How to sell to parents

If you are a business owner with a product or service to sell to parents you are facing a unique target market.Today's busy parents are looking for a specific type of product or service and in order to be successful companies must know how to target this segment of the market.Business owners (with products or service that are specifically for parents) who neglect the marketing needs of this target market will find that their product sits quietly on the shelf with little to no profitability.The savvy business owner will be aware of the needs of parents and market their product or service to fill those needs.So if you are a business owner trying to reach this segment of the population here is some information on how to sell to parents-

• Time-Today's busy parents have very little extra time.With many parents functioning in two career households and the number of single parent households on the rise if your product or service will buy parents some extra time(either for themselves or more time with family) than you must focus your marketing on this aspect. Most parents report that time is a commodity that they are constantly seeking and as a business owner looking to develop a marketing plan you should be aware of this.If your product or service is a time-saver do not hesitate to make that a part of your marketing.
• Money-Busy parents are also looking for more money.Whether families are large or small there never seems to be enough money to go around in most working families.If your product or service can save parents money they will be interested in it.Your marketing plan must include emphasizing the money-saving aspects of your product or service in order to gain the general attention of parents.Do not make the mistake though of assuming parents are looking for a cheap product or service.Parents with already stretched resources will be looking for quality products or services that will stretch their dollar and not simply take it.
• Educational appeal-If your product or service has an educational appeal than parents will be interested in it.Today's modern parents are constantly looking for ways to educate and improve the lives of their children.Parents are looking for the educational value in just about everything they buy from toys, electronics and even clothing.If your product or service has an educational value than you must use this quality to attract the attention of the desired target market.
• Convenience-Busy parents are looking for products and services that simplify and make their lives easier.If your product or service can do this you must use this value in marketing it.Market research shows that many parents will avoid repeat buying of any product or service that they consider to complicated or takes up to much of their time either in assembly or needed supervision.If your product or service has a high convenience factor than it will also have a high marketability to parents everywhere.
• Kid appeal-Parents no matter how busy or stressed are still parents and are looking to please their kid.While toys may be marketed directly to children there are many other products that must be directly marketed to those who hold the purse strings-parents. Parents will be looking for products that have high kid appeal not just for birthdays and other holidays but for that special gift for no reason.If your product or service has high kid appeal it is important to remember where the finances lie and structure your marketing to appeal to parents.