Inspiring Ideas to Boost Mother's and Father's Day Sales

The nuclear family is no more. Family dynamics are changing with each decade and this is reflected in the increasing range of relationships celebrated on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Think stepparents, in-laws, relatives, friends, partners and more. Furthermore, these holidays have little to no religious, ethnic or cultural barriers separating consumers from celebrating. The holidays were established in America with the simple mission of honoring maternal and paternal bonds and the positive effect they have on society. With so many gift-giving and celebratory opportunities for a wide spectrum of families, marketers have a massive consumer group they can cater to.

With these holidays traditionally being filled with sentiment, nostalgia and emotional ties, here are three ways the power of content can help inspire consumers when deciding where to shop for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

Go the Traditional Route –With a Twist

With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day just around the corner, many grocers are putting out the typical displays of flowers, gift cards and greeting cards for the masses to quickly pick through on the way to check out. If you are churning out what other grocers are churning out, why would a consumer pick your store over another for their holiday needs?

While flowers and greeting cards are classic gifts (with an estimated $2.57 billion to be spent on them this year), share ideas with your customers that are more personal like a greeting card scavenger hunt or a “how to” guide for picking the bouquet that best fits your loved one. By giving context to your in-store products and services, rather than just putting up a cardboard display, shoppers will be far more inclined to choose your store to fulfill their gift-giving checklists.

Win Their Hearts (and Stomachs)

According to Statistic Brain Research Institute, an estimated 50 million people dine out on Father’s Day. How can grocers embolden consumers to enjoy meals at home on these family-centric holidays? Employ social media channels, your company blog and blog influencers to create and share content that weaves products found in your stores into recipes, at-home celebrations and more.

Drive in-store traffic by circulating ideas like, “A Guy’s Guide For The Perfect Mother’s Day Picnic,” or tips on how to throw a Father’s Day BBQ bash that showcases your product offerings in ways consumers can easily apply. Your grocery store becomes a “one-stop party shop” for everything your customer needs to create and execute a personalized and memorable meal for their family.

Aim for the Nostalgic

For presents, kids make what they can when they are younger (read: macaroni necklaces, construction paper cards) but parents love and cherish these gifts even years later. Cash in on this nostalgic aspect by publishing content that demonstrates gifts that can be made at home by people of all ages - using products from your store.

According to Statistic Brain Research Institute, “something homemade” ranks first for moms and third for dads, respectively, in terms of what they want to receive on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Give shoppers what they want: uncommon gift suggestions shared via social media and blogs, like a “Superhero Care Package” or a Mother’s Day Tea Spa, are far more likely to be remembered. In fact, 60 percent of people are inspired to seek a product after reading content about it, according to Demand Metric.

Final note: In the Information Age, ideas and inspiration are key to connecting with consumers as they search for what to give or do for the loved ones in their life in celebration of upcoming holidays. Consumers won’t respond to a flashy Father’s Day advertisement that has little to do with them or what they need. If your content helps the gift-giving and celebration process become easier and more personalized for consumers, they will remember that when it comes to time to pick a store and pull out their wallet.