Moteefe’s Ultimate Guide to Print on Demand Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, many people will be looking for a gift to showcase their appreciation for their moms.  Although children can get away with creating macaroni art or a homemade coupon book, adults should probably put in a little more effort when choosing their Mother’s Day presents.  Give the crowds of Mother’s Day present shoppers a helping hand by starting a new Print on Demand (POD) campaign dedicated to this special day.  If you are struggling with how you should launch this new product line, check out some of our tips below.

This guide was created to help Moteefe content creators crush Mother’s Day! From choosing a niche to scheduling out a launch date, this informative guide will take you through all aspects of Mother’s Day to ensure that this seasonal campaign comes out a raging success. 

Table of contents

Why should you create a POD Mother’s Day present campaign?

Several studies report that Mother’s Day is the third biggest spending holiday in the United States, with the winter holidays taking first place and back-to-school season taking second.  An impressive 84 per cent of Americans take part in the celebration.  Plus, Mother’s Day spending has been gradually increasing over the years, making it an excellent opportunity for e-commerce businesses and POD sellers to drive sales with Mother’s Day presents.

In 2020, Americans spent a whopping $26.7 billion on Mother’s Day presents!  Ensuring you have the appropriate items at a reasonable price will make it easier for your customers to purchase items for their mothers, wives, and the other motherly figures in their lives.  This is a huge opportunity for new and veteran sellers to take advantage of.  While many POD creators tend to overlook Mother’s Day as a potential sales opportunity, it is a massive market that can create huge profits—if done right.

Planned total expenditure on Mother’s Day in the United States
from 2007 to 2021

*(In billion U.S. dollars) Graph provided by Statista

Mother’s Day spending has continued to increase over the years.  Though department stores came out on top as the leading shopping destination for these presents, the pandemic has shifted shopping behaviours.  This year, online shopping is expected to lead given the current circumstances.  With projected Mother’s Day spending at an all-time high combined with increased online shopping, there has never been a better time to launch an online POD Mother’s Day presents campaign!

If you haven’t used our platform yet, this is an excellent opportunity to start.  Moteefe’s free, user-friendly platform can introduce you to the world of Print on Demand.  Whether you are new to the Print on Demand industry or a POD expert, our international support team is available 24/7 to help you out—wherever you are.  With a network of suppliers worldwide, we offer localized production so that your customers get their products quickly and efficiently.

What is Mother’s Day?

The history

On May 10, 1908, three years after her mother’s death, Anna Jarvis held a memorial ceremony to honor her mother and all mothers at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, marking the day as the first official observance of Mother’s Day.  Today, Jarvis is recognized as the founder of Mother’s Day in the United States.  The International Mother’s Day Shrine has been a designated National Historic Landmark since October 5, 1992.

The floral and greeting card industry soon took advantage of this early event, and the business of celebrating this new commemorative holiday boomed.  Jarvis, however, believed that the commercialization of the day took away from her original message.  In fact, in 1943, she even began organizing a petition to rescind Mother’s Day!  Unfortunately for Jarvis, her deteriorating mental health saw her placed in the Marshall Square Sanitarium and her bid to cancel Mother’s Day was unsuccessful.

Current times

Today, the world recognizes Mother’s Day as an event dedicated to celebrating mothers, motherhood, maternal bonds, and mothers’ overall influence in society.  Mother’s Day takes place worldwide, with many countries celebrating it in either March or May.  The exact month and day of the official celebrations will depend on where on the globe you are located.   It complements similar celebrations honoring the family, such as Father’s Day, Siblings Day, and Grandparents Day.

An International event: Mother’s Day around the world

Mother’s Day presents: a cushion with custom text in French reading “I love you Mom”

Mother’s Day is a globally recognized occasion which means there is potential for a massive audience.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimate, there are about 85 million mothers in the U.S.—and that number is growing.  The best part?  Mother’s Day dates vary depending on the country.  This means that this seasonal line may be a campaign that you can reuse several times over the year!

This year, countries like the United Kingdom and Ireland will celebrate Mother’s Day on March 14th.  The United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia will celebrate it on May 9th (the second Sunday of May).  Check out the table below for the full breakdown of Mother’s Day dates by country.  If you do not see a specific country, check online for more dates:

Mother’s Day dates

When should I launch my Mother’s Day campaign?

Now.

POD sellers should consider publishing their Facebook ads as early as three months before the big day for every new seasonal line.  However, since most of the public isn’t thinking about their Mother’s Day presents that far in advance, six to seven weeks before Mother’s Day is the ideal time to launch your product line.  This gives your customers ample time to purchase and receive your products in time for them to be given as Mother’s Day presents.  Send out an online newsletter once you launch your line to get the holiday on your customers’ minds.  And consider increasing your advertising budget as the day gets closer since most of your sales will likely take place roughly two to three weeks before Mother’s Day.  Use our recommended schedule below to ensure that you stay on track.

Recommended campaign schedule

This schedule outline is based on dates for countries celebrating Mother’s Day on March 14.  Adjust the recommended dates when scaling to other parts of the world.

• 7 weeks in advance (Jan 24): Brainstorm design ideas for POD Mother’s Day presents.

