Securities Market Line

     1. Health and Safety: Planting the Seeds of a Customer Dynasty.

     Moms can see danger around every corner. Spills in the aisle, cholesterol-laden food, inedible decorative plants, rickety roller-coaster wheels, bad sightlines at the arcade, and nasty restrooms at the stadium all represent a very slippery slope. On the other hand, if a business provides quick cleanups, appetizing healthy alternatives, barriers to overinquisitive little fingers, evidence of regular safety inspections and maintenance, a clear view of the little ones, and sparkling restrooms, it might well have a customer for life, or, even more important, the beginnings of a customer dynasty with Mom at the center.

     2. Customer Service: The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow.

     Mom says, “Pay attention to me,” but often in a soft, self-deprecating voice. Snooty waiters who prefer adults lose both tips and repeat business, but the waiter who brings the toddler some crackers and the first-grader a set of crayons–without being asked–is golden. In good mall design, service and safety include a well-marked pickup and drop-off location for the teens who don’t want to be seen with Mom. The clerk who is empowered to make a decision on a return or a sale price beats the heck out of “Duh, I’ll have to get the
manager, who might be back after lunch.”

     3. Value: Cheap Does Not Always Equal a Good Deal.

     Some of the wealthiest among us could be found at Target on a Saturday afternoon. Mom’s idea of value translates to a balance of reasonable prices, decent quality, and good selection. Just as Mom will pay more for good customer service, so will she pay more for good quality, but it’s always a balancing act. Cheap flip-flops make sense for one summer of beach-going. But it might be worth it to get a good, warm, more expensive coat (maybe a size too large) to last her youngest the whole winter.

     4. Efficiency: When Money Buys Time.

     Efficiency is why grocery stores now have banks and Jamba Juice, and banks have a Starbucks, and ATMs sell stamps–for those moments when time is of the essence. It’s often a little thing. For instance, there are grocery chains in the United States and the United Kingdom that actually listened when Moms asked them to remove the gum and candy impulse items from the checkout areas. Moms were tired of ending their trips to the store with a battle with the kids over the “I wannas!” Grocery shopping instantly became more pleasant and more efficient.

     5. Social and Community Conscience: Why Pink Ribbons Work.

     Giant discounters that hire the differently abled or give a set portion of their profits to local schools are more likely to see Mom repeatedly than those that do not. Products displaying pink ribbons attract attention and dollars because Mom’s mother or aunt or sister had breast cancer. She’ll drive the extra miles to take the kids to the family entertainment center that is holding a fundraiser for the Humane Society because then her role as cheerleader and as a purse with legs has some meaning.

     And if she is so inclined, she has an opportunity to give one of those Mom speeches about putting your money where your mouth is.

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