Picture Perfect

by Sara Arnell, Feb 24, 2012, 7:01 AM

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A picture is worth a thousand words. Or so the saying goes. For busy moms, a picture might very well be worth a whole lot more. Images are fast, easy ways to communicate. They simultaneously show, demonstrate, inspire, prompt and start a conversation without the need of a single word. Remember the first picture your toddler drew and handed you so triumphantly? It probably left you speechless. Images have a way of doing this.

Picture this scenario. It’s 10 p.m. The children are finally sleeping after a long day that felt like it would never end. Mom crawls into bed to get some well deserved “me” time and opens a book she has been dying to read. After about three pages, it drops to her side and she is fast asleep.

It’s hard enough to get through a good book so when it comes to delivering information to busy moms, the more visual, the better – it allows viewers to absorb ideas and thoughts easily and quickly.

In marketing and communications, images that depict a product’s benefits are the ideal ways to communicate. After all, Moms, like all busy and successful people, are results-oriented. This isn’t really groundbreaking news, but in today’s world, digital communications need to be managed visually as well as verbally.

Here are some thoughts on how to visually engage and communicate results to busy moms:

1. Don’t Tweet Her, TwitPic: bloggers, journalists and people on the go use TwitPic to send a real-time image to their followers to keep them in the know. Pics of inspiring quotes, fitness, design, food, fashion and accessories photos can provide an at-a-glance motivation to go do something, whether it’s to join a yoga class or get those new shoes she’s have been dying for.

2. Tumblr For Her: Tumblr is a photo blog where brands can tell their story in pictures. Photos of people using a brand or product bring credibility and can showcase individual usage and behavior. Tumbler is favored by 20somethings, but it can definitely become new territory for “mom brands” who want to show, not tell.

3. After, Not Before: It’s true that before-and-after photo demonstrations are powerful tools to convince consumers that the product really works. But, at the same time, not everyone needs the “before” part. Moms are driven to get results and problem solve. Showing them the “after” image is more inspirational and aspirational. This focus on benefits is positive, allowing a woman to take the journey on her own terms and not in relation to another person’s success story.

4. Remember the Photo Don’ts: Real-world photos mean just that – images of people using a product in a life-situation. It doesn’t mean creepy bathroom mirror shots, TMI (too much information) body or family shots or shots that just try too hard. The images that work are honest, truthful and inspirational. They are a sneak peak, a visual insight, thought or result that any mom should be able to relate to.

Moms with children at home are immersed in a show-and-tell world. They constantly need to act as they say and be the role model for their children’s behavior and life lessons. They create a living portrait for their kids to model. There is no reason that brands and marketers can’t do the same.

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