Jen-Drexler-HeadshotJen Drexler is warm, funny and engaging.  She is also a powerhouse in spotting trends, uncovering truths about women, and developing poignant brand solutions.  Her knowledge of gender drivers had made her a frequent speaker and writer on gender marketing.  Jen is a fabulous spokesperson on gender related consumer insights. Jen’s uncanny business acumen and knowledge of gender drivers has been the anchor of several groundbreaking projects at Insight Strategy Group (e.g., Comedy Central, Mondelēz International, Maidenform, and Kellogg’s). Previously, Jen Drexler co-founded Just Ask a Woman, a women’s marketing consultancy and co-authored “What She’s Not Telling You: Why Women Hide the Whole Truth and What Marketers Can Do About It.”
We spent some time together and talked about some of her relevant insights.

1.  I have heard you say that “men get the point, women get the picture”.  What does that mean?

Neuroscience proves that women use their brains a bit more holistically and consider the context of situations more than just the linear takeaway.  Example: Man: I like to drive  Woman: I like to drive because it means I’m in control of my day and it makes me feel successful when I pick my friends up to go out.

2. Do you feel that marketing is beginning to understand how to appeal to women?

I think marketing is just getting smarter overall. I’m not certain that brands have succeeded by appealing to women as much as they have by being better at being gender agnostic and not turning women off.

3. What are your top tips for talking to today’s women?

Remember that women want brands to laugh with them, not at them (stereotypes of women as overly emotional and stressed out aren’t funny).  Also remember that women are multidimensional and switch the roles that they play fluidly – from friend to mom to employee – in the same 5 minute period.  It is tone deaf to only speak to one of her identities at a time.

4. What are some brands that you feel are getting it right?

Some brands I am following now are Amazon Prime, Lane Bryant #imnoangelcampaign, Stitchfix and American Express.

5. What are some things that women aren’t telling us in research? Are there techniques to get at the what they really want?

Women tell things to people they trust and in research it is crucial to build that trust quickly. Some of the ways to do that include getting rid of the two- way mirror and using a more casual setting.  Some focus groups look and feel like witness interrogation.  Ask questions that eliminate posturing or one word answers and feel comfortable going off book to let the conversation evolve naturally.

Bonus: What do you ask people interviewing with you wanting to be in research? 

I always ask people if they talk to strangers or what they do if strangers talk to them. If you aren’t a stranger magnet, then qualitative research might not be right for you.

 

GTTM_Logo_ColorThree Nashville women came together last fall to launch a social enterprise company called Girls to the Moon. Knight Stivender, Courtenay Rogers and Courtney Seiter are all friends working in technology with a passion for their community and for empowering young girls. Girls to the Moon is about surrounding the next generation of girls with truth and education on topics ranging from creative writing and coding to healthy relationships and sex.

“We want to be a catalyst for conversation about how girls should love themselves, feel comfortable in their own skin and ultimately guide them to be the best humans they can be,” said Courtenay Rogers, the COO. “This is a community for smart girls to meet other smart girls and for parents, specifically mothers, to learn the best way to connect and communicate with these girls.”

Amanda Valentine, two-time Project Runway contestant and award-winning Nashville fashion designer, will tell her personal story during an afternoon keynote address.  The day will begin with a morning musical performance by Nashville Symphony Chorus Director Kelly Corcoran and a trio of musicians performing contemporary pop songs with classical instruments.  At the end of the day, Girls Up Loud camp leaders Fleming McWilliams and Laura Donahue will direct a short musical performance together with Sarah Bandy, founder of Southern Girls Rock Camp.

Session speakers are:
Neeti Agarwal, engineer and owner of local franchise of Engineering For Kids
Sandy Brainard, certified peer recovery specialist
Jeni Lind Brinkman, Regional Director for External Affairs for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
Emi Canahuati, sexuality educator and founder of Nashville Alliance for Sexual Health
Krystal Clark, Associate Director for Student Leadership Development at Vanderbilt University
Tiana Clark, Pushcart Prize Nominee and poet who serves on the board for The Porch Writers’ Collective
Sarah Hays Coomer, health writer, personal trainer, and nutrition / wellness coach
Mignon Francois, owner of The Cupcake Collection
Kia Jarmon, owner of MEPR agency
Laurie Kalmanson, lead user experience designer for Qualifacts
Rachel Layton, Director of Marketing for A Marshall Family Foods; former professional radio talent and newscaster
Dr. Sharon Y. Moore-Caldwell, M.D. specializing in pediatrics
Dr. Juli Oyer, principal of Fairview High School in Williamson County
Rebecca Price, founder of Chick History, Inc.
Dr. Kristin Rager, MD, is a Nashville pediatrician in private practice
Kayla Weber, former Army Intelligence Sergeant deployed to Afghanistan

