16 Impactful Women’s Day Marketing Ideas for Small and Midsize eCommerce Stores

For small and midsize eCommerce store owners, International Women’s Day isn’t just a chance to celebrate—it’s a golden opportunity to connect with your audience, empower communities, and foster enduring brand loyalty. Beyond generic discounts and messages, crafting a Women’s Day marketing campaign that resonates is key. 

This blog presents 16 actionable ideas tailored for smaller eCommerce businesses to make their Women’s Day marketing truly meaningful:

1. Empowerment Discounts
2. Feature Women-Owned Brands
3. Create a Women’s Day Collection
4. Social Media Campaigns
5. Partner with Social Media Influencers
6. Limited Edition Products
7. Customer Appreciation Gifts
8. Highlight Women in Your Team
9. Create Inspiring Content
10. Collaborate with Non-Profits
11. Women’s Day Gift Guides
12. Limited-Time Deals
13. Inclusive Language and Imagery
14. Create Social Media Challenges
15. Collaborate with Prominent Females
16. Amplify Customer Voices

So, let’s dive into some examples of how brands around the world market their products on International Women’s Day. 

Empowerment Discounts

Offer special discounts on products that empower women. Highlight these deals to show your support for the occasion.

For example, a website development company in India offered their services at a 50% discount to empower women business owners. 

Feature Women-Owned Brands

Showcase and collaborate with women-owned brands, emphasizing their products on your website or through joint promotions.

The famous California-based Shark Tank featured cookie company, The Dirty Cookie, did the same. 

In 2021, the website featured a blog, Celebrating Women-Owned Businesses On International Women’s Day. 

Create a Women’s Day Collection

Curate a dedicated collection featuring products tailored to women’s interests, from fashion and beauty to tech and lifestyle items.

In 2023, the Vancouver-based, women-led hoodie maker company Aritzia celebrated Women’s Day in their own style. 

They launched their signature hoodies with a printed quote, “Women to the power of women.”

Social Media Campaigns

Develop engaging social media campaigns that celebrate women, utilizing hashtags and interactive content to encourage user participation.

LinkedIn’s inaugural global International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021 campaign spotlighted the personal journeys of seven women worldwide, addressing pandemic challenges. 

With COVID-19 affecting women’s job security, LinkedIn honored women’s achievements and emphasized the power of a supportive “community.” Featuring female community members showcased a tangible commitment to gender equality, leaving a positive impression on customers, especially women.

Partner with Influencers

Collaborate with female influencers who align with your brand. Have them share and promote your Women’s Day deals to their followers.

For instance, a Spanish shoe brand, Pedro Garcia, collaborated with the famous and beautiful Natalie Lin Suarez, a Mexican model, singer, and dancer with 1 million followers.

Now, you might not have a budget to hire expensive influencers, but a little bit of research goes a long way.

Keep these points in mind while collaborating with influencers for your small business eCommerce marketing:

• Set Goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve with the collaboration.
• Know Your Audience: Choose influencers whose followers match your target customers.
• Check Engagement: Look for influencers with active and engaged followers.
• Authenticity Counts: Collaborate with influencers who genuinely align with your brand.
• Review Past Work: Consider influencers with a positive track record.
• Diversity Matters: Explore influencers from diverse backgrounds for a wider reach.
• Clear Communication: Be transparent about expectations, deliverables, and compensation.
• Budget Wisely: Determine a realistic budget based on your business size.
• Build Relationships: Consider long-term partnerships for consistent brand promotion.
• Content Quality: Ensure the influencer’s content aligns with your brand aesthetics.
• Legal Clarity: Draft clear contracts outlining terms and usage rights.
• Monitor Metrics: Establish key performance indicators to track campaign success.
• Creativity Matters: Allow influencers creative freedom for authentic content.
• Post-Campaign Analysis: Evaluate the impact of each collaboration for future improvements.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with legal guidelines and disclosure requirements.
• Use Influencer Platforms: Explore influencer marketing platforms for streamlined collaboration.
• Niche Relevance: Prioritize influencers within your industry for a more targeted audience.
• Stay Trendy: Collaborate with influencers who embrace Instagram trends and features.
• Test and Learn: Experiment with different collaborations and continuously refine your approach.

Limited Edition Products

Design exclusive Women’s Day-themed products or packaging, creating a sense of urgency and uniqueness for your customers.

It is still a couple of weeks to go for the Women’s Day. Yet brands are out there already promoting exclusive collections and limited edition products. 

Take Clinique, for instance. The world-famous skincare brand is promoting its number one moisturizer and number one makeup remover together in a limited edition packaging. 

