There’s a lot of buzz in the business world about marketing to “influencers,” a term that usually refers to people like journalists or business leaders. But there’s one huge group, often overlooked, that wields a massive influence on consumer spending in just about every category: mothers.

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According to the Marketing to Moms Coalition, mothers control 85% of household spending in the U.S., and are worth more than $2 trillion to U.S. brands. But they’re a tough group to reach with marketing messages. “Mothers are some of the busiest people out there, juggling multiple things in their lives, from caregiving to careers to education,” notes Kevin Burke of Lucid Marketing, an agency in Allentown, N.J., that specializes in connecting with mothers.

So how can a business go about reaching this influential group? Here are four key areas to pay attention to:

1. Make a connection. In a world where traditional advertising channels have trouble getting traction, blogs and social networking sites present an opportunity for growing businesses to connect with audiences. “Mothers have told us, ‘We’re busy; send us stuff that’s relevant. And make it fun,’” says Shawn Yujuico, director of marketing at Trademark Property Company in Fort Worth, Texas.

   A client of Burke’s, Amy Sapirstein, has built an active relationship with blogging mothers to boost readership at her blog, Active Urban Mom, which she uses to promote her product, the Mommy Mitten. Staying active in this community, she explains, helped her identify the blogs and sites that hold the most sway with mothers. “They’re a very supportive community,” Burke points out, “well connected, with a growing reader base of mothers who are finding the content mom bloggers are putting out there is more valuable than traditional media.”

It’s also easy (and free) to post a profile for your business on sites like MySpace and Facebook. As your “fans” add you to their networks, it works almost like an endorsement to their online friends.

2. Find a common cause. Women are very conscious of being “sold to,” says Andrea Learned, author of Don’t Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy. Cause-related marketing — connecting your brand with a charity or some other cause your target audience cares about — is one good way to build positive name recognition. A well-known example on a national scale is the pink ribbons that brands such as ChapStick and New Balance have included on product packaging, which indicates a portion of proceeds supports Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a foundation that promotes the fight against breast cancer.

A smaller business can look to its local area, perhaps sponsoring a one-day vaccine clinic or a volunteer event where participants clean up a local park or visit area nursing homes. “Look at what’s important to your customers — something that’s a fit with your business,” Learned recommends. “It’s not a hard sell, but you’re getting your name and logo out there.” More.

3. Get the conversation going. Effective cause marketing will get people talking positively about your business, but Learned recommends another cost-effective way to spread the word: form an “advisory board.” Whether your business is a retail store or a service provider, invite about a dozen of your female customers (or noncustomers) to take part in a quarterly focus group to get feedback about your business. Make it a fun event, with wine and snacks, and free samples if possible. In addition to gathering priceless information about your business, you can guarantee that your advisory board will be telling friends about their experience.

Yujuico has used this method effectively in Trademark’s Watters Creek commercial/residential development. “Even before we opened we engaged moms in the community and invited them to join an advisory board,” she says. “One thing we’ve learned: It’s important you listen to them.”

4. Go where moms are. Don’t forget to consider where stay-at-home mothers are when the kids are in school or day care. Learned recommends working with local businesses that women patronize, such as bookstores and gyms, to cosponsor events that tie in with that business and yours. For example, if you’re an accountant, you could sponsor a seminar related to household budgeting or tax preparation. A home repair business sponsoring an event to teach simple repair tasks could build goodwill and also make itself the first name that comes to mind for bigger jobs.

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