Book excerpt: Women are responsible for making 80% of all purchasing decisions. In short, this makes women the most valuable consumer group in the world. This book, by two leading marketing practitioners, shows companies how to create marketing strategies and brands that will speak powerfully to women. Many marketing and branding strategies attempt to please all of the people all of the time. The authors here demonstrate that the best marketing ideas fall out of understanding the differences between people. The most profound difference is their gender. A deep understanding of this difference can lead to more relevant, meaningful ideas, that will contribute more signficantly to a brand’s success. For example, recent research indicates that women live by four main codes – the Altruism, Aesthetic, Ordering and Affinity codes – which play a significant role in the way women judge and purchase goods and services. Brands or products that successfully reflect these codes will be the ones that stand out.