A new survey released today shows that a targeted group of women with children are powerful influencers of the types of products, brands and services their families, friends and colleagues buy. These women, called Mom-fluentials are public opinion leaders who use the latest technologies to share positive and negative feedback about a product, brand or service and ultimately impact purchasing decisions in both the online and offline world, according to the survey conducted by Burson-Marsteller in partnership with Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates.
We are seeing a new group of mom influencers growing up on the Web and spreading their opinions through the Web, said Mark J. Penn, Worldwide President & CEO of Burson-Marsteller and President of Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates. They could be the single most important new emerging market segment.
Marketers Can Reach Mom-fluentials by Demonstrating Quality and Value
When making purchases, 46 percent of Mom-fluentials are first concerned with quality, then price (19 percent). According to the survey, 86 percent of Mom-fluentials read retailer emails at least several times a week (versus 74 percent of average online moms) and are twice as likely to forward coupons (23 percent) than typical mothers who go online for information (12 percent). And, an impressive 68 percent of Mom-fluentials are more likely to read text messages from companies they know versus 41 percent of typical online moms.
How Mom-fluentials get Information, Influence Others
Mom-fluentials are word-of-mouth agents, using a number of online and offline channels to communicate their opinions about products and services they like and dislike. The survey found that Mom-fluentials are significantly more likely to share their experiences with their peers through wireless or online channels than average online moms.
When sharing a positive story, Mom-fluentials are four times more likely than average online moms to send text messages (32 percent vs. 8 percent), more than twice as likely to contribute to an opinion website (55 percent vs. 25 percent) and seven times more likely to reach out to others through networking websites such as MySpace, LinkedIn and Friendster (35 percent vs. 5 percent).
Blogs and podcasts have enormous potential to reach and influence these moms about products and services. Most Mom-fluentials (94 percent) believe the information they read on blogs is credible. Nearly half (49 percent) of Mom-fluentials have listened to a podcast, and seven in 10 (68 percent) are interested in creating their own podcast for personal interest topics. More significant to marketers, Mom-fluentials continue the conversation offline. Nearly 93 percent report they have in-person discussions about products, brands and services they use with friends and family members.
The real opportunity is to understand how to build a relationship with these powerful influencers online and then continue that relationship in a way that drives action in their communities, said Ame Wadler, Chief Strategic Officer, Burson-Marsteller. "The first step is to understand where they congregate online, shape messaging and programs to enhance their online experience and then leverage that relationship to set them loose in their communities."
Digital Check-Ups, sophisticated approaches to blogging and unique ways of enhancing the value offer online, are all ways to harness the power of Mom-fluentials. Alone, the online experience can capture brand loyalty and advocates but when coupled with community-based programs that surround Mom-fluentials with consistent and relevant stories, the impact is powerful.
For more information about how to reach Mom-fluentials online and in their communities, or to learn insights about the research, contact: Ame Wadler, Chief Strategic Officer, Burson-Marsteller at 212-614-4534 or Ame.Wadler@bm.com.
Survey Methodology
Burson-Marsteller partnered with Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates to conduct a survey of online mothers with children 17 years and younger. A total of 1,016 online interviews were completed in May 2006. Among the respondents, 502 online mothers were identified as Mom-fluentials.
About PSB:
Founded in 1975, Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates is a Political Polling firm which has successfully changed the conventional approach to corporate research by taking tactics we mastered on the campaign trail and applying them to the board room. This approach comes from 30+ years of consulting to Presidents, members of Congress, heads of state, and Fortune 500 brand owners. PSB conducts tens of thousands of interviews each year in over 80 countries and in dozens of foreign languages across the globe. PSB has been a WPP Company since 2001.