For women, sharing information (recommendations, experiences, advice) is important, but certainly not a purely altruistic act. Information is social currency. And while exchanging information is faster and easier than ever (copy, paste, click), information as social currency isn’t new. From medieval soothsayers to Gossip Girl, the woman in the know is the woman worth knowing.

But it’s not a numbers game. She’s only as “good” as the information she shares, and she’s highly selective. Before she “hits” send, she makes a rapid, but a critical calculation – one that determines if you’re sent or deleted.

We call this “share value.” And share value has never been more important now that the amount of information women have access to and their potential reach – thousands in a single click – have exploded. There are several factors women use to determine the share value of a ______________ (fill in the blank: brand, message, product, promotion, web-site, event). You can use this list to help evaluate the share-value of your current messaging or offering.

Here’s how to ensure your message is S.H.A.R.E.D.

1. Save. Does the information offer her the opportunity to save or earn money? Helping others save money pays big dividends toward her own social value. But beware – women are digging for even deeper savings – women tell us 10% and free shipping offers don’t do it.
2. Hurry. Urgency means more than a limited-time offer. Give her a compelling reason to act now – and make it fun. The Starbucks Free Pint of Ice Cream for Facebook Users promotion is a great example – with only 800 pints per hour up for grabs, the rush to participate was overwhelming, and those who scored, shared.
3. Access and exclusivity. Help her show she’s connected and in the know while inviting others to the party. Get her to the front of the line, offer her new products and experiences before they’re available to the public and consider co-branded promotions that up the all-access-ante.
4. Reward. What’s in it for her? How are you incentivizing her sharing? Give her a reason to keep your name on the tip of her tongue.
5. Express. Simply, what does the information she’s sharing say about her? Consider the values or traits she wants to convey about herself: savvy, relevancy, cool, consciousness, kindness, multi-dimensionality, responsibility, creativity. Align your values to hers.
6. Digital. It might seem obvious, but there must be a digital, mobile component to all of your messaging that makes it easy for her to send and share with as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

Women's High Service Demands

To fuel the female-centric creative that we’re developing for our clients, Mullen’s Frank About Women took a current pulse on how women are feeling about customer service and service brands. We fielded a national consumer study covering a wide spectrum of service-based categories, and our findings reinforce just how tenuous the relationship is between women and service brands today.

In this economic climate, women know they wield scarce buying power — and they’re not afraid to use that leverage. It’s more challenging than ever to foster loyalty, especially when women have so many choices.

The Male/Female Dynamic:

We asked both men and women about their service product expectations in 29 different categories from telecommunications to travel and health providers to financial services. Not surprisingly, we found that women continue to be far more likely than men to expect good service — sometimes beating men’s expectations by a 15+ point margin.

Interesting too, is that women are far more likely than men to say that there are major differences in service quality between companies. For example, 59% of women say there are major differences between different hotel chains, as compared to 47% of men; 41% of women recognize major differences between credit card companies versus 32% of men. The same gap exists in categories like pharmacies, phone services and many others. Service marketers take note — women notice everything.

Another important difference between the sexes: As the Chief Purchasing Officer of most households, the majority of women immediately took bold steps when the economic crisis hit and edited out nonessential services — while men were more likely to wait it out, saying they were considering cutting back their use of services. Even scarier to marketers is that the women in our study indicated they are considering cutting back even more.

Which Categories Have Women Seeing Red?

So who’s got them really steamed? Credit card companies, medical insurance/HMOs, airlines and cable providers share the dubious honor of making women downright angry (not a feeling anyone wants associated with their brand).

You know what they say, “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!” But what about a few thousand or a few million women scorned? Women not only have spend-power, they wield friend-power. One snarky Facebook status or testy Tweet in response to a disappointing service experience can reach thousands of women and men and then what? Today, an apology may not be enough. The possible silver lining — women’s expectations for good service are so low in certain categories that there is plenty of opportunity to wow women … if you try a new approach.

Another Frank About Women finding:

• Women expect the highest level of service from hotels, insurance companies, pharmacies, hospitals, banks, utilities, ISPs and grocery stores.

Smart service marketers should be asking themselves these questions:

• How can we defy expectations and set new standards for service in our category?
• What strategies are we employing to ensure our consumers know they’re valued in this economy?
• What are we doing to solicit consumer feedback and use it to affect our business in real time?
• Are we actively following the social chatter about our service?
• What are we doing to become a part of that conversation?

