Sometimes the best laid plans of column writers go askew. It was my intention to write about how a growing percentage of women are purchasing grills for themselves, and how grill retailers shouldn’t ignore this segment of the population. And while that’s partly true, I’ve come to find out that I may actually be ahead of the curve with this idea. 

While there may not be long lines of women snaking out the doors at barbecue retailers, there appears to be something going on, as validated by a number of grill product manufacturers, retailers and bloggers I’ve spoken with.

The trend of breaking through the smoke ceiling appears to have taken hold primarily in Southern states. Robert Bailey, co-owner of Fireplaces, Grills and More in Augusta, Ga., said he’s noticed a definite uptick in the number of woman grill purchasers. “We have seen more women customers over the last couple of years. They’re shopping for themselves, as opposed to for someone else, say a husband or boyfriend,” Bailey said. 

Lindsey Walker, manager of BBQ Outfitters in Austin, Texas, has also noticed an increase in the number of women coming into his story to purchase a grill. “They’re most typically purchasing either a gas or pellet grill,” Walker said. “They’re looking for a product that will look good on their patio, and provide ease of use.”

Meanwhile, San Bernardino Fireplace & Barbecue store manager Jon Harmon said that isn’t true for his store. “The majority of our grill purchasers still are men,” he said. “Now, they might bring their wives or girlfriends in with them, but the guy is still the primary decision-maker.” 

Up in Alaska at The Woodway, barbecue department manager Melissa Johnston’s opinion matched that of Harman’s. “It’s mostly guys buying grills from us,” she said. “Sometimes a gal will come in and purchase an accessory or some fuel, but overall, barbecue and grill buying up here is still a guy thing.”

Still, this is a segment of the population that shouldn’t be ignored by grill retailers. One of the pieces of information that gave fire to this column idea is the fact that a growing number of U.S. households are headed solely by women. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of households headed by females with no spouse present increased from just over 12 million in 2000 to more than 13 million households in 2010, a growth rate of 18% in 10 years. 

Candy Sue Weaver, general manager of BBQ’rs Delight Pellets, agrees to a point. “Thirty percent of our customer database is women,” she told me. “Whether or not they are making the purchase for someone else, we’re not sure.”Weaver, who is also past president of the Kansas City Barbecue Society, said while there are women involved in competition barbecuing, she doesn’t see their numbers increasing with any sort of velocity.

Diane Mee, head cook of Lake House competition barbecue team in Washington state, also confirmed that assessment. “You’re more likely to see women helping their husbands who are competition chefs, rather than women being the head chef of their own teams,” she said.

That’s not to say that there aren’t all women or women-led teams. Multiple Grand Champion winner of Memphis in May, Melissa Cookson immediately comes to mind. As does Leanne Whippen, who’s been featured on the BBQ Pitmasters cable series, and owns the popular Chicago Q restaurant.

Joining these women are barbecuing and grilling luminaries such as Elizabeth Karmel, who launched her Girls At The Grill website in 2001, one of the first such sites aimed at women and grilling. Joining her in the promotion of all things fire includes author/blogger Julie Reinhardt of “She Smoke” fame, blogger Robyn Medlin Lindars AKA Grillgrrrl, Que Queens’ Judith Fertig and Karen Adler, and Carolyn Wells, executive director of the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Each of these women is providing a growing voice for outdoor cooking in all of its aspects.

I believe that there’s a broad base of opportunity for grill retailers to reach out to this segment of the population. What once was a function primarily dominated by men, is now becoming all inclusive with women joining the ranks of outdoor cooking aficionados. Knowing how to sell to this segment is also important. 

Candy Sue Weaver advises retailers to “keep in mind that women want the salesperson to treat them no differently than a man. Women want to know about the quality of the product, how it functions and how to get the most out of a grill’s features.”

The fundamentals of selling to women are the same as selling to men. Having in-depth product knowledge, being able to demonstrate and explain the important features of the product, and explaining the benefits of the features. In addition to this foundation of knowledge, stressing the safety of pellet grills, their ease of use and cooking versatility help to round out the essentials of what should be covered when selling to women.

Holding special “Ladies Night” functions or classes conducted by a local female chef or competition barbecuer are great ways to attract more women to your store. Become a guest speaker at women’s clubs or events and establish yourself as the local barbecue/grilling expert. It’s a great way to meet potential new customers. 

This segment of the consumer population represents a wellspring of untapped sales potential for you. Don’t ignore them. You could be missing out on some great sales potential.