Knowing What Moms are Doing Today can Generate Sales for You Tomorrow

Spring is upon us  and while many marketers plan based on a retail calendar, we challenge you to think like a mom. Knowing what’s on her “to-do “ list today can impact your bottom line tomorrow.
Here’s where the opportunities lie today for marketers.

1)      Easter Baskets-  Moms are frantically searching for small, fun items to fill their children’s baskets.  If you are a toy company with a product under $10, this is the perfect season to become a Peter Cottontail solution! Healthy, kid-friendly snacks and spring clothing companies can also take advantage of a Mom’s need to find special tokens for her children.

2)      Graduation- The gift-giving needs of moms don’t just include college and high school graduates.  Thanks to the desire to share the milestones of their children, moms now throw special events for nursery school, elementary and middle school graduations. This is a great time for school supply, technology and keepsake brands to let moms know you are here and ready to meet their gift-giving needs.

3)      Summer Camp and Activity Planning- In a short few weeks, the school bell will ring for its final time and moms will be challenged to entertain children for the summer.  Now is the time that she is seeking out camps that aren’t already filled and booking daytime activities to keep her attention hungry kids busy.

4)      Summer School- In some parts of the US, summer means school.  North Carolina moms, among others, are on year-round school and it’s time to restock the pencils, pens and notebooks. For college-bound graduates, it means stocking their dorm rooms. Moms are already looking for deals on bed sheets, college tools and new technology to send with their young adults.

5)      Summer Eating- The sun is extending the days for moms and this means her cooking pattern changes.  In a recent survey by BSM Media, mom confirmed that the summer means a change in the foods she buys and the dinners she serves.  Moms are grilling out more and purchasing more "on the go" foods as her family goes in different directions with the relaxed schedule of summer. She prefers lighter foods and individually packaged snacks.

6)      Organization- This is the time of the year when mom is getting organized. She’s putting away the winter clothes that her family barely wore this year and attempting to get organized before her children get out of school.  If you are a solution for packing away sweaters or clearing off counter tops, now is the time to reach out with your brand.

7)      Travel- I left the most obvious for last.  Moms are finalizing their summer travel plans. However, you don’t have to be an exotic beach destination to get her attention.  With gas prices high and time short, local amusement areas and state parks have the opportunity to lure mom and the family.  She’s looking for experiences that are memorable, affordable and fun.

Keeping in step with moms is one of the most important tactics of marketing to her.  Leverage these insights to speak in a meaningful and relevant manner that’s timely and solution-driven and you’ll be successful in marketing with moms.
 

Father Knows Best ... With The Help Of A Smartphone And Social Media

More and more, we are reading articles and blog posts about the changing roles of fathers in today’s family. Everyone seems to agree that today’s fathers are more involved and active in their role as parent and caregiver. Last month, in cooperation with the Marketing to Moms Coalition, we fielded a survey of 100 social media-savvy dads to get a sense of how technology played a part in daily fatherhood. Here are some of the results.

Smartphones Rule

Close to 70% of Dads indicate that they own a smartphone and use it for shopping, with the most popular use listed as “looking up store locations and hours.” Guess this dispels the myth that men don’t ask for directions. Other popular smartphone uses include keeping family and work schedules (48%) and managing grocery lists and using online coupons (37%).

Social Media in the Spotlight

More Dads than ever are using online tools and social media to get information, communicate with others and save money.

• Online coupons are very popular, with almost 79% of Dads admitting they use email coupons, email offers, blog/deal sites and search engines for specific coupons.
• Ninety-three percent use Facebook and 72% use Twitter to communicate with friends and family.
• Almost 40% of these Dads “like” over 20 brands on Facebook, with 85% liking a brand “whose products/services (they) prefer.” In a close second, 81% of Dads like a brand that offers deals, discounts and coupons.
• 62% post on Facebook when they want to share with family and friends, most often posting pictures of family/friends or reposting news.

Dad’s social media and technology use closely reflects what we know of Mom’s use – both are rapidly increasing as parents seek time- and money-saving solutions, information and ways to share news.

