Marketing for Women Entrepreneurs: Strategies to Leverage Your Unique Identity
Us women entrepreneurs are kicking butt and redefining the business world, owning 39% of all small businesses in the U.S. and significantly contributing to global economic growth! Leveraging your identity as a woman business owner will not only set you apart and uplift your efforts, but it will foster deeper connections with your audience. Here’s a crash course on marketing for women entrepreneurs, detailing some ways to use your unique perspective for a marketing advantage!
Marketing for Women Entrepreneurs
Tell Your Story
Your journey as a woman business owner holds a powerful story. Studies have shown that customers increasingly value authenticity and personal connection, so if you’re able to share your challenges and successes, your audience may resonate with you more easily. A dedicated “About Us” page on your website and corresponding social media posts are perfect for highlighting your story.
For example, if you’ve overcome funding challenges (since 53% of women entrepreneurs fund their businesses through personal savings!), share how that experience helped shape your mission and business moving forward.
Support Women-Focused Initiatives
Align your business with important causes that work to empower women, such as mentorship programs or sponsorship opportunities with events designed for women in business. Highlighting any partnerships you participate in will demonstrate your commitment to community and overall social impact.
Consider featuring your initiatives in your content marketing - social media posts, blog posts, and email newsletters to attract like-minded customers and partners.
Build a Community
I truly owe all of my success to networking (I mean, there was a lot of hard work involved, too, but you catch my drift!). It was all about being at the right place at the right time and rubbing elbows with the right movers & shakers! I also ended up later co-founding a local networking group for women entrepreneurs with my dear friend Olivia.
Regardless of the group you join (or create), use your connections as a platform for collaboration and amplification of each other’s businesses. Consider groups like the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), your local chamber of commerce, or grassroots, local groups that meet at local coffee shops.
Dial in Your Women-Centric Branding
If your business does in fact care about uplifting women (as I’m sure it does), position it as that! Use inclusive language and visuals to resonate with your target audience of diverse women. If your customer/client base includes women, showcase real-life customer success stories and testimonials to build up trust. Don’t forget that digital marketing is key, with many female-led businesses prioritizing this area. Focus on the platforms where your audience engages the most, such as TikTok or LinkedIn, depending on demographics.
Embrace Inclusive and Flexible Work Policies
A majority of women-led businesses have also adopted flexible workplace policies since the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’ve also done this, be sure to highlight these practices throughout your marketing to attract both customers and potential team members who value work-life balance.
Practical Steps to Try Today:
Improve Your Financial Literacy: Utilize tools such as QuickBooks or online financial literacy courses, and hire a CPA to manage your finances effectively.
Celebrate Your Milestones: Share your business achievements (like anniversaries and awards) loud & proud to better foster credibility and pride in your day-to-day journey!
Strengthen Your Digital Presence: Build a well-branded, beautiful and functional website and a social media presence to match. Consider investing in SEO or content marketing services to elevate your reach.
Create Your Content With Education: Start a blog or podcast sharing insights for your industry in order to position yourself as an expert.
Us women entrepreneurs are not just running little old businesses, we’re driving serious economic growth and measuring up to our male counterparts! Using your identity as a marketing advantage will increase your opportunities and build your brand, paving the way for future women leaders who will follow in your footsteps.
By telling your story, embracing your community, and aligning with the causes that reflect your values, you will stand out and inspire. Your identity as a woman is your strength - use it to propel your business forward!
