition Graham touted tying marketing promotions to charitable giving, noting most women wish they had more time to give back to their community, so by partnering with local charities like GirlVentures (GirlVentures.com), LightFull gets the word out about its smoothies, gives back to its community and inspires loyalty from its consumers, all at the same time. “Finally, we try to engage our female consumers with content that speaks to them,” she said “Each month, we feature a real ‘LightFull Lady’ on our newsletter, a woman who is a modern-day role model; we like to share her inspirational story with the LightFull community.”

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