As a salesperson, you know your target audience inside out, don't you? 

But when it comes to planning sales content that would hook them, how much attention do you pay to their gender?

Men and women read and perceive information differently. 

Depending on words, images, and meanings you use in a marketing message, its sales outcome may differ when read by either gender.

Sure, customer types go far beyond gender. 

However, the difference between female and male perception makes it challenging for sales representatives to come up with pitches that would resonate with their multi-gendered audience.

Let's reveal these differences to understand whether it's critical to focus on gender factors in sales content. 

Male vs. Female  Brain

According to a study conducted by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, size and weight aren't the only differences between male and female brains. Women use both sides of their brain simultaneously, thanks to their thicker corpus callosum, which allows them to solve problems and make decisions quicker. As for men, they use brain sides alternately, predominantly using the left side.

As we know, the left hemisphere is responsible for logic and facts processing, while the right one interprets visuals and context.

Why does this matter in sales?

These differences in brain structure lead to the corresponding contrast in men's and women's approaches to buying. 

Male buyers are mission- and task-oriented, and females are more discovery-oriented and ready to change their initial goals for a more satisfying outcome.

Understanding these gender-specific tendencies, motives, and rationales, we can adjust a sales message accordingly to trigger the desired action from the audience.

Digging in deeper, there are differences in male and female content perception and purchase decision making that may cause problems in sales. 

Here are 3 problems to overcome with gender-specific sales content:

Problem 1: Men and women read differently

Women read more than men and are ready to consume a more extended passage before deciding whether they like what they read. Men are more likely to abandon reading sooner.

Women also prefer detailed descriptions, while men typically want to read short and straight-to-point messages. This tendency also explains why men tend to read non-fiction genres, and women are more likely to choose fiction.

In addition to that, men are 50% more likely to pick up a cold call from sales representatives, while women prefer emails. 

When we plan a sales outreach and content types to use for it, such details may play a pivotal role in the overall outcome.

Source: Differences between selling to women vs. men

With these differences in mind, sales reps and managers can consider different pitch practices to capture their audience's attention and interest:

• Start a messaging with clear and concise info, leaving brand storytelling and long descriptions for later.
• Use visual content that works better for men or women, depending on your client. 
• Consider different trade channels for men and women.
• Use different number presentations and wording when addressing male and female clients. According to a study done at Northwestern University, odd and precise numbers are seen as masculine, while even and rounded numbers are seen as feminine. 

Problem 2: Men and women perceive sales content and salespeople differently

Women are more about emotions, and men are about data and facts. 

When it comes to decision-making, this difference influences the strategy they use for information processing.

Women rely more on subjective (other customers' feedback and reviews) information about a product, while men prioritize the objective one (model, features, etc.). 

To be exact, men's and women's approach to testimonials is as follows:

• Men: Read them to form their own opinion on the product, they are looking for facts.
• Women: Read them to understand the motivation behind the purchase to see whether their own situation is comparable, they are looking for reasons.

More than that, women are more loyal to an excellent service than product benefits, while men stick to a brand that once worked for them.

With that in mind, salespeople may want to focus on highlighting the advantages of their products in content when selling to men and building a personal relationship with customers when selling to women.

The interesting fact is that the gender of your sales representative may influence the outcome too.

The director of sales at Gong.io, Chris Orlob, shared the results of their analysis of how conversion rates changed depending on a buyer's and a seller's gender. That's what they've noticed:

• Saleswomen selling to women bring more deals than other gender combos. 
• Women are more successful in selling to men than men are at selling to women.
• Men better sell to men; yet, the conversion of this gender combo is still a bit lower than that from women to women.

Female buyers are more likely to have a negative perception of salespeople, and rather work with someone who makes them feel comfortable. This potentially shows why, subconsciously, they are more open to a seller of the same gender.

Problem 3: Their buying motives differ too

Researchers distinguish two core motives behind buying:

1. Utilitarian: It's when we buy "to get things done."
2. Hedonic: It's when we buy because we love it.

Men are more likely to be utilitarian, with more logic-based motives. They want to find and get what they need quickly, so male buyers will engage with the content that focuses on products and demonstrates value.

Women are more likely to be hedonic, engaging with emotive content resonating with their views and values. They want to know more about a brand, the lifestyle it sells, and how its products will make them feel.

When creating sales pitches and content, appealing to different buying motives may be realized by designing different landing pages or pairing certain reps with potential customers. 

In other words, customize your selling approach for different genders, interests, regions, etc.

It's all about personalization and authenticity, which every brand should have in 2024.

Salespeople should leverage technology to easily create personalized experiences for their customers. Apps like Badger Maps let you take notes for each client and meeting so you’re always able to readily access those notes and make each meeting count. As a result, you’ll be able to sell 22% more and save 8 hours a week in planning time.

Conclusion

Understanding gender-specific tendencies, buying motives, and rationales of the target audience, salespeople can adjust their marketing messages accordingly to positively influence the overall outcome of their marketing campaigns, sales process, and pitches.

There are some distinctive differences between male and female buyers: they read and perceive sales content differently, and have different buying motives. 

By considering these differences, you can enhance customer engagement, loyalty, and conversion.

Ensure you understand your target audience inside out and are familiar with the concept of gender factor in sales.

But remember:

With all the gender-specific tendencies known, each person is unique and wants to be treated as an individual. 

So please don't give in to stereotypes. 

Try to understand the motives and expectations of your customers, and sell them the experience they seek.

Author Bio: Lesley Vos is a professional copywriter and guest contributor. Specializing in data research, web text writing, and content promotion, she is in love with words, non-fiction literature, and jazz.