NewsLifeMedia CEO Nicole Sheffield has released findings from Moving Mindsets, an insights study that explores the different motivations behind a woman’s interaction with her world and how this impacts her mindset.

The study has identified the six different mindsets that women move between to process information and make decisions.

Sheffield said: “The female brain takes in two million pieces of information per second but can only process 134 bits in that second, so how do we get through? A changing mindset can be a huge challenge to marketers when attempting to connect effectively with an audience and drive their purchasing choices. This is especially the case for women, traditionally thought of as a challenging audience.”

“Lots of people claim to know women however we knew from previous studies that she is dynamic and non-linear. Women no longer have a clear path to purchase, just as they do not have a ‘one-size fits all’ way of operating, engaging or decision making. Brands must recognise and understand this to interact with women in a way that resonates with, and relates with, their moving mindset,” she added.

“Mobility is their empowerment. It’s the power of choice, device and brands. A woman’s many media, brand and platform choices means that she, as the consumer has the power to choose the content she interacts with and how she interacts with it. If you can get in sync with her mindset and inspire her with the right content, she will reward you with her time or her action.”

“Through Moving Mindsets we explore her mindsets, her influences and her inspirations at each point. Understanding her mindsets develops deeper engagement. Harnessing this engagement inspires her to action,” continued Sheffield.

 

The six Moving Mindsets identified:

Social identity “Me, myself and I”	Her need to connect with her tribe, sharing the same interests-       94% of women in the social identity mindset like to act as the expert and share what they know with other people
Intimacy“No (Wo)man is an island”	Fostering deep relationships with her inner circle-       75% of women believe that switching off from technology allows them to foster their relationships
Status“Mirror, mirror on the wall”	She seeks recognition and validation, particularly through social media-       54% of women agree that it’s important that people see them looking and feeling their best
Creativity“Express yourself”	Expressing herself and creating new things; through her home, style, food-       91% of women will seek knowledge and opinion of experts when in the creativity mindset
Expansion“Me 2.0”	Expanding her world, new experiences, new ways of thinking-       85% live life to the fullest by learning and experiencing new things
Challenge & Achievement“Ready, set… go me”	Setting and achieving goals, big and small, for her-       77% of women get a sense of fulfilment through challenging themselves with personal goals

 

Women are using these six key mindsets as filters for daily interactions. While distinct from each other, they are also inter-connected through the various ways women use them to process information and make decisions. Women switch between the mindsets depending on the task at hand, their needs, and external factors that sub-consciously all colour their attitude and behaviours.

Findings across key categories that women engage with include:

Style

Cross platform communication in the fashion category is key to facilitating a woman’s path to purchase – and it all starts with inspiration

• 33% of women care more about what other women think about how they dress than their own partner
• 60% are happy to buy an expensive investment piece like shoes or a handbag and buy the rest of their clothes from regular retail stores

Food

Much more than nourishment; it is the vehicle to communicate, express creativity, challenge their skills, expand knowledge and connect

• 39% of Australian women try to visit nice restaurants regularly and secretly love fast food too
• 68% make an effort to always cook from scratch and don’t mind a pre-prepared or frozen meal when they need convenience 

Health

The study found that women have an insatiable need for health information and an increasing need to ensure this information comes from experts

• 67% wake up with healthy intentions but this doesn’t always go to plan
• 40% are strict throughout the week and then like to indulge on the weekend (50% of which are full-time workers) 

Home

A highly personal category, Australian women are creating homes they emotionally connect with, following their personal style and reflecting personal experiences

• 62% agree that having a beautiful home is important to me but sometimes it’s a mess they wouldn’t want anyone to see
• 51% agree that they are proud of their home but there are parts they try to hide from guests 

Parenting

Parenting is about the collective benefit of a woman’s family, rather than just about themselves. Giving their family the opportunity to learn and grow and the pride they feel as a result, drives their interactions with this category

• 95% of Australian women agree it is important to set clear boundaries as a parent
• 90% agree kids need to be free and have adventures like they did as a child

Mobility

• 63% are always online or within close reach of it
• 74% know the websites they like and go directly to them