Confession: I feel a little guilty writing this post. Why? Because the original creator of Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis, became disgusted with the holiday for its becoming so commercialized—yes even back in 1920—that she dedicated much of her life legally campaigning against the holiday.

And here I am, writing a post about Mother’s Day marketing ideas. But I think AJ (Yes? No? Only close friends and fam?) will approve of these, since they’re less about selling and more about connecting with your audience—and not just mothers—in meaningful ways.

So maybe you could give it a read and let me know what you think?

Mother’s Day marketing ideas

Okay AJ, here goes nothin’.

Prioritize inclusivity

First and foremost, remember that Mother’s Day isn’t a happy day for everyone. It can be a struggle for women who have lost a child, for mothers who have lost a mother, for children who don’t have a mother. Consider providing your audience with an opt-out for Mother’s Day material or adjusting your messaging to recognize these groups.

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Support a nonprofit organization

Another option in the name of compassion and inclusivity would be to donate a portion of your proceeds to a nonprofit such as for pregnancy loss or orphans. This will raise awareness while also helping your customers feel good about their Mother’s Day purchases.

Here are some lists of nonprofits dedicated to:

• Pregnancy loss
• Maternal and infant health
• Orphans

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Promote a sustainable Mother’s Day

Here’s yet another unique way to commemorate this holiday, especially as sustainability is a 2022 marketing trend in our books. Mother Earth, Mother Nature, however you refer to her—she needs some love too! You might:

• Encourage your customers to save paper by sending ecards or, as was Anna Jarvis’s vision, wear a single white carnation badge.
• Find neighborhood cleanups they can volunteer at with their mothers.
• Plant a tree for every nth purchase.

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Create a Mother’s Day gift guide

Okay so Anna probably wouldn’t like this one that much, but the reality is, people buy gifts for mothers on Mother’s Day and that’s not going to change. And they don’t want to give a single carnation. They want to be unique. Creative. Personal.

So why not compile a Mother’s Day gift guide for those in your audience. It doesn’t have to be of products or services you offer. In fact, if you don’t offer anything relevant, it can consist entirely of others’ products/services. Content marketing is about adding value for your audience, sometimes purely altruistically.

You can also use this guide as a way to send referral business to fellow local businesses, partners, or potential new partners.

Publish an interactive piece of content

Instead of a regular static gift guide, use a tool like Outgrow to build interactive content like the quiz below. You can even incorporate gift recommendations based on the type of mom they have.

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Invite personal sharing

As a way to avoid the generic, commercialized nature of Mother’s Day marketing, simply start a conversation on Facebook. Share your personal reflections, experiences, or memories and ask your followers to share theirs. Include the happy, the sad, and everything in between.

Social media marketing is a two-way street. Your followers want to feel heard and they’ll also appreciate your transparency.

Host a simple event

There are a number of free and easy events you can put on for your customers on or before Mother’s Day with attractions like:

• Free treats and refreshments, music, and a raffle.
• A DIY photo booth or other user-generated-content-friendly opportunities to spread brand awareness.
• A “grab bag” to moms or free gift to the first people who arrive at the party.
• Mother’s Day gift making.

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Offer a discount

Mother’s Day is an important gift-giving holiday, so what better way to attract customers than by offering a Mother’s Day discount or promotion? A few ways to do that could be to:

• Display a discount wheel that can be spun upon entering the store
• An exclusive offer for bringing in a childhood photo with mom
• A post on social media that gives a discount only to those who follow your social pages.

Run a Mother’s Day giveaway

Run an Instagram giveaway before Mother’s Day for a chance to win a gift for mom (or yourself, if you are a mom). To help you get more followers and expand your reach, contestants can enter by using a branded hashtag and/or tagging a friend.

For (lots) more, LOCALiQ has you covered with these Mother’s Day social media post ideas, tips, and templates.

Publish a “things to do on Mother’s Day” list

Similar to creating a gift guide, get some local marketing into the mix by writing an email or blog post about things to do in your area on Mother’s Day. Once again, this is a good opportunity to build trust with your audience and also potential partnerships with the businesses you refer tem to.

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Do a multi-cultural Instagram Story takeover

Here’s a creative Instagram Story idea: share your Instagram creds with a handful of mothers on your team and give them each a day or hour of the day to cover. They can share a day in the life of a mother for their family type, culture, and lifestyle. This is an easy way to celebrate diversity and humanize your brand.

Send a care package

If you have a small client base, consider sending a personal greeting card or gift to your mom clients. It can be something simple, like a candle, a succulent, flowers, or a growable planter gift. Simply letting them know you’re thinking of them can go a long way in establishing strong client relationships.

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Use creative imagery

Instead of the traditional floral, heart, and pink imagery we see everywhere in Mother’s Day marketing collateral, go for something more creative or abstract. Take a page out of Coca Cola’s book, for example:

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Use templates

Whether you’re looking for Facebook post ideas, an Instagram Story to create, a physical postcard, or website graphic, Canva has a number of Mother’s Day templates that can save you time and polish off your look.

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And for the uninitiated, here’s our tutorial on how to use Canva.

Send out a Mother’s Day email

There are a few different approaches you can take with your Mother’s Day email.

• Send out a personalized happy Mother’s Day email to your clients (but keep it inclusive).
• Send out a marketing email with Mother’s Day discounts and promotions you’re running.
• Compile a newsletter with a mix of announcements, resources, and tips. Include your gift guide, things to do list, and giveaway instructions, of course.

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Have a countdown

Anna wouldn’t approve of this one either, I don’t think. But urgency in marketing is key. Create a countdown for your customers so they know when your promotion or offer expires. Or simply remind them of how much time they have in your social posts.

Mother’s Day marketing ideas recap

No, Mother’s Day will never be the simple single-white-carnation-wearing day Anna wanted it to be, but there are plenty of simple ways your business can recognize the holiday in such a manner that prioritizes virtues over sales. And those simple Mother’s Day marketing ideas include:

1. Be inclusive
2. Support a nonprofit organization
3. Sustainable Mother’s Day
4. Create a Mother’s Day gift guide
5. Create interactive content
6. Invite personal sharing
7. Host a simple event
8. Offer a discount
9. Run a Mother’s Day giveaway
10. Publish a “things to do on Mother’s Day” list
11. Do a multi-cultural Instagram Story takeover
12. Send a care package
13. Use creative imagery
14. Use templates
15. Send out a Mother’s Day email
16. Have a countdown

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