Search Results for: marketing to moms

The Changing Face of Moms: What It Means for Marketers

marketing to single moms

Many marketers are missing the mark when it comes to reaching moms, relying on the one-size-fits-all stereotype of the married, harried mom. But the reality is that today’s mothers are ever evolving and multi-faceted. They are working moms and stay-at-home moms, single moms and married moms, boomer moms and millennial moms – moms of every imaginable kind. Not recognizing that moms are a much more diverse group than represented will result in marketers continuing to struggle to engage these consumers who make 85% of all household purchasing decisions.

The Rise of Single Moms

A generation ago, single moms were rarely if ever even recognized by marketers. Today, the birth rate outside of marriage has reached 41% compared to 20% just thirty years ago. Single motherhood is so common that statistics indicate half of all U.S. children will live with a single mom at some point before turning 18.

Single mothers may not have been attractive to marketers because they were perceived as younger and from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Today, many moms are single by choice — well educated, employed and financially independent. Some are even living with partners. Many are older and feel they’ve reached a benchmark where it’s time to start a family, with or without a husband.

Marketers need to recognize today’s moms as a richly diverse group and create campaigns that embrace that diversity. Following are some guidelines for reaching and connecting with this important demographic.

Portray Moms Accurately

Moms aren’t perfect, and they’re not striving for perfection. They’re ever evolving, emotionally complex and multifaceted.

According to Saatchi & Saatchi’s global study on “Moms and Marketing: IRL (In Real Life), 51% of respondents said advertisers don’t understand them. Not a good sign for marketers, given that there are approximately two billion moms in the world. Do the math: roughly one billion moms feel marketers are not speaking to them in authentic ways. That’s a lot of potential customers.

Keep It Real

Create real, inspirational stories that resonate with your target mom. Relatable, relevant content with information she can use and that makes her life easier. Moms not only do most of the physical work in the household but the majority of the mental and emotional work as well. They decide what needs organizing and what needs delegating. They do most of the worrying, research, information processing, and planning. Content that presents an honest portrayal of motherhood will say your brand gets her and will make her sit up and take notice.

Be Where They Are

The overwhelming majority of moms are online, researching product information, finding product recommendations and engaging with their communities. Brands that provide authentic interaction and meaningful connection can spark lasting advocacy and ongoing engagement with moms who come to view the brand as essential to her parenting experience.

Moms Are Mobile

American moms spend an average of 2.3 hours per day on their mobile devices. Mobile marketing campaigns are an important part of any campaign designed to reach moms.

Short videos and digital content designed for co-viewing with children that is both entertaining and educational will get her attention.

Support A Cause

By all measures, moms lead the way as the demographic most amenable to cause marketing. Moms want a better world for their children; to that end, 92% say they want to buy a product that supports a cause. They’re also more likely to switch to another brand if the other brand were associated with a good cause.

Most moms see themselves as a work in progress, which provides brands with many different opportunities in which to engage them. Smart marketers will recognize those opportunities and reach out authentically to understand and connect with them.

Marketing to Women

Women are the world’s most powerful consumers, controlling over $31.8 trillion in worldwide spending, and half of the private wealth in the U.S. Yet many marketers continue to treat women as a niche audience instead of the key drivers of purchase decisions that they really are.

Women are not homogenous; they are married and single, moms and childless, Baby Boomers, Millennials, Gen X, and now Gen Z. Marketers must understand the nuances of each and how to talk to them. At Girlpower Marketing, we bring a deep understanding of the female consumer to our work: we understand what’s important to her and who she trusts. We specialize in creating programs that bring your brand and these powerful consumers together in a true meeting of the minds.

Our services include:

  • Research & Insights
  • Brand Personas & Lifestage Segmentation
  • Online Surveys & Informal Focus Groups
  • Spokesperson Management
  • Influencer Marketing Campaigns
  • Product Reviews
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7 Major Mistakes When Marketing Cars to Women

Marketing Cars to Women

Looking to Market Cars to Women? Take This to Heart

Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky is a great example of a leader and game changer. He said it best when he explained the key to his success, “a good hockey player knows where the puck is – but a great hockey player knows where the puck is going.” True for a hockey player, but it makes sense even for the auto industry.

