Is there anything more fun than shopping for a baby? In 2017, proud parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles bought over $9 million worth of baby clothes — that’s not even counting baby furniture, toys, diapers, bottles and other must-haves for new parents.
Why, then, isn’t your baby-related business going gangbusters? The answer might be in your e marketing efforts — or lack thereof. Read on for four creative ways to boost your brand and your biz!
1. Get Social
There’s no denying the importance of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest. If you don’t have a presence on social media sites, you are leaving money on the table.
You can use social media posts to announce new products or advertise sales, but it’s also a great way to connect with your customers. How? First of all, serve up a continual supply of engaging content on all platforms: shoot and share videos, hold caption contests, or ask followers for their opinion. (In case you haven’t noticed, people love adding their two cents on social media.)
It’s also smart to respond to tweets, DMs, and other posts, since a whopping 67% of consumers turn to social media for help resolving issues with a company.
This facet of e marketing is time-consuming, so you might want to outsource it to the experts. Whatever you do, ignore the power of social at your own peril.
2. Appeal to Parental Pride
There’s nothing a parent likes more than being asked about their child, and social media also provides a fantastic avenue to solicit engagement from proud parents. Hold a “cutest baby” contest for great (and inexpensive) word-of-mouse advertising. Ask followers to use a custom hashtag, then reward one lucky user with a prize package.
Often, you don’t even need to offer financial incentives. Simply ask the mamas and the papas to share a picture of their baby with your product — and make sure to comment on all of them!
3. E Marketing Beyond the Moms
It’s true that mothers are often the target demographic when it comes to e marketing and advertising. And with good reason — U.S. moms spend upwards of $13,000 per year on their offspring, according to BabyCenter. But don’t zero in so closely on mothers that you forget other potential customers.
Your marketing campaign should be inclusive when it comes to same-sex couples as well as adoptive families, people who are raising grandchildren, and even other relatives.
Additionally, you’ll reap praise — and rewards like buyer loyalty — by honoring your customers’ diversity. Parents of autistic, disabled, and biracial children are a mighty force that you don’t want to alienate.
4. Make Purchasing Simple
Take a page from Amazon’s or Zappo’s book — offer free shipping and free return shipping. It might cost you more in the short term, but it will pay huge dividends in customer loyalty, referrals, and repeat business.
Make sure that your website is easy to navigate and mobile friendly. Accept a variety of payment forms, like PayPal, Google Pay, and Amazon Payments.
In short, do everything you can to make ordering dead simple. Sleep-deprived dads, parents dealing with the dreaded 9 month sleep regression, and moms who are balancing a baby on their hip while doing laundry and cooking dinner will all thank you.
Inspired to Learn More E Marketing Tips?
Want to learn how to navigate the social media seas, how to optimize your e commerce site for search engines, or how to evaluate metrics? Bookmark our blog and check back frequently for new content that will help you grow your business!