December 2, 2008
The Internet seems to be a pretty level playing field for men and women doing business for the most part. But when it comes to securing partnerships, selling more of your product or working with contractors, you may have felt some challenges.
In your time running your online business, have you ever felt like you had an advantage or disadvantage because of your gender? Tell us all about it!
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Hmm … that’s a good question. I can’t say that I’ve ever ran into an issue like that. If there was an issue - somene hid it pretty well. I’d love to hear from others on this.
In addition to my blog, I run a virtual assistant business and have never felt that I had any disadvantage in my business. Clients don’t seem to treat me any differently. Of course, that could be because VA’s are typically female anyway so people just expect that and go on.
I honestly have not seen much of a difference. If most people behave like me then they read the material posted at the website without regard for who is actually writing it.
I haven’t noticed any difference - yet
I’ve never felt discriminated against while on the web or when I worked in California in the IT and computer industry. Now working in Wisconsin I feel it all the time but still never online in my job or business. (One guy here said I couldn’t buy a car because girls can’t drive sticks. LOL riiight.
Most of my business is now on Squidoo and there I definitely do not feel at a disadvantage (or an advantage) because of my gender. Other places sometimes yes, I do feel at a disadvantage, but I think both of these perceptions are because of my own confidence level. I am very confident and have a good reputation on Squidoo because I know Squidoo well enough to be considered an expert. Elsewhere, with blogging for instance, I feel far less confident and wonder if true experts (particularly men) view me as “just a girl.”
Hi Alice,
In my particular niche (health and nutrition), I don’t believe gender makes much difference, People just want to know how to become healthier or solve a particular health issue. It is interesting that in the IM niche, most “gurus” are male. When I look at the emails that come across my desktop, I’fd say over 90% are from men. But yours I read most often because you provide good content!
I’m not sure that my gender has ever been a disadvantage for me. Though I guess my main focus has been working with Moms and WAHMs - so would that mean my being female is an advantage?? I would guess that it would also depend on the business/target audience.
I am a full time VA, I have a a couple regular clients and several for whom I do project work. I have never felt any kind of discrimination based on my gender, though when I worked “in the real world” I did ALL the time - at least until they got to know me, because I simply don’t tolerate that kind of thing. When working virtually, your personality and performance seem to far outweigh your physical traits. I do have to say that in two instances I was discriminated against by office staff of a client who thought that just because I wasn’t onsite I didn’t count, or wasn’t worthy of the same level of respect. That was also quickly corrected, but in a positive way.
BTW Beckie - I have had that same comment about “girls can’t drive sticks” directed at me. HA! You just watch me and learn, my friend, is what I answered…
Interesting question. I never really thought about it. For my work-at-home, homeschooling mom blog, being female is a good thing, But for my copywriting and communications consulting business I have never really noticed that it makes a difference. My clients keep coming back, and that’s what I care about most. Happy clients.
Omar & Gerald S make very valid points.
If most people behave like me then they read the material posted at the website without regard for who is actually writing it.
I don’t think I ever once paid any attention to what I read as to whether or it was a male or female that wrote it. I just concentrated on the content.
When I look at the emails that come across my desktop, I’fd say over 90% are from men. But yours I read most often because you provide good content!
I have to agree that over 90% of them are men. It’s true but it’s not a concept that I’ve ever put any thought into as to why this is.
I do follow three women who’s main focus is internet marketing. So they are out there - just not as many.
Anyone have any opinions as to why this may be? Does it have anything to do with their gender? Or is it just a coincidence that there are so many more men internet marketing “gurus” vs. women.
Great discussion topic!
I was at a disadvantage when I BELIEVED I was at a disadvantage. Once I got that nonsense out of my head, I leveled the playing field. Confidence and perception are crucial.
I just keep on going straight ahead. I have developed a personal set of blinders to cope with the playing field when it’s not level.
I think I have the attitude that Stephanie expressed above (I think she found a better way to put it.:-)
Does Gender Matter? To me - YES!
My gender is male and I seem to be biased in FAVOR of Internet females and biased against Internet Males. (That’s why I read your blog and other female business bloggers and podcasters - I like the “voice” and “tone” of female content).
I grew up in an industrialized part of the world, with an industrial model for business: make it - sell it - make money…(then make more - sell more - make more money). Somehow, most of business gurus of the male gender seem to be still following this model.
However, those of the female gender seem to have a softer focus: Service first - For the Good of All…sharing and caring not yelling and selling. In my world WWW means Welcome Wise Women
Thanks for the question
Keep up the kindness.
Colinova
HI everyone,
No doubt about it, I probably tend to reverse discriminate. I actually got my eyes opened by Alice when I bought a Big Ticket item a couple of years ago and received a big package with her bonuses. Talk about well organized and terrific content. She not only over over-delivered but the material was better than a lot of her peers were putting out. I think a lot of what might cause people to think that there is a gender gap online is just with the differences in how men and women market online. Men by nature are more aggressive and competitive (more in your face) while women seem to be gentler, kinder and more relational.
I think people tend to buy from folks who are more like them until they find out through social proof (good old word of mouth) that this or that person really has the stuff and then they tend to change their buying patterns.
Just my thoughts about the question.
If your going to do it, do it good.
