Marketing to Moms & Building Brand Loyalty

If you want to score points with Moms, then you’re going to have to be in it for the long haul. Because marketing to Moms is about creating a long-term relationship, not about getting just one date.

We often hear companies ask us what separates Moms from other consumers and if I’d have to narrow it down to one thing, I’d say it’s engagement.

Moms don’t want to be sold to in a one-time deal, they want the ring: the down-on-one-knee commitment – so you’re going to have to prove why they should choose you. Once you convince them, you’ve got a loyal customer who influences $2.4 trillion in spending every year.

Here are five ways you can build loyalty with this important consumer and prove your commitment so they choose you.

Ask her out – again and again
Just like dating, Mom wants to get to know you on multiple occasions, in multiple settings. When your marketing to Moms, you need to ensure your conveying what makes your brand unique and why they should choose you over the competition. And this cannot be done in just one email, one ad or one blog post.

You need to consistently show how your product relates to their needs (women are more likely to have safety concerns, when it comes to children’s products especially, and are more committed to environmental causes than men). Think of this as the dating period – the weeks or months of “wooing” over your prospect.

By consistently engaging – through every medium Moms use, from social to mobile to TV and magazines – you’re sending a message that you care about building a relationship, rather than just making one sale.

Give her a reason to look forward to your engagement
Today’s consumers are bombarded with advertisements everywhere they look – you need to give them a reason to actually look forward to your engagement. It’s not enough to say, “visit our Facebook page” – give them a reason to. Are you promoting Mom-specific offers that she should keep her eyes out for? Are you going to show behind-the-scenes images of your company and the inspiration for new products on your Instagram page?

Moms are leaders of the pack, not sheep, so don’t assume that saying “follow us” or “sign up for our email list” is enough. For Moms in particular, who are trying to juggle running a household, work, kids and the finances of an expanding family, providing incentives to engage can reap real rewards. In fact, a survey of over 600 U.S. Moms conducted by PunchTab found that over 81% of Moms said they would buy more or engage with brands if they were rewarded with loyalty points.

We love the way Twister shares followers’ photos on its Instagram account – showing off its fun side.

Don’t discount social media
If your Mom is new to social media, she’s late to the party. Nearly 91% of Moms use social media regularly and they spend double the amount of time on social media than the rest of the population. This is an important area to build onstant engagement when marketing to moms on social media.

You want to be consistent and make sure that you’re engaging with Moms on all the important social media sites they’re on (their top sites are Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram) and be relevant, timely and have a little fun (54% of U.S. Moms recommend brands to other Moms based on the brand’s sense of fun!).

Fisher Price does a great job of marketing to moms on Twitter through engaging posts – many of which are not product-related but rather inspirational quotes.

Be authentic
There’s no point to engaging if you’re not engaging authentically. Moms want to know that they can trust and believe in your brand – after all, they’re essentially trusting their most precious gift with you.

Think about ways you can show your brand’s authenticity – whether through up-close interviews with employees or featuring testimonials on your website and social media pages. When marketing to moms, try to portray what your authentic brand represents – what are the moments that make up your brand, that Moms can relate to? Adidas’ #mygirls campaign was all about showcasing stories of real girls, real consumers who were using Adidas products mountain biking, running, skiing and more. Think about the power of getting your product into Moms’ hands, like Adidas did with one of their core demographics, and how that can help your brand convey a more authentic story.

Use social media to listen
Social media isn’t just a great place to showcase your story and connect with Moms – it’s also the perfect place to listen to what consumers are saying about your brand and responding appropriately, whether they’re complimenting or complaining. Social media is a two-way street that you can use to gain valuable insight into how consumers are relating to your product.

Take a look at how Lego responds to their followers’ questions and comments on Twitter.

When you’re trying to build your brand loyalty with Moms, you need to convey an authentic story that shows you understand their needs, while providing them with an incentive to engage with you.

That can be from the small details such as sending an email on the anniversary of their sign-up with your company, providing loyalty points, or social media offers. Ultimately, though, you want to show that you’re not interested in just a one-time deal; you’re in it for the rest of their (and their kids’) lives.