Marketing to Parents: Powerful and Ethical Selling
You don’t need a degree in marketing in order to sell your product or service. You do, however, need to have an airtight grip on your target audience. Knowing the ins and outs of your clients helps you reach them, connect with them, and ultimately make those sales.
Businesses that sell to parents and families have the unique challenge of reaching an audience that:
Is busy and overwhelmed
Likely has a budget they need to stick to
Is conscious of the purchases they make
Considers other people when buying
I’ve worked with thousands of families over the last twenty years and can tell you from personal and professional experience that parents buy to fill a need. Use this article to help you determine exactly what need you’re filling and how to market your product/service to this particularly special audience.
What is marketing?
Marketing is the set of practices you use to promote your product or service. The ultimate goal is to expand your reach and increase your revenue. But a lot of effort goes into a marketing plan in order to reach that goal. This article will take you through identifying your target audience, creating your unique value proposition, and using those concepts to create a beautiful marketing plan for your business.
Why is marketing to parents so unique?
→ You’re not selling to one person.
You’re selling to an entire family unit. Even if your product is designed just for Moms or just for Dads, many families operate as a whole. Meaning parents consult each other before making purchasing decisions. Fathers are becoming increasingly involved in child rearing and Moms are often equal partners in managing finances. Gone are the days of June Cleaver, so rather than selling to the primary breadwinner or caretaker, you’re selling to both.
This applies to same-sex parents, non-binary parents, single parent households, etc. There are so many beautiful variations of families in society and it’s important to determine which one(s) you’re selling to. Regardless, if you’re selling to parents, you’re selling to a member of a family.
→ You’re selling to a more budget-conscious population.
According to a recent survey by Lending Tree, parents say raising children has been more expensive than expected. Given the costs of raising children, price and value are significant purchase factors. In other words, the investment parents make when they buy from you must be worth the value they receive. This is especially true if your target market is middle class as opposed to parents who can afford to splurge on luxury. Chances are, they’ve got a budget and they’re stickin’ to it.
→ You’re selling to really busy people.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 67% of families in 2023, both parents were working. Even in households where one parent stays home to care for the children, they are busy as heck.. Between changing diapers, school drop-offs, extracurriculars, doctor appointments, and the never-ending to-do lists, parents rarely have a moment to themselves. Which begs the question, how do you capture their attention and encourage them to buy from you?
→ You’re selling to the selfless.
A recent poll by YouGov shows that over half of parents say their children influence their shopping decisions. How does your product or service hold up if they consider their children’s wants and needs before buying? Most parents put the needs of their family before their own. This poses a challenge for businesses who sell to parents, and an advantage for those with offers for children or the whole family.
What are some things parents consider when making a purchase?
In addition to the considerations mentioned above (budget, time, etc), parents typically buy something to fill a need. For example, sound machines are purchased for better sleep, maternity clothes are bought to fit a growing belly, and nannies are hired to cover childcare. There is no limit to the needs parents must fill, so what need does your product or service fill? In order to answer which need you fill, you must dig deeper than what you offer on the surface.
For example:
As a parenting coach, you guide parents through the tantrum-filled toddler years. On the surface, you provide advice and techniques for behavior problems and dysregulation. Underneath, you fill the need for less chaos and a more peaceful home.
As an infant sleep specialist, you help babies get more sleep at night. On the surface, you help parents establish a bedtime routine and reduce overnight wakings. Underneath, you help parents get much needed rest and have more energy to take on their days.
You see, when you’re selling to parents you’re selling more than just a product or service. You’re selling something that will improve their lives in some capacity. In marketing, this is called your unique value proposition, or UVP. Keep reading to learn more about how to identify and use your UVP.
What do parents buy for their children?
Parents buy A LOT of things for their children, especially since their needs change throughout the different stages of development. A baby will need diapers, wipes, bottles, cribs, changing tables, pacifiers, sound machines, and bibs. A toddler will need pull-ups, a different sized shoe every few months it seems, fun and educational toys, their first bike, and more. In addition to age, parents also buy for their children based on factors like gender, interests, and values. When selling a product or service to children, you’ll want to consider all of the above. What age do you serve? What is the child interested in? How does your business align with parental values? And given all the products and services available for children, what makes yours so special?
What do parents buy for themselves?
Since parents typically buy for their children first, personal purchases are often limited to things that are more practical and purposeful. For example, self-care items are incredibly popular with today’s parents. We don’t have a village like we used to, and most parents are working parents, so products and services that help parents take care of themselves are desperately needed. They also purchase things like kitchen gadgets, skincare and personal care items, and comfortable clothing. Since parents are less likely to spend money on themselves, what makes your product or service worth the splurge?
What are the best ways to market to parents? (4 Essential Steps)
1 - Identify Your Target Audience
If you’re here, you’ve established that your target audience is parents. But you need to go deeper in order to define exactly who you’re selling to. There are many different types of parents and families, so it’s important to narrow down your target audience even further.
You wouldn’t sell a $2,000 luxury bassinet with Bluetooth capability to a middle-class single mother, would you?
So, who are you selling to?
To help you narrow down your target audience, you can answer a few simple questions:
Are you selling to Mom, Dad, or another caregiver?
What is their income like?
What is their family composition (two-parent, one-parent, same-sex parent, adoptive parent, etc)?
How many children do they have?
What are their family values?
What are their personal values?
What struggles are they experiencing?
How does your product or service provide relief or solve the issue?
