Telegraph, telephone, tell-a-girl; ah, the fond memories of ways to embarrass our friends back in the Dick and Jane world of the 50s and 60s. Back then, boys used to shout that phrase to girls and then stick their tongues out. I can't remember that it bothered any of us, we were immune to the sting it was supposed to deliver.

So why do I remember it so clearly? And fondly? I suspect I remember it because it was a silly chant that separated the girls from the boys; in a strange sort of way, it made us better than them---because we knew things they didn't, and they knew we knew.

Let's face it. Women talk. We talk to each other on a daily basis, about things men find boring or foolish. We talk about the latest fashion, what's popular at Wal-Mart or Target; we talk about how our kids are doing in school, who's joined band and who's vying for a position on the school paper, and whether to let Jane wear lipstick or whether Dick's voice has changed. We talk about our jobs-- stay-at-home Moms juggle volunteer work at school or the library, and home life, while working mothers (an oxymoron if I ever heard one: what mother isn't a working mother?) juggle demanding jobs and home life, and we compare the two on levels that go beyond the stress and the need to cram 36 hours into a 24 hour day.

We talk about the latest technology, too. In coffee shops, on the phone, and especially online, through Instant Messaging or emailing, we talk. Internet Retailer calls this a new marketing tactic. New? I don't think so! In an article titled, "The newsest marketing tactic: Tell a friend who tells a friend who..." they describe the phenomena of "social networking" as if it was a new invention.

"The idea is that if I know you and you know someone who could provide a service or a recommendation, I'm more likely to trust your judgment than that of a complete stranger."

Duh!

Let's face it. We all do it. Women just do it more. We like choices, and when you give us choices, we share them with our friends. Online. In communities that foster social networking big time. Communities that go beyond the popular iVillage. Here are three women's communities that will welcome your marketing message...and at a price you can afford.

www.womans-net.com : A great place to reach out and touch hundreds of women who will, in turn, reach out and touch hundreds more.

www.digital-women.com : Look for professional women here. Great place to learn more about how women think in a digital world.

www.womensforum.com : A family oriented site that reflects the growing number of women who combine family life with careers. The two are not mutually exclusive. All women combine them in some way or another, each in our own way.

These are only three of dozens of women's communities that could get your products and services noticed. Marketing to them works. The etailing group says that retailers in the U.S. are finally getting it--the need to use multi-channel marketing to reach their customers. According to the article, merchants are using the Internet, their stores, and catalogs to boost sales.

Women begin multi-channel shopping as soon as they get their first nickel. The seniors and boomers have perfected it to an artform. Gen X and Gen Y and the up and coming kids are taking it to the next level, demanding personalization. For ourselves, for our friends, and for our families.

What's not to like about that?