The packaging showcases beautiful women-centric art by the famous artist Elen Winata. 

Customer Appreciation Gifts

Offer free, small gifts or personalized thank-you notes with purchases made during the Women’s Day campaign.

Like what Macy’s did this year!

Macy’s is offering an 11-piece gift on every purchase of $100. Well, that is an offer no woman can deny. You can too, offer freebies on a purchase of a specific amount or more, or on everything, straight flat. Your business, your call. 

Highlight Women in Your Team

Introduce the women behind your brand through social media posts or blog features, sharing their roles and contributions.

Heineken’s #BreaktheBias campaign features inspiring stories from their women leaders, showcasing diversity and empowering others.

Why it works:

• Authentic & relatable: Showcasing real stories from your team fosters a genuine connection with your audience.
• Promotes gender equality: Sends a powerful message of support and inclusion, resonating with diverse customers.
• Connects with a wider audience: People connect with human stories, attracting not just women but anyone who values diversity and empowerment.
• Boosts employee morale: Recognizing and celebrating their contributions fosters a positive work environment and loyal employees.
• Cost-effective: Leverages your existing team, avoiding expensive celebrity endorsements or elaborate campaigns.
• Unique perspective: Offers fresh insights and diverse voices to your brand narrative, setting you apart from competitors.
• Organic reach potential: Stories shared by employees and their networks can generate wider reach and engagement.
• Talent acquisition: Showcases your commitment to diversity and inclusion, attracting top female talent for future growth.

Create Inspiring Content

Develop blog posts, videos, or infographics that highlight inspirational stories of women in your industry or related fields.

For example, Keds’ Made for Women campaign heavily emphasizes establishing the true definition of being a woman. 

The latest infographic by Ked, spells out the ‘What does it mean to be a woman?’

Collaborate with Non-Profits

Partner with women-focused non-profit organizations, donating a percentage of sales to support their initiatives.

Here’s how:

• Raise awareness: Address critical issues like the gender pay gap, harassment, and domestic violence, sparking meaningful conversations.
• Support a cause: Partner with a charity aligned with your brand values, encouraging customer donations throughout the month or on March 8th.
• Showcase real stories: Feature inspiring stories and achievements of women within your company or community, fostering connection and celebrating diversity.
• Offer value beyond discounts: Go beyond generic sales and offer meaningful resources, workshops, or educational content relevant to women’s empowerment.

Keds’ collaboration with Dress for Success exemplifies this approach. Their one-day campaign donated a portion of sales to support women in achieving career success, aligning perfectly with their brand and target audience.

Remember: A well-crafted email subject line is key. Create a sense of urgency and highlight the cause to capture attention and encourage action.

Women’s Day Gift Guides

Create gift guides featuring your products, making it easy for customers to find the perfect Women’s Day gifts.

Creating a curated gift guide, like L’Oreal Paris does every year, can be a powerful marketing tool and a valuable resource for your customers.

Here’s how to craft a winning gift guide like L’Oreal Paris:

• Know your audience: Tailor your guide to specific demographics or interests. 
• Highlight diverse products: Showcase a variety of products within your category, offering options for different budgets and preferences. 
• Focus on the benefits: Don’t just list products; explain how they can benefit the recipient.
• Offer personalization tips: Suggest how to personalize the gift based on the recipient’s individual needs and preferences. 
• Leverage visuals: Use high-quality images and engaging descriptions to showcase the products. 
• Promote the guide: Share your gift guide across various platforms, including your website, social media, and email marketing campaigns. 

Limited-Time Discounts and Offers

Many businesses offer special promotions and discounts to celebrate International Women’s Day. These offers are typically limited in time and may only be available for a specific period, like a week or a day. They can also be limited in quantity, meaning the offer may only apply to the first few customers or until stocks run out.

Autonomous’ 2023 International Women’s Day promotion serves as a good example of how businesses can utilize limited-time discounts and deals strategically.

They effectively leveraged the concept of limited-time offers to potentially attract new customers, boost sales, and generate brand awareness within a relevant audience segment.

Benefits of Limited Discounts & Deals:

• Attract customers: These offers can attract new customers and encourage existing customers to make purchases.
• Increase sales: Limited-time offers can create a sense of urgency. The value of FOMO is too much here.
• Brand awareness: Promotions can generate buzz and increase brand awareness, especially when shared on social media.

Important to Remember:

• Always clearly communicate the terms and conditions of your offer, including the duration, limitations, and any exclusions.
• Ensure your offer aligns with your brand values and resonates with your target audience.
• Don’t rely solely on discounts to attract customers. Focus on offering quality products, excellent customer service, and a positive brand image.

