• by Holly Pavlika , Columnist, March 2, 2012

One of the most important things to remember in communicating with moms and via social media is simplicity, and it is often the most difficult thing to achieve. Human nature causes us to complicate things. Yet time and time again, simplicity is what wins. So often we try to come up with brilliant marketing campaigns with a multitude of channels, platforms, and technologies interwoven, only to find them fail in comparison to simpler programs.

I’m offering up some insights and examples below on how to keep it simple when it comes to messaging, paths to purchase, design, and technology.

Simplicity of the experience. Moms love brands that help her save time and money. Good examples include drug stores with drive-through windows or retailers that offer mobile apps which allow Mom to comparison-shop in store. Mom will remain loyal to brands if the experience makes it easy for them. Many of us love Twitter because of the simplicity: 140 characters and done. We also want the ability to get all the information in one spot without a lot of searching, like year-end summaries that collect and consolidate. In our “Why She Shares” study with She Speaks, we discovered moms are willing to pay more for convenience. This was also backed up by a BabyCenter study that showed convenience is the new luxury. In other words, Mom’s time is worth the added cost in many instances.

Simplicity of messaging. Messaging that is clear and concise is best for busy moms, and they are more likely to recommend a brand based on the simplicity of its communications. “Like this page, get this reward.” A good example is the Heinz Facebook campaign for cold and flu season that lets you send a personalized “Get Well” message on a can of chicken soup to a friend.

Simplicity of paths to purchase. A bank that not only allows you get cash from their ATMs, but allows you to purchase stamps = genius. Eighth Bridge technology allows you to purchase right from the Facebook wall, and more marketers should take advantage of it. Websites with the product quick views, gives Moms the ability to email the item to friends to elicit opinions. Just look at the growth of Soap.com or Diapers.com and you will see simplicity in action.

Simplicity of design. Simple products give Moms assurance they’ll deliver, and they love eye candy. Pinterest’s huge growth over the past year is a testament to the female eye for beauty and simplicity. It made this startup the fastest-growing social community on the web.

Simplicity of technology. Too many steps are barriers to engagement. Harness technology to speed up the process and Moms will love you for it. And don’t forget to utilize technology to make it easy for her to share content. Moms will choose different audiences for different content. She is a natural born communicator and technology has given her a platform and the ability to share her voice. So, let it soar.