As I try to get this issue out in my tizzy of preparing for a trip east, I realize that there is always something floating around that is worth sharing with you all. This issue alone tells you about 3 resources you may never have heard of: eWOWfacts, BuzzBack research and the great online color chart at visibone.com. 

I love gathering this stuff together and feeling as if I might be helping ease your research pains. As we develop our American Management Association seminar and plan for upcoming books and reports, I'd love to get more input from you - what are the top tactics that have
worked and what would you like to learn more about. 

In a lot of cases, I think the smaller, bootstrapped, businesses may have tons to share with the big boys of the Fortune 500.

I'd love your help in proving it.

Take care,

Andrea

1. Moms are Online, and How

According to a recent report from Digital Marketing Services, Inc., a subsidiary of America Online, mothers who are online in the US spend an average of 16 hours and 52 minutes online per week. 

Digital Marketing Services surveyed 8,000 US mothers in April 2002. The study determined that the most popular online activities for mothers are e-mail or instant message communication (97%), getting news and current events information (93%) and getting local 
information (90%). 

Full article (and some good charts) from eMarketer.com: 
http://www.emarketer.com/estatnews/estats/edemographics/20020508_aol.html

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Hmmm.. If email and instant messaging are the most popular online activities for moms (that's surprising, isn't it?), maybe we should all make serious efforts to connect with them there. Please send me your stories of doing that successfully, and I'll share the tips! 

2. WOW! Facts 2002 resource published by BWN - Very 
Helpful Stats

If you didn't know that 90% of all purchases will be directly to the consumer by 2010 and women will be at the forefront of this effort, you need to get your eyes on WOW! Facts 2002, 
just published by the Business Women's Network and Diversity Best Practices.

This one stop resource, originally developed by BWN President, Edie Fraser in 1995, serves as a major reference guide for information relating to women and diversity, with a focus on 
business. Women and Diversity WOW! Facts 2002 has more than 10,000 facts tracking the advancement of women and minorities in business, government, education, culture, and virtually all walks of life 

The official release of this updated goldmine was celebrated on May 1st with business dignitaries and congressional leaders like Senators Clinton, Stabenow, and Cleland in attendance.

See what BNI and Diversity Best Practices are all about and place your order: http://www.ewowfacts.com/index.html

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I've used the online 2001 WOW! Facts a lot in the past year or so. The numbers, and their citations, have been extremely helpful for my writing and for new client research. If you 
ever need to "sell" the female consumer opportunity to your boss, this is your answer! 

3. BuzzBack report on Women's Color Preferences

Buzzback online research recently found that women prefer purple to orange - in terms of their "favorite" color. In this survey of teens and adults age 13 - 75, blue is the top choice of car color for both men and women, and women are more likely to choose vibrant color for home interiors while men stick with neutrals.

Find BuzzBack here: http://www.buzzback.com

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My personal caveat: don't take this literally when designing a web site or online promotion! Check out a cool online color chart at: http://www.visibone.com/color/chart/

Purple, in its most typical shade (something like 660/099 on the visibone chart), is very cliche for a site trying to resonate with women. A periwinkle shade (like 999/9FF), on 
the other hand, might be very appropriate for use as a 2nd or 3rd color. Also, Orange, in its most typical shade (FF3/300) is abrupt and can be really obnoxious, while lots of its other shades (like FF6/633) are more subtle.

4. Woman's Day - Simplifies Our Lives, Yeah Right

My dutiful volunteer reporter (aka Mom) called yesterday to tell me of a very "off track" magazine cover she spied while waiting in the grocery checkout line. The May 14th issue of Woman's Day magazine has a pretty cheesecake with berries and little flower decorations on the cover right next to the words "Simplify Your Life." Uh-oh.. my mom wasn't the only woman snickering in the line. I had to buy the issue (for research purposes, of course) and upon reading the recipe, found that it takes (their guess) 40 minutes of prep, 45 minutes to bake and at least  4 hours to chill. 

Hello? I'd hate to have a complicated life. 

5. ReachWomen News:

I've begun to write occasional pieces for the marketingprofs.com newsletter. Tomorrow's issue will include our (ReachWomen) look at the Six Costliest Mistakes Marketers Make when trying to connect with women.  You all received a PDF version of this way back when you 
signed up for "Reaching Women Online," but this one is slightly revised and you might want to revisit it. And, it's always worth checking out marketingprofs.com - their content is incredibly useful.