While Summer temperatures hit all-time highs, school backpacks, Halloween costumes and Christmas toys are already on the minds of mothers. These powerful consumers kick off their buying season in July so it’s time for brands to fire up their marketing strategies and tactics. In the spirit of the list yielding mom population, the BSM Media elves assembled a list of considerations for companies with a goal to tap into the $1.3 trillion women with children spend every year in the U.S. economy.
1. Moms begin back to school shopping now.
If you wait until August to run your back-to-school marketing, you’ve missed the buying season. In the past, students returned to the classroom the week after Labor Day, however two-thirds of students begin the new year in August. Don’t forget college bound students in your marketing plans. Moms spend hundreds of dollars stocking dorm refrigerators and linen cabinets with her child’s favorites.
Marketing Nugget: The biggest college move in week takes place August 11-17th so plan accordingly on social and in-store.
2. Back to school means back to self for moms.
The new school year signifies a new set of habits and schedules for not only students but moms as well. It’s the time of year Moms begin new fitness routines and wellness products so don’t forget to include mom-centric and self-care items for mom in your marketing plans.
This is a great time for gyms, supplement companies and organizational services to market their products and services to moms.
3. Align your influencer marketing with state tax-free weeks.
Many marketers forget to build their plans geographically around tax-free shopping weeks when moms are in the store buying products. It’s difficult with some tactics like national media buys but influencers are a great way to geo-target your digital marketing to drive sales.
Marketing Nugget: Utilize Social Spotters to encourage followers on social media to stock up on your product while it’s take-free week.
4. Moms start shopping for Halloween in August.
Yes, that’s right- August. BSM Media surveyed 1000 moms with Party City and found that 65% begin shopping for Fall and Halloween décor as early as August. Major retailers such as Costco, Party City and Michael’s have already set shelves with skeletons and pumpkins enticing families to buy earlier this year.
5. Christmas and Hannukah fall on the same day this year.
It hasn’t happened in almost a decade but what it means is that moms- Christians and Jewish- will be shopping during the same time frame. This is great news for retailers and marketers who can concentrate their messages to a larger audience at the same time.
Marketing Nugget: Use popular hashtags like #FounditatTarget or #ChristmasMustHaves to maximize the reach of your social posts.
6. Plan for the disruption of the election this year.
It’s going to get noisy this year as the election for President heats up and may require marketers to pause their holiday tactics in late October and early November. Start early to get ahead of the crowded space on social media and plan to keep going late into December for those moms who choose to stay offline until after the dust clears.
With some careful planning and getting in step with mom’s shopping behaviors, brands can find a lucrative shopping season that begins in the heat of the summer and lasts until the first snow fall in December.
Still need help reaching moms during the holiday season? Email Maria@bsmmedia.com for more ideas, insights or proposals.
