marketing to moms

Where Is the Tooth Fairy When You Need Her?

Marketing Healthcare to Women I could say my life is full –– but that’s code for frenetically, overwhelmingly busy. Too busy to take care of me –– too busy to be healthy. It’s not that I don’t know what I need to do –– it’s finding the time to do it that’s the problem.

And that’s what brought me here. Last week I had the extremely unpleasant experience of getting my wisdom teeth yanked out of my mouth. I’ve known for years that I needed to address these teeth, but I was always too busy avoiding the inevitable. It was finally a salad and fork that ultimately dealt me this hand.

Whether I’m making healthcare decisions for myself or my family, I’m definitely the one making the decisions. Novocain or anesthesia? Remove one broken wisdom tooth or all of them? Dentist or oral surgeon? Vicodin or Ibuprofen?

I walked back to the Chair Of Doom and the oral surgeon, who injected me with the Propopol that sent me off to wonderland (hello, Michael Jackson). I elected to have my wisdom teeth surgically removed –– which means cutting the gums open and breaking the tooth into pieces and pulling the pieces out. I have to admit –– it hurt, but I was trying not to be a baby in front of my son who I’m sure will eventually have to face this as well.

As a marketing-to-women specialist, I understand the purchasing power of female consumers. And though women make 90% of all consumer healthcare decisions –– some $500 billion a year -–– we are still considered a niche market in the healthcare category. In other words, marketing healthcare to women isn’t a priority for many brands.

What do women want from their healthcare providers? For starters, prescriptions that can be sent electronically to the pharmacy from the doctor’s office. Doctors that can provide resources for answers to a patient’s questions before their appointment. In general –– the same customer attention they demand from other consumer products and services. Now more than ever, healthcare marketers need to understand that women want resources they can trust, and should be looking to create lifetime relationships with these important consumers.

Do you feel your providers are marketing healthcare to you?

The Recession Will Be Over When Moms Say It’s Over

Marketing to Moms During the Recession

Though Warren Buffet recently ruled out a double-dip recession in the U.S., ultimately it’s our country’s moms who will decide when the economy starts showing real signs of recovery.

75 million U.S. moms make or influence 85 percent of all household purchase decisions, representing $2.1 trillion in annual spending power. Brands are counting on American mothers to help them survive the current economic slump, but getting moms to unleash their “purse power” continues to be a struggle.

With up to 45 percent of moms insisting they have “eliminated anything they don’t feel is absolutely necessary from their lives,” and another 29 percent having found ways to cut back on spending in response to the current economic climate, moms are putting brands, products and services under tighter scrutiny than ever before, and making sure every dollar is spent wisely.

According to a BSM Media Study, moms focus on the needs of their families first, and then look for the smaller luxuries they can afford for themselves. Instead of a new pair of boots, in this economy it might be a new magazine or lipgloss. And while nesting was a social issue in the days following 9/11, today it’s an economic one, with 81 percent of moms cutting back on eating out, and 72 percent reducing their out-of-house entertainment altogether, according to a recent USA Today/Gallup Poll.

What does this mean for marketers? It means that moms are interacting with their favorite brands in new ways – like Starbucks on a weekly instead of a daily basis, or Costco pizza instead of Friday night delivery. Experts believe this state-of-mind will continue even after the recession is over for many American families.

Moms have always been more brand loyal than men, but they require more frequent interaction and communications designed specifically for them. Marketers need to make the extra effort to build relationships with their female consumers, whether it’s through social media, influencer recommendations or customer appreciation. They need to start marketing with moms, not at them.

Are moms still loyal to your brand through these economic times?

The Lies Women Tell

A few posts back I touched briefly on how the book What She’s Not Telling You highlights an interesting behavior by the female consumer –– the habit of telling the “half truth” vs. the “whole truth.” Understanding this concept is so important to marketers that I decided to revisit.

Buying into a woman’s “half truth” can cost marketers billions of wasted dollars; not just in concept development and market research, but in the marketplace where it really matters. A half truth is what a woman is willing to admit, while the whole truth is what she really believes, does and buys. For example:

“I am happy with my looks” (half truth); “If given a choice, I’d like to look better than I do” (whole truth).

An example of how a half truth can negatively affected a brand is Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty.” This campaign broke the rules of the beauty business by putting less-than-perfect women in their plain white undies all over billboards, the media and the Internet. Talk shows went crazy and Dove was hailed as the brand that “gets it”. The PR value of the Real Beauty campaign was unparalleled. But soon after, Dove’s sales slowed and eventually flatlined. Why? Because Dove fell for the half truth that women want to feel good about their natural looks. But the whole truth is that women really want to look better than they do, which is why they spend $7 billion annually trying.

On the flip side, Procter & Gamble’s Oil of Olay identified this whole truth: “Just because I’ve earned these facial lines doesn’t mean I want to wear them,” and marketed their Pro-Age Regenerist product based on the whole truth that women want beauty products that really work. They marketed Regenerist as an alternative to invasive cosmetic surgery, and the launch became the biggest skin care launch in the mass market.

Are you identifying the whole truth when marketing to women consumers? What half truths have you told a brand?

