This is old news, in some respects, but certainly relevant to today, and to where your focus should be for the coming holiday season.

This blog tells you on a regular basis that the women's market is where it's at. But, what does that mean?

Women are a pretty diverse group. We stretch the limits of creativity from cradle to grave - if you want to 'get' us (as in have us buy from you), you need to be focused on us as a powerful spending group, and as individuals.

You can promote baby products - to Moms and Grandmoms - and to Dads, now. You can tease the tweens with pseudo-adult products (they don't want to be us, they just want to look like us), corral the teens with electronics and fast food, and engage the up and coming professionals with business advice - all the while attempting to promote your products and services, but in the end, you'll be better off connecting with the boomers -- because the boomer women drive all that you see and sell.

Last May, the Houston Business Journal had an article on "Active Baby Zoomers" - discussing the boomer redefinition of retirement. Kind of saying 50 is the new 30. As a baby boomer - on my way to becoming a zoomer - I relate. I know that, as the article says, "Just because they are aging, doesn't mean they are finished." Ha! Far from it, folks!

And, "They are zooming into the new millennium and into retirement with fast and far-reaching agendas."

Ah! Agendas - what might those be, you ask? Understand first that my focus is on the women - and that the numbers support my assertions - that women should be your marketing focus. Why? You know why - because women live longer than men, and because women are commanding more respect in business and finance. Women influence everything - overtly or subtly. Our kids, our grandkids, our husbands, our fathers, our brothers, our friends and neighbors. Women communicate and discuss and advise - dozens of times a day, each and every day.

If you pay attention, you can tap into that power. Here's one way...

According to Reveries, back in January 2005 (and not much has really changed since then - but YOU can grab this info and make the right changes at your end, if you're smart), writing about the female zoomers, "“She’s not happy with the service she’s receiving... She’s not happy with the quality of the assortment or the return privileges.” Dennis [of Coldwater Creek ] is taking that insight all the way to the bank: “Every salesperson who takes orders by phone, for example, keeps a selection of clothes nearby so they can answer customers’ most nitpicky questions.”

Focus.

Understanding.

Touching.

Relating.

Being open and honest.

Connecting.

Are you doing these things? Are you doing them correctly? Do you care - no, really, really care? Or, are you just pretending to care to make a sale?

If you don't want us to zoom right out of your life, I recommend that you learn how to get friendly with us. When it comes down to brass tacks - with women, people count more than products.