Woman-Centric Matters

Visit our home on the web: www.womancentricmatters.com Taking a woman-centric approach means designing everything from her perspective: * The actual product or service * Her experiences using it * Marketing * Etc. At its core is understanding female customers. In addition, woman-centric approaches are rooted in a keen appreciation for how women differ from men in their purchase decision process, as well as insights into why they buy.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Baby Boomers Hitting the Books

Did you know that someone retiring at the age of 65 is now likely to live past 80? What are people doing with their time? Anna D. Banks, a writer for the American Chronicle says that there are thousands of learners all over the world who find that going back to college to earn a degree or continue their business education is an exciting way to spend their time after a career and years of raising kids.

With the changing job market and Baby Boomers putting off retirement, going back to college just makes sense. Many returning adult students are enrolling in vocational courses, management training, computer applications and technical seminars.

To learn more about the benefits of continuing your education, read the article, “Continuing Education for the Baby Boomer”, http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=29935

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007

FIRST in the Nation!

The first Woman-Centric insurance office has opened in Omaha, NE, and it’s making news headlines!

http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/7967932.html

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=2400507

A few of the Woman-centric elements –which, by the way, appeal to men as well - in the new Steve Skidmore Agency offices include:

--Curving surfaces instead of harsh angular walls

--No doors except leading to the bathrooms and sound-proofed conference rooms where clients can discuss confidential details in private

--Artwork done by a Nebraska Woman

--Granite counters and high-end fixtures in the bathrooms

--Lots of natural light

--Gourmet coffee and tea for clients

--Flooring made with a blend of ceramic and rubber to give a solid feel with more comfort too

To find out more about the Woman-Centric approach to doing business, check out http://www.womancentricmatters.com

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Thursday, June 07, 2007

Woman-Centric Office Furniture

According to an article appearing in today’s San Diego Union-Tribune, furniture giant, Ikea North America, estimates that that small business owners, particularly females, could eventually account for 10 percent to 15 percent of Ikea’s U.S. business. Furthermore, Ikea says that women already make up about 70 percent of their business overall. Office Depot and OfficeMax are trying to get a piece of the women’s market too.

The Center for Women’s Business Research states that 10.4 million businesses are owned by women, and the number of privately held firms where women owned at least 51 percent stake grew 42.3 percent from 1997 to 2006. So it’s no wonder the big office supply retailers like OfficeMax and Office Depot are attempting to tailor their offerings to appeal more to the female sensibilities in office décor.

Partnering with decorating guru Christopher Lowell and furniture and décor companies Sharper Image and Broyhill, the large office supply retailers are offering furniture that is flexible, comfortable and stylish. Things like antique finishes, beach house décor, and extra storage are built in to the designs. Chairs are adjustable so smaller female frames can be comfortable. Credenzas easily flip into home office stations.

To read more about the trends in office furniture for women read the article online at: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20070605-1923-women-officefurniture.html

To learn more about the companies mentioned in the article, go to:
http://www.broyhillfurniture.com http://business.ikea.com Center for Women's Business Research: http://www.cfwbr.org http://www.christopherlowell.com http://www.ikea.com http://www.officedepot.com http://www.officemax.com

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Wednesday, June 06, 2007

What is Natural?

According to an article in today’s Mediapost Marketing Daily column, (http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=61655) Burt’s Bees, a personal care products company with an emphasis on a natural, environmental approach has come up with some interesting research findings.

The study, commissioned by Burt’s Bees and conducted by TSC, a division of Yankelovich Partners Inc., shows consumer confusion about what is actually in personal care products versus what the label says.

The study found the following data:

--- 83 percent of American women think there should be one meaning for a personal care product labeled *natural*, while 86 percent agree that there should be a symbol to certify a natural personal care product.

--- 68 percent of American women think it is important for the ingredients in personal care products to be *natural*.

--- Two-thirds of American women think a personal care product labeled *natural* should contain at least 95 percent natural ingredients.

--- 78 percent of American women think natural personal care is currently regulated or don’t know if it is, while 95 percent think it should be.

According to Burt’s Bees, the personal care industry is not regulated, and most products labeled as *natural* contain far less than 95 percent natural ingredients, some with as little as 5 percent. Burt’s explains that many natural products contain synthetic ingredients to help reduce the manufacturing costs.

Burt’s Bees is advocating setting a national standard for what defines *natural* and is working within the industry to develop a seal to certify natural personal care products.

To learn more about Burt’s Bees efforts, go to: http://www.burtsbees.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Burts2/thegreatergood/press.html

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