Quinlan_Interview

Why Mary Lou Quinlan is the "Apple of Our Eye"
The results are in—Mary Lou Quinlan, founder and CEO of Just Ask a Woman and author of Just Ask a Woman: Cracking the Code of What Women Want and What She’s Not Telling You: Why Women Hide the Whole Truth and What Marketers Can Do About It (our review was included in last week’s M2W®-HC™ E-ssentials), has been named the 2009 M2W®-HC™ Apple of Our Eye Award winner. Selected by conference attendees, the award was created to honor the presenter deemed to be the favorite among M2W®-HC™ participants. Mary Lou will receive an engraved crystal apple from the glass makers at Simon Pearce.

Mary Lou recently spoke with M2W®-HC™ E-ssentials editor Patti Minglin about some of the most common “Half Truths” healthcare professionals are hearing from women, what insight she gained from this year’s M2W®-HC™ and the fun of being a “truth detector” for marketers.

Patti Minglin: Congratulations on receiving the Apple of Our Eye Award. Why do you think your presentation on the “Half Truths” of women resonates so well with a healthcare-focused audience?

Mary Lou Quinlan: You know how marketers will sometimes joke, 'Well, what we do isn't a matter of life or death?' Well, with healthcare marketers, sometimes it is. And that's why it's critical for them to examine every single insight they base their decisions on...and ask, Am I believing a Half Truth? Or am I getting the Whole Truth that will lead to brand distinction, patient satisfaction and real results in human terms? So I think my remarks resonated because I was telling the unvarnished truth to smart people who knew I was hitting on a sensitive issue. And I hope I made it fun."

Minglin: Can you pull out 2 or 3 of the most common “Half Truths” that healthcare professionals may hear from women and tell us what the “Whole Truth” really is?

Quinlan: In our book, we categorize the motivators for women's Half Truth telling with the acronym of GAMES. Good Intentions, Approval Seeking, Martyrdom, Ego Protection and Secret Keeping. So, here are a few examples. Half Truths of Good Intentions that healthcare professionals hear (Avoidance) " I plan to lose weight or stop smoking each year."
Whole Truth: "I push it off for any excuse I can come up with."

Half Truth of Approval Seeking (Faux confidence): "I am empowered and ask my doctor for the test or product that I have learned about from my research." Whole Truth: "But if my doctor says I don't really need it, I back down and think about it some more."

And Half Truths of Secret Keeping (Hiding the Truth): "I am open about my symptoms and tell them completely."
Whole Truth: "I keep the embarrassing stuff to myself because they'd think I was crazy or weird."

Minglin: When I read your book, there were so many times I saw myself—not only as a marketer, but as a female consumer. And those insights you just mentioned…I’ve been guilty of them. Speaking of insight, what insight and/or connections did you personally receive from this year’s M2W®-HC™ conference?

Quinlan: I thought that a theme that was powerful was the creative new ways that marketers are using all media in fresh ways to connect with consumers. I found the audience very open and frank about their own challenges--which makes for a more meaningful experience any time!

Minglin: Anything new or exciting happening with Just Ask a Woman?

Quinlan: Well, our new book has garnered quite a bit of interest for us all both
as speakers and as truth detectors in various categories, healthcare among them (even breaking down what's working and not in clients' existing research). What's been especially fun is our way of keeping the cases fresh with a new blog on our site that takes aim at Half Truths we see in marketing every day. So hope you check out www.justaskawoman.com/wsnty for the Whole Truth and nothing but!

Minglin: I will most certainly check out your blog! Congratulations again on all of your success and for being the Apple of Our Eye!