Many in the automotive aftermarket industry think they have already made grandiose efforts to reach the female consumer — that they’ve really got a grip on how to successfully reach her. Well, it’s time to remove the rose-colored glasses because the aftermarket has a long way to go (hence one reason this column is making its debut). Maybe you’re asking yourself, “What do they want from us?” — they being the growing number of women maintaining their vehicles and purchasing automotive parts and service. But the answer is simple: women want mutual respect and understanding, as colleagues and consumers.

To elaborate just a bit on a study we referenced in last month’s issue, the Women’s Economic Club, based in Detroit, polled its members regarding the type of automotive ads they liked and disliked. The results paint a crystal clear picture of how easy it is to please women in everyday situations.

The study’s respondents (all but three were female) despised advertisements that portrayed macho or reckless behavior, or that showed men as the clear decision maker. They also disliked ads depicting women in bikinis (contrary to popular belief, women don’t typically run errands in bathing suits nor do they mud wrestle over whether a beer has great taste or is less filling). A report from Frank About Women, a company that specializes in female marketing and brand development, says that women consciously avoid purchasing brands that use unrealistic images in their ads. We especially reject advertising that shows “unnatural, unbelievable or unattainable images of women.”

Truck ads in general ranked low, mainly because it seemed clear that women were not the target audience even though highly publicized research shows that women make or influence more than 80 percent of vehicle and household-related purchases. In addition, R.L. Polk & Co., the Southfield, Mich. research firm, has data showing that women in the United States buy just as many full-size pickups as they do minivans.

Using sex to sell a product or service is also a big no-no. It is an immediate turn off for women. Some companies try to pull the wool over our eyes, using sex subliminally (or so they think) but women know when you are using them as hood ornaments to sell, well, hood ornaments. Not only that, this type of marketing is downright ridiculous (not to mention corny). One can’t even be sure that it works with male consumers.

Women did, however, according to the Women’s Economic Club study, appreciate ads that emphasized functionality and features: ads that were educational. Good music also ranked high, as did humor. Ads that portray a sense of sophistication and elegance and show people who are positive and successful also work well. These themes really shouldn’t come across as a major surprise. In fact, they are pretty clear-cut. Women “long for realistic images that reflect the diversity and variety of real women’s lives,” says the Frank About Women report.

In general, this newfound information should shed some light on how to reach women. Use the comments and recommendations as guides for merchandising and selling to women. Are store shelves clean and uncluttered? Do you use humor and light conversation when asking a woman if she needs assistance? Making an effort to connect with your female customers speaks volumes.

Do you utilize educational information like point-of-purchase displays and shelf talkers? These things bode extremely well with women, though I can’t imagine they wouldn’t bode well with anyone wanting to make informed decisions. Have you eliminated any displays or calendars from view that would be considered racy? If you’re not sure what constitutes racy, just ask your mother if she would be offended and you’ll have your answer.

Women aren’t expecting you to hang ribbons and bows and order pink products. In fact, they would be insulted if you did. They just want a little understanding and a lot of respect. And who can blame them? Almost as many women as men hold jobs (78 percent, compared to 85 percent, respectively, according to the Department of Labor) but spend an hour and a half a day caring for other members of the family, compared to 50 minutes for men. Women also spend more than 90 minutes on household chores, whereas men spend less than 45 minutes.

So, what can you do to reach the women in your store’s location beyond what’s mentioned above? Leave a suggestion box for your customers to provide input. Try to collect e-mail addresses so you can send follow-up questions regarding the service received. Ask your female employees for advice; bring in female friends and relatives for input. You may also want to hire a female secret shopper so she can rate the experience and customer service. You may be pleasantly surprised in some instances, and in others, completely and utterly mortified at how a female is treated.

If you want to take your efforts a step further, visit The TrendSight Group online at www.trendsight.com, a company that focuses on marketing to women. They have what is called The Gender Trends diagnostic tool (no industry pun intended), which provides a three-dimensional way of looking at male and female differences in gender culture, response to marketing stimuli and decision processes. You could also check out the book, “Don’t think pink,” by Lisa Johnson and Andrea Learned, cofounders of a company called ReachWomen, a firm specializing in and advising clients on the behavior of women as consumers.

The authors point out that transparent campaigns resonate well with females — those that don’t blatantly target women. Stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s have adopted such practices by widening aisles and changing displays to appeal to women’s interests. Women like more room to browse and examine products on the lower shelves.

Truly, there is a plethora of marketing methods this industry can use to wow the female shopper and win her over. But let’s wait until we’ve mastered them before we put our rose-colored glasses back on.