Make an Impact this Mother’s Day

Did you know Mother’s Day is the third largest holiday in the United States in terms of dollars spent? In 2014, consumers spent $20 billion to make mom smile, according to the National Retail Federation. So mark your calendar—May 10 will be here soon, and today is the time to start reaching out to your customers. Both search and email are important parts of Mother’s Day marketing. Almost three quarters (70%) of consumers will shop in store, but they will use online search to research gift ideas and deals. Those who shop online will spend 38% more on the gifts. Either way, you win when they get your offer. So with a week left, what should you be doing to reach customers? Focus on mobile this week. This is a good time to boost your search ads and direct shoppers to specific landing pages — last minute shoppers will be using their smartphones to find the perfect gift. While search volume peaks in the middle of April, click-through rates peak two weeks before the occasion. Plan a post Mother’s Day e-mail campaign. According to a report by Experian, e-mail driven transactions peak two weeks before the holiday. However, the same study showed that if you put the term “Mother’s Day” in your subject line the week after the holiday, you will get a 44% higher open rate than the e-mail campaigns in the week leading up to it. What are people giving mom? According to the National Retail Federation April 2014 Mother’s Day Spending, here’s what mom’s unwrapped last Mother’s Day:

• 81% greeting card
• 67% flowers
• 57% special outing (brunch or dinner)
• 43% gift card or gift certificate
• 32% special piece of jewelry
• 21% personal service (spa day, facial, massage)

Be creative with your Mother’s Day promos, especially if you do a post-holiday campaign. Perhaps you can offer something a little different than the traditional gift, something that will make mom laugh, cry, and feel loved all at the same time.