So, why did I undertake the exercise of polling my readers/Twitter followers on the question of who the “women at the forefront of sustainability” might be? Because, I’d noticed a gender imbalance in the names of those who have written the majority of the books and articles I’ve come … Read on >
Why do people do what they do? This has long been studied to benefit the marketing of goods, but how can we leverage what we know about human behavior to forward the sustainable practices of consumers and organizations? With that in mind, I revisited Robert Cialdini’s now-classic book, INFLUENCE: … Read on >
How to engage the skeptics, whether on the topic of marketing to women or on the topic of sustainability, is a driving passion for me. What are the words, framing, and concepts that will be “accessible” to most people, and open up the conversation – so it doesn’t have to … Read on >
March 8th Update: Submissions/nominations are closed. Readers named more than I could fit in the poll widget (no surprise given the talent/pioneering pool), which could only manage 64. Find the poll here.
My friends at WhatWomenMake recently posed a question that made me stop and think: who are the … Read on >
It’s difficult to change thinking in a society that has been both quite patriarchal and quite unsustainably-minded for some time. Considered from an anthropological view, these sorts of things could take hundreds, if not thousands, of years to evolve. But still (!) – especially in marketing – the consumers are … Read on >
There’s nothing like going back to school to get a fresh perspective, and – wow – have I been learning some fascinating stuff since I stared working toward a master’s degree in socially responsible business and sustainable communities through Goddard College. The ideas and connections it is sparking, in fact, … Read on >
My August 18th commentary derives from a July newsletter article I wrote on reaching women along their journeying paths – step by step. After I wrote that piece, I came across a T.S. Eliot quote that made me consider that idea from a broader, beyond marketing, perspective: “The journey … Read on >
More and more, my personal passion for sustainable business practices is aligning with my knowledge of how women buy. But, as is my usual way, that is not to say I will lecture you on how to reach only environmentally-oriented women. Rather, I see my mission in serving as a … Read on >
When you focus on sustainable product development, your methods are naturally attuned to the way women think and will buy. And, because of that, Joseph Fiksel’s book, Design For Environment, looks to be a great mind-expander on how to reach the more feminine brain traits in every consumer these … Read on >
Perhaps it’s because I was born/raised in the teeny town in Michigan where Whirlpool is based, but I have a soft spot, generally, for both their products and their marketing campaigns. The latest news is their research on how energy efficiency-aware or not appliance shoppers are, and how the … Read on >
Author: Deborah Tannen
Men have a more asymmetrical, positioning approach to communication, while women have a more symmetrical, connecting approach. This is a classic worth revisiting frequently.
Author: Daniel H. Pink
R-directed thinking (often referred to as the more feminine type of thinking) is starting to get its gender-neutral due, and people who can think more holistically are seeing the rewards in this new conceptual age.
One man’s evolution from successful conventional business thinker to practically iconic sustainable business thinker. Anderson’s book is a great entry point for any businessperson considering sustainable development.
