Influencing Purchasing Decisions

We’ve all been there before. We’re in a store trying to choose between two items.
What is the tipping point?
What are the factors that give one product the edge over the other?
(Beyond the eannie, meannie, minny, moe method)
A new study looks at what things go into the decision process for grocery shoppers among moms & dads.  While this research is based on food shopping activities, the logic is transferable to other shopping behavior.

What Influences purchases outside of price or quality for moms & dads:

• 37% of dads and 44% of moms say a coupon
would be the biggest influence in choosing one
item over another

• One in five dads and one in six moms said product benefits would be a determining factor

• 12% of moms and 14% of dads say the brand name sways them in choosing a product

• 10% of moms and dads cited in-store promotions and the ability to get a free sample as things that weigh into purchasing one product over another

• Less than 5% of moms and dads said that environment or social benefits would weigh into their decision

What Does This Mean To You?

Knowing what the reasoning is behind consumer choices can not only help you sell more goods and services, it can boost you over the competition.  The study above points out several things particular to grocery shopping, but the basic principles are applicable to most businesses.

The Offer – Whether you are promoting a particular item, or your own business, an offer is a great way to set yourself – or your products – apart and drive traffic.  For many consumers, the economy is still a challenge and they are looking to save money any where they can.  The offer does not always have to be a straight discount.  Think about rewarding customers for purchasing or spending more money.

Benefits – People make purchases because they see value in a product or service.  It solves their problems, saves them time or saves them money.  By promoting the benefits you or a product delivers, you and your products move from being something has to be bought to a solution for a problem.

Brand Name/Reputation – For some purchases, a brand name has a larger influence than others.  In many cases, a brand name is a representation of reputation.  If you have a great reputation, promote it.  A respected name in the community can have an effect on whether people patronize you or the competition.  You can also increase you reputation by marketing respected products.  You may also be able to increase your marketing efforts through the use of co-op advertising.

Awareness – If a tree falls in the woods…  If you don’t tell consumers about your business and the goods & services you offer – how are they going to find out?  Your competition is not likely to tell them.
The same goes for the products you carry.  Consumers may know about these items, but do they know that you sell them?

There are many factors that go into why consumers make the choices they do.  Some of them you can influences, others you can’t.  To be successful, you want to make it as easy to find, contact, shop and purchase items from your business as possible.  For more information on gaining a competitive advantage and creating traffic, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Cone Communications

Tech-Centric Moms

Moms have a tough job and deserve all the help they can get.  Recently, we’ve done posts on the social tools that moms use and actions taken after employing them.  Long gone are the days when moms didn’t understand the latest technologies.  In fact, nearly 85% of women with children in their household have gone online in the past month.  There is a new research study that looks at the devices moms use.  The wide range of digital devices moms employ gives you more ways to connect with them and promote your products.

• 99% of moms regularly use a laptop or desktop computer, 98% own a digital camera

• 85% own an MP3 player

• Over 80% of moms own a smart phone

• Over three-quarters have video game console in the home and almost 60% have a hand-held video game

• 56% of moms own a tablet

• Nearly half own a function based mobile phone

• 49% have an Ereader

What Does This Mean To You?

The multitude of devices gives you lots of device based targeting options.
Nearly every mom has access to a desktop or laptop computer, targeting them through content ensures that you are effectively creating engagement.  Through the use of networks, you can efficiently get your message across to moms who are in your market.
Moms are much more likely than the market to own smart phones.  There are many mobile tools you can put into play to create awareness with moms. There are mobile sites, SMS/Text and QR codes to name just a few.  But also remember because so many people access their email on a mobile device before their regular computer – email is another touch point. A large percentage of consumers conduct searches on mobile devices to find local businesses, this makes SEO another important mobile tactic.  Video is also becoming a mobile favorite and consumers tend to watch product-based mobile videos.  Tablet technology is rapidly expanding and it is mobile shoppers preferred device to make mobile purchases.  Utilizing apps that appeal to moms keeps you front
and center with them.  For more information on strategies to leverage dollars from online moms, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: emarketer; BlogHer

Actions Taken By Social Moms

Recently, we displayed new research that showed blogs were mom’s most trusted social source of information.  Today, we’ll look at what actions moms take because of the information they find on blogs.  Moms, often being the keepers of the family finances, are not only a great consumer segment – they have a large influence of most major purchases.

• Over 60% of online moms read a book that was recommended on a blog

• 56% purchased a food product that was advocated

• 54% watched a TV program after a suggestion was given

• Nearly half bought a baby toy that was suggested on a mom blog

• 45% purchased a toy after advice from a blog

• Over four in 10 forwarded a post to a friend

What Does This Mean To You?

