Who Gets It Women get it. They’ve always gotten it. In a long ago century (1800s) Harriet Beecher Stowe said, “Women are real architects of society.”

Women are doers of family, of office, of world. It’s precisely because women get it, and because we are doers, that it’s important for small businesses venturing onto Internet to understand women’s market – a market that isn’t about male bashing, but about embracing new technology. Today it’s about getting your marketing and sales message in front of Jane, not Dick.

Be Friendly The numbers don’t lie; more than 63% of online sales last year were made by women.

Being “female-friendly” isn’t all that hard. Women just want you to treat them with respect and consideration. Online that means using marketing elements women find useful and attractive; elements such as navigational text-links, not graphics that make us guess what you mean. Elements such as showing women on your homepage what you’re about, right in that prime real estate section—the center of computer screen. And, if you’re reading that e-mail marketing is dying a slow death, let me paraphrase Mark Twain: death of e-mail marketing has been greatly exaggerated. Women are prime users of e-mail.

Women share advice in e-mails, they distribute information, and they talk about where to buy best stuff. By targeting women’s market you increase your reach extensively because any woman who reads your ad and likes what she sees, will share it with others far more often than any man will do so. My own daughter recently clicked on an e-mail sales message, found something she liked, bought it – online-- and then wrote to tell me about it.

Being friendly means generating trust. Any sales and marketing expert will tell you that trust is a prime factor in making sales. People buy from people they trust. Women especially need that trust factor. Make friends with women by creating loyalty programs, by offering free shipping, and by asking for feedback. Keep an 800# on your homepage and on your catalog or product page. At very least, make sure you have a contact method with an auto-responder that will follow up any e-mail question within 24 hours.

This may come as a surprise... to you, but Branding is more than just Logo and Business or Product Name recognition.

Branding is "The total emotional and intellectual involvement your prospects and customers have with your business and products."

This article addresses 5 basic problems and questions about Branding:

How Are Brands Created ? -------------------------

=> Branding by "Personal Experience"

This creates strongest bond between your customers and your business and products.

Your customer service, front and back end offers must be of high quality, in order to create exceptional "Personal Experience". This starts a virtuous cycle.

Exceptional "Personal Experiences" lead to general public and market acclaim spread by word of mouth and other publicity. In turn, this feeds into a still stronger Brand, starting cycle all over again.

However, always remember it is easier to create a negative Brand than it is to create a positive one, by offering low or poor quality and value products, services and customer support.

=> Branding by "Indirect Experience"

For many direct marketers, "Personal Experience" Branding is difficult and not easily achieved because sales that lead to "Personal Experience" are not easily made !

The "Indirect Experience" strategy relies on creating a consistent, repeating association to product in your prospects mind.

Marketers use a variety of tactics to achieve this aim.

* Jingles in audio visual media

* Using Slogans

* Advertising through classifieds, display, press releases, and give away products and information.

* Sponsorship of media, cultural, sporting and other events

Brand Building On The Internet - The Issues ------------------------------------------

The Internet has re-defined Branding models of past because it has levelled playing field, for both consumers and businesses.

Prospects and customers are more involved with businesses and products than they were in past.

Research of products and services, before purchase is easier. Consumers have so much choice now they are no longer easily "taught" loyalty to a particular Brand.

Consumers are less willing to form bonds or create "loyal" associations with products and businesses.

On other side of coin, businesses have much more competition and must be more customer focussed than ever before.

Companies that thrive and stay in business recognise building lasting relationships with existing customers is more profitable, than always trying to find new customers.

A World of stronger consumers who by-pass your direct and indirect experiences with a click of mouse, is difficult for Brand builders.

On Internet those that succeed make profits, rest fail.

The Cost And Value Of A Brand. ------------------------------

Brand building has a cost in time, money and effort.

The cost of Brand building is easily quantified in Dollar terms.

The value of a Brand is harder to establish because it involves measuring emotional and intellectual associations that might not necessarily translate into cash sales.