The Dangers of Gender Demographics

Demographics can be a tricky thing.

On the one hand, demographics are a time-honored way of defining and segmenting purchaser groups.  On the other hand, trying to predict buying behaviors based on demographics alone can be dangerous, if the thinking behind them is overly-broad.  

This article from USA Today, offers a case in point.  The article describes women-owned businesses, and citing research from a 2001 study of female MBAs by the Rochester Institute of Technology (PDF), suggests that:

“More often than men, women start companies to better balance their work and family lives, not to get rich….”

Statistics appear to support this conclusion as a general matter.  And anecdotal evidence tells me that no doubt it is true for a significant number of woman-owned businesses. 

But entrepreneurs’ motivations are complex.  Not every woman starting her own business is motivated by lifestyle and family considerations. 

And regardless of the initial motivation, over time motivations can change.  Some women may start a business in order to have more time with family, only to find the business takes off.  The kids grow up, leave home, and the business owner now has more time to devote to the business.  Her motivations and her goals change.

If you assume ALL women business owners are motivated by family and lifestyle considerations, and pitch your message too strongly around lifestyle, chances are you will alienate other women who are motivated by profit.  They may interpret such a gender generalization about family-orientation as sexist stereotyping.  

My point?  Take studies like the one described in the USA Today article with several grains of salt.  They’re useful – to a point. 

Regardless of what studies and statistics suggest as a general rule, however, at an individual business level there’s a lot more complexity and variation in the motivations of women business owners. 

Tags: Business; small business; sales