As marketers looking for a connection with your consumer, you should use technology to create a relevant and meaningful dialogue to turn your Followers and Friends into loyal customers regardless is they are Mom or DAD.

Stop Calling Us "Mommy Bloggers"

I have the benefit of being a mom and a blogger. In fact, mom is the probably the title I am most proud of possessing. Last week, I even became a West Point Mom. I am also a blogger. However, I am also a podcaster, a radio talk show host, columnist, author and business owner.

And, in some ways, my roles outside of my blogs makes me more influential for the products I love. So if you had to put a name on me, what would it be? I can assure you it would not be "mommy blogger." No one calls me "mommy," not even my children these days. I prefer to be known as a Social Media Mom or even a Social Media Influencer.

I've never, however, liked to use myself as a focus group of one so, recently, I went out on my Facebook page, not my blog, to ask other moms who blog, what they prefer as a title. My mission was to validate a rumor I've heard among mom bloggers that they hate to be called, mommy bloggers. Here's what I got back, although I will use names or blogs to protect the very opinionated.

First of all, the topic was hot. In less than 15 minutes, I received more than 50 responses. I've summarized some of the common themes and comments.

1) All moms who blog are proud of being moms. Some didn't really care if they are called mommy or mom; what was important to them was that their role as a mom was recognized by brands and peers.

2) Many moms don't blog about parenting or children. These moms felt like the term mommy blogger was limiting and implied that they only blogged about diapers, toys and laundry.

3) Mom bloggers don't call each other mommy bloggers. This tells me a lot about the division between moms, marketers and brands. If you truly understand your consumer or target market, then you should at least use their language when you are speaking to them or about them. One popular mom who blogs said it best, "I don't like to be called mommy anything except by my children.”

4) Why don't companies and the media call dad bloggers, "daddy bloggers?" Good question. Many moms asked this question and left it at that.

5) Mom bloggers use mommy blogger only to open the door to media and brands. They know if they use the term, marketers will be more open to talk to them because, after all, it's a term marketers understand since they coined it.

6) Mommy blogger sounds condescending and doesn't represent the professionalism of moms who own blogs. This is perhaps the comment I heard the most. The media is to blame for breeding the sexiness of the term. It started with “mommy wars.” Sexy sells but, honestly, does anyone thing of their own mommy as sexy?

So what do you call a mom who blogs?

I bestowed the title of Social Media Moms on these women a few years ago. I also use Power Moms as I believe their influence goes well beyond social media audiences. There were several terms and titles offered up but the moms on my Facebook page. Social Media Influencers, lifestyle bloggers, writer, and blogger were among those suggested. However, the most popular of all was, "I am a mom and I am a blogger." I'll leave it at that.

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.

A Campaign That Honors, Empowers, Respects Mom

All too often, it seems that the media spotlight shines on marketing initiatives gone bad. Unfortunately, the same viral buzz that is created with a good mom marketing program can take a brand mistake and catapult it to another level. I'm not going to waste my words here recapping all the social media tragedies of big brands; instead, I want to focus on successes.

This week, the Marketing to Moms Coalition, a professional industry organization of which I am a proud founder, awarded its fifth annual H.E.R Award to Quaker Oats for its "Afterschool Rocks" campaign for Quaker Chewy Granola Bars. In the event you aren't aware of the coalition or its award, let me fill you in. The coalition is an independent organization dedicated to supporting and promoting an understanding of mothers as the most powerful consumer group in the United States. It serves as a resource for industry professionals and is dedicated to providing insights, identifying trends and connecting members. Membership is free and you can learn more here.

The H.E.R. Award is presented each year to a company that has executed a high-impact marketing campaign that honors, empowers and respects mothers. Past winners include Purex, Clorox, Sara Lee and Whirlpool. Quaker Oats Chewy Granola Bars now adds itself to the list of honorees.

The Quaker "Afterschool Rocks' rocked with moms because it identified a common behavior of this consumer group -- bonding with their children through music -- and leveraged it via multiple mediums. It integrated pop culture to engage the child and offered moms a philanthropic tie-in via a cause-marketing affiliation with the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit organization.

