How to sell to women during a cost of living crisis

At any time, women are the world’s most powerful consumers, controlling $47 trillion in annual consumer spending. But during a cost-of-living crisis like the one pinching Australians now, the influence of women—and particularly mums—becomes even greater. Knowing how to sell them is vital.

Being challenged to stretch household budgets further means an already discerning group becomes more so. They watch every dollar, decide what can be cut from the supermarket list, choose between a family holiday and kids’ extra-curriculars.

Brands vying for the attention and custom of women now need a blend of empathy, creativity and practical solutions in their marketing strategies if they want to connect in meaningful ways with the powerhouse demographic.

Here’s my top five ways to sell to women during a cost-of-living crisis. These will help not just in driving sales but also in building long-term loyalty and trust, which are the best friends of any business during challenging economic times.

5 tips to sell to women when money is tight

1: Do your research

Before you can sell to customers, you need to deeply understand them. Not at a surface level. There’s a stack of research which shows women feel most brands don’t understand who they are and what they want. Now is the time to invest in your business by hiring an expert to get a deep understanding of the specific challenges your mum customers are facing now.

Use this research data to help you tailor your marketing messages and products to better deliver on women’s needs and preferences. The result? Your interactions will feel personal, which fosters loyalty, trust and increased sales.

2: Be different

This is a time to stand out from competitors. As a business or brand, it’s your differences which make you special. Exploit them. Zig when everyone else is zagging, avoid being lost in a sea of same-sameness and take some calculated risks.

When you give your audience a clear reason to choose you, you become more desirable. Having a memorable identity or being seen as unique means you can carve out a niche, even potentially become a cult brand. You’ll grow greater customer loyalty and more brand advocates which can lead to word-of-mouth marketing—which further enhances your visibility and means you can charge more.

How do you strengthen your point of difference to future proof your business during a cost-of-living crisis? Try marketing with no money strategies like customer experience, experiential marketing and sustainability practices.

3: Have a rich content marketing strategy

You need to be seen across multiple platforms and think about different ways of connecting. So if you’re in professional services, focusing only on LinkedIn won’t cut it. Consumers take in lots of different media before making their buying decisions so don’t limit your content marketing to one or two platforms.

If you’re a product-based business, social sampling can be very effective. If you’re a service-based business, consider audio/podcast guesting. It’s free, the attention is focused on you and what you do, and it usually takes only an hour of your time.

Make sure your content provides value by ticking three boxes: informative, educational and entertaining. Then what you put out will be engaging, shareable and memorable.

4: Highlight long-term value

Emphasise the value and affordability of your products or services to budget- conscious mums. Along with getting your price right, demonstrate how what they’re buying can save them money in the long run, and focus your marketing on durability, versatility and cost-effectiveness.

Women love products with multiple uses and long-lasting quality. There’s a reason humble supermarket staples coconut oil and bicarb soda go gangbusters in tough financial times—you can use them for cooking, skincare, haircare, baking, cleaning, deodorising. Mums are drawn to products that aren’t a one-trick pony.

5: Focus on community building

Build a sense of community around your brand by offering helpful content, hosting online events and fostering connections with your customers. During a cost-of-living crisis, the camaraderie and emotional support from a community can be invaluable. By positioning your brand as not just a seller of products but a supporter of women’s journeys you’ll reinforce loyalty and trust.

If you don’t already have one, consider launching a loyalty program. By rewarding repeat purchases and making mums feel like VIPs, you’ll create a sense of appreciation that encourages ongoing engagement. Creating incentives that make women more satisfied means your existing customers will have long-term commitment. They’ll keep choosing you when there’s a lot of businesses vying for those same customers.

Once you settle on your strategy to sell to women during a cost-of-living crisis, your job isn’t done. It’s implementation time!

Remember authenticity is crucial. Mums have a fabulous radar for spotting when brands aren’t genuine. Be transparent about pricing, the benefits of your product or service and any limitations they might have. Honesty builds credibility and trust.

Then continuously monitor how effective your marketing strategies are. Be ready to adapt. The economic situation and consumer behaviours can change fast, so staying agile means you’ll stay relevant.

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