REVIEWS

Publisher Weekly Review (May 2008)

The She Spot: Why Women Are the Market for Changing the World—and How to Reach Them
Lisa Witter and Lisa Chen. Berrett-Koehler, $24.95 (288p)

ISBN 978-1-57675-472-6 Marketers have always honed in on women, the primary household consumers, but charitable and political organizations have long been less savvy. Target women to garner donations or votes, urge Witter and Chen; female consumers and citizens are not a niche audience but the audience to reach and win over. Women’s economic clout grows larger every year, and though they tend to be distrustful of the political process, they vote in large numbers and can tip elections. They are also characteristically altruistic, volunteering more significantly than men and contributing to twice as many charities. Since word of mouth is strong among women, women who care about a particular cause will bring in more contributors. The authors present their material efficiently and engagingly, tackling the motivation—both social and neurological—behind women’s contributions and interest, and the methods to appeal to them, from news media to online. Bolstered with helpful “chapter takeaway” lists and concrete examples of companies that have successfully reached the female audience, Witter and Chen have crafted a thoughtful, helpful guide to nonprofit marketers.

 

Library Journal Review (June 15, 2008)

Witter, Lisa & Lisa Chen. The She Spot: Why Women Are the Market for Changing the World—and How To Reach Them. Berrett-Koehler, dist. by Ingram. Jun. 2008. c.288p. index. ISBN 978-1-57675-472-6. $24.95. BUS

If readers can look past the gratuitous puns (as in the title, a play on the "G spot") and the section on the "bloghersphere," they will uncover a serious work that aims to fill a void in resources on marketing to women by providing a concise handbook specifically aimed at nonprofit organizations. PR professionals Witter and Chen (COO and senior v.p., respectively, Fenton Communications) have combed through recent major marketing-strategy books and tapped their own consulting experience to develop a nonprofit strategy emphasizing the "Four C's"—Care, Connect, Cultivate, and Control. The authors spend a chapter explaining these concepts and then allot a separate chapter to detailing each one separately, with case studies interwoven to supply object lessons. Additional chapters discuss media segmentation and web site design, as well as diversity within the female population. Executive summaries, chapter takeaways, and succinct bulleted lists focus the reader's attention on pointers and action items. Appendixes contain citations for each chapter and a list of additional resources. For libraries serving nonprofit practitioners or academic programs in nonprofit management.—Heidi Senior, Univ. of Portland Lib., OR

Advertising Age Review (August 2008)

Finding 'The She Spot' More Important Than You Thought

New How-to Claims Women Are Most Influential (and Impressionable) Consumer Category

Posted by Matt Kinsey on 08.06.08 @ 12:03 PM

 

While "The She Spot" may have all the makings of summer chick lit -- a tongue-in-cheek title, a blonde cover model who recalls one of Roy Lichtenstein's comic-book damsels -- this isn't your typical beach reading. "The She Spot" is actually a marketing text, a combination of research findings and soapbox rallying that aims to show women aren't just a niche group of commercial targets who feed on pink websites and references to Carrie Bradshaw -- they are the group behind this country's most important consumer and voter decisions. The titular "she spot" is the "Eureka!" button for brand and campaign strategists, a perfect blend of heart and head guaranteed to touch home with any woman, regardless of race or age.

 

Authors Lisa Witter, exec VP and chief operating officer of Fenton Communications (and former contestant on the Showtime reality-TV series "American Candidate"), and Lisa Chen divide their manual into four acts -- "Care," "Connect," "Cultivate" and "Control" -- though it remains unclear whether this formula alone can commandeer a loyal female audience.

 

I read "The She Spot" and appreciated its basic tips for marketing to women -- "Keep it simple" and "Give her details" are examples. But I couldn't help chuckle at the irony of a book that promises the most effective means of persuading the female market is by not targeting them as women, or by not creating stereotypical offerings just because it's a female audience. As Ms. Witter concludes, "All issues are women's issues."

 

Good fodder for discussion that's sure to hit some He Spots along the way.

 

Watch Ms. Witter and Ms. Chen discuss themes from "The She Spot" here.

 

 

PRESS

DailyMotion.com, Lisa Witter on Women and Social Change, (7/23/08)

absurdities!, We’ll Do It From the Road, (7/20/08)

AskPatty.com, AskPatty.com featured in Case Study in "The She Spot" by Lisa Witter and Lisa Chen, (7/15/08)

GRITtv with Laura Flanders, New Found Feminism, (7/1/08)

NPR, Tell Me More with Michel Martin, Candidate's Wives Put Under the Microscope, (6/26/08)

Huffington Post, Unfetter Women's Intellect on Campaign Trail, Lisa Witter (6/23/08)

News Day, Unfetter Women's Intellect on Campaign Trail, Lisa Witter op-ed (6/23/08)

BlogHer, I'm no more "Hillary's Woman" Than I Was a "Soccer Mom" or a "Sex and the City Voter"! (6/11/08)

Fox Business, Scorecard (6/9/08)

Huffington Post, McCain to Capture the Women's Vote Through Golf Bags? , Lisa Witter (6/09/08)

Blog Her, Despite the Pain, Obama is a Much Better Choice for Women Than McCain, Lisa Witter (6/6/08) 

Huffington Post, Obama Can Reach Hillary's Female Loyalists, Lisa Witter (6/06/08)

AndersonCooper360 Blog, Obama can reach Hillary's loyalist  (6/5/08)

Salon.com, Why political candidates should be sucking up to women

(06/02/08)

Fox Business, Happy Hour (6/2/08)

