47% of women of childbearing age in the US do not have kids.
Having the perfect marriage and the nuclear family of two parents, 2.5 kids, and a house in the suburbs is no longer the ideal of many women. There is now a significant portion of women who are not marrying, marrying later, living single, living with a same-sex partner, divorced, or widowed. One-third of all women, or 19 million women, do not have children.
Here are some of the insights about these independent women who are not parents.
1. Well educated and Smart. The research found that 75 percent of women without children had some college or above, compared to 67 percent of women with kids. Additionally, 37 percent have a Bachelor Degree or higher while almost 10 percent have an advanced or professional degree.
2. Social Clout. These women have an extremely large social network consisting of more than 1500 friends and followers across several social media platforms. She spends approximately the same amount of time on social networks as moms (28 hours per week!) but her choices might be less Facebook and more Pinterest.
3. Spending More Per Person. She is spending outspending mom on a per person basis. She is spending double on beauty and personal care and 35% more per person on groceries. She is more likely to shop in a drugstore than a Wal-Mart or Target. She has a monthly budget and she uses coupons. She is slightly more likely to compare prices online.
4. Finding Success, Then Love. The top priorities in her life are career success and love. Oh, and love does not necessarily mean marriage. They rank marriage and having kids well behind finding love. Many want to establish their careers before they consider marriage. It’s more about self-reliance.
Dr. Janet Taylor observes, “Having it all doesn’t just mean you are a working woman who is a mom, having it all means having a life that has meaning and purpose. If you are single and childless, you can still have that.”
5. Loving Children. The study found that children play an active role in the lives of 80 percent of non-moms. And 36% of non-moms are voluntarily without children. When asked if they wanted children of their own, the group had diverse answers. While being an aunt is enough for some, nearly half (46%) of non-moms want to be mothers. Some 18 percent are on undecided. For those undecided or do not want children, giving up their freedom was the number one reason non-moms were hesitant about having children.
6. Free to Travel. Women are living an independent lifestyle, traveling more often and many times alone. Fifty-nine percent say travel is a passion. Non-moms spend 60% more days abroad per year than moms, and those that are in a relationship spend more than twice as much time away with their partner than mom.
7. Happy and Fulfilled. Non-moms can find happiness in rich and intimate friendships, meaningful careers, lives of adventure, and love in different forms. There is no longer a stereotype that having children is the only path – 80 percent of non-moms felt they could lead a happy life without children, whether or not they want children of their own.
How to Reach these Independent Women
• Show her life with authenticity. Don’t focus just on the work component.
• Celebrate her independence, resilience and autonomy.
• Recognize her influence online and her taste.
• Look for opportunities to market to her like solo travel experiences.
• Segment her psychographic group as a target audience, looking at her buying habits and needs.