Inclusive Language and Imagery

Review and update your website and marketing materials to ensure they are inclusive, avoiding gender stereotypes and biases.

Younger generations, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are scrutinizing brand messaging around International Women’s Day more than ever. A significant jump in expecting brands to address diversity and inclusion is seen as you move down the age groups, with 76% of Gen Zers compared to 63% of Gen Xers demanding action.

International Women’s Day presents a powerful opportunity for brands to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion. But simply throwing out generic messaging won’t cut it anymore, especially with younger generations who demand authenticity and action.

Let’s take a look at how Netflix successfully navigated this challenge in 2021:

• Going beyond words: They launched an initiative to support female filmmakers, providing funding for identification, training, and work placements. This demonstrates concrete action towards fostering inclusivity.
• Long-term commitment: Pledging $20 million annually for five years signifies a sustained effort to empower diverse storytellers, not just a one-time gesture.
• Amplifying diverse voices: Sharing a film celebrating women’s achievements in film, narrated by a prominent female director, further amplifies their commitment to inclusivity.

Here’s the takeaway:

Younger audiences are holding brands accountable for their social responsibility. Make sure your International Women’s Day efforts are meaningful and aligned with your brand identity to resonate with these critical consumers.

Create Social Media Challenges

Launch challenges on social media platforms that encourage users to share their stories or experiences related to women’s empowerment.

Let’s explore how Fabletics, an activewear brand known for inclusivity, used a social media challenge to achieve this:

Fabletics’ Challenge:

• Focus: Empowering real women to share words of affirmation.
• Platform: Instagram Stories.
• Call to action: Women were encouraged to share their stories and positive messages.

Why it worked:

• Aligned with brand values: Highlighting real women aligns perfectly with Fabletics’ commitment to inclusivity.
• Authentic voices: Featuring user-generated content showcases diverse experiences and resonates with the audience.
• Engagement: The challenge encouraged participation and interaction, fostering a strong connection with the brand.
• Recognition & appreciation: Highlighting these contributions acknowledges the women behind the stories, further strengthening the brand-customer relationship.

Key Takeaways:

• Challenge Design: Craft a challenge that aligns with your brand values and encourages genuine participation from your audience.
• Embrace Authenticity: Utilize user-generated content to showcase real stories and diverse experiences.
• Foster Engagement: Encourage interaction and participation to build stronger connections with your audience.
• Show Appreciation: Acknowledge and value the contributions of those who participate, demonstrating genuine care.

Collaborate with Prominent Females

Commission female artists to create unique designs or artwork for your products or marketing materials.

International Women’s Day provides a platform for brands to celebrate remarkable women and advocate for equality. 

Here’s how Barbie, known for empowering young girls, successfully utilized influencer marketing for their 2023 campaign:

The goal of the campaign was to inspire younger generations to engage with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.

Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock, a renowned British space scientist, became the face of the campaign.

Key Takeaways:

• Align with a cause: Choose a theme that resonates with your brand values and supports a worthy cause.
• Authentic partnerships: Select influencers whose values and expertise align with your campaign goals.
• Inspiring stories: Leverage the power of personal stories to connect with the audience and evoke emotional engagement.
• Educational value: Infuse your campaign with educational messages to create long-term impact.

Amplify Customer Voices

Encourage your customers to share their Women’s Day experiences, their values or thoughts on a trending global or regional discussion or product reviews, amplifying their voices through the various marketing channels.

PwC’s approach to International Women’s Day exemplifies how to empower customer voices effectively.

Focus on Research and Insights:

• Leveraging existing data: PwC utilizes its Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey, a credible source with a large sample size (52,000 respondents), to generate research-based insights on women’s empowerment.
• Gender-focused perspective: They specifically analyze data from the 22,000 female respondents, offering valuable insights into their experiences and perspectives.
• Transparency and methodology: Sharing details about the survey and methodology fosters trust and clarity about the data presented.

Key Takeaways:

• Utilize existing insights: Leverage existing data and research to support your message with evidence.
• Focus on a specific segment: Analyze data from a relevant customer segment to provide targeted and impactful insights.
• Offer transparent methodology: Clearly explain your research process to build trust and credibility.
• Amplify diverse voices: Share authentic stories from various individuals to showcase a broader perspective.
• Encourage further engagement: Provide opportunities for deeper exploration to keep the conversation going.

Conclusion

As we celebrate the strength and resilience of women on International Women’s Day, these 16 strategies are designed to empower small eCommerce businesses in their marketing endeavors. We believe in the transformative power of commerce, and at QeRetail, we’re here to support your journey.

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