Today’s auto industry continues to be an industry owned and operated by men. Some 95% of the country’s 20,000 auto dealers belonging to the National Automobile Dealers Association are male, and for the most part, it shows. A staggering 75% of women say they feel car marketers just don’t understand them.

7 Marketing to Women Mistakes Being Made in the Auto Sales Industry Today

  1. Making Cars with Men in Mind.
    Female drivers now outnumber male drivers, according to the number of active drivers’ licenses. Still, many car manufacturers continue to craft vehicles with a man’s larger body in mind. Consequently, women are 47% more likely to suffer serious car injuries than men.
  2. Ignoring Safety in Favor of Style.
    Marketers insist on presenting cars to women that are sleek and stylish. Isaac Mizrahi even created a new line of clothing inspired by the 2013 Chevy Malibu, reminiscent of the horribly sexist faux pas Ford committed back in the 60s with their matching coats and bags. In reality, women are more concerned with a car’s safety features, along with seating space, power, fuel economy and style. Instead of creating skinny jeans that match her car upholstery, marketers would be well served to show a woman the technology that will keep her family safe.
  3. Assuming Men Handle the Repairs.
    Whether they’re handling the maintenance and repair requests for their own car or for the family car, it’s a fact that women schedule the appointments and deal with the technicians. Women make 65% of requests for service, and spend over $200 billion on new cars and maintenance each year.
  4. Passing Up the Trucks.
    Sure, women like the idea of sports cars just about as much as men. The fact remains that tiny, zippy cars aren’t always the wise choice. Steering women toward impractical vehicles won’t get a salesperson anywhere. Women know what they want, and a truck just might be her choice. In fact, women purchase 45% of all light trucks and SUVs.
  5. Pushing Electric Cars.
    The fact remains that electric cars still aren’t what women want.  In California – probably the most green-car-friendly state – women account for only 29 percent of Nissan LEAF, 24 percent of Chevrolet Volt, and 16 percent of Tesla Model S purchases and leases. Women simply don’t trust the power sources yet, and won’t purchase a vehicle that could possibly leave them, and perhaps their children, stranded.
  6. Asking A Woman What Her Husband Thinks.
    One of the biggest mistakes a car marketer might make is to focus on the male part of the equation. This hearkens back to the times when men made the bulk of a family’s financial decisions. Today, 43% of Americans with more than half a million dollars in assets are female, and over 30% out-earn their husbands. In addition, more and more heads-of-households are single moms. Don’t make the mistake of alienating a key customer by buying into outdated stereotypes.
  7. Understanding Your Market.
    Sales professionals get one shot to make the perfect first impression, because two-thirds of women who leave a dealership without buying will not return. So know your audience! Women like to tell stories. They don’t talk in bullet points. They want to tell their story, but are typically interrupted and cut off, leaving them feeling embarrassed and disrespected. When a man doesn’t understand that to relate to a woman means he needs to listen — that’s perhaps the biggest mistake of all.

What changes would you make to current car marketing campaigns? I’d love to know which ads strike a chord and which fall flat, so leave a comment!

How Brands Can Celebrate Moms on Mother’s Day and Throughout the Year

Brands and Mother's Day

Mother’s Day.  The day I look forward to each year.  The day when my son and I spend the entire day together – just the two of us.  Whether it’s going to a movie, out for sushi, or on a road trip, that day is what memories are made of.

Though most moms say time spent with their loved ones and homemade cards are what they really cherish, the National Retail Federation says Mother’s Day spending will jump 11 percent this year to $20.7 billion, with consumers spending an average $168.94 on mom.

“It’s clear that Americans want to honor the women with the hardest job in the world this Mother’s Day,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shey.  And for good reason.  Moms are typically the household chef, chauffeur, organizer and primary purchase decision-maker for their families.  But they’re not just buying for themselves; they’re also buying for kids, husbands, friends, sports teams and often their own parents.

Marketers are always looking for ways to reach moms, but it can be a struggle if they don’t understand how best to connect with them.

