How to 'Market to a

New Generation of Mothers'

Moms are 80% more likely to buy a product from a company that recognizes the multiple roles she plays in her life, according to the book Trillion Dollar Moms: Marketing to a New Generation of Mothers, by Maria T. Bailey and Bonnie W. Ulman (Dearborn, 2005). Moms expect marketers to appeal to their multi-sensory communication behavior.

Four common aspects of today's mothers and tomorrow's mothers-to-be:
1. Recognize the power of mothers. Marketing to moms offers a high return on investment when carried out correctly and with the right execution can create years of brand loyalty.

2. You must appreciate the time mothers put into selecting a product or service. Moms want a good deal, they want selection, service, and value. Moms spend time researching their purchases whether online or by asking other women for their opinions. Moms value time. The new martyrdom of motherhood: All moms are busy.

3. You must understand what it means to be a mother. You have to walk in her shoes.

4. You must understand the generational differences that exist within today's Mom Market. Boomers (1946-1964, 70 million); Gen X (1965-1976, 50 million); Gen Y (1977-1994, 57 million); Silver Birds/grandmothers (1935-1945).

Points to note: The age of children make a bigger impact on relationships with other moms than the traditional "generation group" that you are in. In a group of women who are working together and have children of the same age, the older moms typically are the leaders. Also, marketers need to realize that new moms go through a period when they purposefully lose themselves as individuals to concentrate on the baby. Slowly, as the baby gets older and more independent, mom can begin get back to being herself again. Marketers need to recognize both sides of a mom, a woman and a mom.

Every woman, regardless of her generation, wants to be productive, she wants to accomplish something meaningful. Mothers appreciate companies and brands that help facilitate their need for productivity. The key to marketing to women is to make their choice easy and convenient and, overall, productive.

Rituals: All mothers have rituals and successful marketers understand that it's easier to insinuate a product or service into a mom's existing routine than it is to ask her to change or even add a new routine to her agenda. (In other words: Be where the mom is.)

Important to connect generations, mothers, daughters, grandchildren.... Do this by highlighting traditions. Tradition is composed of four equal parts: consistency, reputation, endurance, and stability. There is a pull towards nostalgia. This is particularly important to Gen Y (think vintage clothing).

The effect of the Baby Boomers going back to work and having a high rate of divorce is a yearning by Gen Xers to have a strong nuclear family. Baby Boomer moms felt they could have it all, Gen Xers say a mother can have it all but at different stages of life. They tend to quit their jobs to care for their young children or start a home-based business, etc. They have replaced the idea of a balanced life with the concept of an integrated life.

For those who fully understand the new working mother, the opportunities to create product extensions and increase sales and brand loyalty come through two channels, moms as employees and moms as owners or purchasing agents for companies.

NOTE: The book supports the idea of touting family-friendly places to work to attract the best mom workers.

Be sure to market to moms at home and at work. 86% of moms say they purchase at home the same brands they purchase for or at work/business.

About Baby Boomer moms
Baby Boomers are very competitive and they've passed that trait on to their children. They had latchkey kids. Supermoms. Divorces increased.

It is important to stay visible to the boomer mother because, as a result of her age and life stage, she is likely to have a wider social network.

Boomer moms could have babies, toddlers, school-age children, college aged children....

Astute marketers will find this transition a key time to forget relationships with mothers who are interested in products or services that can bridge their world as mom with their world as an individual. (Example, personal trainers)

Generation Xers:
Latchkey kids, children of divorce, defer marriage until feel they can settle down and truly have a great marriage; don't necessarily need a husband to have children; Gen X moms rely very much on their moms for advice, much more so than Baby Boomer moms; Gen Xers like stories when responding to marketers; Gen Xers are on a quest for individuality; authors predict that home improvement will continue to be a big thing to Gen Xers, express their individuality; Want to create a very stable home, the Gen X mom holds herself responsible for creating a secure environment for herself and her children. They also expect life to be balanced with leisure time, comfortable clothing in the workplace, enriching experiences, and the option to work from home. They are redefining work.

