Business practices transition quickly today, and it’s fantastic to see mainstream motorsport retailers keeping with current trends, ever expanding to accommodate the fastest growing motorcycle consumer of our times – women.

More powersport dealerships cater to women than ever before altering their commerce to create what I like to call, “female-friendly” environments. Increased are the numbers of women managing accessory departments, and working in service counters, sales, and as co-owners, exemplifying a changed era in motorcycling. Female offensive centrefold posters have been moved out of public view, both women’s and men’s washrooms are available, and if not, business owners ensure shared facilities accommodate both genders. We’re still a long way from perfect though – proper changing rooms would be nice, but there’s no doubt that supply will eventually follow demand.

Manufacturers and product suppliers have assisted with the on-going transition by making available female-specific gear, helmet designs, motorcycle products, and colour schemes that have also affected the overall visual at the retailer level. As recently as five years ago you wouldn’t see a helmet finished with flowers or butterflies for sale in a shop, nevermind pastel pink and blue coloured riding gear. Point-of-sale material and advert campaigns include, though still a minority, images of women riders (i.e. Suzuki GLADIUS, Harley-Davidson, or Kawasaki Ninja 250 advert campaigns).

Really though, if you truly want to ensure total captivation of this “dominant engine of the economy worldwide,” as recently quoted by Boston Consulting Group, creating community within your business is the key factor to engaging women. A perfect example of this would be the famed “Weight Watchers” concept – a company that understands the importance of community. The company’s well-liked meetings are widely credited with helping attendees not only lose weight, but keep it off.

To develop a community requires you to first ask yourself one important question: “What can my dealership do to help this woman?” Think of the woman who enters your shop for the first time, or the woman that’s already bought product or a motorcycle from you. The answer requires some homework. You’ll first need to analyze your local female market and determine a “demographic profile”.

Developing a demographic profile typically involves understanding 1.) age group 2.) social class and; 3) employment status.

You can imagine an urban dealership will likely have a more career-minded, modern, perhaps even younger clientele. This will involve catering to female prospects and customers in an entirely different manner than a shop located in the countryside with a more traditional demographic. Consider also within Canada, West Coast culture can be different than East Coast and most certainly than that of Quebec.

With your new-found information you’ll then need to reevaluate your product mix and service features/benefits, and brainstorm the factors that will create your unique community, setting you apart from your competitors. Have you held a ladies-only event in your shop—frequently? Is there a women’s section on your website? Did you know new riders will visit your website first before visiting your dealership? (J.D Powers and Associates published a study in 2008 uncovering a wealth of info about the new rider.)

So here I leave you with five tips to get you started building your female community within your dealership.

1. Create and host women’s workshops and activities quarterly or at each seasonal change – fall, spring, summer, and winter.
2. Organize a women’s networking ride/event inclusive of training/rider tips (So many women write MOTORESS asking where they can meet other women to ride with).
3. Develop a Women’s Loyalty Card program for your shop (Women are accustomed to these shopping systems) and regularly forward membership news via online newsletter specials and deals. (Postal newsletters are history.)
4. Introduce your female customers/prospects to your service and repair personnel. Face-to-face introductions can motivate your own employees and make women feel less apprehensive about asking questions.
5. Provide a “woman-to-woman” referral incentive when your female customer refers her girlfriend, mother, daughter, colleague, or sister to your shop. A free oil change, for example, is a terrific motivator.