MARKETING TO WOMEN

I tried the Car soulmate quizz at www.cartango.com, an online matchmaking service to help women find the right car. Although I do like the idea of helping women to decide which car is right for them, I’m not too thrilled about this survey. First of all, it takes ages so I’m really asking myself how many people fill out the entire survey. Secondly, having to answer tons of questions like:

You do the tango, the mambo, the two-step, and the boot-scoot boogie. Which best describes your style?

The guys get mad because you always lead, You’re a perfect dance partner—of course, you let your partner lead!, You don’t care—you’d just as soon dance with your friends.

somehow does not convince me that this is worth spending my time on. I get the feeling that these questions lead from one stereotype to the other and do not really relate to me. I also wonder about the list of cars that is get presented after filling out the survey. It seems more like a random list than a clear advice.

I perfectly understand the reason to create a website about cars for women; according to Nielsen Netratings, women account for 41,3% of visitors of automotive websites.

Besides that, it is clear that women have different buying processes than men, also when it comes to buying cars. Women tend to have a longer list of shopping criteria than men, even though some top priorities can be the same. However, I believe that a less female centered, more transparent model would work better here. And with that I mean: trying to get into the conversation with female buyers, who account for 65% of new car purchases, but without alienating men.