Gen Xers look at the workplace as a destination of learning. They desire jobs that allow them to provide for their children and to nurture them as well. They expect it. Gen Xers are returning to religion. Gen Xers hold high expectations for groups. They like to form and belong to groups where they can share ideas and find opportunity for growth.

Gen. X mothers: Value Education; mom is happy only when she knows her family is happy. They are active consumers: they must decide if the purchase is worth it for them in the investment of time and/or dollars. They can't be sold and see marketing at face value, looking past flash and sizzle to make purchases based on their own needs. They want results and benefits.

Marketers need to create engaging experiences for Gen X moms. (example: Best Buy has Jill Stores, let's their children try out tech-based toys in comfortable areas in the store.) Gen Xers are visual learners (example, skeptical about Super Bowl ads, almost too slick, they see it like it is). Juggle tasks.

Very important to Gen X moms to create stability for their children. Traditions are important, as are traditional games and toys. Home parties are a big thing. Groups are fun and they like trying the products.

Gen X moms save for their children's future education. There's a growing number of fiscally-responsible Gen Xers. Music and stories are important. They are also big on finding solutions. They had to be inventive as latchkey kids and they are this way still. They want brands to solve a problem. They also want brands to help them express their individuality.

Gen Y:
Has enjoyed a prosperous childhood. Generation of optimism; passion for creating a better way of life. Have a spirit of inclusionism. Almost a "coddled" generation. Parents told Gen Yers that they could do anything, and they believe it. Self confidence is what their parents felt was a most important trait. Perceived to possess an air of superiority that belittles other generations. More environmentally sensitive generation. Volunteerism is big. Technoculture very important. Technology important as a means to socialize. Strongly loyal to their friends. Have new terms, more than any other generation. They value hard work. Working from home is strongly accepted and desired. Gen Y moms will be confident in their role as mothers.

Marketers need to lay the foundation to successful marketing to Gen Ys by focusing on their need for constant connectivity. Word of mouth is the most important influencers of this group. Creating buzz is more important than blasting messages. Wants brands that meet her need for individualization. (Example: the $2 flip flop with a gucci or Coach purse). Gen Yers don't want to know how long a product is going to last or how it performed in taste tests. They want to know how your product will help them become what they want to be. How is it relevant to their life? Gen Ys can be educated about brands, but they can't be sold.

Gen Ys are a huge group, a big spender group. Gen Y moms believe themselves to be nurturing, strong, thoughtful, and generous. They are a very diverse group so marketers will have to be nimble when trying to capture the market. Work of mouth will be HUGE. Wise marketers will begin to build brand loyalty today.

Silver Birds: Gilded wallets. Hugely involved in grandchildrens' lives. Spend a lot. 31% of adults are grandparents. Education matters. Their approval is critical to marketers when they are helping to choose products and services for their grandchild. They are a critical target audience when seeking to capture the Mom Market or influence child purchases.

Message for Moms:
Words and images create the core of a successful marketing plan aimed at mothers. Moms associate actions they see with images they form in their minds.

Moms like to be addressed by marketers in the same manner that they speak with their friends. This means chatting about topics that are relevant and real to moms.

Only 20% of mothers said that advertisers were doing a good job connecting with mothers. Another 70% said that marketers are not focusing on moms in their advertising and 30% said that they see ads that offend them. This means that great opportunities exist for marketers who connect with mothers using the right words and images.

Five touch points of mothers: time, value, family enrichment, solutions, and family health. Additionally, family diet is important.

All moms want products and services that save them time.

Boomer mothers will pay more for a product that saves them time. They expect companies to recognize that saving time means providing them with extra hours for leisure activities or family fun.

To moms, value means much more than paying the cheapest price for a product. Moms want good value, but the quality of the product and the fulfillment of the brand promise contribute to the equation. When a mother makes a purchase, the value a company provides her contributes to her position as the family CFO and in this role she wants to feel like a hero.

