European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 18, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes saturday january 18. 1986 Stowit tit shoot women influence More than 81 percent of All now tar \ per thames. Automakers shift focus to women buyers Bojoh Holusha maw York times Ord has tried wine and cheese parties Chevrolet established a special marketing comm Hae and advertising strategy. A Toyota dealer in California set up a special Ohice to handle inquiries and complaints. All to draw women into their showrooms 1o buy their cars. While cars have Long been Ono of the rites of passage Lor the american male they Are now playing a larger role in women s lives too. As Auto companies both Domestic and imported have increasingly recognized in the last few years he economic Power of working women and their influence on the majority of car buying decisions has surged. According to a Survey last year by the Market research firm of j. D. Power i associates women today influence 91 percent of All Aulo purchases and Are actually the primary decision makers in 39 percent of All car sales up from 33 percent in 1373 and 25 percent in 1973. Women have been spurring the safes of the new generation of sporty cars according to Pon Ilac. 41 Percal of the buyers of its mid engine iwo Seal fief sports car have been female. And women buyers particularly the younger women who Are primary decision makers have been found to favor he smaller fuel erf Iclene models such As the Toyota Corolla. About 70 percent of safes of the sporty Corosia sr-5 compact have been to women according id John Schnapp an automotive specials a the Temple Barker & Sloane consulting firm in Boston a a a ult Many of the Auto companies Are pressing to develop marketing programs and advertising campaigns specifically designed to attract the attention of women. They Are also taking women into account in the detail work when they design cars. And they Are especially trying to raise the consciousness of dealers and salespeople about the Way they should treat women customers. Salespeople Are the Rea problem Schnapp said. They ail her Don Lake women seriously As customers or they treat them in ways they find objectionable. Thai s one reason women have locked to imports. The salespeople there tend to be younger and More sensitive to the Way women want to be  Lynn Miller set of the women s division at the Mike Miller Toyota Dealership in Culver City calif., last april after she had spent borne months working in the sales and service sections of the business. When i pol out of the Ollice and began gelling involved in the rest of the business i realized that women Ollen need a Little extra help she said. The purpose of having a special Olifice Lor women she adds. Is to provide a sympathetic hearing Lor problems and to explain the complexities of leasing. Insurance required maintenance and related matters. The Puto companies cannot directly change he Ivay salespeople act at dealerships since most Are Independent businesses but the companies Are putting pressure on them to improve with consumer satisfaction surveys and ratings. They Are also pushing educational programs with training materials and films thai they have developed. We have targeted i raining for dealers that is trying to raise their consciousness about the importance of Ine female Market to them As individuals said . Benson director of marketing planning Tor Pontiac the training process is going to be a Fong  said Jane Hammond the head of Chevrolet s All female women s marketing commit Lea. Which was started this year with six members from the company and ils advertising Agency. In the meantime the biggest of the general motors corp s divisions is trying to tire women car buyers by featuring athletic women in its advertising to identify with the fitness movement. And it is sponsoring a series of career development seminars for women featuring such speakers As Gloria Steinem Barbara wallers and Cathy Rigby Mccoy. Hammond also argues that there Are real differences in decision making Between the sexes when it comes id buying cars. Women tend to be More careful car shoppers than men. She said asking More questions and visiting More dealerships. But. Since Many ate buying a car on their own Lor the first time they also Are usually less familiar Wilh How to Linance it and fearful they will make a mistake. Trying to turn this uncertainty into a marketing tool Chevrolet is Lessing a program aimed primarily at women but nol excluding men that would allow prospective buyers Lopre qualify themselves for credit from the general motors acceptance corp. Credit application Lorms Are being bound into issues of cosmopolitan and women s sports and fitness magazines. The form lists the average Price of various models and asks for Standard credit information. Qualified prospects gel a form Back ram the Mac idling them they Are eligible for a loan. Having a pre qualification lorm from Mac to show a Salesman eliminates some of Iho sensitivity women feel in this  Hammond said. The various sales organizations in de Rolt each have differing views on How to approach Tho women s Market. Joseph a. Campana. The Chrysler corp s vice president Lor marketing things it is ,1 mistake to develop advertising tailored specifically to women when it comes to the actual Selling of the automotive product women want to to treated the same As men he said they want the same acts and information nonetheless. Chrysler is starting to change the placement of ils ads because of the growing Lemale Markel. Sports programming on television is very important to men but it is Ess so to women. " Campana said so if we concentrate on sports we May not be getting our share of the women s Market. This is going to be a consideration in future programming  Chevrolet meanwhile has already moved of reduce the proportion of its estimated $120 million a year television and budget devoted to sports programs including withdrawing from sponsorship of the super bowl. Instead it will buy More Lime on prime time programming which has a larger female audience and during Trie daytime dramas. The Ford motor co s Lincoln Mercury division is in the midst of what it terms a major study of How women shop for cars and i plans to build a new marketing Campaign based on lha i research. We think the thought process of women differs from men when ii comes to buying a car said c Williamson Day a spokesman Lor tha division. Ford a so has employed women consultant to examine ways to improve tha design of a car for the we s8,u7tflrtiqns � he Fla bal a Shere studied or instance along Wilh Effort Levels involved in Valous tasks. Including winding windows. A Sah Doht in i s new Taurus thar a lha. Shocks hat h i a san replaced with 9a easels of " i open in ease the Effort for women