• 6 – 7 weeks in advance (Jan 24 – 31): Launch your Mother’s Day POD product line and send an email newsletter announcing its release.

• 1 – 6 weeks in advance, (Jan 31 – Mar 7): Publish online advertisements for your Mother’s Day presents.

• 2 – 5 weeks in advance, (Feb 14 – Mar 7): Test audiences and scale your campaigns to other regions.

• 1 – 3 weeks in advance, (Feb 21 – Mar 7): Increase your advertising

• March 14: Mother’s Day.

Last year, Mother’s Day in the U.S. took place on May 10th, 2020.  The keyword search gradually started to increase about five weeks before Mother’s Day, with a massive spike in search just a few days before the 10th as shoppers scrambled for last-minute Mother’s Day presents.  In the U.K., keyword searches began increasing about seven weeks in advance. 

U.S. Mother’s Day search term 

Google Trends graph showing Mother’s Day search term popularity (U.S.)

Google Trends map showing Mother’s Day search term by region (U.S.)

U.K. Mother’s Day search term

Google Trends graph showing search term popularity U.K.

Mother’s Day Presents: Google Trends map showing search term by region U.K.

Worldwide Mother’s Day search term

Google Trends graph showing search term by time worldwide

Google Trends map showing search term by region worldwide

Determining your audience

From teen mothers to elderly great, great grandmas, recipients of Mother’s Day presents range vastly in ages.  Don’t forget to consider interests and characteristics when planning your Mother’s Day present ideas.  There are wine moms, soccer moms, PTA moms, momagers, the list goes on.  It is vital to determine your target audience before proceeding with your design and advertising.  It’s best to focus on a niche that you are familiar with since it will be easier for you to create designs around it.

Mother’s Day Presents: a green hoodie with custom text in German reading ‘Mother of Twins’

Finding your niche

Already launched a successful campaign?  Start incorporating Mother’s Day elements into it.  If you have already found success in your niche, it’s always a good idea to repurpose your designs during holidays and special occasions.  This low-risk move can ensure that there is a demographic of people that may already be interested in your new line.  If you haven’t launched a campaign yet, check out some of our niches of the week like veganism and skiing.

But if you haven’t created a Print on Demand product line before, or you want to create a new one specifically for Mother’s Day, these variables can help you determine where to focus.

Variables

Age and status

There are so many various factors that can affect the experience of motherhood.  A single teen mother is not going to have the same experience as a middle-aged mother with triplets that are currently serving the army.  Hone in on these differences to differentiate from the other Mother’s Day presents campaigns on the market.

Examples: teens, new, single, grandma, great-grandma, mother of twins/triplets/quadruplets etc., army mom, foster parents.

Interests

This is the easiest route for brainstorming new niches as almost any interest can be used to create a new Print on Demand design.  However, when motherhood is introduced to one’s life, it has a tendency to completely change a person’s priorities.  Many moms (and parents in general) dedicate themselves to their children’s interests, resulting in categories like dance moms and soccer moms.  Any interest you can think of, there is probably a mom for it.  If you’re struggling to find a niche, you can use Pinterest to help you find an audience. 

Examples: Momagers, dance moms, soccer moms, wine moms, book lover moms, yoga moms, fitness moms, cooking moms, and spiritual moms are examples of interest-led mom categories.

Location and culture

With so many different countries to target, there will be cultural differences that you can consider as a niche.  For example, the Tiger Mom is a term coined by a Yale Law School professor and author Amy Chua, who used the term in her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother to describe Asian mothers with a strict parenting style focused on ensuring that their kids achieve high academic and educational accolades.  If you decide to create a niche around a particular culture, make sure you are familiar with it—you do not want to unintentionally offend your audience with cultural appropriation. 

Reminder

If you plan to advertise your products using Facebook Ads, be sure to take a look at Facebook’s Advertising Policies for rules and restrictions on what topics are permitted on the platform.  Some prohibited and restricted content include drugs, alcohol, adult content and more.

Creating your Mother’s Day presents design

Once you have determined your audience, it is time to create the designs for your Mother’s Day presents!  For the most part, you should be creating designs specific to your niche; however, incorporating the theme of love, appreciation, and motherhood can help make it more fitting for the occasion.  There are a ton of lovely images that you can use for your Mother’s Day presents designs, but if you need some help coming up with a design, consider adding some of the following ideas.

Ideas

Colors: most colors will work, but pinks and reds are encouraged as they are associated with the theme of love.

Images: hearts, flowers, mothers, children, notable empowering and strong women.

These images can also inspire International Women’s Day (March 8), a day dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements in the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres.  It can also be a day for you to acknowledge and appreciate all of the strong women in your life.

Picking your products

Mother’s Day presents can be anything from sweaters to throw pillows.  Mugs and tote bags are usually safe choices as they are practical gifts.  But in all honesty, any item you decide to include in your store has the opportunity to sell.  General clothing attire is a fun, topical choice, but we encourage you to stick to the practical accessories that can be used all year round.

