Create a Marketing Campaign for Your Family Through Messaging Your Home

Successful businesses know you have to connect with your target market to develop and increase margins. Billboards, television commercials, radio spots, telemarketing, sales reps, you name it. A business needs to reach their audience. And a mom needs to reach her children.

Companies do not just come out and tell you why you should buy their product. Instead, they come up with a catchy jingle, a witty monologue or something nothing to do with the product at all – just to spark attention. Moms can't repeat themselves over and over again. In one ear and out the other. You've got to be crafty too.

Step One – Background

In developing a marketing campaign, the first thing a company does is check out the scene and do a background check on the industry. What is the current situation? Why do they need to advertise? These are great questions for a mom to ask too. What problems or potential issues might her family face? What values does she want to encourage?

One ceoMom worried her family wasn't cohesive. Everyone did their own thing and it concerned her they would eventually drift apart. She was particularly worried about her two sons who never got along. She began to strategically message her home to increase the sense of family bonds. She started by hanging photos on the wall of times when the boys did get along and other special family moments. Next, this mom hung a sign above the front door that read: “The Willard Family” in large letters. Upstairs between the boys' rooms, she put another sign that read: “Brothers.” She continued the messaging throughout her house, careful not to say too much (you don't want to appear like Las Vegas at night).

Step Two – Target Market

Next a company considers the target market. Who are they trying to reach? What are their likes, their dislikes? Their strengths and weaknesses? What do they want to hear that will inspire a sale? A mom will look at each of her children and ask the same questions.

One ceoMom noticed her daughter had big goals right from the get go. At age five, this little girl said she wanted to be a surgeon and then an author. Knowing how dreams can get squished as a person grows, this ceoMom decided to “message” her daughter's room to keep her dreams burning bright. She had a large custom board made that reads: “Believe in Your Dreams” that hangs in front of her daughter's bed. It's the first thing her daughter sees in the morning and the last thing before she goes to sleep (this is a silent teacher). Every once in a while, this mom will sit on her bed with her daughter and explain the board by telling stories of her daughter's big dreams. This repetition reinforces keeping her ambitions, whatever they may turn into, as she grows.

Step Three – Competitive Analysis

Companies have to know what they're up against before spending thousands of dollars on advertising. They will watch every competitors' commercials and pin up each magazine ad on the wall to analyze what the competition is doing. They will not advertise in a vacuum. It's already been said that a ceoMom needs to watch out for the competition. Commercials selling alcohol, cigarette ads, airbrushed models, pornography galore. These messages are finding our children and it's important we are proactive. Beat the competition.

One ceoMom wanted to have a say on the matter of drugs – a definite competitor. She knew from her research that it was never too early to talk to her kids about drugs and that talking about drugs reduced the chance of her kids using them. She made it a point to discuss the matter openly, but she also realized she couldn't have a lengthy discussion every day. This mom decided to use a short verbal message that represented the longer talks. At random times such as when her son would leave for school or go to a friend's house, she would say: “Have fun at school – oh, and don't do drugs.” Or “Have a good time and don't do drugs.” She was able to get the message in repeatedly, but in a concise and fun way.

Step Four – Key Message

The most important part of a marketing proposal is the key message. It is the single most important item a company wants to relate to their audience. Any and all advertising should go back to this one message. In order to accomplish this, a ceoMom needs to boil down everything she wants to say to one line. This is hard to do for a company and equally challenging for a mom. Your one liner could very well be your Family Tagline.

Your Family Tagline or key message should be prominently displayed in your home. One ceoMom had a beautiful board made with vinyl lettering that matched her fancy décor in her living room. It should also be repeated at strategic times. A ceoMom whose family motto was: “Make Good Choices,” would say this to her children as they left for school each morning. It was the first thing they read when they entered the door coming home from school.

Step Five – Call-To-Action

The secret for any type of marketing or advertising is a call-to-action. A company can spin good ads all day long, but they may not be effective unless the ad tells the viewer what to do next. “You like what you see? Now call this toll-free number or visit our website for more information” is a typical call-to-action.

One ceoMom wanted to reinforce her children's desire to attend college. College was her call-to-action. She framed their certificates for their college funds and hung them on their bedroom walls. When her kids were young, starting at about age five, she would ask them what they wanted to be when they grew up and would follow with a comment about college. She also pointed out various careers based on her kids' interest. Her son liked animated movies and she told him he could be an animator some day and make movies too (and that would require a bachelor's degree in animation or art). When they were older, starting at about age 12, this mom would take her kids to college campuses and take tours. She wanted there to be an expectation for college and precedence for education.

There are so many ways to send positive messages to your children. Some will be verbal and others silent reminders. The trick is to know your children and customize the messages to each child. They are your target market. And you can reach them.

More Ways to Market Your Family:

• Text message your teenagers at school and when they are out. Tell them nice things and a strategic message here and there. Email works too. You can also text your husband.
• Play peaceful music throughout the house to calm the atmosphere
• Take a family photo and create a special place for it in your home
• Scrapbook albums of the kids and keep the most recent on your coffee table for them to browse through
• Learn to edit your family videos and put to fun and emotional music. Your kids young and old will love to watch them.
• Put notes every once in a while in unexpected places (lunch bag, windshield wipers, bottom of laundry basket) for your kids to read. Tell them how much you love them.
• Create a family Hall-of-Fame where you display trophies, art projects and other achievements (give equal weight to children)
• Talk about your children to other people with your kids present. Mention their achievements and proud moments. When they hear you talking to others about their successes, it will strengthen them.