Tips to Attract and Engage Moms

  • Participate directly with moms.  Brands trying to win over moms must participate directly with them, and develop a credible voice:  one that is engaging, personal, authentic and participatory.
  • Research where she is online. Yes, moms like to shop and read blogs, but they also research health information, conduct online banking, watch videos and play games.  Because patterns vary by life stage and interests, marketers need to understand their audience and how they are using the Internet.
  • Help her connect with your other customers. Moms gravitate toward brands that help them converse and connect with other moms.  Brands can accomplish this through their websites, blogs and other social media sites where moms are connecting.
  • Don’t talk AT moms. Many brands create social media campaigns aimed at engaging moms, but fail because they end up talking “at” moms with self-serving advertising speak.  Create added value for moms by providing them with information that is useful and interesting.  Then provide tools that allow moms to interact not only with the brand, but each other.  Listen to their feedback and make changes accordingly.
  • Respect her. Moms want brands to listen to them and respond to what they’re saying by showing respect and understanding their needs.
  • Don’t stereotype.  Soccer moms. Helicopter moms. Boomer moms.  Gen Y moms.  Stay-at-home moms.  A mom wouldn’t describe herself as such, so why do marketers?  Appreciate the diversity of moms and connect accordingly.
  • Make her laugh. Moms love to laugh.  Women’s humor grows out of identifying with another person in a funny situation, and recognizing their similarities.  Help them find those similarities in humorous situations.
  • Concentrate on customer service. Word-of-mouth is the biggest factor in purchasing decisions for online moms.  They look for recommendations from people they trust, and stay away from businesses if other moms relay bad experiences.  Brands should make sure that word-of-mouth doesn’t work against them by making a commitment to impeccable customer service.  Always go a bit further than needed, and include some form of “thank you.”
  • Remember that moms are not JUST moms.  Moms are not one-dimensional — they have other interests, and don’t want to read just about mom-related topics. Moms also travel, race dirt bikes and collect fine wine as well.

Marketing to Women? Don’t Forget PANKs!

Marketing to Women like Professional Aunts

Don’t Forget to Market to These Women: PANKs.

PANK: Professional Aunt No Kids.

A joint study recently released by Savvy Auntie and Weber Shandwick with KRC Research revealed that PANKs are a “sizeable segment of younger women with disposable income, dynamic influence, and a digitally-connected lifestyle.”

The acronym for this emerging demographic of 23 million women who love children but have none of their own was first coined by Melanie Notkin, founder of Savvy Auntie. According to the study, one in five U.S. women is a PANK and are important because they are:

  • Big Spenders: More than 76 percent of PANKs spent more than $500 per child this past year, for a total of $9 billion.
  • Highly Influential: 68 percent of survey respondents said that they’re a role model for the kids in their lives.
  • Avid Info-sharers:  73 percent of PANKs are likely to provide information about products and services to others, both in person and through social media.

PANKs represent an excellent opportunity for brands that are looking to market to women. To gain the hearts and spending power of PANKs, here are some important strategies to keep in mind:

  • Acknowledge PANKs: Recognize them as a powerful market.
  • Avoid stereotyping PANKs as non-domestic:  While they enjoy their domestic lives, they find their community service and charity work to be equally important.
  • Develop online campaigns:  PANKs are digitally savvy, with 56 percent trusting online reviews more than their own instincts (47 percent).  Create social platforms content for them, as their postings are likely to go viral.
  • Focused messaging: PANKs are proud of the relationship that they have with the kids in their lives, regardless of their “non-mom” status.
  • Build a base of PANK advocates: Many PANKs will become moms one day.  Brands should look to secure their loyalty now.

“PANKs have the time, income and passion for purchasing the best for the kids in their lives,” says Leslie Gaines-Ross, Chief Reputation Strategist for Weber Shandwick.  “They are well worth a marketer’s attention.”

Marketing to Women: Mama Needs a Glass of Wine

Marketing Wine to Moms

by Pia Mara Finkell and reprinted with permission from CRT/tanaka

Before becoming one myself, any term modified by “mommy” made me wince. Mommy blogs, mommy marketing, mom(my) jeans. Barf. Now that I have an adorable, bubbly, giggling, non-sleeping baby at home, I’m warily starting to take notice. I find myself secretly reading some of these mommy blogs, thinking about buying some of those mom-targeted products, and contemplating the rising waistline of my jeans. It’s unavoidable, I guess.

