To get into her wallet, you better get into her headspace first.

The one content ‘epiphany’ that has occurred during the past couple of months of working with brands and products targeting women in peri/menopause is ‘authenticity’.

Marketers and brands looking to reach out to and engage this audience are wise to understand that this audience has high spending power and years of experience and wisdom. They will not be bought with key messages alone. It is essential to earn their trust through honest and transparent communication.

There are many great brands are there developing products with women’s’ menopausal needs in mind. However, the biggest mistake we see is the way they market these products to their audience. The promise solutions that will minimize or eliminate symptoms. They wonder why they don’t get traction.

True or False claim?

The real solution is a combination of approaches. Products can help women to cope with their symptoms but what we really need women to understand and act on is a proper diagnosis first. When it comes to peri/menopause, a product alone cannot fix the problem. We need to get to the bottom of the root cause and then build a strategy to support it. Products and brands have a great opportunity to be part of that strategy if they keep in mind that they aren’t the first line of defense in helping women cope with symptoms. Women want to know that brands want to get into their minds, not just into their pockets. Menopause is a tough, confusing, and isolating journey. Women want to feel seen and heard. They aren’t just the next big ‘market’, they are individuals whose careers, relationships and self-esteem may be suffering due to symptoms.

The opportunity is simple yet so impactful

We know that this is a savvy audience and historically, a widely dismissed audience. They crave information, education, empathy, and the truth. Brands should consider re-framing their messaging to position their product as something to ‘help’ instead of ‘solve’. At this point, we know there are no guaranteed solutions in menopause. Telling women otherwise will only raise a red flag. By demonstrating their interest in being part of the solution, and not just how to get products into their hands, brands can build a relationship with a highly engaged, trusting and loyal audience.