Pete Bass
P.S. In Wyoming most all the girls drive sticks. Many of them drive trucks so big that you have to use a step to get into them!
I definitely think that in the “IM” world, being male is still an advantage. There’s still an old boys network feel to it, although there are several women who are starting to break through.
Outside the specific niche of internet marketing; I haven’t found a difference in terms of gender. As many of your readers have pointed out, content and service are the most important considerations. Not whether the provider is male or female.
Great question and very informative blog. I’ve also purchased some of your products and have been impressed by the quality.
All the best,
Merlyn
Frankly, I have been told over my ten years of internet marketing and nine of ezine publishing that I do have a slight edge being female as far as the trust factor goes but other than that I have not personally seen where my gender has made any difference.
No, I have not found gender to be an issue with my business. I have both male as well as female customers. I agree with a lot of previous comments that service and building relationships are the keys to successful marketing. Thanks for asking!
Great question!! I have not noticed possibly becuase I did not pay attention to it however being a Virtual Assistant and Multi Service provider there does not seem to b a gender specific role. Even though probably 75% or more of VA’s are women (just a guess) the industry is booming and I am sure the percnetage will change.
Serena Carcasole
www.vbsondemand.com
Your 1STOP Business Service Shop
Oursource your way to success!
I haven’t noticed any difference, however, I don’t know how the people I interact with, interact with others.
I haven’t noticed any difference. I think people are more concerned with content than gender. If you give great content that’s helping people solve a problem or educate them on a particular topic that’s all that matters. :]
I LOVED reading all these answers. I pretty much agree with them all, even though some answered varied. It depends on the situation, purpose, etc.
Anita - I think Pete Bass touched on an answer to your question and it’s something I think to be true as well:
“Men by nature are more aggressive and competitive (more in your face) while women seem to be gentler, kinder and more relational.”
I think competitiveness translates to being louder, wanting to be seen in the spotlight, etc. As a woman with plenty of responsibilities in my life outside my business, I don’t need to be or really want to be playing a popularity game. I need to use my time wisely, get the bills paid and have a good life outside of my business.
Not that men don’t have outside responsibilities, but traditionally (yes sorry, that sexist gender role thing and even though times have changed, some of that remains) men may see themselves as the providers and find much of their self-worth in their careers.
Of course, that’s a generalization and there are MANY exceptions to everything (so don’t shoot me!), but I think that’s part of what makes it appear there aren’t many female gurus.
Colin: I found the way you signed your name (and your website name) interesting. It’s like a Slavic female version of the name Colin. Is that on purpose or does it have another meaning?
It’s funny because a lot of people online mistake me for a women because of my name “Luca” . To answer your question though I don’t belive it matters as long as you build an honest realationship. Business is all about trust online or off regardless of gender
“…because VA’s are typically female …” , is the attitude I frequently come against as a man .
I may not come from a secretarial or PA background, or type at a squillion words a minute but that doesn’t mean I can’t do the work, particularly the more technical sort..
Let’s face it, originally secretaries were men.
And as an aside why does the plural of VA need an apostrophe?
Well said everyone but especially Pete Bass & Alice. What you’ve said makes perfect sense and I too believe that’s exactly what the difference is. The male internet market tends to be “louder” so-to-speak. Not that this is a bad thing - not at all - quite the contrary - apparently it’s working for them.
I also agree with Colin (aka Colinova). I found it interesting to see the other end of the fence - while the men tend to be “in your face” - the women tend to have a softer side to the sell. I also found it very interesting for him to notice the difference enough to have a preference.
Not only do you you have to “do it good” - you also have to “do what works for you”. Find your technique and run like -heck- with it!
Hi Alice, Gender matters to me, because my product can only be used by women. (It’s breastfeeding related.) And yes, I’ve run into arrogent men who thought they could design it better, but, no, they certainly could NOT.
But really I would like to ask a question about the lovely Article Marketing Checklist you gave us today (thank you so much!!) —- I was surprised to see the suggestion that the same article be submitted to several different article sites. I had somehow gotten it in my head that search engines would refuse to index pages that appeared identical. If they can recognize that they are by the same author, and that the articles have not been plagerized (yes, I’ve seen my own blog articles plagerized onto other people’s blogs), that is wonderful news to me. I couldn’t see myself writing a new article for each of these different article sites without neglecting my own blog!
Thanks if you can clear up my fogginess on this issue!
Suzanne.
I find the internet is the great leveler. No discrimination. Out in the “real” world, discrimination all over the place, but not so much because of gender, but because I’m in a wheelchair. I’ve had potential clients get offended because I charge market rates, and I’ve even had one acquaintance suggest I design their entire website for free because “it’ll give you something to do.”
But the internet? NOOOO problem!
No, I can’t say that I have felt that my gender has had any effect on my business.
To Marya: “something to do” - that’s ridiculous! Some people are just plain horrible!
(Would they say that to Stephen Hawking?)
@Marya - That’s awful! You can’t charge market price because you’re in a wheel chair!?! And “it’ll give you something to do”?!?
I’m ashamed of the human race! Sorry you deal with this and I’m so glad the internet gives you a fair chance!
I don’t believe it makes any difference. All people really want good value for their time and money.
Doesn’t really, specially if you mean business