Three in four moms consider themselves the sole decision-maker when it comes to new car purchases. Yet, 91% of women feel misunderstood by car manufacturers. I wondered why, so I reached out to Jody Devere of "Ask Patty," an automotive expert who lives and breathes the automotive space every day.

In my 20 years of marketing to moms, one observation has always been there: Moms are busy. But it's not an insight, and the solution isn't "let's play up how convenient the product is!"

We tend to think of moms as children's first teachers, their guides as they learn about and explore the world. But as digital technology becomes a greater part of kids' everyday lives, are mothers the ones shepherding them online to engage in interactive experiences? When looking at the media and technology co-consumption behaviors of moms and dads with their children, interesting patterns emerge.

As you head to the store to pick up your bag of Halloween candy and last-minute costume items, you will notice that sitting next to the brightly lit jack-o-lanterns are brightly lit Christmas trees. Yes, it appears that the holiday shopping season is upon us and as soon as Nov. 1 hits, you might find yourself in a full holiday panic.

Holiday season is in full swing and many marketers will once again turn to the influence of Mom Bloggers. Just as technology has changed since last holiday season, so have the most effective ways to leverage your relationships with moms. Here are a few ways to expand your tactics and maximize your marketing with these social media mavens.

After graduating from business school, I jumped right into the marketing world with a job as associate brand manager. One of the perks of the job was that I had the opportunity to spend a year learning how things work "on the other side of the fence" - that is, on the digital publishing side. I'm about three-quarters of the way through my year - focused specifically on the mom marketplace - and so far it's been a wonderfully eye-opening experience. In business school, or even in traditional brand marketing jobs, we don't usually get this kind of hands-on experience …

Pinterest is at the forefront of changing media habits and some of the most active users are Millennial Moms. Not just a giant recipe box for planning meals, Pinterest plays an important role in anything she is planning. According to Bob Gilbreath, the president of Ahalogy, a leading Pinterest marketing optimization company, the Millennial mom is using Pinterest for search and planning all along the entire purchase funnel.

Yes, it's only September and there are a steady stream of emails that are laying the foundation for a busy holiday sales season. And if this week's U.S. News & World Report story is any indication, it will be a prosperous year for products and brands with major players like Wal-Mart, UPS and FedEx reporting sharp increases in holiday hiring (always a good indicator of a positive forecast).

You just left the house, you're in your car, and you're halfway down the block when you realize you left your wallet on the kitchen table. Do you turn the car around and go back? Now imagine that instead of your wallet, you've left your smartphone. Are your tires squealing as you make that U-turn?

It's that time of year and parents are all in the midst of settling into new back-to-school routines. I recently interviewed Tim Sullivan, President of School Family Media. School Family Media was founded 15 years ago and works with PTAs and PTOs helping parents connect with schools and teachers in grades K through 8.