That winter wonderland isn’t gonna make itself, and more than ever it comes down to moms to make the holidays memorable in 2020 for new traditions, activities and gifts that bridge the distance many families won’t be able to cover. That’s according to a recent Forbes story which drew insight from a national market research firm ahead of the holiday season.
“Mom is going to be the holiday hero,” shared RoxAnna Sway, executive director at Retail Intel, a market research firm told Forbes in an article title “Moms are key to retail holiday success.” “They are going to put extra effort into seeing that whatever they plan for the family will be as enjoyable as possible,” she said, adding, “And that everybody stays COVID-free.”
It’s not breaking news that women exert a force on retail sale — to the tune of 70 to 80 percent of consumer spending. Zulily, the e-commerce retailer, surveyed 2,000 moms with children under 18 years of age, to suss out how families’ holiday celebrations will differ this year and what it will mean for retailers who need to capture her spending power. Zulily’s own holiday marketing campaign makes no secret about who it’s targeting: the “Mrs. Claus in all of us.” The campaign focuses on the positive spirit women continue to cultivate during the holidays, Megan Marshall, Zulily’s director of marketing, told Marketing Dive.
According to the Zulily survey, moms won’t hold back on decking the halls, with 70 percent surveyed planning more lights and decorations this year. More than half of moms surveyed plan to make their own holiday decorations this year — so be sure to stock your shelves with not just the finished product, but materials such as craft paper, glitter, pine cones, you know the drill.
The Zulily survey identifies three key gifting trends for children, and two of them are ripe for florists to capitalize on:
“Connecting gifts” the whole family can do together. Eighty-six percent of moms say it’s important that their families play together. When marketing your in-person (socially distanced) workshops or virtual events, don’t forget to include programming that’s appropriate for different age levels and interests, along with events that allow family members and friends to reconnect through your event, either in-person or online. (One idea we love: Lake Forest Flowers outside of Chicago recently held a workshop on how to create a garden herb design, perfect for a kitchen island.)
Lake Forest Flowers outside of Chicago has a host of activities that appeal to different ages.
Active gifts that get kids moving. Some 63 percent of Moms want their kids to engage in physical activities both indoors and outside and to spend less times looking at screens. Toys that encourage creative play are on the list for 55 percent of moms. This screams interactive workshops and flower and plant scavenger hunts. You could post photos of plants and ask kids to draw them. Consider making a coloring book with your inventory. Ask your customers and their kids to name your bouquets and gift packages.
Winston Flowers, headquartered in Boston, has promoted coloring pages for children.
Amanda Long is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.