By Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, author of  Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs and president, Real Living

     The 4th annual Marketing to Women Conference last week at the beautiful Chicago Cultural Center was amazing. I had the chance to meet brilliant marketers and brand managers who are either already acknowledging the power of women in the marketplace, or who are learning to do so by attending. Inspiration was everywhere, especially for me where I could be around a group of people who all share my passion for marketing and for empowering women.

     My presentation? Home is Where the Purse is showcased why real estate is the perfect lens to understand women consumers. Just look at the math: women make or influence 91 percnt of home purchase; they purchase 94 percent of all home furnishings and, those purchases increase 200 percent after a home purchase. That’s a lot of spending power and no one is closer to these women consumers than real estate agents - and 75 percent of them are women, too. When I launched our real estate brand Real Living in 2002, we launched the first woman-facing real estate company for just that reason. We’re a circle, in a sea of squares. A lifestage and lifestyle marketer in real estate while most brands continued to talk to themselves or agents. It’s been fun, and it’s especially great to now be in the midst of so many marketers who really understand and care about women consumers. Finally. 

     So what did I learn? From Nan McCann, founder of the M2W event and of PME Enterprises, I was reminded of how far we’ve come by her stirring accounts of the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, the Suffragettes and the fact it took until 1920 for women to earn the right to vote. WE tv presented their WE Vote 2008 campaign committed to registering one million new women voters this year. From Joe Lagani, vice president and general manager of GlamLiving, I learned why Glam Media is dominating the women’s online space. It’s because they get us. And there is so much more to come. From Stephanie Ouyoumijian of Publicis, I learned that even though women are feeling stressed about the state of the economy, there is a lot a marketer can do to empathize with her and to support her through these times.  And, that all marketers need to be creating contagious ideas to change the conversations with women.

     And all of that learning was just in the first half of the first day of the conference! If you haven’t been to M2W before, I’d highly recommend that you attend.

     Only negative note. I stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel. I’m a big fan of the property in Orlando, but I have to say that I’m not of the Chicago Four Diamond property. For example, press the “Ask me anything” button. That pretty much assured next to nothing, no matter the request. Specifically, I was attempting to get some help retrieving 20 copies of my book from a Barnes and Noble to my room. No one even called me back. Disappointing, really. Overall, the hotel is too masculine. What do I mean? No shower caps, lack of counter space near the sink, to name a couple factors. While I expect edgy from the brand - and loud music - I also expect friendly and efficient. The “spa” is in the basement, and is comprised of two rooms with a faint mold smell. One woman I know travelling across the country to get to the conference, called and confirmed late check in and then arrived to find herself without a room. You get the point.

     I can’t wait for the next Marketing to Women conference - I’ll just stay somewhere else!