4 Reasons Healthcare Companies Should Engage Moms

Smart Marketing Strategies to Connect with Those Most in Charge of Healthcare Purchases

The ease of information-sharing today means people are actively seeking out health-related information now more than ever. As a result, consumer-facing healthcare companies are under added pressure to continuously increase and improve marketing efforts as they compete for business.

As we all know, there’s no one silver bullet. Healthcare marketing strategies must recognize the varying needs and perceptions of target audiences across many demographics. When it comes to connecting with those most in charge of healthcare purchasing decisions, however, there is one group you never want to ignore: moms.

Marketing to moms was one of the topics discussed at the Kansas City Healthcare Communicators Society (KCHCS) Fall Conference, and with good reason. Consider these four important points about why your organization’s marketing efforts must engage and resonate favorably with moms.

Women are the “Chief Purchasing Officers” of households.

When it comes time to buy, women are most often the decision-makers and motivators—by some estimates, women account for 85% of all consumer purchases, including 80% of healthcare decisions. Women in general have strong purchasing power, with market estimates ranging from $5 trillion to $15 trillion annually across all industries. Many of these dollars are spent not just by women, but specifically by moms – women who make healthcare decisions for themselves, their children, their spouses and, depending on age, even their parents. Bottom line: moms have a very strong influence over others when it comes to spending.

Moms represent a large market – and many of them are millennials.

Moms represent a $2.4 trillion market and are a multi-faceted group. They include Traditionalists (born 1900-1945), Boomers (born 1946-1964), Gen Xers (born 1965-1976) and, more recently, Millennials (born 1977-1997).

Millennials are the largest generation in history (even bigger than baby boomers) and the newest generation of moms, with an average age of 25 years. Millennial moms are an especially important and diverse group, claiming 80% of all births in the United States and a variety of family structures. The sooner your health organization connects with millennial moms, the more likely you are to gain millennial moms as loyal customers of your brand—especially if you engage with them on social networks.

Moms mention brands online.

Moms are more likely to use the internet than other women and mention brands more often than males. Moreover, they spend at least six hours per day on their smartphones.

Digital media has a significant impact on newer generations of moms, who have grown up as digital natives, using the internet most of their lives. They do more research and get advice at a vastly faster rate than previous generations, thanks to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Moms influence other moms.

Moms often turn to friends and online communities for health advice, recommendations and reviews—sometimes even before consulting medical experts. In fact, marketing research shows 64% of moms ask other mothers for advice before purchasing a new product, and 63% consider other moms the most credible experts when they have questions. Additionally, 55% of active social media moms said they purchased an item because of a recommendation they read online. Millennial moms, in particular, are more likely to share opinions and consider the views of others when forming impressions of a brand.

Unfortunately, many moms do not feel the healthcare industry is doing a good job of this, according to an ongoing survey, Women Want More. Many non-healthcare brands thrive by marketing to moms, and healthcare companies should not be an exception. Healthcare providers, especially, have an opportunity to connect with a large, influential demographic and create brand loyalty by enhancing relationships with moms and providing helpful information to address the unique needs of this powerful target audience.