Moms are not just looking for advice and information; they are also acting on what they find.  Because they are actively looking for information and pass that information, the opinions that moms have could impact your business. Their social activity means they have a large circle of influence.  As a business you should look for opportunities to use moms in testimonials and reward them for sharing positive information about your brand or company. For more information on engaging moms and the most cost effective ways to create loyal shoppers among them, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: emarketer; BlogHer

Social Media Moms Trust

The digital age has given moms a wealth of information to help care and raise their children.  There has been several pieces of research that show moms turn to the internet for answers and advice.  Social media is one of the main places they look to. Moms, especially new moms, put much stock in the opinions of other moms. Whether it’s shared situations, taking advice from ones who’ve been through child rearing already, the need for adult conversation or the research that shows that women in general feel it’s their responsibility to help friends and family made the right decisions – a large percentage of moms rely on social networks.  A new research report has been released that chronicles the types of social media moms trust for parenting advice.

• The most trusted form of social media by moms were blogs.  Over two-thirds of moms said blogs offered the parenting advice they trusted most

• Moms in the 28 to 45 year old range had the highest trust percentage for blogs at over 70%

• Facebook was the second most trusted social entity at 64%

• Moms in the 46 to 64 year old group put the most trust in Facebook at 66%.  In general, Facebook has moved from a youth based platform to one used by parents and grandparents

• There is a big gap between the top two social entities that moms trust and the rest of the pack.  36% of moms trusted YouTube for parenting advice and Pinterest came in at 31%

• Nearly 30% of moms said they trusted Twitter for advice and 22% trust Instagram for advice

What Does This Mean To You?

Blogs offer moms a very personal social experience. It’s more of a one to one communication and the content can be very focused.  Because of the specific nature of content, blogs offer your business great targeting opportunities.  Social moms, in particular, can be a great revenue stream.

• In Metro Orlando, nearly three-quarters of women with children in their household have interacted with social media over the past month

• These social moms are more likely to be younger than moms in general

• Over one-third of social moms in Metro Orlando have household incomes of $75,000+, over half have incomes of $50,000+

• 57% are employed and over half work in White-Collar positions

Reputation management is something you should be aware of when doing any social marketing.  It helps your brand keep a positive image.  Because moms rely on the opinions of others, negative information can have huge implications.  Make sure you address any complaints or issues and thank those who speak positively about you.  For more information on utilizing social media to reach moms, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: emarketer; BlogHer

Relevant Ads More Effective With Women

Women can be a major factor when it comes to the success of any business.  Targeting them with online video content can help you build loyalty among them and increase brand affinity.  A new research report details how females feel about contextually relevant online video ads and the sites they appear on.

• Over six in 10 women say that relevant online video advertising makes them see the brand in a more favorable light

• 56% of women said they had a more favorable opinion of sites featuring relevant video ads

• Half of online females said that relevant video ads made their web experience more valuable

• Nearly 70% of female internet users said they were more likely to pay attention to video ads that were relevant to the site they were visiting

• 70% of women were likely to ignore video ads that were not relevant to the site they were visiting

What Does This Mean To You

These are just more examples of why targeting is so important to your business.  We’ve had recent posts showing how important online video is and consumers desire for it.  But if you are not focusing your message and using sites that don’t cater to your target audience, all your efforts could be wasted.
There are several ways to use video to your advantage.  Have customers create video testimonials and reward these loyal patrons with valuable offers for sharing them.  An actual customer saying how great your business is holds much more weight than you doing it yourself.  Besides posting these testimonials to your social offerings, ask the customer to put it on theirs.  Make sure all of your videos are share-able.  Make it easy for consumers to forward your video message to others.  Also investigate the ability to have your video ads expand to full page or cover the majority of the page.  This will give your message a dominant position and you won’t be competing with other messages.  For more information on how to increase customer engagement through video, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer; Vibrant Media; Dynamic Logic

Moms Are Active Social Networkers

Yesterday’s post showed us just how many moms are using social media and the types of content that shapes their opinions.  The influence of women with children on social media doesn’t just come from how many are using these networks; it’s how active they are compared to the total population.

• 80% of online moms use social media regularly – that’s 45% higher than general internet users

• Six in 10 moms “like” brands on Facebook – that’s 13% higher than the total online population

• Over half of moms have 200 or more online friends on Facebook – that’s over 60% higher than the general online public

• In 2012, over 70% of Metro Orlando women with children in their household have visited a social network in the past month

• Over half of them spend at least an hour everyday on social networks

What Does This Mean To You

Moms on social networks are not just a national fad – it’s a local phenomenon as well.  These are consumers that you can reach, influence and forge relationships with through social networks.  As we learned in yesterday’s post, these networks can also help you create loyalty with other shoppers as well.  Moms also tend to be keepers of the family purse strings, helping them save money and provide for their family can definitely help your business become a favorite of theirs.  Integrating offers, coupons and other ways to help drive “likes” among moms.  For more information on creating a winning social media strategy, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer; BabyCenter; The 2012 Scarborough Report, Release 1

Social Moms

Moms are huge influencers.  They not only influence behavior of their children, they are a big influencer of consumer purchasing and their opinions bear a great deal of cache with other moms. A new study has been released that shows us how moms are becoming a dominating force of social media and the impact social media has on their decision making process.

