There’s word out there that 2013 will be the year of de-tech, but I tend to think that marketers will want to stay plugged in with so many technologies taking off.

Reports reports continue to roll in predicting what will be hot this year. Here’s a roundup of some trends I think will be significant in 2013.

There’s a new boss in town

VH1 revived Bret Michael’s career with the Rock of Love reality series to the delight of male audiences. Now the network is wooing a new audience: affluent women consumers. Why? A Pew research study of 30-to-44-year-olds reveals household spending decisions are exponentially linked to what women earn. A woman, who makes more money than her husband, makes more spending decisions. Single women consumers are responsible for all their purchases.

Welcome to the mommy melting pot

A recent Ad Age article about a Target advertising campaign aimed at mothers contains a marketing insight that can benefit any company looking to reach a new audience. A quote from the story spells it out in plain language: “Most marketers are still filling advertisements with young American mothers sporting wedding bands, even though plenty of today’s moms were born and raised outside of the U.S., are in nontraditional marital situations and are in their 30s or 40s.”—Ad Age, Dec 29, 2010 
That’s a genuine marketing insight, free of charge.

So you want your product or service to connect with a female audience?

First off, congratulations for having such a smart idea. Women account for 85% of all consumer purchases including everything from autos to health care.

But before you get started, think about the weight of this commitment. There is a right way and a wrong way to connect with your female audience. Let’s start with the wrong way.