This is something we hear weekly from those who come to us wanting help to build their personal brand.
There is a reason why there is such a focus on this age group and on the word freedom and fulfilment.
Not surprisingly it has to do with age.
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There is a ‘bulge’ in the demographic chart, where a large number of the population are 40+.
The females of this demographic - those aged 40-50, came after their Baby Boomer mothers.
Their mothers were the women before them who fought for the right to be equal. They burned their bras, protested and took action (much like the women before them who fought for the right to vote).
Women aged 40-50 are like the second child.
They don’t have to fight for their rights, the elder sibling has done it for them.
They have had a previous generation or two break the rules, change society and make life easier for them, so now they can focus on how to improve their own lives without having to change the world.
These are women who were told that ‘girls can do anything’, unlike their mothers who were told they had to stop work to have a family, 40+ year olds could be career women AND mothers.
Women in this generation could leave home without first being married and sharing a house with friends, going to university or traveling the world alone was the norm.
There was nothing stopping them being in the military, or going to the moon.
They could become professors, surgeons, supreme court judges…
Even more revolutionary, women could become sought after leaders in the political field as well as the sports field.
They were experiencing what it was life to be free to choose what they wanted.
These are the women who were told "girls can do anything"...
Self Actualisation
On top of the ability to be whatever you dreamed of, in terms of Maslow's hierarchy, women aged 40-50 are now reaching that self actualisation level, where they care less about what others think of them and more about what they think of themselves.
They have the freedom of thought and expression.
Their kids are more independent and now they are looking at what they want to be, do and have.
In the words of Marti Barletta, an expert on marketing to women, at this age, unlike men who tend to have a mid-life crisis, knowing they should have achieved more by the time they reached a half century, women at this age tend to have a mind-life crystalis, unfurling their wings and transforming into something new.
They no longer resonate with being a mother or even a woman, now is the time for them to realise their dreams as a human.
It's not about what they are expected to do, it’s about what they want to do.
maslow's hierarchy of needs
40+ Females no longer resonate with being a mother or even a woman, now is the time for them to realise their dreams as a human.
How to position yourself as a mentor for 40+ women:
If you are thinking of positioning yourself as a mentor, coach or leader for women aged 40+, consider the following:
- 1The timing is perfect, there are loads of women felling they need to transform right now, but because of this there is also tons of competition and the coaching industry for women is booming.
- 2You need to be more niche than just selecting your ideal client by her age, you need to resonate with her dreams, goals, mission and aspiration.
- 3Standing out from the rest is vital if you want to lead in this industry, being a coach or mentor is simply not enough. You need to have qualifications, experience or expertise that highlights you as the go-to.
- 4Having a process, signature system or approach that helps women through he transition into the butterfly she knows she wants to become will help you have more credibility and create a trust factor, especially if you have written a book about or won an award for your process.
- 5Creating a platform from your approach will ensure you can assist women age 40+ from different walks of life, around the globe; i.e. a book, podcast, blog, online program, community, group coaching and 1:1 mentoring
- 6Understand communication styles. There are only 4 - Eagles, Peacocks, Owls and Doves - make sure you know which you are and how to resonate with hem all in your marketing - or at least decide who you want to work with the most! (you can read more about this in “Selling You”, a practical guidebook to personal branding).
- 7Avoid BS and pandering to this audience, they grew up with the TV, radio, magazines and have embraced the inter webs..they know when they are being sold to. Keep it real instead.
- 8Recording a day in her life, including all the ‘self talk’ that goes on in her head, pin pointing the pain points and triggers where she asks herself - who could help me? will enable you to create content that resonates with her.
- 9Don’t expect that women aged 40+ have time. Yes the kids might be able to dress and feed themselves, but right now she is focused on fitting as much into her life as she can so asking her to dedicate endless hours or to drop everything to attend your event is unrealistic.
- 10Health and wellbeing is as important as personal growth, mindset and development - at 40+ women are dealing with everything and everything is connected to everything! Consider collaborating with another coach rather than trying to become an ‘overall’ expert which create a risk of overpromising and under-delivering.
The age of women's rights may be in her past, but if you want to target this demographic, you need to understand how, in order to choose you as her mentor, it needs to feel right to her.
Become Well Known, Well Paid And Wanted
The best-selling practical guidebook to personal branding to help you position yourself as the go-to leader in your space, resonating with your ideal clients and marketing your services authentically