• There are currently nearly 28 million moms on social networks across the US.  The represents over 80% of all women with children under 18 in their household

• By 2014, that number will grow to nearly 29 million or 85% of moms

• Half of online moms say that product reviews are the top social influencer of what they buy

• Over 20% say online opinions from friends are also a major influencer

• One in six online moms say that blogs are the top social purchase influencer

• 12% said that a general social media buzz about a product has swayed their decision to buy

What Does This Mean To You

Moms are a huge social media segment.  They can be a big boost to your business, but they could also a big hindrance to your success.  Nearly 40% say that blogs and online opinions are their chief social influencer – if these social views are positive, they can be a tremendous virtual testimonial and a way to draw in more business.  If these comments or opinions are not a good reflection on your brand or products, it could mean trouble.   Managing your social reputation with moms is very important.  Product reviews hold the most social weight with moms. Posting positive reviews on your social offerings and linking to them from your web site can help move the meter with them.  For more information on targeting moms and managing your social reputation, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer; Totsy; BabyCenter

High Tech Babysitters

The long Memorial Day weekend is passed. That means schools will be getting out soon and the start of the summer travel season.  While many of us remember the cross-country road trips to see relatives – being put in the way-back of the station wagon and hearing our folks often say “don’t make me pull over”, today’s parents have high-tech tools that would have been very much appreciated back then.  A new survey on the digital devices that moms use as in-vehicle babysitters will probably make you question whether today’s kids even know about the license plate game.

• Nearly half of moms use a car DVD or video player to kid kids engaged while on a car trip

• Four in 10 use a Nintendo DS

• Almost 40% use a smart phone

• Over one in four keep kids entertained with an iPad or other tablet device

• 25% employ an iPod

• Nearly one in five give kids a laptop or netbook to use

• 16% use an ereader device

•  15% use an iPod Touch

What Does This Mean To You

Kids may not make lots of purchases themselves, but they certainly influence much of what parents buy.  If you have products that are youth focused, digital devices give you a great avenue to get your message out there.  With so many parents employing tablets and smart phones, look for youth-oriented apps and games as a delivery agent.  Also, now is the time to start promoting items like portable DVD players and video game systems.  For more information on digitally connecting with travelers,  please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer; Mom Central Consulting

Deal Oriented Moms

Over the past couple of years, deals programs have become one of the ways consumers save money. Moms, very often being the keepers of the household purse strings, are on the look-out for ways to stretch the family budget. So it just makes sense that deals programs are one of the places moms are turning for savings.

• Nearly 30% of moms are registered with a daily deal program

• Moms are nearly twice as likely as consumers as a whole top take part in daily deals

• Over 90% of moms who are registered with a deal program are registered with Groupon, 36% use LivingSocial and 11% use a different provider

• 26% of moms in deals programs purchased deals from a business they already patronize

• Nearly one in four moms in a deals program visited a business because there was a deal and continue to do businesses with them

• Just over one-third of moms participating in deals programs tried a business because of the deal, but haven’t returned

What Does This Mean To You

We’ve shown you how important moms are as a consumer base. In Metro Orlando, nearly half of all participants in deals programs are women with children in their households. They are a great way to aquire new customers, including the important mom segment. Six in 10 moms tried a business because of a deal. For more information on how deals programs can help your business acquire new customers and ways to keep them shopping at your location, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Edison Research; Arbitron; The 2012 Scarborough Report, Release 1

Socially Engaged Moms

Social media can be an effective strategy for reaching a variety of different population segments. Recently, we published a post on the social activity of moms.  A new study has been released that gives another view of how moms access social media.

• Over seven in 10 moms have a profile on Facebook

• More than 45% of moms say they access social networking several times a day

• From 2011 to 2012, the percentage of moms who are very active on social media sites has increased by nearly a quarter

• On average, moms check their Facebook page 4.7 times per day – that’s more than overall Facebook users and over twice as much as dads

• Over one-third of Moms have over 300 Facebook friends, the average is 255

• Nearly 80% of moms are Facebook friends with their kids

What Does This Mean To You

Nearly three-quarters of Metro Orlando women with children in their household have accessed a social networking site in the past 30 days and over a third have accessed from a mobile device.
Just how valuable are socially active moms in Metro Orlando?

• Over 60% of adults who plan to buy a home in the next year are socially networked moms

• Moms on social networks make up over half of the market’s planned
furniture buyers

• Nearly half of all adults who plan to buy a vehicle in the next year are moms on social networks

That’s just a small sample of the ways socially networking women with children in the household can help your bottom line.  From prior research, we know that moms on social media pay attention to reviews and other users comments – especially reviews from other moms.  This makes social reputation management extremely important.  The time you spend on reviewing your social reputation is well spent.  Negative information can cost you sales.  For more information on social media marketing and reputation management,  please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Edison Research; Arbitron; The 2012 Scarborough Report, Release 1