Serving food samples hot off the grill.

Good says food and recipe platforms such as Yum are also suitable sites for targeted advertising. The app allows its 20 million users to search for, save, and share recipes based on specific foods, ingredients, preparation techniques, and more. If a woman is searching for a recipe for grilled vegetables, fish or chicken, for example, an advertiser can respond with a remarketing ad (a.k.a., ‘stalking’ ad) for grill baskets and other accessories. If the user searches for brisket or ribs recipes, they can be targeted with an ad for smokers, kamados and wood-pellet grills.

Besides social media platforms, Good says there are a wealth of home design, cooking and other related blog sites on which to reach women with targeted ads. “For instance, a barbecue retailer might want to place a remarketing ad on a blog site like GirlsCanGrill.com to connect with women who are interested in grilling,” she says.

In addition to ads, Good recommends hearth, patio and barbecue retailers create Pinterest boards and Houzz portfolios with photos of completed fireplaces, outdoor kitchens and Outdoor Room projects, so women searching for design ideas, information, and inspiration on those topics can click on a product in your pin or post and be led to your website.

Above all else, Good says a top-notch company website is of the utmost importance. “No matter who you’re trying to connect with, a good website is the top priority, because all social media advertising and traditional advertising should drive traffic to your website,” she says. “Plus, search engines prioritize websites over social media pages, so they appear higher in search results.”

Good says websites must be current and constantly updated. They must also be “responsive,” adjusting automatically so they are readable on any device. “The latest study from Harvard University shows 90% of online users are using mobile devices, up from 81%, so it’s very important that the website be mobile-optimized,” she explains. “In addition, your website must be ‘secure.’ Hosting companies charge extra for this designation, but unless you have it, you won’t be up as high in search results.

“Consumers have a short attention span. Most look only on the first page of searches – in fact, they barely make it to the bottom of the first page – so you want to be sure you come up near the top. These are standard costs of doing business today, like trucks, uniforms and utilities.”

Good suggests retailers dedicate 3 to 5% of gross sales for traditional advertising and social-media-related marketing. She says this budget should be a separate and distinct line item from “operations-advertising expenses,” such as truck-wraps, signage, business cards, brochures, and the like.

“Some retailers say 3 to 5% is too much and they can’t afford it,” Good explains. “If so, I recommend you start with what you can afford and grow the budget from there. Frequency is key, so you have to keep at it with your messages.

“You have to ask yourself, ‘What is my return on investment? What is one new customer worth?’” Good recommends that retailers utilize all available marketing co-op dollars from vendors, and leverage educational content by reposting, sharing and/or boosting manufacturers’ social media posts.

Selecting fabric at a specialty shop.

Other Ways to Connect with Women Customers

According to The Female Factor, women have higher expectations for customer service, so it’s important to provide regular sales training for your staff, and to elevate the customer experience in your store. Creating an environment that engages all five senses – clean stores with attractive displays inside and out; products available to touch and test; the enticing aromas of wood or charcoal burning; background music and friendly words from staff; and perhaps most compelling, tasting food samples hot off the grill – makes all customers, particularly female customers, want to linger in your store and return often. This kind of experience is not available online.

You can appeal to women’s need for time-saving convenience by offering automated annual services such as fireplace cleaning and maintenance, grill cleaning and maintenance, and outdoor-kitchen winterizing, so they don’t have to remember to schedule these tasks. Offer online ordering of propane, charcoal, wood and/or pellet barbecue fuels for easy in-store pick-up, or possibly even home delivery. Provide both in-store and in-home classes to teach women how to use their new grill. Making life easier for overworked, time-stressed women will ensure an appreciative customer for life.

Studies show that when women make up part of your customer base, they should also be on your sales staff. According to The Female Factor, “gender-balanced teams have a higher return-on-investment.”

Do you have women on your team?

One thing to avoid, say the experts, is stereotyping. Overuse of the color pink in communications or products targeted to women, for example, might come off as one-dimensional, or possibly even condescending and offensive. The one exception: when supporting breast cancer-related charities.

If you’re not doing everything you can to better connect with this powerful demographic, you’re missing out on sales. Because, in the words of another songstress, Beyonce, “Who Run the World? Girls!”