Quaker partnered with VerveLife, a tech-driven music marketing solution to offer exclusive video content from artists such as Jordin Sparks and Jason Derulo. The content smartly focused on the impact the moms of each of these artists had on their career positioning moms as a hero in the eyes of her child. Yay! A micro-site offered a library of 250 "mom approved" songs which could be downloaded.

In-store end-caps and on-package messaging spoke to mom while she was in the purchasing mode. According to Bill Fiely, director of Quaker Snack Bars, "The goal of the campaign was to use music to inspire healthy lifestyles, balanced nutrition and the importance of staying active afterschool." Congratulations, Bill, not only did you succeed in reaching your goal, but you did it in way that was creative, respectful of mom's desire to be cool, hip and up to date with her child's music and afterschool activities. You also elevated her in the eyes of her child.

Brands who want to successfully engage today's mothers need to create campaigns that empower mom to reach her goals. Universal among mothers are five key themes that motivate them toward reaching their goals. Pick one: Nurturing Relationships, Sharing, Doing it Better and Simpler, Raising Happy and Healthy Children, and The Sense of Accomplishment.

Quaker built its campaign on mom's goal of nurturing relationships. Marketing programs built on one of these key motivators and that deliver the message through multiple platforms allow brands to develop a dialogue with moms that is relevant, intuitive and valuable. Apply it to your next campaign and perhaps next year your brand will earn the H.E.R. Award.

Moms Shopping Trends: Online Trends and Seasonal Peaks

Last month, I wrote the first of a two-part article unveiling the results of a survey aimed at discovering any shifts in the shopping habits of the most powerful consumer group known as “Moms”. From the dozens of questions asked by BSM Media and Totsy.com to over 1,900 Moms, the results were sifted down into four key topics. Read about the first two topics; the impact of the recession and the emotions behind shopping, in April’s Engage post. The two remaining topics reveal online shopping patterns and the current trends in seasonal shopping occasions, with comparisons between generational groups.

Online Shopping Trends

It’s safe to say that almost every Mom has purchased an item online, because of cost-savings, the convenience of shopping from a desktop, finding the elusive toy-of-the-season or a combination of all three (or more). Different factors drive the family CFO to the Internet, but the fact that every Mom from every generation uses the Internet for purchases or research is a significant trend that is not going anywhere but up.

· Online research and online sales sites are the most popular methods moms use when finding deals on the Internet.

· The majority of women in the survey indicated that they occasionally shop at online sales sites, with Groupon leading the way as the most widely known.

· Clothing is the most popular item purchased from online sales sites. Moms are more likely to shop for themselves and their home via online sales sites, and less likely to purchase kid’s items.

· Generational comparisons show that Gen Y is the most prevalent generation using online sales sites, however Gen X accounts for nearly as many purchases. (Use these numbers for the generational splits: Gen Y and Millennial Moms were born in mid-1970s, Gen X Moms were born from 1976 back to 1965 and Boomer Moms were born between 1964 to 1946.)

· Clothing, home items and entertainment were the most popular items purchased in 2010, although GenX had an exceptional interest in food deals.

Seasonal and Holiday Spending

With a major spending occasion in every season, it’s appropriate to address holiday and seasonal shopping occasions – Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Summertime, and Back-to-School - which account for sales peaks that make or break retailers.

· In terms of overall gift buying at every holiday, toys are still the most popular product category. Between 50% and 75% of parents surveyed had purchased at least one toy online in 2010, with many Gen X and Boomer Moms allowing their children to help them with the online shopping, most likely due to the children’s ages.

· Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are two of the rare holidays that don’t involve toys. However, these holidays have more meaning with younger children, and moms are more likely to be treated to an experience and time together while Dads are more likely to receive a present relating to a hobby or activity. Both parents make sure their spouse unwraps a gift from the children, with handmade, keepsake gifts topping the list as most valuable.

· Summertime is a leading seasonal spending category, mostly focused on weather-appropriate clothing and entertainment. Moms indicated in the survey that books are the most popular item to keep children occupied during summer months, especially during travel. Toys and electronics ranked second after books. Comparing generations, Gen Y Moms are more likely to purchase toys and games for the summer months, while Gen X Moms frequently buy sports equipment.

