Summertime in the online world is a tricky one when it comes to reaching and marketing to moms. Their lives may be filled with more travel, less structure and less time devoted to online hobbies and conversations. But one thing remains: the need to catch a moment to herself. Luckily for businesses, many moms will turn to social media to catch this break. Reaching them in these moments opens up opportunities to entertain, inspire and provide solutions to problems that are never far from the mind of a mother.
Begin planning your summer content with these ideas in mind.
- Be Whimsical
Yes, whimsical. Practicality rules the lives of most during the hectic school year. Holidays and summertime are a chance to relive childhood memories and give in to ideas of carefree play, fantasy and fun. Step outside of your box and think about how your product can be used in a way to provide a different sort of experience, or how you can create content that supports your brand lifestyle (it doesn’t always need that direct product tie-in!).Campbell Soup garnered great press over the launch of their Campbell’s Go product because they were able to “cultivate a whimsical, humorous personality for the line.” But you don’t need their budget to still approach summer with the same creative mindset. - Quick Wins
If you took an informal poll of moms around you, chances are there are a few things many of them will be looking for this summer… 4th of July recipes and activities, ideas to entertain the kids over the summer, resources for keeping learning alive during non-school months, things to do in their city, and travel research. Help solve these problems and you’re golden. When Crayola set out to redesign their website, their goal was to not keep visitors on the site for as long as possible. Instead they set out to encourage creativity offline. This is in-line with what many moms worry about: too much screen time. We love this. It’s focused truly on helping their consumer, putting their best interests first, and in turn the brand loyalty will follow. - Help Them Prepare For School
Most moms will avoid thinking about back-to-school until the end of July, but be ready with your angle and ideas to simplify, help and celebrate. Whether moms and kids are dreading it or welcoming it with open arms, the return to school is undeniably exciting. Tapping into this energy can be a win for you and your fans.In 2014, J.C. Penney launched an “Express Your Selfie” campaign for back-to-school, with a selfie and personalized emoji self-expression campaign that aligned perfectly with finding (or helping a child find) their perfect style as they kicked off a fresh year of learning. It was a natural fit with the brand and time of year, easy to participate in and catchy enough to remember. - Surprise People
Have a little fun with the fact that social media is timely and immediate. Flash offers, giveaways or fun promos tied to weather, silly holidays and local events can drive business for a quick boost in sales. As mentioned above, many moms will be looking for ideas to entertain their kids or get out of the house. Goodbuy Girls, a vintage shop in Nashville, found success with an easy to remember promotion perfect for summer. Customers received $10 off a purchase of $100 when the temperature rose above 100 degrees. If you’re a small business, this kind of thing can be a perfect promotion especially if you train your regulars to remember the deal.
Approach your summer marketing to moms with a light-hearted spirit. Don’t be afraid to take risks in the fun department. Offer up great content first, and sales will follow. Moms want quality, entertainment, inspiration, help and answers. You can deliver.
1 Comment
I liked the idea of being whimsical, what you say makes a lot of sense. Summer is definitely a ‘fun’ time so it’s a great approach to capture that sentiment with your marketing.