Gen Xers: Price matters (value is much more than price to the baby boomer). They are more likely to price compare and hunt for special values. They know how to utilize the Internet to find value. They are comfortable printing discounts, surfing for freebies, and conducting price comparisons online.

Gen Y: Their perception of value is based more on the word of friends and whether the product produces the result they seek. Educated buying decisions weighted on the quality of the product and the position it gives them among peers. (Think A&F and American Eagle, etc.)

Family Enrichment: Another theme that produces effective messaging to mothers. This broad topic includes learning, loving, and raising confident children.

Companies who can give moms the insight into child development and how to use the product to maximize the joint experience between mom and child and toy will have a leg up on the competition.

Solutions
Moms are the greatest problem solvers in history. Moms want companies to join them in their quest for solutions. Solution-based messaging is quite effective in the Mom Market.

Family Health: Moms turn to the Internet and magazines for updates on the latest medical news. More so than their pediatricians.

Body Image:
Women do not want to be depicted in ads as older women. They respond best to images of youthful, active-looking mothers.

Family Diet: The pressure on moms to produce healthy, quick, and easy meals that taste good is immense. Companies who present a solution to this challenge will reap great returns on their investment.

Baby Talk: Images of babies primarily work best with mothers of babies and young children. As babies grow, their moms can begin to take back themselves rather than only focus on their children. Marketers need to recognize this and market to this.

Marketers also use the children to market to mothers by winning the hearts of their children. Moms will make purchases based on a desire to please their children. They will also purchase a product to ensure that their children are accepted by their peers.

Mom Bonding: Marketers who grow with a mother will grow sales. Moms want to know that you "get" them, and recognizing the stages they experience will do that. Marketers who recognize her multiple roles will be successful winning her heart.

So how do you find the right message to utilize in your marketing to mothers? Go back to the heart of your product. Define your core and be straight about it. Moms want you to be sincere and credible no matter what you are focusing on. Speak to her as a peer rather than as an authority figure. Present solutions that contribute to the big picture. moms will focus on end results so it is very important to let them know up front why the information you are presenting is valuable to them. They resent being spoon fed. Deliver your message to them wherever they congregate: Malls, playgrounds, and learning centers, and allow them to encounter your message in multiple ways.

How to reach moms
The main strategy is that you must reach moms through multiple channels. Moms are multi-taskers so they expect that of their brands. To be successful in the mom market, marketers must consider all forms of marketing initiatives as part of an effective strategy.

Direct Mail: Only works with moms when the mail is extremely timely and tied to a lifestyle event such as camp registrations, back to school, or religious events. To be successful: Find the right list; Make certain your message is timely and relative to the mothers receiving it; need to deliver a very personal message that is relevant to the place she is in her motherhood.

Magazine: The most popular form of written communication in the Mom market.

80% of moms go online to do their consumer research. Magazines serve as the second most important source of information. National magazine parenting titles rank higher than pediatricians when it comes to finding medical updates and trends. On average, moms read 4.1 magazines each month. Moms like magazines. "Moms value the relationship they have with their favorite magazine because it provides them a wonderful environment in which they can escape for a while yet find solutions and tips that they can later apply to their real life. It's almost like a quick trip away, justified by the learning experience they bring back with them."

Trends in magazines: More specialized (Fit Pregnancy, for example); moving towards magazines that allow her to share the content with her child; move towards niche publications.

In addition, time-starved mothers are looking for faster ways to get to the content they can apply to their life. Therefore, they are seeking one-stop sourcing for the topics that are relevant to their needs.

On the subject of advertising/content discussion: As long as the content is valid and credible, moms don't mind how the information appears on the page. They are smart enough to know that a company purchased the space but many view it as just another way for the brand to deliver their content.

80% of moms in a survey said they get the latest news and information from magazines.

