As a society, we’ve come to understand the mother figure as a symbol of timeless wisdom – which is well-deserved when you consider the conventional role of the mother as a homemaker, providing us with the rules of good manners, tucking us in at bedtime, and making sure we ate from the four food groups. Essentially, this makes the mother the backbone of the family and a pillar of knowledge.
Over time, the role of the mother has changed to mean so much more: keeper of the household budget, capable breadwinner and in some families, serving the dual role of mother and father, placing an even greater emphasis on the strength and ability of this powerful woman figure. It is for these reasons that Moms are a valuable target for the marketer to focus on. If your mother – or a mother – says something to be true, you’re more likely to trust and value her opinion.
Now, with the emergence of mom bloggers and online communities such as Black Moms Club, Spanglish Baby and Café Mom, millions of concerned moms have the chance to engage in meaningful discussion to share their anecdotes and best practices. These conversations not only inform their decisions, but allow moms to place a higher value on the information they receive and the products they use.
As PR evolves, it’s up to us as marketers to take advantage of this insight to form significant meaningful relationships with mom bloggers. To that end, it’s important that we keep in mind some valuable insights:
One Size Does Not Fit All: Just because they’re bloggers doesn’t mean all moms are interested in the same content. It’s like providing a political reporter with a press release on a new restaurant – it won’t fly.
Get Personal: You have to know a mom before you reach out to her. Does she have any funny anecdotes about her two year old on her post? Does she seem to enjoy talking about gardening a lot? Showing that you understand her content is likely to garner more success than e-mailing the press release.
Listen Before Getting Into the Mix: Who are the influential bloggers? Are there online communities for what you’re trying to share? Arming yourself with what moms are saying to offer them the most valuable information you can.
Social Media is In: According to some recent findings by BIGresearch, women at home with children are more likely to use social media channels like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Leveraging these channels to provide interactive experiences, share coupons or promotions or tweeting them on Twitter is likely to go far with moms.
Keep the Conversation Going: Regardless of whether they didn’t or did write about your product or pitch, that’s no reason let the conversation fall by the wayside. Keep it going! Read the posts, send e-mails when you find something new, follow them on Twitter. Showing them you’re interested in them is a great way to keep the long-term conversation going.
Ultimately, with the lifestyle and demands on moms these days, understanding your target and how to reach them will really go far in getting your brand noticed. And, to maximize success, remember to tap into the power of social media vehicles to speak to them – not at them.
When it comes to mothers as consumers, the old adage has never been truer — Mother really does know best.
Jenina Nuñez | Senior Account Executive
Great insight!