High end Audio for ladies? Check this out

I am very glad to have ''stumbled'' on this site that speaks Audio to women, and especially happy that it is generating a healthy discussion. Being a marketing strategy consultant for the past 15 years, I am often faced with designing strategies for companies with male and female clients as their target market. I have had client companies (in both B2B and B2C) manufacturing or distributing everything from tools, to furniture, to doors & windows, to high-end musical instruments...to high end audio (a few unknown companies as clients as well as one of the most prestigious manufacturer in all of high-end audio). One thing is for sure.
Women use, enjoy, and most importantly, have different motivating buying factors than men – as surely as Venus is different from Mars. More importantly, I am astounded daily (through my clients again) of the decisional power of women in seemingly purely traditional ‘’male’’ items like garage doors, high-end tools, heating and ventilation equipment, and anything of significant value that crosses the front door into the home. High end audio does not escape this fact. We may underplay or minimize some exotic audio purchases to the kinder gender, but who are we fooling really? Audio gear companies that ignore this growing and positive female market force, especially the smaller companies (and there are many out there) will feel the squeeze eventually. So far, most audio companies have never felt that need to ‘’speak’’ or sell to the ladies, but this might be prone to change in this niche market with a shrinking customer base in relation to the correspondingly large market offer from manufacturers - mass and boutique type- of high end audio. I would say that it is never too late to start – heck – it is smart business. And this will mean a lot more than the borderline insulting ‘’WAF’’ term - wife acceptance factor - that many audiophiles use, reducing the seductive elements of audio components to ‘’looks’’ only. Women actually like brains also, not just looks, in audio. In my humble opinion, accessibility to quality reproduced music – and not just while relaxing in a Lazyboy, is a bigger priority to many women than the 1’’ thick faceplate of a preamp and the activity of ‘’analyzing the air’’ around instruments in the same 10 recordings that are in rotation in many an audiophile sanctuary (because it is a sancturary right?). Sorry about the length of this text – the topic just seemed overdue. B-T-W, my significant other likes music as much as I do, but just not served and enjoyed in the same fashion !

The post from Mich4T is interesting if not too flattering for us males. Notice his link and relationship between the notion of ''very manly man'' and ''Big Krell monoblocs and Wilson Grand Slamms''. In one sentence, he cracked open the marketing code of these two companies (especially Wilson) who are trying to fool everyone that Dave Wilson's ear (and his will to reproduce - from memory no less (!)- the sounds of the world's great concert halls. What a joke! Yeah, sure. There are some of beleive this or else hi wouldn't spend all that money telling us with his hi-fi mags ads.

This points in the direction of the real core of this audio hobby for many (men) audiophiles. It's all about the gear, while music is just a front for respectability purposes. Of course the two are not mutually exclusive, once in a blue moon. Nothing wrong with being in it just for the gear, like some folks buy works of Art. I like 1" thick faceplates as much as the next guy. Fine by me. But let's call a cat a cat ok ?

And Ibog1: ''how to accessorize your lawn mower so it looks cute while cutting the grass.''

Come on guys, let's get smart here and not start a battle of wits unarmed. For once, we have a lady that is opening up to our crazy (and expensive) hobby with good intentions here - Isn't this great news? Why the defensive comments?

Pookine, it just occured to me that maybe the answer lies with the title of a song on one of the most celebrated of all ''audiophile'' recordings - Belafonte at Carnegie Hall - and his song.... ''Man Smart (Woman Smarter)! ''. There it is - a ray of truth barried under the high-end audio shrine !!

Ibog1, interesting point of view and I thank you for your comment. I will be the last to say that so far the high-end audio experience has not been mainly a masculine thing. Again, nothing wrong with that to the same extent that we are mainly talking ''toys'' here. Women of course, have their own toys of which many are of absolutely no interest for most men (unless a $ 3,200 Louis Vutton bag excites you but - hey - it's a free society!).

I guess my point is that a lady is trying to get in ''the club'' and probably risking a good sum of money in an effort to make a living at it. Risking more than most if us that are well shielded behind a computer screen where it is easy to give our opinion. I just feel that it is an old-school thinking not to find this refreshing. And what about the possibility that old-school, know-it-all dealers out there (you know the type) could learn a thing or two in the process? One reason why I enjoy Audiogon and the possibility of buying on-line is because I feel the traditional audio shop has not followed with modern times and modern attitude. But that's a whole other debate of course. Of course Stereolady can learn a lot by watching the whole male-dominated audio scene. I just feel that it could also be the other way around, and that it could induce some much needed energy to spice things up a bit.

Please bear in mind that my point of view is totally subjective, but then, my job is on a daily basis to exactly try and pinpoint the possible flaws, threats, and opporunities in a given market or industry, and this has to be done very objectively. Being an ''audiophile'' myself, I am influenced by my own bias here, although I can detach rather quickly when needed, but granted it is not always easy to do so.

Quick story to illustrate this: I had a consulting contract with a group of purveyors of hunting trips. The objective was to attract wealthy americans to northern canadian hunting trips. Expensive ones, where the guest is lodged in fancy castle-like ''log homes'' with gourmet food. The main promotional attraction was that with this hunting-trip company, you had a better chance of killing a huge deer, moose, than with another destination. My personal bias came into play here, but to a point where I just could not indulge in a business activity where my client would promote a ''better chance'' of killing an animal, and where I would help him do this. We all need to work (well most of us) but this I could not do. Holy smokes, am I off track here of what! Let's keep it audio, sorry !

Mrty...keep it simple will you ? This isn't Harvard psychlology class here. Speaking only for myself and my own personal experience, good friendly audio shops have been the exception, not the rule, at least for me. Now that's my personnal view. As for my professionnal view (with my consulting work in the last 15 years) I pretty much come to the same conclusions. I understand that this might be hard to understand for some folks who happen to have a nice, friendly hi-fi store close by. God bless them.

Macrojack ''a man will pay $2.00 for a $1.00 item he needs while a woman will pay $1.00 for a $2.00 item she doesn't need'' That is a somewhat surprising observation.

Especially in this Crazy hobby. Could it be that men spent A TON OF MONEY for things we don't need? (including a lot of expensive toys that cost 5 times the price for only an incremental improvement over a more sensible or affordable piece of gear? (the infamous law of diminishing return!)

Think about it...

Great post Nietzschelover !

Mrtennis, you say that physical differences are irrelevant to consumption ???.Mrtennis, you are only partly right. Men and women of course will react positively if not pressured. But there is a lot more to consider and there are many specifics that apply to only men and only women in order to attract them in buying a product. There is a world of neuro-buttons to be pushed in the ''switchbox'' above. The audio business does not escape this, and yes, I think the key is to DO treat men and women differently. This is not a question of prejudice at all, but closing in on your target market. If that target market is women (like stereolady) you can bet that a specific - and different than men's - approach to the audio market will yield better results. As for the 99% of the other audio shops out there - they will of course say that they cater as much to the women as men - I don't beleive it one second. They sure would like their business - but most don't have a clue as to how to do it.