5 Key Tips for Marketing to Moms

Moms are a gateway to sales. Women make many of the purchasing decisions in a household, and oftentimes that woman is a mom. So, for brands, earning a mom’s attention can be a gold mine as well as a path to other moms.

However, reaching moms in an increasingly connected world is a challenge all marketers face. Moms are constantly on the run and experts at multitasking, so finding and engaging them is no small feat for brands.

I am the senior vice president of ad product strategy at Pandora and I also happen to be the mother of three wild boys. Both of these roles have helped me uncover significant ways to help brands resonate with moms.

So, in honor of Mother’s Day, because everyone loves moms – including marketers – I am excited to highlight five key tips for marketing to this powerful consumer force.

1. Make It Mobile

If your marketing campaign isn’t optimized for mobile, make that your first priority. Seventy percent of moms own a smartphone, compared to 60 percent of the population at large. And 83 percent of moms who own a smartphone say it is within arm’s length “always or most of the time,” according to research from Edison.

Because of this, mobile is a must-have for marketers looking to reach key mom audiences. And when doing so, it is important to consider things like time of day and activity-based ads (e.g. is she is working out, cooking at home, or at work?) in order to deliver brand messages in context within the mobile landscape.

2. Kid-Friendly Creative in a Connected World

With the explosion of connected devices, from thermostats, to speakers, to wearables, to cars, and so much more, there are more and more opportunities for brands to connect with moms throughout their day. Moms are beginning to expect a fully connected experience and it is essential for brands to find seamless ways to join them.

It’s also important for marketers to remember that many moms spend a lot of time with their kids within the vast landscape of the Internet of Things. When marketing to the connected mom – keep the creative family-friendly during times of day when moms are likely with their children.

3. Car Time Is Prime Time

Marketers often forget that moms spend plenty of time in their cars either stuck in traffic on their way home from work, working the carpool, or waiting while their kids are finishing up an activity. Car time is prime time for moms thinking about what to prepare for dinner, for instance. And per the IEEE, 60 percent of all cars will be connected to the Internet by 2025, giving more avenues and opportunities for marketers to reach moms in their vehicles in new ways with every passing day.

4. Rewards Encourage Social Sharing

Rewards can be a powerful marketing tool when executed thoughtfully. Rewards programs can work hand-in-hand with social media to help encourage the sharing that already comes naturally to many moms. Moms tend to be highly engaged with social media because it makes sharing easier and more efficient than ever before. Because of this, there is a large mom-to-mom multiplier effect that can spread the word about a brand quite economically, when moms are motivated to share. A few examples are below:

• Tweet-for-a-Treat: Engage moms in a sweepstakes to win a relaxing spa day.
• Coupons: Gift moms with a break on all that spending with a coupon download.
• Consider Music: Music has the power to improve mood, decrease stress, and transform people’s lives. Give mom the gift of music with concert ticket giveaways or a customized mixtape and help your brand resonate via the passion point of music.

5. Don’t Stereotype – Keep It Real

Moms expect real, authentic connections with and from brands. They want to feel like they matter as an individual and not just as part of a stereotypical target market.

Being a mom does not completely define these women – they are professionals, wives, sisters, friends, and more. They connect with brands and products that keep it real and understand the difference between “me” mode and “we” mode.

Work to find the inner soul of your female target that goes beyond the stereotypical portrayal.

Image via Shutterstock.