Just Ask a Woman : Cracking the Code of What Women Want and How They Buy

An enlightening blueprint of the secrets of reaching female consumers from the expert Just Ask a Woman is a powerful book about how to tap into female consumers' needs. Mary Quinlan, the founder of the premiere consultancy dedicated to marketing to women, has personally interviewed 3,000 women in the course of her research for Just Ask a Woman. Women are the decision-makers in an estimated eighty-five percent of household buying decisions, and yet far too often, products marketed specifically to them fail to connect with their needs. Here, Quinlan explores topics such as how women judge brands and advertising, how they make decisions, the effects of stress on their consumer behavior, and their increasing demands for service and communication. Quinlan rejects the traditional focus group approach in favor of highly energized and intimate talk sessions where women reveal their deeper feelings about products and services. In Just Ask a Woman marketers, brand managers, and advertisers will find a revelatory resource filled with ideas and action steps for building your brand with women-from a woman who has walked in a marketer's shoes. Mary Lou Quinlan (New York, NY) is the founder and CEO of Just Ask a Woman, a marketing consultancy dedicated to building business with women. Just Ask a Woman is a division of bcom3, a $15 billion global communications firm whose clients include Citigroup/Women & Co., Lifetime, Saks, Hearst Magazines, Toys "R" Us, and Time Inc. Known as a brand-turnaround expert, she has helped to remake brands like Avon and Continental Airlines. Quinlan has been quoted in The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal , Fortune , Fast Company and Advertising Age and appeared on ABC, CNN, CNBC, Lifetime LIVE, Fox and nationally syndicated news shows. Her articles have been published in Marie Claire , Good Housekeeping , Redbook , and More , among others.

"Mary Lou Quinlan’s Just Ask a Woman is a fascinating and important study not only for marketers, advertisers, and brand managers, but for the general public. The big message of this book is: Understand the woman you want to reach or she will align herself with someone who does. Here is a terrific guide to achieving that understanding that should be required reading for any business manager."

–Sharon P. Smith, Dean, School of Business Fordham University

In Just Ask a Woman, top marketing consultant Mary Lou Quinlan shows marketers and business leaders how to tap into America’s most powerful consumers: women. Although they comprise just over half of the U.S. population, women buy or influence the purchase of eighty-five percent of all products and services sold nationwide. Yet, far too often, products marketed specifically to women fail to address their needs or connect with them on an emotional and motivational level. Just Ask a Woman will tell you why.

The founder and CEO of the premier consultancy dedicated to women’s marketing, Quinlan has personally interviewed 3,000 women–uncovering profound and enlightening truths that can’t be learned from traditional research. She’ll tell you why focus groups don’t work, and help you learn new ways to listen to women, understand their needs, and meet their expectations for customer service. She explores topics such as how women judge brands and advertising, how they make decisions, and how stress affects their consumer behavior.

In Just Ask a Woman, marketers, brand managers, and advertisers–and anyone selling to women–will find actionable answers to difficult questions and real-world strategies that work–from a woman who has walked in a marketer’s shoes.

Throughout this book, you’ll read the stories of women consumers in their own words. Then Quinlan translates those opinions and concerns into ideas marketers can use. You’ll also read the stories of nineteen CEOs and marketing executives, many of them arguably among the most successful marketers to women today. They share their struggles and the lessons they learned that led to marketplace success with women.

Just Ask a Woman is your chance to get to know your most important customer–personally. The days of marketing products TO women are over. These are the days of marketing WITH women–treating them as business partners and listening to them throughout every step of the marketing process. So, if you really want to succeed with the most powerful consumer group in the world, all you have to do is ask.

Soundview Executive Book Summaries

Studies show that women buy or influence the purchase of 85 percent of all products and services sold in the United States. To help organizations capitalize on this buying power, marketing consultant Mary Lou Quinlan presents marketers, brand managers and advertisers with the results of her interviews with 3,000 women to help them find strategies that will help them determine how and what women buy. Just Ask a Woman presents the concerns and opinions of women, and distills them into useful lessons about the marketplace.Copyright © 2003 Soundview Executive Book Summaries

In Just Ask a Woman, top marketing consultant Mary Lou Quinlan shows marketers and business leaders how to tap into America's most powerful consumers: women. Although they comprise just over half of the U.S. population, women buy or influence the purchase of eighty-five percent of all products and services sold nationwide. Yet, far too often, products marketed specifically to women fail to address their needs or connect with them on an emotional and motivational level. Just Ask a Woman will tell you why. The founder and CEO of the premier consultancy dedicated to women's marketing, Quinlan has personally interviewed 3,000 women -- uncovering profound and enlightening truths that can't be learned from traditional research. She'll tell you why focus groups don't work, and help you learn new ways to listen to women, understand their needs, and meet their expectations for customer service. She explores topics such as how women judge brands and advertising, how they make decisions, and how stress affects their consumer behavior.In Just Ask a Woman, marketers, brand managers, and advertisers -- and anyone selling to women -- will find actionable answers to difficult questions and real-world strategies that work -- from a woman who has walked in a marketer's shoes. Throughout this book, you'll read the stories of women consumers in their own words. Then Quinlan translates those opinions and concerns into ideas marketers can use. You'll also read the stories of nineteen CEOs and marketing executives, many of them arguably among the most successful marketers to women today. They share their struggles and the lessons they learned that led to marketplace success with women. Just Ask a Woman is your chance to get to know your most important customer -- personally. The days of marketing products TO women are over. These are the days of marketing WITH women -- treating them as business partners and listening to them throughout every step of the marketing process. So, if you really want to succeed with the most powerful consumer group in the world, all you have to do is ask.

An enlightening blueprint of the secrets of reaching female consumers from the expert

Just Ask a Woman is a powerful book about how to tap into female consumers' needs. Mary Quinlan, the founder of the premiere consultancy dedicated to marketing to women, has personally interviewed 3, 000 women in the course of her research for Just Ask a Woman. Women are the decision-makers in an estimated eighty-five percent of household buying decisions, and yet far too often, products marketed specifically to them fail to connect with their needs. Here, Quinlan explores topics such as how women judge brands and advertising, how they make decisions, the effects of stress on their consumer behavior, and their increasing demands for service and communication. Quinlan rejects the traditional focus group approach in favor of highly energized and intimate talk sessions where women reveal their deeper feelings about products and services. In Just Ask a Woman marketers, brand managers, and advertisers will find a revelatory resource filled with ideas and action steps for building your brand with women-from a woman who has walked in a marketer's shoes.

Mary Lou Quinlan (New York, NY) is the founder and CEO of Just Ask a Woman, a marketing consultancy dedicated to building business with women. Just Ask a Woman is a division of bcom3, a $15 billion global communications firm whose clients include Citigroup/Women & Co., Lifetime, Saks, Hearst Magazines, Toys "R" Us, and Time Inc. Known as a brand-turnaround expert, she has helped to remake brands like Avon and Continental Airlines. Quinlan has been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Fast Company and Advertising Age and appeared on ABC, CNN, CNBC, Lifetime LIVE, Fox and nationally syndicated news shows. Her articles have been published in Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, and More, among others.

Successful marketers are usually good listeners, but today's competitive environment calls for more refined listening skills, particularly when your primary customers are women.