Posts Tagged "Marketing to Mom"

Moms, perhaps the most discerning of consumers, are shopping differently, according to a just-released Google study called the “Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT).”  The study addresses changes in consumer shopping habits overall, but in great part focuses on moms. In his compelling presentation delivered at the recent BabyCenter 21st Century Moms press conference, Jim Lecinski, Chief ZMOT officer, Google, explained how moms and others are increasingly “pre-shopping” using social networking and the Internet to determine their purchase choices–a point this blog has made many times. This shift is one that today’s marketers targeting moms must pay close attention to in order to deepen their engagement with and foster trust among this highly influential audience.

Becoming a mom is a key driver to this online research: The study shows that 73% of women change their purchase criteria and reliance on social media after joining motherhood. “Women have deep sharing habits,” said Tina Sharkey of BabyCenter, who also spoke at the 21st Century Moms session, citing heavy reference to product reviews, articles,  conversations and discussion boards. In fact, moms on average will consult 13.3 sources before actually buying, according to the ZMOT research. Whereas in the past, moms would make purchase decisions within what some marketers call “two moments of truth”–the first”moment” at the store shelf, and the second at home during product trial–today, the path to  purchase is no longer direct, but more like a giant zigzag, which poses new challenges to marketers.

As an example of how the ZMOT applies to a “real” mom, I will share the experience of a member of the Child’s Play Team Mom network. After her husband lost his job, this mom became obsessed with finding the best deals on line via coupon and deal sites. Instead of routinely heading to the nearest mall to buy back-to-school clothes and supplies for her kids, she first made a shopping list, and then went online to scope out the latest styles and best prices. After reading other moms’ reviews of the brands and items she was considering, her choices shifted somewhat. Additional recommendations from moms in her weekly playgroup also had an influence. As she became ready to buy, she printed out store coupons. Then, on the day she was planning a store trip, she discovered special online discounts for a few of the items. I will bet that many of your customers pre-shop in a similar fashion.

Later this week, I’ll talk about how companies can make the most of this Zero Moment of Truth when marketing to moms.

Here at Child’s Play, we keep our fingers on the pulse of what moms are doing, especially in social media. For that reason, last month we launched a study to understand specifically how moms are using Twitter. The results made their debut last week in Engage: Moms, and I would like to share that article with you here.

How are moms using Twitter?

Earlier this month, Child’s Play Communications asked that question of our Social Savvy research panel, comprising moms active in the social media space.  We are announcing the results here. The responses, from 317 moms, provide a clear indication of what moms like about Twitter and when and how they prefer to use it. Marketers trying to reach moms via Twitter may want to consider these key findings:

• Moms tweet a lot. The highest percentage — 36.3% of moms — report tweeting 10-20 times a day.
• Midday means more conversation. Most moms indicate that the hours from noon-3 are the most popular for both tweeting (30.5%) and reading others’ tweets (24.8%). 
• Information is queen.  The No. 1 reason most moms tweet (43.2%) is to share information about products for kids and other moms – a fact that should be of considerable interest to companies and agencies alike. This is followed most closely by moms’ wish to interact with other moms (21.8%). The response shifts just slightly when moms are asked why they read other people’s tweets:  While 63.0% do so to get information about products for themselves and their kids, more – 67.5% — read tweets to interact with other moms.
• Moms want to see you tweeting. Asked how they decide whom to follow on Twitter, the vast majority – 78.2% — said they follow companies that interest them. Furthermore, 95.7% of moms who follow those companies do so to find out about new products, discounts and coupons.
• Tweets drive sales. The best news for those marketing to moms is that 73.1% of moms indicate that they actually purchased a product as a result of another mom’s Twitter recommendation.

 Other research questions looked at the types of products purchased following a Twitter recommendation, the popularity of Twitter parties and their impact on purchasing, what moms think of sponsored tweets, and moms’ specific Twitter experiences, positive and negative.

The conclusion: Today’s moms look to Twitter for information in a major way, and smart companies will use the space to reach this important demographic effectively.

Moms, do you agree with the results of the survey? Marketers, what has been your experience reaching moms through Twitter?

To what degree do moms use use their smartphones for shopping?  According to the (debatable) results of a recent survey, when it comes to hitting the mall, a smartphone is a mom’s best friend.

A survey by Greystripe, a mobile ad firm, showed that:

• The most frequent smartphone use when shopping was to locate the nearest store (about 45%)
• The next most common usage: to compare prices
• Only 15% said they actually used their smartphones to make purchases

Given Greystroke’s business, of course, the limited number of respondents and how they were recruited (239, via banner ads), the results have to be taken with a large grain of salt. A SheSpeaks online survey found that only 10% of women have downloaded shopping-related applications to their mobile devices; 62% were not even interested in doing so.

Moms: Do you use your smartphone for shopping? How often and in what way?

Marketers: How are you using smartphones, if at all, to entice moms to shop for your brand?

Seems to me, for the past couple thousand years or so women have made do on their own with planning for the arrival of their babies. Yes, carving out just the right spot in the cave for a crib did take some doing, as did strapping the little ones securely to our backs for work in the fields. But, mostly, we managed, with nary a paid consultant in sight.

Now, it seems, we need help — in the form of a maternity concierge.

A new Bravo show, Pregnant in Heels, follows one such professional as she helps busy New York City moms plan for the coming of their first child.

The extreme personality of all reality show “stars” aside, is it really possible that some of these women can be so in the dark about what is involved in caring for a child — surprise, you do have to feed and clean up after them! — and need to hire a very expensive consultant to lead them?

Or is this the natural course of things, as we now live far from our families and spend so much of our time focused on work?

What do you think: Are baby planners the way of the future? Have you ever used one?  And what does our “need” for them say about our society?

Social media is not the only way to reach moms these days. A live experience can have as much impact — and often more  — than a virtual one. Managed properly, it can quickly migrate online to reach a broader audience.

This has been our experience with Child’s Play Party!, our program for providing moms around the country with a chance to try out products for no charge. We work with moms to host these “brand immersion” events in their own homes, and to invite other mom guests. We then send plenty of samples for each participant, information about the products, party theme ideas–even suggestions for decorations and snacks–plus a recommended schedule for party activities. When possible, we like to include coupons and a gift for guests to take home. Most of the moms we work with are active in social media — the majority are bloggers — which means that if they enjoy the party (and we do take pains to assure that it’s enjoyable!) they will likely comment on it in social media.

The idea is to spark grassroots buzz, and we’ve seen plenty! Our fall 2010 program for Fuzzoodles, called the Fuzzoodles Fiesta, was a blast, with moms sharing their excitement on their blogs, Facebook and twitter. Starting in two weeks,  moms will host events to launch the new Gogo’s toys.

If you’re a mom who would like to be considered for future parties, feel free to go here for more information and an application. And if you’re a brand that wants to provide moms with a hands-on experience with your product to spark both buzz and purchase, please contact Julie Livingston at (212) 488-2060 x 12 or jl@childsplaypr.com.