Consulting Your Cabinet

Like a lot of women, I rely on word of mouth for recommendations, news and gossip. My boyfriend calls my close group of friends my "cabinet." When we are discussing something, he will often ask me if I have "consulted with my cabinet." While this can be annoying, it's true. I have found great hairdressers, clothing lines, sales and recipes by talking with my friends or reading their blogs - almost never by watching commercials or reading ads in newspapers and magazines.

Engage Moms recently shared some interesting facts about marketing to moms that totally validates the "cabinet" mentality. Some tidbits:

There are 35.3 million moms online with children under the age of 18 - a number projected to reach almost 37 million by 2012.
- There are only about 40 million moms, total, with children that age, across the U.S.
- Of the 36.2 million women actively participating in the blogosphere weekly, as either publishers or readers, 46% - or just over 16.5 million - have children at home.
- 67% of moms online look for advice from others when making a purchasing decision.
- 78% of moms who blog review products.

Engage Moms also reports that "Studies show that moms are increasingly losing trust in established 'experts' - institutions and the like - while trusting more in what other moms have to say."

It's nice to read this article, and confirm that I am not the only one that uses a "cabinet" of family and friends to navigate the world and discover the best (and worst) products to buy.



-Hannah Hasbrook