Even if your target isn’t solely women – what could you learn from looking at women’s attitudes and behaviors to make your brand’s service experience better for men and women? Listening closely to female consumers can help a company or brand design an experience that appeals to all.

To request a full-color, 18″ x 27″ poster, perfect for framing (or covering that mysterious stain on your wall), contact Nicole Green at nicole.green@frankaboutwomen.com.

1. Frugal chic: Every (and we mean every) purchase registers on a new scale of “need” versus “want,” especially for women who were living in a “want” society. This means postponing, repairing, re-purposing, recycling and even refusing to buy. Sacrifice and shame? Hardly! Frugality is worth flaunting: as the New York Times says, “saving is the new black.” (-New York Times, 10.13.08) Expect women to demand longer life spans on durable goods and squeak more servings out of consumables. A group of women we spoke with talked about everything from washing machines that only worked on one cycle (but still, technically, work) to adding water to stretch pricey salon shampoo as ways they save.

2. Creative consumption: Powered by like-minded communities online and off, women are seeking new ways to borrow, barter, buy and bank beyond traditional channels. Play it safe by enticing them to buy new today. Or get ahead of the curve by integrating traditional and creative consumption channels or owning off-the beaten-path buy-ways. Proof? Craigslist reports a 100% increase in traffic on bartering boards, while dedicated barter sites like U-Exchange and SwapThing are also booming. Women say they see no shame in simply asking, “Can I borrow that?”

3. ROI thinking: Rather than asking a brand, “What have you done for me lately?” women want to know, “What will you do for me tomorrow, next week, next year?” This is more than a demand for lasting durability; they want to invest their dollars with companies that are passionately committed to their future, their families’ future, their communities and the planet. What comes around definitely goes around.

4. Egocentric to eco-centric: Most women agree that the planet will long outlast the recession, so while the environment may have taken a very temporary back seat to the current economy, low-impact living fits naturally with their renewed sense of responsibility. Even though they can’t single-handedly save the earth, they’re exercising their eco-centricity with the brands they buy, and when value isn’t a question, the choice is clear.

5. More white space, please: What works in design is what women are craving in life. Simplicity, clarity, breathing room. Tired of feeling overstuffed with stuff and overwhelmed with choice, they’re not just de-cluttering their closets; they’re looking for retailers who allow them to shop more efficiently. Smart brands and retailers can offer relief by putting an end to product proliferation and purchase paralysis by providing fewer, better choices.

1. Consumers need an emotional breakation

52% of viewers said they were watching the Oscars for pure, unadulterated escapism – and Sunday night didn’t disappoint. Despite early predictions that fashions would be toned down, stars strolled the runway in a cascade of color and sparkle. Among consumer favorites were celebrities who went for vibrant colors (Alicia Keys and Natalie Portman) or those who took sparkle to the extreme (Sara Jessica Parker and Anne Hathaway). Clearly, consumers were in the mood for a little brightness.

2. It’s a time to celebrate slumdogs and underdogs

Consumers were enraptured by the little movie that could (Slumdog Millionaire) and its enthusiastic, young, exotic Bollywood stars. They were also pepped up by the freshness of Viola Davis and Taraji Henson. And consumers were hrilled to watch Sean Penn take the Oscar for Milk, more so for what his character represented than anything else. Consumers felt that watching the under privileged, prejudiced, and little guy succeed gave them reason for renewed hope.

3. Not everyone looks up to success, money and power

Half of the consumers were looking for train wrecks and for the mighty to fall; the others were ogling the stars and fashion trends. Many took comfort in knowing that regardless of the spoils of success that even successful people can walk onto the red carpet looking like a disaster. Perhaps Miley Cyrus is a bit too young to know better, but Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the ski hat? Consumers didn’t think that was cool.

4. It’s time for the Millennials, as the young Americans step forward

A new breed of young stars from Slumdog, High School Musical, Twilight and Bolt dominated the red carpet, as the likes of Anne Hathaway outshone the venerable favorites such as Meryl Streep. Confident and poised, they showed that Millennials are no longer sitting on the sidelines but are coming into their own as a force to be reckoned with.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR MARKETERS?

• Americans are looking for permission to escape. Give them ways to let go without breaking the bank.
• It’s a great time for challenger and underdog brands to breakthrough – and win.
• Somberness and recession talk is out; brightness and optimism are in.
• It’s time to take Millennials seriously. Don’t leave them out of your consideration set.