Blog

I’ve built an online community of about 150 000 mums. There is no way this would have been possible without creating marketing partnerships.

Thinking back, I must have run with over fifty marketing partnerships since I first went into business five years ago. Whilst most were short-term arrangements, many were longer term. Partnerships can be incredibly rewarding both financially and personally, many of my partners who I approached ‘cold’ are now people I think of as my friends.

If you are looking to build your community, I encourage you to find and secure the perfect marketing partnership.

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Over the past decade, women have been starting businesses at more than double the rate of men.

More than 300 000 businesses in Australia are founded by mums who are driven by a desire for more meaningful and flexible work arrangements. These women are highly skilled and highly educated with ABS data stating that women are more likely to hold a Diploma, Degree or Post Graduate qualification than men. Yet despite this, the success of women in business is not reflective in these statistics.

Why do skilled and educated women so often not succeed in business?

I believe there are five key challenges holding women back.

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According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, global travel and tourism were worth US$7.6 trillion in 2016, and it is expected to grow to US$12 trillion by 2028.

It is one of the fastest growing industries around the world and accounts for 10% of global GDP. Take those numbers in; they are huge. Yet, the industry is not without challenges. The path to purchase is extremely long and complex.

Google research highlights that 70% of people don’t know where they will take their holiday, and Expedia research reveals that people will search 38 websites before making a booking. So, who makes the travel decision and how do you fast track the path to making a booking?

Let me share with you my own family travel story.

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It all started really innocently. As winter commenced, my husband came home with an Apple TV. 

The next thing I knew it was almost Spring and I had turned into some kind of late night binge watching junkie. I had devoured Big Little Lies in two days, consumed the entire five seasons of House of Cards and, as I write this article, I find myself battling a new dependence, Ozark.

It has led to many, many late nights where I’ve muttered, “Just one more episode.” But I’ve had to own up to the dark circles under my eyes, I have a ‘Netflix addiction’, and I’ve realised it is making things very tricky for marketers trying to connect with me.

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I recently enjoyed a road trip to Adelaide as my son was playing in a basketball tournament. On the journey home to Melbourne, I stopped in a local town to stretch my legs and pick up a chai latte. Listed as $4.50 on the menu I was told that would be $6.70. On querying the increased price, I was told that there were additional charges for having soy milk (normally standard in chai), that it was a public holiday and before she could explain any more of the extras I cancelled the order and bought a chai in the café across the road.

This experience reinforced one of the key findings in the Marketing to Mums Survey report of more than 1800 Australian mums; that mums hate hidden extras, additional clicks and any detour from what you say you are going to do.

Here are four things you can do to keep mums happy.

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Australians are changing the way they shop. Mothers, who control more than 80% of consumer spending, are seeking more flexibility from retailers. Astute marketers are recognising this trend and offering new payment options with great rewards. I spoke with Nick Molnar, Founder of Afterpay, and some Small Business owners to find out more about the rapid rise in popularity of Afterpay in Australia.

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