Yes, gender does matter in sales calls

Studies and experience show that the way women buy is very different from how men buy. Whereas men traditionally realize a need and have a step process to reach a buying decision, women often consider many different things.

Here’s a list of some of the things that women consider when buying:

• Appearance.
• Environment.
• Reputation.
• Respect.
• “Do I like him or her?”
• “Can I trust him or her”?
• Input from others.
• Articulation.
• Eye contact.
• How much you listen.

Generally speaking, women require more listening and more eye contact than do men in their buying process. Not only do many women perceive that these things aren’t done in many cases, but they also have different negative perceptions of men selling to them and women selling to them.

Here are some of the mistakes that men can make when selling to women: Being perceived as aggressive, pushy, high-pressure, overbearing, condescending, and lacking manners and listening skills. Here are some mistakes women can make when selling to other women: Being perceived as lacking product and technical knowledge, unsure of specifics, too emotional, too tentative, too uncertain, too vague, unable to make a sound recommendation and unable to get to a bottom line.

Women buyers are less tolerant to inconsiderate or condescending treatment.  More than 80 percent of the time, women buy the same products for their office or business as they do for their home. Women are starting businesses at twice the rate as men. Women make up 46.5 percent of the U.S. labor force and hold 50.5 percent of management and professional jobs.  Women are more likely than men to actually start a business with revenues of $1 million or more.

Once a couple decides to have work done on the home, women are the ones who reach out to make the initial screening contacts to invite three or four contractors to come to their home.  Have you ever tracked your closing ratio from the first incoming prospect call through to closure by gender of the prospect who called?  What would your guess be with women who called vs. men who called in? 

As you consider developing your skills selling to women, consider this: Women make 80 percent of health-care purchases, 55 percent of banking choices, 50 percent of business-travel choices, 65 percent of vitamins and minerals choices, 66 percent of auto choices and 50 percent of computer choices!

Women buyers are not only a major demographic in business-to-business sales, but in business-to-consumer sales as well. Studies show that seven in 10 women will go out of their way to do business with companies that make a good effort to market and connect with them. So it follows that having good skills in selling to women isn’t a “nice to know” – it’s a “need to know!”

Bob Bolak is president of Sandler Training. Contact him at bbolak@sandler.com.

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