A Savvy Strategy for Method

In this age of engagement, blogger outreach should be an integral part of your public relations plan especially when it comes to moms. Between 50-60% of all moms name blogs as their favourite form of online media.

So what does it take to gain a blogger's attention and trust? Mom in the City blogger recently posted why she love Method - as a company, product, brand. Here are some key points but I encourage you to read the entire post to get more details and ideas on how you can step up your own efforts.

1. Method marketers are friendly, respectful and enthusiastic about their brand.

2. Method is innovative

3. Method is responsive to moms overall

4. They have a wonderful line of products

5. They consistently connect

6. They treat me as an individual

7. Method never asks me to write about the things that they send me

Pitching Value

Results of a new study from Miller Zell, an Atlanta-based retail consulting company, reinforces what a lot of us already know - moms are in charge of household purchases and the family budget. What's most interesting is the study shows that the current economic downturn has moms changing the way they shop including "eating-in more often, with 68% saying they spend less at restaurants; changing channels, with 50% moving from premium grocery stores to discounters; and trading down, with 87% switching brands at the grocery store and a third buying private-label clothing." The report's author then recommends that companies need to "ramp up their value message".

Simultaneously, media outlets are focusing on value stories. In Canada headlines such as "Be Fashionably Frugal", "Buy the Best Quality You Can Afford", "Budget Friendly Family Meals" have been popping up in newspapers across the country. Each article listed a number of great value-conscious ideas that readers can easily implement in their life.

To take advantage of this universal state-of-mind (value is #1), start thinking of ways that your brand presents value-based ideas and promote the details to the media in a Top 5 List. Let's say your company produces eco laundry products - distribute a list of Top 5 Ways You Can Save On Your Laundry Bills (wash in cold water, spin the clothes twice so they dry faster and use less power, etc).

You are more likely to garner media and blogger attention if you provide a context to your brand that is useful and relevant to their readers/viewers lives and moms will value your brand even more because you are providing them with useful tips they can apply to their busy life.

How to Reach the Mom Market

I watched this interview with Tricia Mumby on "Word of Mom" marketing a number of months ago but was recently reminded of it (thanks to a posting from Mommy Blog expert Jennifer James). Tricia gives some good insight into how to reach moms; a must see for anyone who wants to tap into this market.

"At the recent CMA From Mass to Grass conference, Tricia Mumby from Mabel's Labels gave a great case study on the power of "Word of Mom" marketing. Here, she spends a minute busting the myth that you can't find women online and offers a suggestion on one way to reach these powerful moms offline."

Newspaper Niche

I just read a great article about alternative business models for newspapers which referenced this article from the Wall Street Journal on how local media companies are launching websites aimed at mothers.

#1 lesson to be learned: '"Face-to-face interaction helps build loyalty back to the site, says Karen Gutierrez, managing editor of CincyMoms.com. "People start to feel responsible for the well being of the site."'

Even the media are learning it takes more than just great content to capture the attention and loyalty from the mom market. Participate in local events in order to mingle with moms in your community, hold a mom mixer so they can have the opportunity to experience your product and meet the people 'behind the scenes', even develop unique in-home parties that provide moms with a fun, comfortable environment in order to experience your brand on a whole new level.

To feel the impact of their purchasing power engage directly with moms through multiple points of contact so they can develop a loyalty to your brand and a passion to help spread the word to their network of friends.