Stress, stress, and more stress pretty much sums up how 2020 has been for many of us, especially moms juggling work, homeschooling, quarantining, and everything else that has been thrown their way. 

As we prepare for 2020's series finale, we wondered how moms were feeling. 

Are they feeling positive about 2021?  Ready to spend money on kids' events and activities? ...

THE ART OF BEING FOUND

This week's tip is understanding the resources moms use to find local, kid-friendly businesses like yours.

Once you understand that, there's a whole lot you can do to improve your chances of being the answer to their search.

So how do moms search for local, kid-friendly businesses? These top 5 tactics reigned supreme.

1. GOOGLE RULES

When moms are looking for an indoor...

According to the National Retail Federation, 2020 holiday spending is predicted to increase by somewhere between 3.6% and 5.2%. 

People might be feeling pandemic fatigue but they're soothing their sadness with some extra spending this year.

That's good news for local businesses that need a boost after a rough year. 

But where are moms planning to spend all this money? 

We asked...

WHERE ARE ALL THE PARENTS?

Sometimes when you're a local business trying to reach parents, you feel like you're all alone out there. 

The phone isn't ringing.  Social media posts get crickets.  The inbox isn't filled with new requests for information. 

So where are the parents?  How do you spread the word about your business?

Like most things in life, there isn't just...

Holiday shopping looks a little different this year with even more online purchases than usual, potential shipping delays, and various COVID regulations causing challenges for everyone.   

The good news?  Support for local businesses is as strong as it's ever been with moms wanting to keep their holiday dollars close to home.

And there's one thing you can sell that will...

Each year, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, communities across the country highlight and celebrate their locally owned businesses by celebrating Small Business Saturday.  They encourage everyone to support their local and independent businesses and in turn, the businesses serve up special and unique holiday promotions. 

This year we all need Small Business Saturday more than ever....

Hashtags on Facebook?  Yep, they're a thing now and Facebook is working hard to encourage you to use them.  But if you're trying to reach a local audience is it worth the trouble?  Will it improve your reach and engagement? 

We wanted to find out so we did some research for our community of local business owners and marketers, the Member's Club.  Today we're sharing a...

IS VIDEO REALLY THAT IMPORTANT

Do I really need video?

Consider that according to Social Media Today, 90% of consumers say video can help them make buying decisions. 

And that having a video on your landing page can increase conversions by up to 80%.  So, yes, video is definitely a big deal. 

Many local businesses think they don't have the resources, time or skills to create...

Your local business website was looking pretty good when you set it up five, six, or ten years ago.  But if you haven't done much with it since, it's likely a bit dated. 

Website updates tend to get shoved to the bottom of the to-do list for many business owners who figure their up to date social media feed and emails are doing the job.

In a recent survey for our community of local...

Want to know the biggest secret of creating successful marketing content?  Understand your ideal customer.  Not just identify who they are but really understand them – their desires, their fears, their challenges. 

And when it comes to moms and their kids, there's one struggle that a majority are currently experiencing. It's all about socialization. 

More than half of...