 

The inaugural Girls to the Moon “Campference” is on Saturday, September 26th at Nossi College of Art from 10-4. There are four tracks of learning: Relationships/Creativity and Innovation/Health and Wellness/Caregivers. Girls aged 814 are encouraged to come and check out all of the sessions ranging from “How to Deal with Mean Girls” to “Engineering Careers for Girls” to “How to Say No: Tips for Standing up for Oneself”. While the girls are engaged in hands on sessions, their caregivers have their own sessions focusing on how to talk to their girls about topics ranging from social media to understanding the value of money.

Tickets are on sale now at www.girlstothemoon.com and volunteers are needed for the day of the event. Want to get involved?  Email girlstothemoon@gmail.com Follow them on Twitter @girlstothemoon and find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/girlstothemoon

Google's Marissa Mayer Named Yahoo CEOWomen have been slow to recognize the importance of personal branding.  But not Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo.  The 40-year-old executive was the 20th employee of Google and the first female engineer.   She quickly became known as the woman who made Google successful.  Not everyone has worked as hard to develop their brand.

According to a Forbes survey, only 15% of employees have truly defined their brand, and only 5% are living their brand every day at the workplace.

Why is that important, you might ask?  Well, having a personal brand has become essential for most people today because of new trends in the workforce.  The average tenure of a U. S. employee is 4.6 years and for those aged 25-34, it is only three years.  And now one out of three U. S. workers are now freelancers. 

A more flexible workforce has been created out of the recession with companies seeking to lower their employee costs.  Additionally the online marketplace created by companies like TaskRabbit and Get A Guru and the rise of shared economy employers like Uber and AirBnB have allowed workers more flexibility for employment.   Added on top of these trends, mobile technology now allows more people to work when and where they choose.

These factors set up an environment where we are constantly preparing for our next role, whether in our current company, at our next employer or possibly as a freelancer or an entrepreneur.  And we need a personal brand.

A personal brand allows us to stand out from the crowd and to create mindshare for ourselves.  Some of the benefits of a personal brand include new business introductions, rewarding partnerships, leadership opportunities, recognition, added credibility and a higher perceived value.

Is building a personal brand shameless self-promotion?  It isn’t but some women may feel challenged in creating a personal brand.  Psychologists say men are encouraged from childhood to talk about their accomplishments, while women learn self-deprecation.  However, true personal branding is about authenticity and values.  Women with positive brands are giving value, sharing knowledge, acknowledging others, nurturing relationships, showering praise and expressing gratitude.  There are even professionals today helping women learn to talk about themselves.  One leadership coach hosts “Brag Parties” where women practice talking about themselves.

It’s not to late to start working on your brand.  Start working on your differentiation and elevator speech today.

 

 

Michael-Gass-Portrait-325x400Fuel Lines New Business Conference, a new business conference for advertising, digital, media and PR agencies is coming to Nashville October 8-9. The conference will shake up some pre-conceived notions about agencies in today’s world.  Most agencies sell brand positioning to their clients but have none themselves.  Michael Gass, leading new business consultant, has put together some great thinkers on the subject.  We will be speaking there and we even have a discount for you.

New business has historically been a problem for agencies.

Most small to midsize agencies have no positioning and no point of differentiation. They look and sound the same.
They are often treated as vendors because they lack a positioning of expertise.
Most don’t have a target audience thus, no focus for business development efforts.
They are their own worst clients, the cobbler’s children with no shoes.
No appeal beyond their local market.
Forced to use interruption tactics to build awareness.
But, with all of these problems, new business is now much more difficult. It’s made worse by the paradigm shift in business development due to The Great Recession and the empowerment of prospects through social media. Interruptive type tactics such as cold calls, email blasts and direct mail have become ineffective and inefficient. Rainmakers who were good at new business in the past are struggling today.The Fuel Lines New Business Conference will provide 20 top-notch sessions, with inspiring insights from the best and brightest new business thought leaders, who will provide their expertise on the new drivers of business development.  To find out more, click here.  If you are interested in a early bird discount for Brand Wise friends, email us at Jamie@JamieDunham.com.