So if women buy basically everything and men are totally clueless about women, doesn't it make sense that most of the Fortune 500 would be trying to solve this problem? Well, quite frankly the answer is no. As someone with over 30 years of sales experience I can honestly tell you that 99% of organizations are not even talking about gender issues with their sales force. Sadly, in most organizations this ‘female thing’ is the responsibility of the Marketing Department.

Some retailers have made their stores more female-friendly. A few financial services organizations have started to talk to women about planning for their futures differently, and even the auto industry has begun to feature more women in their advertising. So what's the problem? Well, all the marketing efforts in the world fall short when the company's chief revenue generator and customer interface (call him a salesman) meets the consuming women. And he doesn't have a clue.

It is now a validated and documented fact that men and women communicate differently, very differently. Everything from eye contact to body language, to the usage of language and the processing of information is different in men and women; and he doesn't have a clue. She is seeking a relationship, and he is selling a transaction.

In all honesty, it's not your sales team's fault. Virtually all sales training programs in this country have taught people (i.e., men) how to sell to men. And at a point in time (like 1980) it made sense. Salesmen had to drive revenue, make quota, kill the competition. You know, manly things! Dialogue is for wimps; I have to overcome objections, close your sale, and move on. Unfortunately most sales training has not changed.

One classic example is the term still used today called "handling objections." Sales training still teaches that if you get a "no" from a buyer, you should go back, sharpen your pencil, come up with a new deal, and go make the pitch one more time. Now, you have to realize that this is how men sell to men, and most sales training is taught by men on how to sell to men. The truth is that this doesn't work when you are selling to women. To women (now read this very slowly gentlemen), "No means No!"

You see, women are open to multiple solutions and multiple answers. They want a relationship with your company's products, goods & services, and yes, your salesperson. The salesperson's role is to explore a host of options, create dialogue, and build a relationship long before an order is ever asked for. If you are selling to women and you get to a "no," just pack your bags and move on, there is no recovering and no amount of "handling objections" that will help you at this point.

So, for all the companies out there who question why their "women's initiatives" aren't working, look no further than your sales training. If your sales training is still teaching people how to "handle objections," well, it's time to re-think how your salespeople (the company's chief revenue generators and customer interface) are being trained to deal with the largest economy in the entire world, (i.e., American Women).

(Oh, and for all the saleswomen reading this, if you ever get a "no" from a man, go back, sharpen your pencil, and re-pitch it's exactly what he wants you to do).

Excerpt; Chapter 1, Chapter 8, Selling to Men, Selling to Women.

If you would like to know more about the significant impact of the role of gender in the selling process, please …