One that I really get, now more than ever, is why wine is increasingly marketed to women, particularly young moms. In my house, we call it mommy juice, and apparently, we’re not the only ones. Someone’s already packaged a product with the same name, and there’s no shortage of others trying to take advantage of the fact that, according to a recent Gallup poll, 52 percent of women prefer wine, compared to 20 percent of men, and according to The Beverage Information Group in 2011, make up 58.1 percent of wine buyers. Mommy’s Time Out actually filed for trademark infringement due to MommyJuice’s use of the ubiquitous word in their wine marketed to women. Mad Housewife, Lulu B.(which, full-disclosure, I used to represent as their North American Brand Ambassador), Girl’s Night Out, Bitch Wines, and on and on and on. Needless to say, there’s a lot of competition for my evening tipple of choice.

This has become such a hot topic that even The New York Times recently wrote an article, Marketing Wine as a Respite for Harried Wine Women, discussing the brands above, as well as popular Facebook groups, such as “Moms Who Need Wine,” (640,000+ followers), and “OMG I So Need a Glass of Wine or I’m Gonna Sell My Kids,” (127,000+ followers). Interestingly, this article also discusses a new campaign primarily targeting women from a brand that doesn’t obviously target women through name alone, Chateau Ste. Michelle. Targeting their wines at women like me, 25 to 38 and referred to as “reluctant adults,” Chateau Ste. Michelle’s ads and Facebook campaign use an “engage-with rather than talk-at approach,” asking women to declare and share how they most enjoy wine.

Chateau Ste. Michelle is betting this choose-your-own-adventure method of engagement will make women feel the brand really “gets them,” affording them a sympathetic sound board, as well as an evening buzz after the kids’ bedtime. Something tells me they’re not the last wine brand to go down this path. As for me and what will fill my glass tonight, now that my little guy is finally sleeping, it will likely come down to taste, how well it pairs with the dinner my lovely husband made and, to be honest, the speed at which it’s poured.

Cheers!

Marketing To Women: 30 Stats To Know

Stats to Know about Marketing to Women

I was really pleased to see the following article by Ekaterina Walter for MediaPost. It’s rare to find such a great compilation of stats (including some from Girlpower Marketing) that drive home the purchasing power of women. Thanks for including us!

Marketing to Women: 30 Stats to Know

Women are earning, spending, and influencing spending at a greater rate than ever before — and they account for $7 trillion in consumer and business spending in the United States, and over the next decade they will control two-thirds of consumer wealth. Women make or influence 85 percent of all purchasing decisions, and purchase over 50 percent of traditional male products, including automobiles, home improvement products and consumer electronics.

But 91% of women say that advertisers don’t understand them.

Recognizing the power and influence of women must be a top priority for marketers if they are going to tap into the market’s full potential. Here are 30 surprising stats to help marketers get a handle on this misunderstood demographic.

Earning Power

1. The average American woman is expected to earn more than the average American male by 2028

2. Fifty-one percent of U.S. private wealth is controlled by women

3. Women account for over 50% of all stock ownership in the U.S.

4. Women control more than 60% of all personal wealth in the U.S.

Spending Power

1. Women account for 85% of all consumer purchases, including everything from autos to health care

2. Women make 80% of healthcare decisions and 68 percent of new car purchase decisions

3. Seventy-five percent of women identified themselves as the primary shoppers for their households

4. Women influenced $90 billion of consumer electronic purchases in 2007

5. Nearly 50% of women say they want more green choices, with 37% are more likely to pay attention to brands that are committed to environmental causes

Women and Cars

1. Women buy more than half of the new cars in the U.S., and influence up to 80% of all car purchases

2. Women request 65% of the service work done at dealerships

3. Women spend over $200 billion on new cars and mechanical servicing of vehicles each year

4. Forty-five percent of all light trucks and SUVs are purchased by women

Mom Power

1. Moms represent a $2.4 trillion market

2. Fifty-five percent of active (daily) social media moms said they made their purchase because of a recommendation from a personal review blog

