Seventy-Three Percent of U.S. Small Business Owners Anticipate Strong Mother’s Day Sales, According to Constant Contact Survey

April 24, 2007; 06:05 AM
As husbands, daughters, sons, and even mothers gear up for gift-giving this Mother’s Day, U.S. small businesses are readying their sales and marketing plans for one of their biggest retail holidays of the year. According to Constant Contact’s 2^nd Annual Mother’s Day Outlook* survey, 73 percent of U.S. small business owners anticipate strong Mother’s Day holiday sales – a significant rise over last year’s survey results (66 percent). Constant Contact^® (www.constantcontact.com) is the leading email marketing service for small businesses, associations, and nonprofits.

The strong optimism for the Mother’s Day shopping season likely signals good news for U.S. small businesses, of which 83 percent deem Mother’s Day important to their yearly earnings, up from 76 percent in 2006. In fact, U.S. small businesses owners rate Mother’s Day as having a greater impact on sales than Valentine’s Day, Easter, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Halloween, Labor Day, and St. Patrick’s Day.

U.S. Small Businesses Shift Marketing Online

As consumers flock to the Internet in record numbers, 74 percent of U.S. small business owners expect consumers to make more purchases online for Mother’s Day this year compared to past years. Given this continued trend, 74 percent of respondents plan to send out promotions for Mother’s Day, the majority of which will be sent online.

Eighty-six percent of small businesses will use email marketing to promote Mother’s Day sales and events to their customers; 42 percent plan to use other forms of online marketing (i.e. banners ads, paid search); 26 percent will send direct mail; 25 percent will use flyers; and 20 percent will advertise (TV, radio, or newspaper). When asked which method is most effective at driving sales, 53 percent of small business owners revealed that email marketing yields the best results, followed by online marketing (17 percent), TV, radio, or newspaper advertising (13 percent), direct mail (13 percent), and flyers (3 percent).

2007 Mother’s Day Consumer Trends

This year’s survey showed that mom’s loved ones tend to procrastinate. According to respondents of the survey, 51 percent of purchases and reservations will be made less than a week before Mother’s Day.

What gifts should mothers expect to be showered with this year? According to small business owners, 49 percent predict flowers will be the most popular gift, followed by a spa/salon appointment (30 percent), jewelry (16 percent), and clothing (5 percent). Respondents also weighed in on what moms are “worth”. Forty-one percent of U.S. small businesses expect their customers to spend between $25 and $50 for Mother’s Day in 2007; 23 percent between $50 to $75; 12 percent between $75 and $100; and 13 percent expect their customers to spend more than $100.

The majority of these purchases and reservations will be made by husbands (37 percent), followed by daughters (36 percent), and mothers themselves (18 percent). The survey also revealed that sons, who respondents say account for only 9 percent of Mother’s Day purchases and reservations, will be the least involved in the holiday. Sons also are least likely to “grab the check” at Mother’s Day meals, with only 11 percent volunteering to pick up the tab. According to the survey, husbands will pay for the meals 63 percent of the time, followed by daughters at 15 percent, and mothers who match their sons at 11 percent.

Examining sales trends by industry, the survey reveals the following:

Restaurants

• Dinner (40 percent) and brunch (37 percent) are the most popular meal reservations
• 72 percent said that reservations for Mother’s Day exceed Father’s Day reservations
• 58 percent of customers celebrate on a day other than Mother’s Day

Spas/salons

• For the second year in a row, half-day spa treatments (42 percent) and massages (39 percent) are the most common types of services for Mother’s Day gifts

Florists

• Mixed bouquets (70 percent) are again expected to be the order of choice this year, followed by tulips and roses (both at 10 percent), and daisies (5 percent).

Jewelers

• Necklaces (40 percent) are expected to be the most popular item this year, followed by earrings and bracelets (both at 30 percent).

Sample questions and results from Constant Contact’s 2007 Small Business Mother’s Day Outlook survey include the following:

“Do you anticipate a strong Mother’s Day season in sales for your business?”

“Do you think that, in general, consumers will be making more purchases online for Mother’s Day in 2007?”

How much do your customers (per individual) typically spend on Mother’s Day in 2007?”

“In your experience, who makes the majority of reservations/appointments/purchases for Mother’s Day?”

“What marketing methods will you use to promote your Mother’s Day offerings?” (check all that apply)

“What do you think will be the most popular item during this year’s Mother’s Day season?”

For more information about the survey or for additional results, please contact Kevin Mullins at 781-472-6206, or by email at kmullins@constantcontact.com.

*The 2007 U.S. Small Business Mother’s Day Outlook survey was conducted through a targeted online distribution to U.S. small business owners, who are current customers of Constant Contact, and included results from more than 600 respondents. The survey was conducted from March 22^nd through April 2^nd, 2007.

About Constant Contact, Inc.

Launched in 1998 and headquartered in Waltham, Mass., Constant Contact, Inc. is the leading email marketing service for small businesses, associations, and nonprofits. With more than 100,000 customers today, Constant Contact helps small businesses and organizations succeed in building lasting customer relationships through professional email communications. To learn more, please visit www.constantcontact.com or call (781) 472-8100.