I first heard about Brain, Child magazine in that word-of-mouth way that is key to the daily interaction of women.  It’s all about the idea of sharing the secret of something that works for you – be it product, service or publication.  (I, personally, engage in or utilize tips gained via word-of-mouth on a daily basis – found a new veterinarian that way just this week.)

The chain of events leading to my Brain, Child introduction: I met a woman at a community gathering a few months ago.  A mutual friend introduced us because she sensed we had some common interests.  When we got to the part where I told her about ReachWomen and what we do, she mentioned her friend Stephanie Wilkinson who publishes and co-edits Brain, Child – and told me a bit about the publication.  That was it. 

I bought an issue the next day and immediately saw that it would be something of interest for many of you.  If you’d be interested in where affluent, educated moms are gathering these days, or what some of their shared concerns are, that is.

Brain, Child magazine has attracted the likes of some 15,000 readers (yes, small numbers – but noteworthy, as you’ll see.) while espousing the philosophy that motherhood is worthy of literature.  Founded in 1999 by two friends who each had a baby under one year old at the time, the first of their quarterly issues was published in March, 2000.

The story of Brain, Child serves marketers in two ways:  First, that the magazine's founders, Stephanie Wilkinson and Jennifer Niesslein (as businesspeople) thought one thing about who their readership (or customers) might be when they began, but, over time, have found them to be another group of women altogether.  The second bit of information to take away is how thriving, passionate and active this narrow but literature-loving segment of women is.  Perhaps the success of Brain, Child magazine, in reaching these moms, should be a lesson to us all on how to listen to and interact with our women’s marketplace segment-of-interest.

Literature-Loving Moms Unite

Before they started Brain, Child, Stephanie and Jennifer did due diligence on the magazine business, their competition and who their readers might be.  From what they'd learned through their research, they chose to focus on a broad-based readership: moms who were  likely in the age range of 25 – 50, and were, like themselves, underserved by the other available parenting/mothering magazines. 

From letters to the editor and other feedback, in addition to a few basic readership surveys, they soon were able to more narrowly define their core audience:

• Moms in the mid-30s to mid-40s age range
• Moms with much more affluent household incomes than expected.  (74% have household incomes over $65,000.)
• 1/3 of readership is at-home moms 
• 18% work part-time from home, and only 5% work fulltime

Their surveys didn’t cover the education level question, but they did find out what other publications were read by those polled, which included: The New Yorker, Parents, Mothering, Salon.com, MS Living and Utne Reader.

No Cupcake Recipes Here

In addition to finding out that their readers were simply passionate about reading, Stephanie and Jennifer also realized that Brain, Child was hitting a nerve for first-time mothers even more than for more experienced moms with several children.  Any first-time parent is looking for information wherever she can find it, but Brain, Child readers were also enjoying reading about, and connecting with, experiences they’d shared in the voices of other mothers (sometimes quite famous authors, and other times not so famous writers).  Reading about other women who were also struggling emotionally with the weaning of their child, or who had found their new-baby’s existence created a different and confusing dynamic with their husbands, was the connection they sought.

In addition, readers seem to connect with the humor and authenticity within the pages of each issue of Brain, Child.  The humor is in reading about other moms whose only moment of solitude is escaping for two minutes to the bathroom, for example.  And, while authenticity is part of their overall mission, it seems extra evident in the regular Brain, Child Debate section.  In it, actual mothers (and not famous-named doctors) write on topics like disciplining other people’s kids or whether raising a pet is really an educational experience or another chore for mom. 

Finally, Brain, Child articles are true literature.  Past contributors have included the likes of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelists Jane Smiley and Anne Tyler and acclaimed writers Alice Hoffman and Susan Maushart.  The pages of Brain, Child, winner of the prestigious Utne Reader 2001 Alternative Press Award, are packed with, among other great works, parodies of Emily Dickinson and Ernest Hemingway parenthood poetry and musings, a feature on mothers who happen to also be U.S. prisoners, and a powerful essay on being bedridden while awaiting the births of first children (twins) entitled, “Now I Lay Me Down To Wait.”

While they started out by investing some significant dollars on essays by well-known authors, Brain, Child has since built a strong reputation and become a clearinghouse of new literary talent as well.  It is one of very few outlets for writing of its kind and the editorial offices of Brain, Child receive floods of high-quality essays from all over whenever they put out the call.  They've always got lots of incredible work to choose from.

More About Mother Than Child

From the business perspective, and in keeping with the editorial focus, you won’t see as many advertisements geared toward kids (i.e. toys or strollers) as you will for products or services that appeal to the mother.  Because Brain, Child’s readers already trust in the editorial content, they also know they can trust the publisher’s integrity in signing advertisers.

The Brain, Child web site maintains the style and simplicity of the publication.  It mainly serves to introduce the content of the current print copy and functions as a tool to process new subscriptions.  In addition, the Backtalk section is a community building tool that seems to thrive both on and offline.  In it, the Brain, Child editors pose thought-provoking questions ("What's the biggest lie you ever told your kid?" "What part of motherhood was most unexpected to you?" etc.) which readers then answer via email or snail mail, and which are then included in the next print issue.

Reaching Women Where They Already Gather

Of course, you likely want to reach more than just the affluent, highly-educated moms if you market a child-focused or parenting product or service.  By highlighting Brain, Child and discussing its readership, I simply wanted to remind you to look for some hot beds of activity within your women’s segment of interest.  If moms are paying $5 quarterly to buy this publication, it is likely they are taking the time to actually read it.  In fact, Brain, Child reader surveys have shown that 83% read more than half of each issue and 60% read the entire thing (including ads)!  How many other magazines, of any kind, can make that claim?

Other moms’ gathering places for us all to check out may be the parenting sections of the larger health or women’s sites, or the magazines that those women read when they have their moments of escape (which are not likely to be parenting publications).   In any case, just remember: sheer mass numbers of viewers/readers does not an active participant/word-of-mouth initiator make.  It takes something special to develop a passionate group of followers.

To continue in my word-of-mouth way, I am sharing the secret of something that works well in reaching a particular group of moms.  It is midst the pages of Brain, Child. 

Links:

http://www.brainchildmag.com

As Lisa is about to step on the plane to NYC in order to deliver the first session of the American Management Association seminar we developed on marketing to women, I'm preparing to hole up for mucho writing.  

Our customer experience workbook and web store are taking a tad bit longer to perfect than we'd hoped, but the entire effort is progressing nicely.  (We'll keep you posted, of course.)  In the meantime, my review of It's Just Shopping (referenced again in this issue's tidbit section), the new book by e-tailing group President Lauren Freedman, will be published by MarketingProfs.com on October 8th.  And, finally, Lisa and I are working on an article on color and design trends for reaching women, with the help of internationally renowned designer and illustrator, Galie Jean-Louis. It will be published by MP in November.  

Now, go outside and enjoy the crackling of the leaves under your tennis shoes while you can! 

Take care until next time,

Andrea


P.S. Yes!  Write me with your ideas, comments, or questions at: andrea@reachwomen.com