Authentically Connecting with Millennial Moms

Earlier this year, families across the country were finalizing spring break plans and thankful for a change in their daily routine. Even if our travel plans were within our city limits, we were looking forward to hitting pause, welcoming a slower pace, and taking a break from schoolwork to rest. Fast-forward a few months and life in quarantine (or shutdown or shelter-in-place) has certainly provided us with a break from our routine. Many of us are navigating how to balance motherhood, our careers, and personal growth all under one roof. 

Although no two families are alike, let’s agree on some ground rules and universal truths (at least for the next few paragraphs):

• We all want the best for our family and aim to keep them safe and healthy every day.
• Whether we work outside or inside the home, millennial moms have always had a lot on their plate.
• We take pride in our career achievements, seek community with other mothers, and as a generation, spend a lot of time connecting and playing with our kids. 

That being said, here are a few things to be mindful of when communicating with Millennial Moms: 

Millennial Moms welcome a slower pace.
Be intentional with their time. 

Of course, we miss our weekend activities of running errands, cheering on our kids from the soccer field sidelines, and connecting with loved ones over brunch. What we don’t miss is scrambling to find sporting equipment or rushing around from one activity to the next.

This time has given us clarity on who and what matters most. We’ve used this time to focus on our homes. We’re making puzzles and bread (from scratch). Congratulations to everyone in the yeast industry. It’s on the rise! Pun intended.

Brands and businesses can take this opportunity to revise communications plans, and revisit their value proposition and messaging to the millennial mom audience with a fresh perspective. Ask yourself and your team, "how can our offering and message provide connection and drive value with our audience?"

Can your product be used with the entire family? If so, tailor marketing messages accordingly. Now that our kids are engaged on virtual platforms, tactical (non-screen!) activities are welcomed. Even if your product or service is 100% virtual, consider printable coloring pages, calendars, or activities to keep your audience engaged and your brand top-of-mind. 

Millennial Moms prefer quality over quantity.
Be focused and keep communications actionable. 

For many of us work, school, and home spaces are now one big happy blended family. We’re scheduling Zoom call reminders for ourselves and our kids (calendar color-coding has never been more important). 

Some people may have time to read more and learn a new skill. For many Millennial Moms who trusted teachers and childcare providers with our kids every weekday, we do not have additional time. We are getting up earlier, staying up later, and finding new ways to be productive in our new “offices.” 

Empathy and understanding your audience goes a long way to build brand trust and loyalty. Emails with the subject line “101 Spring Craft” are being sent to the trash while messages acknowledging our time crunch and delivering emails with one clear action are being Pinned and saved.  

Adjust marketing messaging to deliver content that is “just right” for Millennial Moms. Review engagement metrics from last year and determine your revised goals. Adjust your email marketing and social media content to be thoughtful and impactful. This is a great time to test messages and frequency to determine what cadence and communications work best. If this path isn’t clear with metrics alone, survey your customers to get a pulse on their needs and concerns. 

Millennial Moms support brands that care about their employees and customers.
Be transparent and listen to all stakeholders.

Whether you’re a small business or household brand, you can take steps to listen to your customers and employees and respond as you see fit. Boutique fitness chains and local coffee shops have surveyed customers asking about childcare, curbside pick-up, and more. The act of asking shows that customer and employee safety matters to you. These times may be uncertain, but you can reduce uncertainty and increase brand favorability by demonstrating you’ve listened and invested time and resources to better understand the mindset and of your customers and employees. 

Please don’t just discuss these results with leadership and share the plans. Give your followers and subscribers a “peek” behind the curtain to better understand the rationale and data behind your decision making process. Better yet, share the stories of your employees and how you’ve worked to keep your business going! Did you adjust your production methods to create new products or services? Did an employee suggestion spark a new revenue stream? Let’s hear those heart-warming or thought-provoking stories to learn more about your business and how you live your brand values!

Guess what? We’ve conducted research to learn about Millennial Mom behaviors and beliefs. Download this research now. 

Good news! We’re gearing up to conduct additional research to learn more about the Millennial Mom audience. Make sure these insights hit your inbox and sign-up for our enewsletter.