Where Your Brand Needs to Be in 2012

There have been lots of predictions about moms in the New Year: how moms are shopping, what they will buy and what you should be doing to connect with them. I decided to focus on the "where" in the formula of how to market with moms. Even the best tactics will miss the target if they are executed in the wrong environment.

You've heard it a hundred times that moms are a moving target, always on the go and constantly connected via numerous technology tools. Deploying the right marketing strategy that engages moms in a relevant dialogue with you and your brand is essential to earning her loyalty. Here's where you need to be in 2012:

1) On YouTube- As the second largest search engine, YouTube provides moms an easy way to not only search for products, but to also learn how to use them. Create short videos - less than 3 minutes - that tell moms how to create solutions with your product. Use mom vloggers or mom employees to produce videos in order to create a relevant connection with the female audience.

2) On Pinterest- If you haven't discovered this hot, new social media community yet, make it a New Year's Resolution. This is not only where moms are migrating for ideas and product suggestions, but it's cool to her ‘tween and teenage kids as well. The next time a mom blogger tells you she loves your product, ask her to "pin" it on her Pinterest bulletin board.

3) In Her Home- An article by the Associate Press last week, titled “Why Are Toys Selling Out? Might be Mommy Blog Buzz” , focused on the success of LeapPad Explorers and their popularity, thanks to the buzz created by MommyParties . It's using the fun of Tupperware parties without the pressure to buy items. Allowing moms to test and share your product in a social setting is an effective way to fully engage mothers in peer marketing.

4) In Her Email Box: We often forget the power of email, however moms are still reading emails several times a day. In fact, most moms say they learn about sales and promotions via email. They also say they don't want numerous emails promoting the same deal or emails that have no relevance to their lives. In other words, don't send a mother with teenagers an email promoting baby food. An “unsubscribe” is sure to happen, followed by a delete of your company from her buy list.

5) At Smaller Niche Conferences: Brands love to sponsor conferences but often do so without a plan or strategy behind it. Sometimes bigger is not better. There are over 30 mom blogger and social media conferences in 2012. Some of the smaller, more intimate conferences can provide you a better platform to truly ENGAGE with the moms in attendance. It's not about being a logo on a brochure, but rather truly engaging with the moms who are at the conference. There are conferences for Christian Moms, Frugal Moms, Video Moms and many others. Look for the conference that fits your brand and message.

6) On Her iPad: “There's an app for that” and moms on average have 31 of them on her iPad. One third of the apps on her ipad are there at the request of her children. Make sure you are among the solution-oriented apps that she downloads to her wireless device in 2012.

7) On iTunes: More and more moms are listening to podcasts. It's easy and inexpensive to create a podcast for your brand. Consider what solutions you can offer mom and pull up a microphone. For example, if you are a car company, create product podcasts on travel ideas or destinations for families. If you are a food brand, consider a cooking podcast. If you can't find a radio guru in your hallways, think about contracting with a mom podcaster to host your show for you.

I wish everyone a successful 2012. Remember, it's about engaging instead of connecting, relevance instead of inundating, relationships instead of quick hits. With these strategies, you'll find 2012 as your best year ever in the mom market.

Dusting Off the Crystal Ball for 2011

Every January, I make predictions as to trends within the mom market and how companies might better connect with mothers in the coming year. However, what I've come to realize is that most marketing professionals are actually putting their finishing touches on their 2011 Mom Marketing plans now, making predictions for next year more timely and relevant. So why wait? Halloween is over, Christmas ads are fattening our Sunday papers already and moms are already exhibiting the behaviors I believe will drive the smartest marketing tactics for 2011.

1. Moms will hit the big screen, well the computer screen at least. Online mom broadcasting will become as popular and common as blogging. You see it with the emergence of The Pulse Network, the continued growth of MomTV and the expansion of most mom bloggers into " their blog name + tv.com". More and more moms are discovering the ease of connecting with their peers face to face via video chat, webisodes and online digital content. This means that companies will quickly follow in their desire to be a part of these digital communities. Marketers should begin to recognize that online video doesn't have to be professionally produced to be effective in capturing the attention of mothers and that enlisting moms to step in front of the camera to talk about your brand can be a great buzz builder.

2. Local will become the new global. Many of the most popular global and national mom bloggers are beginning to realize that they influence as many local moms as they do moms across the US. At the same time, they are also getting requests from local businesses to help them tap the mom market and localize social media. Moms are reacting by creating local sites that are scalable yet focus on an individual city or region. Two examples include Sarah Pinnix who gained popularity with her blog, RealLifeBlog.net and now with her local site, NC Blog Buzz Network and Andrea Deckard whose first blog, MommySnacks.net attracted brands like Pepsi and Disney and has since launched The Savings Lifestyle featuring Cincinatti.com, a local blog network. Both of these secondary sites contain local advertisement and attract moms in the local community.

3. There's a Mom-App for that. Moms love applications. Why? Because most of the apps they are downloading help them save time or money. Marketers need to recognize an application as another way to deliver relevant content to a mother and a means to continue a valuable dialogue. Remember the application doesn't necessarily need to be pushing content out but can be a branded tool that makes sense for you to sponsor.

4. Four-square for product, pricing and availability. Technology will finally catch up with moms who already tweet when they find a great price on bread at Wal-Mart or find a scarce toy on the shelf at Target during the holidays. In 2011, we will see moms covering each other's backs by sharing best price and product availability news all in one place. Currently this information is available, but scattered among niche topic blogs or Silicon Valley start-ups trying to race to market with the hottest new tool for moms. The problem with the latter lies with middle age or college men trying to imitate word of mom with databases and testosterone (no offense to anyone).

5. Companies will finally recognize Moms as business owners, inventors and professionals. I actually predicted this trend in 2010, 2009 and 2008. I actually have had it on my list since 1999. I think it's me, throwing it out there each year hoping it will be the year it finally happens. For the companies who do connect with moms as business owners, the payoff is great. This year, Kimberly Clark (through the Huggies brand) launched HuggiesMomInspired.com, a program that awards grants to worthy mom inventors. They awarded their first round of grants last month to 15 moms who have produced millions of online impressions via Facebook, Twitter, Websites and Blogs. Additionally, Kimberly Clark has won several industry awards for this innovative program. Supporting moms as business owners is a wide-open opportunity (but not for long) and allows brands to demonstrate their support of mompreneurs on a whole new platform.

It's my hope that I am sharing these insights with you soon enough to impact your 2011 marketing plans. Take a look at the programs and campaigns you conducted in 2010. Are the technologies and tactics outdated or have they passed the test of time? If it's time to try something new, you have five great ways to tap the mom market in 2011.