3. 18.3 million Internet users who are moms read blogs at least once a month

4. In 2014, 63% (nearly 21 million) of all online moms will read blogs

5. Moms mention brands an average of 73 times per week compared with just 57 times per week among males

6. Seventy-seven percent of mom bloggers will only write about products or brands whose reputations they approve of, and another 14% will write about brands or products they boycott

7. Ninety percent of moms are online vs. just 76% of women in general

8. Sixty-four percent of moms ask other mothers for advice before they purchase a new product and 63% of all mothers surveyed consider other moms the most credible experts when they have questions

Women Online

1. As early as 2000, women were found to have surpassed men in Internet usage

2. Seventy-eight percent of women in the U.S. use the Internet for product information before making a purchase

3. Thirty-three percent research products and services online before buying offline

4. Women account for 58% of all total online spending

5. Twenty-two percent shop online at least once a day

6. Ninety-two percent pass along information about deals or finds to others

7. The average number of contacts in their e-mail or mobile lists is 171

8. Seventy-six percent want to be part of a special or select panel

9. Fifty-eight percent would toss a TV if they had to get rid of one digital device (only 11% would ditch their laptops)

The sources for the statistics cited in this article are as follows: She-Economy, Ms Smith Marketing, StartUpNation, Clickz, Inc.com, Girlpower Marketing, Catalyst, Forbes.

Marketing to Generation Mom

Marketing to Generation Mom

What Is Generation Mom?

We all know the established generations of Mom: the Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y. But are all Moms equal, or do the generations dictate their parenting values and core marketing preferences?  My colleague Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of MomCentral Consulting, recently conducted a survey to find out how ages and stages impact Moms.

In looking at generational differences, the survey originally assumed that a Mom’s generational characteristics would deeply influence her parenting style, attitudes about brand messaging, and use of social and traditional media. Surprisingly enough, however, the survey showed that regardless of Boomer, Gen X or Gen Y status, certain universal truths for all Moms emerged in four key areas:

  • Moms would rather stay at home instead of forging ahead on their career path
  • Moms would forgo a bigger paycheck to spend more time with their kids
  • Moms say contentment in kids trumps future success
  • Moms put parenting ahead of their marriage

When Moms surveyed were asked “What Makes a Great Mom?” and given 25 choices, these Top 3 emerged:

  1. Spending quality time with her children
  2. Raising children with good manners
  3. Setting boundaries and keeping them

When asked about their perceived inadequacies, the Top 3 responses were:

  1. Moms feel guilty for being short-tempered with their family
  2. Moms feel guilty because they don’t play with their children enough
  3. Moms feel guilt for not spending enough time with their kids

All Moms Yearn to Connect

The study also revealed that Moms are feeling more isolated than ever before – due primarily to today’s mobile society and their own attempts to achieve “Super Mom” status.  This isolation, coupled with the feelings of guilt, has resulted in Moms seeking alternative ways to reach out and connect. Social media has become the conduit between Moms and their trusted connections to other Moms and brands.  Much like Moms want relationships with fellow Moms, they also want relationships with the brands they love – and when they feel engaged, they are more likely to make a purchase, or recommend a brand to their friends.

What’s Important to Generation Mom?

What’s important to Generation Mom?  Her family, her passions, her relationships, her children.  Generation Mom feels a deep need to connect with the world around her – and social media has become the way in which that happens.  Twitter and Facebook now mimic the neighborhood friends of previous decades.  They help women expand beyond their immediate worlds and make new friends, while reconnecting with old friends.  The Internet also provides Moms with access to ready-made communities that provide support for those who knit, do yoga, need help with potty training, or other issues.

As social media becomes the new “picket fence” for Mom conversations, the age of those Moms appears to be proving irrelevant.  Regardless of age, brands will find her online.  There may be some slight media preferences by age – Gen X Moms read more magazine articles than Gen Y Moms for example – but all generations surveyed embrace social media.  And whether a Mom is 25, 35 or 45 – shared parenting values bring them all together as Generation Mom.

When marketing to moms, is your brand participating in the emergent platforms where Moms are congregating online?  Does your messaging map to a Mom’s core values?

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