The New Print Ad
Instead of screaming features to the reader, the best ads are providing solutions and benefits through content. Moms, particular Gen X and Gen Y moms, want to dialogue with you in different ways at different times. Supplying these moms with information in print ads is just another channel of communication. Good example: Trading Spaces/Home Depot/emphasis of You can do it, we can help. A good approach for moms: We understand your challenges and we are part of your team. For those who cannot afford big magazines and their prices, go to the smaller niche publications.

Custom Publications:
Work for moms if the content is genuine.

Magalogs:
Combination of catalogue and magazine.

Catalogs:
Have a strong call to action; make it easy for a mother to order; be clear about all terms of sale.

Newspapers:
Only 19% of mothers tell us that they check newspapers when looking for products and information for their family. Newspapers must be creative. One exception is in the food section and Sunday inserts.

Circulation and Distribution:
Marketers who want to successfully penetrate the Mom Market should think of creative means of distribution. Must put your content in front of a mother when it's relevant. Getting your written materials in the right place becomes even more important with a new generation of mothers who expect to interact with the brands they use at all stages and places of their day. If you really get them, then they expect you to be where they are, offering solutions along the way. Magazines need to find circulation in addition to subscriptions and newsstands.

Discover new distribution channels by tracking your customer throughout her day.

Don't ignore HR departments with shrinking budgets that are looking for resources to fill the needs of their working mothers. (idea they give: Have readers suggest their companies as places to have the magazines.)

Look beyond traditional means of circulation to places that moms frequent such as her car, parks, and learning centers. The most successful marketing teams will create integrated strategies that allow moms to react when and how it best suits their style, whether its online, one the phone, or through the mail.

Public Relations:
Vital to the mom message. Supports the need of moms to have information. Goal of PR is to create buzz.

Moms want to feel smart:
Empower moms with knowledge. Press releases are important but also include an interactive element that put you in the world of your audience. For example, include an online survey on a site that moms frequent. Then when the press release hits, you've already connected with your target. Establish your brand as the expert resource on mom topics.

Brand experiences:
Actions are equally important as words. cable programming, radio, Internet, all important but so are special events, cause marketing, and the retail experience.

Television: Hard to target specific markets on traditional networks. Lifetime TV, HGTV are better. Authors think that TV programs will travel the road that retail catalogs did in creating magalogs.

Radio: an emerging trend is custom programming.

Partnerships: Oreo and Universal Studios, for example, work because they link solutions with lifestyle traits.

Special events: Big shows don't tend to work out for vendors. Only 30% of moms said that special events were a good way to market to women. Mom's purpose in attending a big family event with paid booth sponsors is to entertain the children, not to make buying decisions. Moms enjoy more intimate groups of peers: book clubs, bible studies, and special events of a smaller size. They want to attend smaller events that focus on singular topics where they can trade ideas with other moms who share their interests.

Use smaller venues; produce events that include educationally focused programs that allow mothers to grow in some way.

Cause-related Marketing:
Special events such as walk-a-thons, runs, and collections that benefit nonprofit organizations always appeal to mothers. These will continue to grow as Gen Yers become moms. Moms say they are more likely to purchase products from companies who support the community in which they are raising their children.

Entertaining Moms:
Moms say that companies forget that moms like to laugh and have fun. Nearly 90% of mothers across the board believe that a sense of humor is a trait of a great mom. She looks for companies and brands that can laugh with her.

(95% of moms try to laugh with their families on a regular basis.)

Logical examples of this are theme parks.

Retail Experience:
Have a clean, easy-to-find bathroom; merchandise so that logical things are together (toys and batteries).

Word of Mouth:
Nothing moves words faster throughout the Mom Market than moms. When moms start talking about a product, they tell peer after peer about it. To get the buzz going, delivering on brand promises and providing great customer service are two ways to cultivate a sales force of moms for your company. Identify the "mavens" of information within groups. Usually is a mother of honor students or special needs kids. Baby boomers are highly regarded as an influencer.

