Last week, according to Nielsen, 179,642 single, adult women tuned-in to a Fort Myers radio station. This is 89% of every consumer who fits this description.
Why should Southwest Florida small business owners take note of this demographic? A study by investment bank Morgan Stanley finds 41% of working-age women are single. That number is expected to increase to 45% over the next ten years.
The study, called 'Growth of the SHEconomy', indicates that single women outspend the average household in many retail categories. Remarkably, says, Erica Sweeney of MarketingDive, "Women purchase more than half of products traditionally considered 'male' including autos, home improvement products, and consumer electronics."
To claim a share of the SHEconomy, business owners should consider advertising on Fort Myers radio stations. The medium consistently reaches more single women than all other options including, local TV, newspapers, social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, or streaming sites like Pandora and Spotify.
If SWFL small business owners are not focusing a portion of their advertising and marketing budgets on the local SHEconomy, then here is what is being missed.
According to Nielsen, compared to the general population, here is how single women will be spending their money:
- 14,000 will buy a new house or condo
- 30,000 will purchase a car or truck
- 34,000 will look for a new job
- 44,000 will purchase stock or stock options
- 73,000 will purchase furniture and mattresses
- 81,000 will purchase hardware
- 88,000 will purchase lawn and garden items
- 192,000 will pay the bill in a restaurant
SWFL business owners who ignore this rapidly expanding demographic do so at their own peril.
In Adweek, Jess Lloyd writes, "It's time to ditch the isolating single women stereotypes and expand marketing efforts to include them."
"This new generation of smart, independent women," she says, "is continuing to grow in size and value. Brands who underestimate their buying power are leaving money on the table to the tune of $3 trillion in annual consumer spending."
"No matter your brand or category, it’s past time to retire the idea that single women are incomplete people. Let’s portray these women accurately, create experiences that recognize single people as consumers and prepare brands for the demographic riptide."
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