Reaching the New Frugal Mom

Shopping is a major part of the typical American mother’s life. Although we joke about women’s love of shopping, most of it is very necessary. They are responsible for procuring all of the food, clothing, cleaning supplies and other necessities of daily life in almost all households. The fact that moms shop is not changing, but the economy has certainly changed the way that they select and complete purchases. Today you are going to meet a customer who is very likely a part of your target consumer base: the new frugal mom.

Many consultancies are looking at the behavior of the new, frugal mom with good reason. When the economic crisis hit, many businesses found that their products were no longer selling. Old marketing strategies and old ways of approaching the market were suddenly not effective. The numbers show that people are still spending money, but many entrepreneurs are having trouble keeping their piece of the pie. Here are a few facts about the modern mom’s shopping habits.

1. She is still shopping. Although many people cut back when the recession hit like a ton of bricks, consumer spending has rebounded, especially among moms. You can only go so long without buying your children shoes or replacing a worn-out sofa. The new frugal mom is shopping once again, but she is buying in different ways and with different motivations.
2. She holds the purse strings. Women are currently in control of most discretionary funds in the nation, and mothers of households are a huge subgroup. Moms are making the decisions for their families, including their partners, so your messages should be as female-centric as possible if you are selling a product or service that is used by any member of a nuclear family.
3. She is reluctant to spend. The recession is the Great Depression of our times. It has left an indelible mark on the public psyche. Even in families that were not devastated by the recession, the mothers are aware that money is a limited resource in a way that they were not aware ten years ago. Although the new mom is still spending, she is giving more thought to her purchases and looking for value more than ever.
4. She is less brand loyal than ever. A recent study found that only a little more than a third of moms are still staying with the same brands. The recession created a survival mentality, in which many people simply went with the cheapest options regardless of personal brand preferences. This was an eye-opening experience for many women, who discovered that their favorite brands were not as superior as they had always assumed. Many of us tried a generic cleaning spray or a lower priced laundry detergent and were satisfied with the results. This has led to general questioning of brand loyalties. This, of course, is a huge opportunity for the many entrepreneurs out there who no longer have to break through a wall of brand loyalty in order to build a consumer base.
5. She is blind to traditional marketing. The only way to live without spending in the modern world is to develop mental blinders, to simply stop noticing or stop responding to marketing. This is what many people did several years ago. This means that you must reach them in new ways. Special deals, coupons, social media—those are the more effective ways of reaching the new frugal mom. Right now, peer-to-peer advertising is on the rise. If you can win over a few moms and get them to tell their friends about your product, you are set up for success.
6. She still wants quality where it counts. There were certain areas in which brand name consumption did not change. One of these was baby formula. People are willing to skimp in some areas, but not when it comes to their children’s health and well-being. Even in the worst economic situation, the mothers still will consistently spend on their children if they think the expense gives them an advantage. This is a powerful insight for entrepreneurs offering products for children; the new frugal mom still wants her children to eat, wear and play with the very best.
7. She has different values. Remember those old laundry detergent commercials promising whiter whites with no ‘ring around the collar’? The new mom could not care less whether her kindergartener has the whitest underpants on the playground. She cares about whether the detergent is safe, whether it will irritate her child’s sensitive skin, whether it will hurt the environment, and whether the packaging will fit neatly in her cupboard. The same story has occurred in almost every industry. The new frugal mom simply does not care about the same things as her own mother, or even her older sister. Get to know what she wants from your industry, and offer it.
8. She is incentive-oriented. The main incentive right now is saving money—getting the same quality for a lower price. Coupon usage has gone way up in the past few years for this reason. If you can offer a coupon or other special offer, the new frugal mom will be even more likely to choose your company. This is even more effective than simply offering a lower price, because the shopper sees herself as getting a high priced item for a bargain price. Suddenly it’s a bargain, not a compromise. Almost eighty percent of mom shoppers report that they will try a new service or product if they have a coupon for it.
9. She is developing new brand loyalties. That mom who just became a customer because of a coupon? She may have scrapped old brand loyalties, but she is busily building new ones. If you offer a great product and superior service, she may become a loyal customer. Don’t assume that those coupon-bearing customers are perpetual deal-seekers that won’t be back; in many cases, they are simply a new frugal mom who is open to trying a new brand if the price is right.