According to NetSmart Research, a New York-based firm that specializes in surveys with strategies and tactics for Internet sites, women online wear at least five different hats:

          * Ms. Biz (Career Woman)
          * Dr. Mom (Mother)
          * Household CEO (Purchase/Investment Decision Maker)
          * Midnight Shopper (Online Buyer)
          * "Time Out for Me" (Escape/Self-Indulgence)

NetSmart III, the first report to take a marketing approach to female Internet research, says that over 40% of online users are women, up from 25% just two years ago. This unique study identifies the average female user as: 41 years old, has a household income of $63,000, and spends six hours a week online at home.

The Internet has historically been male-dominated -- developed by men for men. Then why is it that women are increasingly coming to the Internet? NetSmart III outlines three primary roles the Internet plays in women's lives: convenience, empowerment, and fun.

Convenience: women use the PC as the newest time-saving household appliance. Over 91% of women surveyed want to simplify their lives by taking control and saving time.  Empowerment: instead of going from store to store, women are clicking from site to site. While women may not make major purchases online, they do indicate that the Internet is where they make up their minds about products. Fun: women use the Internet at home for "time out for me" and use apparel, cosmetic, skin care, and fragrance sites for new product news and expert advice.

What makes women click?  Women thrive on relationships. And one-to-one interactions greatly enhance the experience.  The Internet is the first medium that enables advertisers to establish actual interactive relationships. So the key to successful female Internet sites is deceptively simple - RELATIONSHIPS.

NetSmart III has developed a comprehensive, six-step program to build I.N.S.I.D.E. relationships with women:

          * Initiate the relationship (home page/banner tactics)
          * Nurture the relationship (navigation/content recommendations)
          * Sustain the relationship (interactive strategies)
          * Invigorate the relationship (new products and value added extras)
          * Deepen the relationship (motivating survey questions)
          * Extend the relationship (keys to ongoing contact)