Use questions like these to create what’s called a customer persona. It’s like an avatar you can use, someone you keep in mind throughout your marketing efforts so you always know exactly who you’re selling to. This will help your marketing plan be as efficient and effective as possible. If you sell to a general audience, you’re more likely to miss your mark.
2 - Find Your Unique Value Proposition
Your unique value proposition, or UVP, is what makes your product or service stand out among the competition. It also highlights the benefits you offer, or the underlying need you fill. This is your elevator pitch, a short statement that will make your audience want to learn more and buy from you. It should be powerful, concise, and highlight your brand values.
To find your unique value proposition:
Identify what problem your business solves. For parents, is it lack of sleep, limited time, low energy, or something else?
How does your business solve that problem?
How will parents feel when that problem is solved?
Look at your competitors. What do they offer, and how is your offer better or different?
Use the answers to these questions to help create your unique value proposition. Here are a few examples from other Parenting and Family brands:
Natural Cycles Birth Control
“Birth control built around you. An FDA cleared, non-hormonal, non-invasive way to take control of your fertility.”
Melissa & Doug
“With Melissa & Doug, there are so many Skills at Play™! Discover toys to support your child through every stage.”
Birth Partners Doulas
“Supporting and honoring each woman's journey as she opens to her pregnancy, labor, birth, and motherhood”
When looking at competitors, be careful not to plagiarize. The keyword in UVP is unique. Find out what makes you special and create an elevator pitch that represents your brand
3 - Use Social Media
Social media is a great way to improve visibility for your business. We discussed how parents are busy, but social media marketing is where that works to your advantage. Oftentimes, doom-scrolling social media is the only relaxing activity that parents have time for at the end of the day. Scrolling social media is an easy, accessible form of entertainment that even the busiest parent has time for.
> If you aren’t using social media marketing yet, I recommend starting with one platform at a time. It can be overwhelming and time-consuming to create content for multiple platforms. Once you get comfortable with one, you can consider adding another.
> Start with the platform that makes the most sense for your business. This should be the platform that the majority of your clients use regularly. You can use your customer persona to help you decide which is best. You should also consider your existing skills and the amount of time you have to spend on content creation. For example, I primarily use LinkedIn. As a writer, I love the long-form, written content this platform uses.
> It helps to create a schedule for your social media content. Decide which days and times you’ll post to ensure your efforts are consistent. For example, you could decide to post Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8:00 AM because that’s manageable for you and your business. You could also try posting on different days and times each week to see if there’s a schedule that gets the most reach and engagement. Take the pressure off of posting every single day and find what works for you.
> Creating a social media marketing strategy can be time-consuming, especially if content creation isn’t your forte. Batch creating and repurposing content can help. Batch creating means setting aside a day each week or month to create all of your upcoming posts at once. Most platforms even have a “schedule” feature so you can set your posts to automatically schedule at specific days and times. Repurposing content lets you use old posts, blog articles, or content from other platforms. This saves you the hassle of creating something new and, instead, you can use something you already have to create new content.
> Don’t rely solely on social media for your marketing efforts. Diversifying your marketing efforts can help expand your reach and sales. For example, blogging is an incredible marketing tool.
4 - Start A Blog
This is my personal favorite marketing strategy. When done properly, it works while you sleep, allowing you to spend so much less time on cold outreaches and other marketing strategies. Blogging is especially important for Parenting and Family brands. Here’s why:
Parents everywhere search Google for answers, resources, and support.
Google results are largely made up of blog articles.
When you publish SEO blog articles, parents can find YOU on Google.
For example, if you found ME on Google, it’s because I optimized this article for SEO so that you can find me here and get the answers and support you were looking for.
My business is built on using SEO best practices to help parents find your business in the same way you found your way to me. If blogging and SEO are confusing, too time-consuming, or just not an interest of yours, please reach out to me. I specialize in SEO articles that educate, connect, and improve your website traffic.
You can also explore other blog articles on my website that help walk you through SEO and other marketing topics.
Marketing to Parents: Conclusion
As a parent myself, I know how important it is to have access to resources and support. This is why I’m so passionate about getting your business in front of more clients. Marketing to parents poses unique challenges, but I hope this article gives you a better understanding of how to move forward in your marketing plan.
To recap:
Identify Your Target Audience
Create a customer persona so you know exactly who you’re selling to. Knowing who you’re selling to helps you nail down your messaging so you’re speaking directly to your ideal clients. You’ll consider their needs, wants, struggles, and desires through every step of your marketing plan.
Find Your Unique Value Proposition
Determine exactly what makes your business special and what results your clients can achieve, and use that to create a powerful elevator pitch. Use this pitch in your website headline and social media bios to create an instant connection with your audience.
Use Social Media
Take advantage of the one form of entertainment parents always have time for. Market yourself on social media by creating engaging content your customer persona will love. Start with one platform at a time, create a schedule, and keep it manageable for your business.
Start A Blog
Blogging is a great way to help your clients find you on Google. This will increase your website traffic and, ideally, your income. Publish SEO articles so that when parents inevitably start googling in the middle of the night, they find your website. Need a hand with blogging? You can view my services here.
Most importantly, be yourself. You have a beautiful business and a strong desire to serve others. It’s OK to also have a strong desire to boost your income. Avoid preying on the sleep deprived, financially strapped, burnt out qualities of parenting. Instead, prioritize honesty, transparency, and authenticity. Showing up for parents in an ethical way will enhance your marketing efforts in a way that feels good for everyone.
You’ve got this.
