Marketing Strategies / Strategic Marketing Case Study

Financial Services: Going Women Way

OR

Abstract:
Traditionally, men were the target of the financial service providers, while women were seen as less confident regarding the matters of finance. Recent societal developments, such as more and more women working from home had changed the scenario. The statistics on women in the economy and their influence in purchase decisions in both the developed and developing economies revealed growing opportunities for the financial service providers. Analysts estimated that women, represented only 51% of the US population but accounted for 85% of consumer and business purchases. Greater economic power in the hands of women resulted in a new market place for the marketers of financial services. It was becoming increasingly important that the industry target women as individuals with their own financial needs. However, different women had different needs, each of which ought to be taken care of specifically by the financial service providers. Analysts were sceptical, what was so different about women's financial services needs? What was the role of women in the financial planning and decision making in a dual income household? What was women's disposition to risk taking, and does this differ from those of men? To what extent does this vary by age, income or education?

Pedagogical Objectives:

Keywords :  Financial services, Marketing to women, Targeting women, Financial services, HSBC (The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation), Electronic benefits transfer, Customer centric marketing, Brand familiarity, Financial services, Banking products, Insurance, Asset management, Transaction banking, Intermediation or advisory services, Investment