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BSM Media: Marketing to Moms

As I mentioned before, BSM Media is one of the companies that generously offered to help defray my costs to attend Blog World and New Media Expo.

BSM Media specializes in marketing to moms. This interests me because 1) I’m a mom and 2) I like working with marketers and find those relationships to be rewarding for me, the marketer, and most importantly, my readers.

It may come as no surprise to those of you who have received form e-mails from marketers pushing their products or press releases that many bloggers are offended that PR firms don’t take blogging more seriously. At least one of the panels I attended at BlogHer ’08 came down very hard on marketers who send out blanket e-mails or expect bloggers to post press releases for unknown products or didn’t read enough of the blog to know it doesn’t match the the product’s targeted audience. The consensus is “it’s my blog and if you want to advertise, give me and my readers something in return.” I think this is a valid concern. Receiving form e-mails and irrelevant product endorsements is frustrating.

There is another side to that relationship, though, if you’re willing to work at it. What I’ve found is that most marketers and PR reps want positive relationships with bloggers, and especially mommy bloggers. Depending on the product, moms hold the purse strings of .80 of every $1. If you want a family to be interested in your product and buy it or review it positively, market to the mom. When I receive a form e-mail or press release, I reply to the sender that I appreciate that they’re reaching out, but that there may be a better way. I then explain that I don’t post press releases, but I would be happy to sell them ad space. Or I explain that I would be happy to review their product if they can supply an additional product for my readers as a giveaway. I think of how I want to be marketed to, then I let them know. Opening up communication can only lead to good things. That has been my experience so far.

BSM Media is a cutting-edge company that has recognized the current flaws in marketer/blogger relationships. BSM is owned and operated by Maria Bailey. She is an award-winning author, radio talk show host,
nationally known speaker and the foremost marketing authority on
marketing to moms. And she knows what she’s doing.

I first discovered BSM Media this summer when I attended BlogHer ’08.
I had heard some buzz about how this company was helping marketers and
bloggers come together in non-threatening and positive ways. I was immediately interested.

BSM Media has several resources worth checking out:

7 thoughts on “BSM Media: Marketing to Moms”

  1. I am new to your site but….It looks very interesting.I follow on twitter as carolynishis.

  2. Thanks for this. I have received a few such e-mails but haven’t known what to do with them or how to discern whether the company is reputable without researching which I usually don’t want to take the time to bother with unless it is a product that really grabs me. I like the workable responses you mentioned.

  3. Thanks for the great article! I think one of the issues surrounding this is that mom bloggers either don’t realize the value of their blog, and/or they don’t take control and say “what can you do for me.” Rather they fall into the trap of always feeling like they are getting something for nothing, and just need to be grateful, when the word-of-mouth advertising they provide is worth so much more than any traditional form of advertising.

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