To find the buzz, ask moms: Would you recommend our product? What exactly would you say about it? Also pay close attention and give plenty of feedback opportunities to moms about the product/service. More than one way to contact, i.e., e-mail, snail mail, 800 number, etc.

Customer Service: Must provide WOW factor. Do more than meet expectations.

MOMS ONLINE:
If moms face a challenge or need product information or validation, they go to the Internet.

Gallup says: 21.2 million moms are online. Another survey: 88% of moms said they rely on the Web for parental guidance, advice, and ideas for raising their children. 86% said they made an online purchase, while 85% said they clicked on an online ad, and 95% said they are online at least once a day.

Moms are seekers of info not browsers. Top four reasons they visited or revisited a Web site: Expert advice, quick and easy tips, news on child-related issues, and special values.

Suggestions for Effective Web Sites:
Home page is like your book cover. Loads quickly, is easy to navigate. No introduction pages. They suggest creating a clean home page that contains one or two easily dynamic features or interactive tools that will appeal to a younger generation of mothers. Consider a one-question, online poll on the home page.

Navigation is critical: Walk in her shoes and make sure there are many reasons to come back.

They suggest arranging content by the ages of children.

COLOR: Suggest natural colors. Do not use pink, or even light pastels. Graphics, make certain that the pictures you select reflect your audience. Kids, family and moms like themselves.

Key elements to a successful mom web site:
Easy navigation
About Us section
Contact information on top of home page
Privacy policy
Site search
Latest news
Electronic newsletter registration
Top ten lists
Interactive tools
Archived articles
Online polls.

E-commerce:
Most popular categories for female purchases online included CDs, books, health and beauty aids, toys, and apparel for herself and her children.

Microsite/Destination sites:
Maybe have a microsite, like on Kraftfoods there's site that you can go to get fitness and health tips, including a menu plan and exercise journal.

Another idea: Challenge them to build their own sites within your web site. Build on online scrapbooks, photo albums, and baby books. They share them and the people she sends them to find your main site, too.

Web site elements that work for attracting moms:
Recipes
Horoscopes
Salary comparisons
Baby names
Gift suggestions
Message boards
Chat rooms
Expert Q&A
Databases of definitions
Ideas for activities to do with their children
Medical explanations
Vacation planning tools
Checklists
Online calendar tools
Freebies

E-Newsletters:
Need to customize the content. 66% of moms say they spend more money with companies that send useful and relevant e-mail messages that meet their needs.

Online content:
Make sure it's reliable info. Add an easy to share feature (e-mail to a friend). Consider sharing your content to get more people to come back to your site.

Wireless applications:
Find ways to help moms by, for example, putting a recipe on their phones so they can have it at the grocery store. Simplifying a mom's life is the goal. Provide activities for kids in the car through a mobile phone.

Cultural influences:

Technology Triumphs: efficiency, enrichment, and entertainment. Technology must help her multitask and to get to the end of the day with a sense of accomplishment.

Education: home schooling important but do remember to tread lightly with this group.

Move toward simplicity: Needs to be solid solutions for helping a mom streamline activities and focus on priorities that help her fulfill her potential as a woman and as a caregiver for her family.

Mothers and societal safety: Don't promote messages laced with fear.

Trends in health care: Mothers are more than ever the gatekeepers for family health. As a result, they're taking health care into their own hands. Especially concern for the obesity epidemic. Trend towards more "green" foods, organic.

Opportunities for the Future:
Mom market is full of Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen. Get them talking!

Flexible work options are critical to attract the best employees to a company, especially when there are many working moms who contribute to the company.

Reconnecting with the past: nostalgia is making a comeback. Whether an old hobby that was given up for family, to retro-looking new appliances.

Shopping at Home: Home party companies are here to stay and they will grow.

Customization: CDs with music that includes child's name; TiVo and Netflix. Schools should not only provide a quality experience for the children but help for the parents, too.