There are two items we highly encourage you to include in your line: mugs and tote bags.  Mugs are some of the best-selling items in Print on Demand, and they sell even on occasions such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and other family celebrations.  Many mothers are tea and coffee drinkers so mugs will serve a purpose in the house.  Plus, the all-purpose tote bag is the perfect Mother’s Day present for busy women who are constantly on the go.  Both of these items are incredibly popular during this time of year.

Include Winter products

If you want to fill out your product line with more options for your customers, winter products such as hoodies and sweatshirts can also be hot items.  It may still be quite chilly in March (depending on the region), so these winter products are a great way to warm up.  And with the pandemic still happening, facemasks make a great add-on item!  If you think your mother prefers something a little more sentimental, thoughtful home art such as canvas prints, cushions and posters can help liven up her home.  Plus, adding canvases to your store is a great way to increase profits since they command a higher profit margin.

Pricing your products

Your Mother’s Day present prices should be affordable for all.  If you have already launched a campaign in the past, feel free to set the same prices as your regular campaigns.  If you would like, have a discount code available for the seasonal event.  You can even create a store-wide Mother’s Day sale, offering a 10% or 15% discount on all items.

Selling Price Equation

Use the selling price equation to find the right price point for you:

Selling price = [(cost of item) ÷ (100 – markup percentage)] × 100

Let’s say an item costs you $10 and you want to use a markup of 50 per cent.  The selling price would then be calculated as follows:

Selling price = [(10.00) ÷ (100 – 50)] × 100
Selling price = (10.00 ÷ 50) × 100 = $20

Although you get to choose your profit margins, keep in mind that while a low price may be more enticing to a customer, it cuts into your profit.  Meanwhile, pricing your Mother’s Day presents too high may deter potential customers from buying anything at all.  Below is a table of the recommended selling prices in USD.  Convert them to GBP or EUR and round them to the nearest whole number if you plan to target the UK or EU.

 Suggested Pricing

Around $20 is a safe bet for a POD product. Just remember, there will be a lot of competition during this time of year.

Adding custom text

Before releasing your product line to the world, do not forget to include the custom text feature!  There are a ton of Mother’s Day designs out there such as, “#1 Mother” or “World’s Greatest Mother,” but everyone knows that those are generic designs that are worn and purchased by a large percentage of the population.

Give your customers the option to draft up their own phrases and include their mother’s name in the design.  A bit of a personalized touch can help increase store sales.  In fact, according to the Deloitte Consumer Review, one in five customers are willing to pay a 20% premium for personalized products!

Take a look at cushions in the images below. The cushion on the left could be sold for £20.27 / €23.27 / $24.00, while the cushion on the right could command a price of £24.32 / €27.91 / $28.80.

For more on the custom text tool, check out our blog post on How to make the most of the Custom Text tool.

Check out the video below for a step-by-step tutorial on adding the custom text feature to your store…

Advertising your Mother’s Day product lines on Facebook

Mothers probably won’t be purchasing these gifts for themselves, which means you need to be targeting your ads towards the people who will be gifting these items to their mothers.  This is usually their significant others and children.  However, since kids and teens may not have the most disposable income, it’s usually a good idea to target the partners.

Target by age group

Recent studies have indicated that the average age when a woman has her first child is now 28 years old.  The age has gone up since the 1970’s when the average age was 24.6 years old.  With this in mind, be sure to adjust your Facebook ads accordingly.  It’s a good idea to target your ads to men between the ages of 30 – 45 since many men will be purchasing these gifts for their partners.  This is an excellent baseline to start with; however, adjust your settings and tailor it to your audience.  Be sure to have a good understanding of your target audience so you can hone in on your Facebook ads’ specific details.

If you are unfamiliar with using Facebook Ads Manager, check out Moteefe School, our free online Teachable course teaching you everything you need to know about navigating the Print on Demand industry.

Target by country and language

As mentioned earlier, Mother’s Day takes place on a different day, depending on where you live.  If your design can relate to a global audience, consider targeting different regions throughout the year whenever Mother’s Day starts nearing.  If your design contains text, consider translating it into another language and retargeting the design in another part of the world that speaks that language.  Revert to the table above that listed the dates and countries that celebrated Mother’s Day.  Or check online to see which countries you should be targeting throughout the year.

Facebook ads translations

If you decide to widen your audience and advertise your products in multiple countries, be sure to translate your marketing messaging so that your audience understands what you are saying.  Although running your phrases in Google Translate may help you translate your words quickly, sometimes the phrasing is too literal.  Use our Facebook Ads Translation Guide to help you translate some common phrases used when creating Facebook Ads.  The guide contains translations in English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Polish and Czech.

Help and support

We hope this extensive guide has given you the inspiration and information you need to create your Mother’s Day presents product line.  Use these tips to help increase your chances of success!  And if you want to get some more advice and feedback during your POD journey, join our Facebook community of POD sellers Moteefe x Marcazo Global!  There you can watch helpful broadcasts on all things related to Print on Demand and discuss POD marketing strategies. For further support you can contact our Seller Success team using the details below. Together, let’s #GoMakeIt

Contact details

Aidan Kessell – Success Manager
Ana Sousa – Success Manager

Sellersupport@moteefe.com
Support in English from 09am – 06pm GMT (UK)