How has your website performed thus far in reaching female motorists?
We have had great successes with the MyAutoTexPINK community website. We have been able to get national sponsorships from companies like Turtle Wax and Tire Kingdom/Service Central. Through these sponsorships, we have held contests for a variety of prizes which have been a good way to get people interested in the site. We also believe that the educational content that we are providing is bringing more readership to the site. We add new content weekly to help educate women about their vehicles as well as other pertinent topics. In addition, we are using Facebook and Twitter to support the community site which has been very successful as we have very active followers on both with a lot of interactions.
What are some of the more popular repair/maintenance topics?
We have found several topics that are of interest to our members. Eco-friendly topics such as how to be more “green” by properly maintaining your car and information about hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles have been very popular. We also have tried to keep people abreast of all the recent vehicle recall information which has been well-received since we are trying to make them aware of potential problems with their vehicles.
What are some of the more popular auto products that women are discussing or buying?
At MyAutoTexPINK.com, we are focusing on educating women about their vehicles as well as their well-being. Our theme is “Healthy Car/Healthy You.” We have noticed that our members are interested in learning about the various aspects of their cars so that they can make informed decisions when they do need service or repair. They also like that AutoTex PINK is a product that they can use plus it supports the cause of breast cancer awareness and research.
Are aftermarket manufacturers becoming more attuned to reaching women?
We know we are here at WEXCO with our AutoTex PINK windshield wiper blades. As a woman-owned company, we knew we had an opportunity to do something unique in the automotive sector.
We are seeing more and more companies recognize the buying power of women. Many companies want to reach the women demographic, but are not sure how to do it. We are seeing other companies wanting to tie in with AutoTex PINK and MyAutoTexPINK.com because we already have a vehicle in place that connects with women. Both Tire Kindgom/Service Central and Turtle Wax became sponsors because they want to reach the woman demographic and MyAutoTexPINK.com allowed them to do
that. What about repair shops and retail parts stores? Have women made inroads in being treated better, etc.? Are you seeing more programs being marketed toward women?
We are starting to see more and more shops doing a better job of connecting with women. You see a lot of women who are owners of their own repair shops and service centers. Repair shops, retail stores and other automotive service businesses are also hiring more women – particularly in service writer and customer service positions – in order to make women feel more comfortable.
What are some areas of improvement that both aftermarket manufacturers and merchants should be addressing?
I think you need to keep an open mind and think outside the box. Automotive customers are no longer just males ages 18-54. Research shows that women are involved in nearly 65 percent of all decisions regarding automotive repair and service, so it’s important to consider that when developing strategies. That is why we created AutoTex PINK. We recognized that wiper blades are something that everyone needs and breast cancer was an important cause for women. To appeal to women, we used the familiar pink ribbon on the blade itself and we designed the packaging using pink and purple to make the blades stand out from other products.
Also, in the retail setting, it is important that women feel comfortable. Trust is a big issue for women, so it is important that technicians, service writers and counter personnel talk to women in terms they understand. Don’t talk down to them, but don’t use technical jargon either. Simply explain the situation and allow them to make an informed decision.
It is important to remember that there is a definite difference between men and women. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus is more than just a book. I recently went to a conference where one speaker discussed how women’s and men’s brains are wired differently, so marketing messages need to reflect that. Marketers and merchants in the automotive aftermarket can no longer just focus on men. They have to consider women and their buying power when developing marketing and operational strategies.
Paula Lombard is president of WEXCO Industries and AutoTex PINK. For more information visit www.autotexpink.com.
How has your website performed thus far in reaching female motorists?
We have had great successes with the MyAutoTexPINK community website. We have been able to get national sponsorships from companies like Turtle Wax and Tire Kingdom/Service Central. Through these sponsorships, we have held contests for a variety of prizes which have been a good way to get people interested in the site. We also believe that the educational content that we are providing is bringing more readership to the site. We add new content weekly to help educate women about their vehicles as well as other pertinent topics. In addition, we are using Facebook and Twitter to support the community site which has been very successful as we have very active followers on both with a lot of interactions.
What are some of the more popular repair/maintenance topics?
We have found several topics that are of interest to our members. Eco-friendly topics such as how to be more “green” by properly maintaining your car and information about hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles have been very popular. We also have tried to keep people abreast of all the recent vehicle recall information which has been well-received since we are trying to make them aware of potential problems with their vehicles.
What are some of the more popular auto products that women are discussing or buying?
At MyAutoTexPINK.com, we are focusing on educating women about their vehicles as well as their well-being. Our theme is “Healthy Car/Healthy You.” We have noticed that our members are interested in learning about the various aspects of their cars so that they can make informed decisions when they do need service or repair. They also like that AutoTex PINK is a product that they can use plus it supports the cause of breast cancer awareness and research.
Are aftermarket manufacturers becoming more attuned to reaching women?
We know we are here at WEXCO with our AutoTex PINK windshield wiper blades. As a woman-owned company, we knew we had an opportunity to do something unique in the automotive sector.
We are seeing more and more companies recognize the buying power of women. Many companies want to reach the women demographic, but are not sure how to do it. We are seeing other companies wanting to tie in with AutoTex PINK and MyAutoTexPINK.com because we already have a vehicle in place that connects with women. Both Tire Kindgom/Service Central and Turtle Wax became sponsors because they want to reach the woman demographic and MyAutoTexPINK.com allowed them to do
that. What about repair shops and retail parts stores? Have women made inroads in being treated better, etc.? Are you seeing more programs being marketed toward women?
We are starting to see more and more shops doing a better job of connecting with women. You see a lot of women who are owners of their own repair shops and service centers. Repair shops, retail stores and other automotive service businesses are also hiring more women – particularly in service writer and customer service positions – in order to make women feel more comfortable.
What are some areas of improvement that both aftermarket manufacturers and merchants should be addressing?
I think you need to keep an open mind and think outside the box. Automotive customers are no longer just males ages 18-54. Research shows that women are involved in nearly 65 percent of all decisions regarding automotive repair and service, so it’s important to consider that when developing strategies. That is why we created AutoTex PINK. We recognized that wiper blades are something that everyone needs and breast cancer was an important cause for women. To appeal to women, we used the familiar pink ribbon on the blade itself and we designed the packaging using pink and purple to make the blades stand out from other products.
Also, in the retail setting, it is important that women feel comfortable. Trust is a big issue for women, so it is important that technicians, service writers and counter personnel talk to women in terms they understand. Don’t talk down to them, but don’t use technical jargon either. Simply explain the situation and allow them to make an informed decision.
It is important to remember that there is a definite difference between men and women. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus is more than just a book. I recently went to a conference where one speaker discussed how women’s and men’s brains are wired differently, so marketing messages need to reflect that. Marketers and merchants in the automotive aftermarket can no longer just focus on men. They have to consider women and their buying power when developing marketing and operational strategies.
Paula Lombard is president of WEXCO Industries and AutoTex PINK. For more information visit www.autotexpink.com.