AlterNet, Six Reasons Women are the Market for Changing the World, (6/2/08)

Ode Magazine: The Not So Secret Secret to Changing the World (May 2008)

Fox Business, Happy Hour (5/22/08)

Fox Business, Happy Hour (5/19/08)

The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Nonprofit and Political Groups Need to Learn How to Market to Women (05/15/08)

Chronicle of Philanthropy, Online "live chat" - What Women Want (5/13/08)

Huffington Post, Oprah, Hay Bails and Hoops: The Women's Vote in IN and NC, Lisa Witter (5/08/08)

MSNBC, Lisa Witter on Women Voters (5/5/08)

Huffington Post, Sex Strike for Peace, Lisa Witter (4/26/08)

MSNBC, Lisa Witter on Women's Votes (4/26/08)

Huffington Post, Indiana, North Carolina end the Gender Gap, Lisa Witter (4/25/08)

AndersonCooper360 Blog, Pennsylvania and the Gender Gap (4/23/08)

Al Jazeera English, (4/23/08)

 

Blog Mentions:

Absurdities (06/24/08)

Pundit Mom (06/24/08)

Girl with Pen (06/19/08)

Women’s Golf Digest (06/09/08)

Vot3r (06/09/08)

Real Clear Politics (06/09/08)

Writers at Play blog (06/05/08)

Charles Leck’s blog (06/04/08)

Absolutely Everything Else (06/04/08)

SmartBrief Blog (06/03/08)

The Community Bridge Blog (06/03/08)

Women News Network Breaking News Portal (05/26/08)

Pinko Korner (05/25/08)

Voices of Hope Productions, The Eye Blog (05/16/08)

In Women We Trust (04/29/08)

 

Press Release:

 

 

The She Spot

Why Women Are the Market for Changing the World—And How to Reach Them

by Lisa Witter and Lisa Chen

 

“Witter and Chen have crafted a thoughtful, helpful guide to nonprofit marketers.”

Publishers Weekly

 

“Smart, engaging and eminently, useful The She Spot puts its finger on how to score with the key drivers of social change: women.”

—Arianna Huffington

 

“If you want to understand women, you have to understand The She Spot. This book may up-end some of your long-held assumptions of what makes women—and men—take action, and will help you re-assess how the personal affects the political.

—Naomi Wolf

 

How do you turn a Clinton loyalist into an evangelical for Obama? Will the Obama or McCain ticket resonate more with women voters? Female voters have been top of mind this election year.  Lisa Witter and Lisa Chen’s new book, The She Spot offers illuminating, and insights into what makes women tick—and why they are the number one “get” for candidates and causes.

 

 

In The She Spot, the authors show their readers what informs women’s political decision-making and all of their social change priorities. Witter and Chen reveal how not-for-profits, and social change organizations are missing expertise on a crucial component for change—women. The authors make the case for why women are not a niche audience for social change—they are the audience because they vote more, volunteer more, own more personal wealth than men, and give to twice as many nonprofit organizations.

 

The book reveals some surprising insights, including:

 

• Women control more than 50% of the wealth in America
• They are likely to give to edgier non-profits
• African American women donate a larger percentage of their income to nonprofits than white women, but get asked to give a lot less often
• In one poll only 7 percent of women identified “protecting reproductive choice” as a top priority for Congress

 

 

- over -

 

Building on insights like these, Witter and Chen identify and describe four core principles for designing messages and outreach strategies that will resonate with women of all ages and backgrounds—Care, Control, Connect, and Cultivate. Borrowing lessons from the corporate sector and companies like Home Depot, T-Mobile, and Kellogg’s as well as nonprofits like MoveOn.org, the American Lung Association, and the Environmental Defense Fund, they explain precisely how to put these four principles into practice.

 

This book makes the case that simply painting your marketing campaign “pink” and calling it a day will miss the mark with most women. Witter and Chen show that connecting with women can help you connect with men too—think both/and, not either/or. You’ll raise more money, recruit more supporters for your cause—and women will feel more empowered to be a force for change in their own lives. In the end, those who hit the “She Spot” claim the power to create a better, brighter world for all of us.

****

"This wise, savvy, and actually useful thinking by two of the most creative and effective communicators I know. The insights in The She Spot have helped us bring millions into the political process—they can help you, too"

—Eli Pariser, Executive Director, MoveOn.org Political Action

 

****

Lisa Witter is Chief Operating Officer of Fenton Communications, where she orchestrates projects for women’s issues and global rights with such organizations as the Global Fund for Women and the David and Lucille Packard Foundation. She is co-founder of the award winning SheSource.org, Institute for Democratic Future and EMERGE: Women Leaders for a Democratic Future. In addition, she is on the Board of directors for Climate Counts, national advisory board for MomsRising.org and communications advisory council for Women for Women International. She is a political and social commentator and blogger.

 

Lisa Chen is Senior Vice President at Fenton Communications, where she is the firm’s head editor and writer for a variety of clients ranging from public health to education reform. A former reporter of the San Jose Mercury News, her writings have appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, Boston Globe, and San Francisco Chronicle. For the past 10 years she has devoted herself to doing public interest communication for clients such as New York Academy of Medicine, Blue Shield of California Foundation and Asian Americans/Pacific Islander in Philanthropy.

 

 

The She Spot: Why Women Are the Market for Changing the World—And How to Reach Them
By Lisa Witter and Lisa Chen
Published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.	ISBN: 978-1-57675-472-6
Cloth	$24.95
Number of Pages: 200	Publication Date: June 16, 2008