Mother’s Day in e-commerce – strategies of action
On a global scale, experts consider this seemingly small event like Mother’s Day to be one of the most important in terms of sales value. In the United States alone, it is the third holiday in terms of consumer spending.
Table of Contents:
- Mother’s Day during the pandemic
- Get your customers’ attention
- Bet on creative marketing
- Mother’s Day and social media
- Think about collaborating with other brands
- Don’t leave your customers alone
- There is no need to do without a typical advertisement
- Summary
1. Mother’s Day during the pandemic
The current situation around the world means that we have a slightly different approach to thinking not only about life, but also about the consumption of goods. The pandemic has limited the field of possibilities considerably. We will not go to a restaurant, theater or cinema. This automatically translates into a range of options to celebrate Mother’s Day. However, we have made a leap into digital reality and therefore online stores will certainly be popular with customers.
Just look at Google Trends to find out. There is clearly an increase in the number of such queries.
Coronavirus has made many consumers think slightly different about Mother’s Day. Concerns for the life and health of loved ones. Losing your job. Financial problems. Social distancing. These are incredibly powerful factors influencing changes in personal and consumer attitudes. Perhaps more than ever in today’s dynamic times, we want to show appreciation and concern.
Interestingly, the research shows several product segments that have grown dynamically compared to last year. On the other hand, over 66% of consumers declare their willingness to meet online on the occasion of Mother’s Day. Such a phenomenon has already been observed in Germany on the occasion of Easter. We did not want to put our loved ones at risk, and at the same time we were very keen on the “traditional” contact at the festive table.
Over the years, companies have had a lot of interesting ideas that allow them to set certain trends. So let’s take a look at how you can activate your customers so that they find their way to your online store.
2. Get your customers’ attention
While each of us as a consumer follows our own paths and likes independence, paradoxically, we do not mind suggestions from brands. It turns out that despite our independence, we like comfort. When navigating in the maze of offers available on the market, we usually look for something specific. Especially when there are specific occasions – Mother’s Day, birthdays or Christmas. Then we expect inspiration and ideas – it not only saves us time, but also makes sure that we make the right choice.
So how to fulfill such a need? Show the importance of the holiday. Its importance to you and consumers. What’s more, by acting in this way you will remind those who have forgotten about Mother’s Day – they will be grateful to you!
It’s a good idea to create a thematic Landing Page. With wishes, cool texts, emotions and carefully selected products from your offer. It is worth providing them with appropriate descriptions dedicated to this special occasion. If you show your clients that you care, they will also care more.
Of course, creating a dedicated website is a logistical, time and financial effort, especially when running dedicated e-commerce. In such a situation, a great alternative may be to create a section in your store dedicated exclusively to content and products related to this holiday. Don’t forget to add a clear button in the main menu – Mother’s Day. It is also worth adding an appropriate banner in the slide on the home page or under it.
It is worth paying attention to additional and interesting product segmentation. For those who care about their appearance, for those who like good coffee, for captivating memories, etc. As long as such a message is more interesting, closer to the user and more natural than the classic, unemotional product categories. On the one hand, it can be considered a detail – but really, it can make a big difference to the consumer’s attitude.
3. Bet on creative content marketing
Since we already know how to show the importance of Mother’s Day, it is worth deepening the experience of consumers. Let’s make the uniqueness of the occasion also noticeable in communication. Content marketing in its broadest sense will play a key role here.
At this point, it is worth recalling that one of the most important trends in modern communication is personalization or creating a sense of it. What does it mean? Generic content, targeted at broad groups of recipients, devoid of the situational and emotional context, has a relatively low effectiveness of influencing customers.
Modern consumers are looking for something personal, in their opinion, addressed directly to them. In combination with well-thought-out content, it can interest and even convince you to buy a gift that hardly anyone would have thought of in the first place.
4. Mother’s Day and social media
Social media, and in this respect – Facebook or Instagram, are an excellent platform for modern communication. Nobody needs to be convinced of this. It is also an excellent space for free conversation with a lot of humor and a light approach to issues. We mentioned above that emotions are important – laughter also allows you to build them. These are great customer communication channels where you can write directly to the customer and get feedback. Good communication and content do not always have to be extensive. Idea and relevance count.
5. Think about collaborating with other brands
Observing the German market, you can see that cooperation between brands in order to build a richer and more interesting offer for customers is still not very popular. Creating complementary offers on various occasions is also a chance to reach a wider audience.
6. Don’t leave your customers alone
In our consciousness, as a society and consumers, we are convinced that we have little free time, a lot of responsibilities and (which we don’t admit to) – a short memory. In our daily routine, we sometimes forget about an important date and event – e.g. Mother’s Day. It is for this reason, among other things, that stores have so much traffic shortly before May 9. We also often leave purchases at the last minute.
Can you and your brand do something in this direction? Yes of course! First of all, you can take care of regular visitors to your store, as well as every customer who has decided to leave their data in the database – e-mail, telephone number, newsletter subscription. You can start reminding them in good time that Mother’s Day is approaching. Of course, it doesn’t have to be a classic, casual reminder. However, it can take the form of a lookbook, perfect gift ideas or a shopping guide.
Such forms of communication are very suggestive, but at the same time they are not intrusive advertising. You provide the recipient with valuable content, hints and inspiration. He decides what to do with such knowledge, but he will certainly be grateful if he does not forget about Mother’s Day this year. And this is a big plus for your brand.
Besides, making decisions is difficult, even when it comes to choosing a gift for such a loved one as mom. Help your clients. Suggest what is worth and for whom. They will be grateful to you for it.
7. There is no need to do without a typical advertisement
With all the creative work you put into preparing for Mother’s Day in your online store, you can also not miss a typical advertisement. It will largely allow you to attract customers. Even the best ideas, if you do not tell anyone about them, will not win the market and the hearts of customers.
A good solution in this regard is to reach for Google Ads and Facebook Ads. Both are relatively cheap solutions and, above all, flexible. This means that you can dynamically adjust both the budget and the ads themselves to the current needs and, above all, the expectations of the recipients.
And if you have a little more budget, you may be tempted by Shopping ad as well. The latter will increase the reach and consumer awareness. Mother’s Day is also a very grateful topic in visual terms.
8. Summary
Influencing customers is not only about activating them and attracting them to your online store. Properly conducted marketing activities may also allow to increase the average value of the shopping cart. Trust in a brand, the conviction that it is something more than an unemotional institution, can change consumer attitudes. A brand should be an advisor and a “friend” for the recipient.
Communication, including thoughtful, unique and adequate content marketing, is of great importance in this respect. It is in him that one should look for the motivating factor to act. A secondary issue is what tool you have in dialogue with your clients – more important is “how” you do it. When designing communication, it is always worth putting yourself in the place of the recipient. It is then easier to judge whether what has been designed will actually work. Would you like to click on your ad? Does social media post evoke any emotions in you? Have you read the blog article from beginning to end without getting bored?
This approach requires a lot of self-discipline, diligence and time. Nevertheless, we live in a time when originality, naturalness, fit and personalization play key roles.
The ideas gathered in this article are only a fraction of what can be done. Let them be a starting point for you and an inspiration to take your communication with customers to the next level. And not only on Mother’s Day!
Mother’s Day in e-commerce