Marketing to Moms Through Social Media

Using Social Media to Market to Moms

With nearly 40 million U.S. moms online, they are one of the Internet’s most desirable groups. New communities and content sites marketing to moms continue to pop up daily. Social media marketers and advertisers are constantly trying to reach this powerful group, who are not just strong in number, but in purchasing power as well. Although many attempts have been made to use Web 2.0 tools to engage mothers, only a few have been successful. The key to success lies in the approach. Here are a few tips to help you attract and engage moms online.

Do Your Research: Social Media Marketing Takes Work

In addition to being strong online shoppers, moms also spend a great deal of time researching health information, banking, watching video, and even playing games online. Moms are on Twitter, Facebook, and even social bookmarking sites like Digg and Delicious. They also are reading and writing blogs. But not all moms are created equal, and their online usage patterns vary depending on their life stage (new moms, young moms, moms of teenagers, etc.), geographical location, and interests. So it’s important to do your research because the more you understand the audience and how they are currently using the Internet, the more you can create campaigns and utilize tools that will interest and attract moms.

A Key to Successful Social Media Marketing: Make It Easy

If you’re trying to reach out to mothers, you’re not alone. A recent Google search for “moms online” yields over 25,400,000 results. So make it easy for them to find you and engage with you, by keeping your content fresh and providing user-friendly tools.

Good Housekeeping is an example of a website that skillfully balances traditional and user generated content, as well as user-friendly tools. Not only does the site offer a wide variety of articles and interactive tools, but it also provides a user-generated element with their “On Your Mind” question and answer community, where moms can interact with one another as well as with experts.

A mistake many websites make is requiring mothers to register before gaining access to content or part of a site. Moms are busy and they have a lot of options on the Internet. High drop-off rates occur when making them register, so only require registration if it’s absolutely necessary and even then limit how much you ask of them.

No One Likes a One-Way Conversation on Social Media

Many social media marketing campaigns aimed at engaging moms fail because they’re talking “at” moms – it feels too much like advertising. Create added value by providing information that is both useful and interesting. Then, provide the tools that allow moms to interact not only with your brand, but with each other. Listen to their feedback and make changes accordingly.

What tips do you have for reaching moms more effectively?

Mother’s Day + Social Media = Big Opportunity for Brands

Although it was celebrated during Greek times, Mother’s Day didn’t become official till 1907. Today, nearly 83 million Moms in the U.S. will find themselves celebrated with some form of Mother’s Day tribute. This year Mother’s Day will find competing brands marketing to moms with a myriad of social media campaigns, including the ones noted below:

“The Pearl of Wisdom Mother’s Day”
Aren’t all Moms full of pearls of wisdom? In support of cervical cancer prevention, Moms can be honored with a personal tribute and receive a free Pearl of Wisdom pin along with a Mother’s Day card. The card contains information about cervical cancer prevention and a link so that she and her entire family can see the tribute.

“Midlife Mother’s Day 2010 Campaign”
If you’re an older Mom, you can share your experiences of motherhood after 40. The Midlife Mother’s Day 2010 Campaign is looking for portrait stories of older mothers.

“Daughters of Beauty Campaign for Elizabeth Arden”
Elizabeth Arden is inviting moms and daughters to talk about beauty and aging, with winners receiving an Elizabeth Arden spa day. The site includes photos of Mothers and Daughters, along with their personal stories.

“America’s Favorite Mom”
Telefora is launching a Mother’s Day campaign with NBC and Hearst called “America’s Favorite Mom.” Simply upload videos, photos and essay testimonials and vote for your nominees. Fifteen finalists will be celebrated on the Today Show with the winner receiving an 18-carat gold “America’s Favorite Mom” pendant encrusted with diamonds.

“Give Mom an iPod with a Personal Message”
Although not technically a social media campaign, Apple is promoting the iPod touch as a 2010 Mother’s Day gift.

Marketing the Scent of a Boy: The New Tween/Teen Demographic

Marketing to Tweens

Marketing to Tweens Means Partnering with Moms

Deodorant: check. Bodywash: check. Face wash, hair sculpting lotion, body spray: check, check and check. Its all there, safely tucked into a bathroom drawer. But it’s not MY bathroom drawer –– these products are the property of my 12-year old son.

A recent New York Times article addressed the allure that grooming products hold for young boys, promising to heighten their sex appeal and overall confidence. And over the past few months I’ve watched how my son and his friends have begun to take much greater care of their appearance.

Most marketers have begun to identify the “tween” years – ages 8-12 – as a demographic to target not as children, but as teenagers. However, according to experts, a concerning side effect of this targeted marketing is that children this age simply don’t have the emotional sophistication to understand the messages they are constantly being exposed to by the media –– and that is leading to a higher risk of emotional and social complications previously not seen until the teen years.

As a mom, I recognize that it is my responsibility as a parent to guide my child safely through these marketing messages. So, while I am grateful to some degree that marketers are helping to shape my son’s heightened interest in hygiene, I will be looking very closely at the tools they’re using and the authenticity of the messages they’re sending in order to engage him.

Because when all is said and done, brands need to partner with moms rather than circumvent them when it comes to their families. And the good news for marketers is that moms are willing to reward them with their loyalty when they get closer to this ideal.

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