It was also clear how blended women’s lives are. As we engaged with them 24/7, they shared how they measure success not in terms of alpha, but in terms of a much broader balance that they try to strike every day among the aspects of life that are important to them as individuals.
If we use the confidence gap as a lens, we can make big blunders as advisors and financial firms. For example, a large firm recently ran a national campaign focused on closing the confidence gap by “teaching women.” That’s like saying, “You are broken and we are here to fix you!” That’s not going to go over well, at least with the women we surveyed. Nor did our respondents want “special treatment” for their gender, which they found insulting.
To better attract and serve women clients, we need to fully appreciate them as individuals, and pay attention to what matters. Recognize it’s your job to live up to her standards, and communicate that to her with clarity, accuracy and respectful service tailored to her daily reality, and she’ll be into you.
Gail Graham is chief marketing officer at United Capital, an innovative and fast-growing financial life management firm with a unique approach to the market. Having earned awards in retail investor and advisor marketing, Graham is driving United Capital’s brand development, marketing and lead generation across all channels. Follow her on Twitter: @GailGrahamUC