We love our moms 365 days a year, but on one special day in May, we all take the opportunity to show them how much we care about them, as we truly should. At Resonate, we’re celebrating moms by taking a deep dive into our Mom-related data. Moms are strong and powerful, especially when it comes to spending; mothers control 85% of household purchases and have a U.S. spending power of $2.4 trillion*. With so many dollars up for grabs, it’s critical that brands are connecting with moms properly. As we discussed in our most recent State of the Consumer report, speaking to entire groups of people the same way could mean missing out on reaching potential customers. Not all moms think alike or have the same values, so you shouldn’t be creating a one-size-fits-all strategy to reach them.
We’ve broken down today’s mom into three distinct segments: Toddler moms (moms with kids under 5), grade school moms (moms with kids ages 5 – 17), and empty nest moms (moms with kids 18+ who no longer live at home). While these moms have some overlapping interests and preferences, there are some important nuances brands should know to successfully connect with moms as Mother’s Day approaches.
TODDLER MOMS & GRADE SCHOOL MOMS
These two groups of moms have the most similarities, but there are some noteworthy nuances among them. Most toddler moms are ages 25-34, while most grade school moms fall between ages 35-44. The majority of both segments have between 2-3 kids and 19% of toddler moms are single parents, while 15% of grade school moms are single. Not surprisingly, the top personal value driving both groups of moms is safety in one’s self and family. Toddler moms also value having a life full of excitement and being humble. Grade school moms focus on maintaining traditions and caring for people who are close to them. In trying to connect with toddler moms, marketers should use themes of adventure and excitement in your messaging and creative. If grade school moms are your target audience, focus on themes of caring, nurturing and appreciation for traditions.
Both segments are devoted to their faith and place importance on romantic love. Toddler moms are motivated by living an exciting life, while grade school moms put a higher value on gaining trust from others. Their top retailer is Ross and they both frequent Starbucks (how else do they get the energy to keep up with their kids?). These two groups are in different life stages, despite having similar values and psychological drivers. Toddler moms are 200% more likely to have another child within the next year, while grade school moms are looking to buy or lease a vehicle.
There are also nuances when it comes to shopping behaviors. While both groups buy products online and pick-up in store, toddler moms check the price of a product via mobile while they’re in the store. Grade school moms are 34% more likely to buy a product online and return it in store. Both sets of moms follow companies on social media and download retailer apps. Marketers should emphasize your company’s easy return policy to attract grade-school moms and put the focus on your competitive prices when trying to reach toddler moms.
When it comes to health and beauty products, both groups want family-friendly products. Grade school moms put more emphasis on rewarding and time-saving beauty products, while toddler moms want products that are enjoyable and innovative. A beauty brand looking to reach grade school moms might consider advertising the ease of use on the packaging.
Both segments prefer Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat over other social media outlets, so focus your advertising dollars on those platforms. They both read Parents and Cosmopolitan and use streaming services as their preferred method of TV consumption. Consider targeting ads specifically on those channels.
Tech products have become a popular Mother’s Day gift option, and both sets like trying tech products as soon as they come out and believe these products help them connect with others more easily. Messaging to moms should focus on how tech will help them stay in touch with others. Future purchases for both groups include furniture, so consider offering a discount or reformatting your web page to highlight what you offer.
EMPTY NEST MOMS
The interests, consumer preferences and values of empty nest moms differ greatly from the other mom segments, most likely because they don’t have kids living at home and therefore don’t have the same day-to-day responsibilities. It’s vital to understand how they differ in order to form a long-lasting connection.
Most empty nest moms are 65+ and 136% more likely than other moms to be retired. Only 6% of women in this group are single. Their top personal value is being a reliable and trustworthy family member and friend, followed by the caring of family members and friends and fulfilling obligations. They are driven by their devotion to their faith, have an optimistic outlook on life and are motivated by gaining trust from others. They’re 155% more likely to become a grandparent and 139% more likely to have a child get married. To reach these moms, consider using themes of trust, nurturing and accountability in your creative and messaging.
Their top retailers are Overstock, Rite Aid and Sears. Unlike toddler and grade school moms, empty nesters prefer to watch standard TV over DVR or streaming services. They read Family Circle, Good Housekeeping and Woman’s Day and spend time on Facebook and LinkedIn. Brands shouldn’t focus their marketing efforts on streaming service platforms or social media channels like Instagram or Snapchat since these moms likely won’t engage.
When it comes to shopping behaviors, they use a pre-written list and coupons and are less likely to focus any of their shopping behaviors online. For example, they are 35% less likely to check the price of a product on their phone and 27% less likely to shop for something in a store and buy it online. They also don’t follow brands on social media or use their apps. In-store marketing is where your brand’s focus should be for maximum engagement with empty nesters and save the digital marketing efforts for the other sets of moms.
When it comes to beauty products, they want them to be rewarding and trustworthy (which falls in line with their core motivation of being reliable and trustworthy). They also crave luxurious clothing and dependable household goods. Empty nesters are not in the market for any new tech products as they’re 56% more likely to say they’re not tech-savvy. Their future purchase categories include crafts and party supplies, health and beauty products and garden and outdoor items.
CONCLUSION
While toddler and grade school moms have more in common when it comes to consumer preferences and values, there are important nuances brands should take note of when trying to reach those consumers, such as their shopping behaviors and psychological drivers, since toddler moms are, on average, a bit younger. Empty nest moms are in a different phase of their life since their kids aren’t relying on them daily. They also aren’t as tech savvy as other moms and are more likely to shop in store for products versus online or on their mobile device. It’s crucial that brands looking to optimize their opportunity for revenue during Mother’s Day (and beyond) aren’t speaking to all moms the same way. The better your brand understands and connects with prospects and customers the right way, the quicker and more efficiently you’ll acquire new customers and increase customer lifetime value all year-round.
The Resonate consumer intelligence platform has even more insight into today’s moms and can help your brand connect with them directly through the most relevant messaging and the most appropriate channels.
To learn more or to see the platform in action, reach out to our team.
*Forbes.com