· Back-to-School Spending is universal among Moms. Viewed as an opportunity to provide their child with a good start to the school year, Moms place the highest importance on clothing and school supplies. In the survey, 63% of Moms indicated they would purchase new items even though their child didn’t need them-an interesting perspective in a recession.

· Most Moms involve their children in shopping for school supplies, but reserve the final say at checkout.

Considering the recent economic crisis, it’s interesting to note that while three generations of mothers have altered their shopping patterns, Moms continue to spend money on their children and the home (putting personal purchases low on the list). Moms are turning to online sales sites, discount shopping and the Internet for the best price or research, with seasonal and holiday spending ranking high in the family budget. Are your online marketing strategies taking advantage of these trends?

Shopping Trends: A Fresh Look

Retailers are always looking for the answers to what drives Moms to purchase one product over another, what makes Moms loyal to a brand and, ultimately, what makes moms decide what to put in their shopping cart, either the one with four wheels or the one on the computer screen.

Recently, over 1,900 Moms across the U.S. completed an online survey conducted by Totsy.com and BSM Media, with results offering valuable insight on Mom's shopping habits and trends. Via dozens of survey questions, this is the first in a two-part series that offer a fresh look at the impact of the recession on moms and shopping, and the emotions behind shopping.

It's hard to find anyone not impacted by the current recession. As we optimistically look for the upswing in the economy, the lessons learned from the recent economic climate are lasting ones. The recession's impact on Moms and their shopping habits is reflected with the emergence of the Frugalista Mom, a discerning shopper who clips coupons, shops sales and prices and is proud of the money she saves at the cash register.

• When a Mom can save her family hundreds of dollars each year for a relatively small amount of time clipping coupons and comparing prices online, it's worth it to her as she becomes the financial hero of the house and feels a sense of pride for helping with the bottom line.

• Moms continue to spend for special occasions, with winter holidays and birthdays being occasions where they are most likely to splurge.

• 80% of Moms have adopted new techniques and plan to continue using them, including spending less, using more coupons and purchasing items when they are on sale. Generational differences emerged when Moms were asked to identify these money-saving techniques. To spend less overall, Boomer moms turn to generic products, bulk purchases and traditional in-store tactics compared to Generation X and Y moms, who are most likely to look for deals online using research and social media.

• Online private sales are emerging as a cost-savings technique with 32% of Moms surveyed using them, with the highest concentration among Generation Y moms.

• Where have moms reduced spending during the recession? Travel, entertainment and beauty products lead the list as the first items to get cut from the family budget. The majority of Moms admitted that they buy less for themselves and spend less on the items they purchase.

Finally, when asked to rank why one product goes in the cart before another, the majority of moms answered that price was the most important factor, with quality being a close second. Boomer moms focused on the overall value of a product, while younger moms valued a lower price tag.

Retail therapy is real. We've all heard this term that definitely resonates with moms. In the survey, we explored how emotions play a role in mom's shopping habits. Surprisingly, shopping is associated with a high level of stress for moms, though most moms responded that shopping is a mood booster.

• Moms feel a sense of accomplishment, especially when they get a good deal. To get those deals, 65% of moms surveyed preferred to shop regular retail, but on sale. A total of 88% described their preferred method of shopping as rational-spending -- a little money for a lot of product.

• Getting that good deal is held in high regard, similar to guiltless chocolate or a special night out with friends or family.

• Shopping as a mood booster for moms translated to 94% of respondents admitting to buying "feel good" purchases a few times each year.

• Generation X and Y moms make more "feel good" purchases than Boomer moms. Items that fit this category, ranked in order, are clothing, sweet treats and accessories such as shoes, handbags and jewelry.

• Even though most moms enjoy shopping, there is a certain level of stress associated with it, particularly when buying bathing suits, jeans and gifts for other people. One of the highest sources of stress? Buying gifts for spouses.

With these numbers in mind, take a look at how your marketing and media strategies align with how moms shop, both online and offline. In my next Engage:Moms post, I'll reveal the second part of the survey results that examine mom's habits in online vs. retail shopping and seasonal/holiday spending.