The first logical question marketers ask themselves is: “who uses our product and how can we target them?” But is that the right question or should it be “who is actually buying our product?”

Women are the gatekeepers of the American home. Statistics show that women make virtually all the decisions regarding both major and minor family purchases, including; personal care products, groceries, vacation destinations, computers, home improvements, new car purchases, even home purchases, themselves and much more. In fact, women make up 85 percent of all brand purchases, amounting to almost two trillion dollars.

Despite the proof, a great deal of marketers still don’t appeal to female sensibilities. Making matters worse, they often tries to be so tough to appeal to men, that they inadvertently turn women off. This is a huge missed opportunity. Successful marketers don’t ignore the power of women’s purchasing authority, and they address the issue head on. This doesn’t mean that every product should be in a pink package. It means marketers need to have a better understanding of whose making the final purchasing decision, and what motivates the buyer, not just the end user. Having a strategic and creative team that understand how to speak to these gatekeepers while not alienating the men that use the products is crucial. Working with an advertising agency owned and managed by women that have the personal experience as gatekeepers themselves is a reasonable first step and can be a huge asset.

Smart agencies know the Internet is an excellent place to reach women these days. Whether inside or outside of the home, women are multi-tasking on laptops, desktops and hand-held devices. If you aren’t reaching out and developing relationships with women through these media, you aren’t making nice to the gatekeepers.

The new hot place to shop is on a keyboard. According to Inc. magazine, “Women will continue to flock to the on-line platform that allows them to save time researching and buying.” Women are not just shopping for themselves they are shopping for their husbands, children, friends and other family members. It only makes sense to tailor more and more ads to appeal to these all-powerful decision-makers.

Make nice to the gatekeepers and you’ll reap the rewards.