• by Bleema Bershad , January 12, 2011

As we welcome the New Year, take a moment to pause and reflect on how you did for the holidays.

Did Mom give you any presents? Was there an email address in your stocking? Some demographic information under your tree? Her Facebook friendship tied up with a bow? These are precious gifts, indeed, and not to be taken for granted. Carefully consider the knowledge gained and the communication channel opened. Show Mom how much you value these gifts by putting them to good use in 2011.

Differentiate and sharpen your marketing based on what you've learned. Make Mom feel that sharing information with you is beneficial to her. You'll build a richer connection, fostering loyalty and increased business. Here are some ideas to get you thinking:

• Tailor your communications to increase relevance of your brand to her. If she's shared her children's ages, instead of presenting her with your full breadth of offerings, highlight those most relevant to her family. Mom wants to feel like her kids are in your sweet spot, not too young or too old for your brand.

• Customize your promotions to needs she's shared. If her past behavior or survey responses indicate that she's very price sensitive, send her the deepest discounts you offer. If she hasn't been responsive to price-based promotions, consider winning her over in a different way. Many Moms are swayed by their desire to be thought-leaders and first movers; perhaps an exclusive, limited-availability gift will win her attention and business.

• Reward her based on information she's shared. A special offer for her birthday, perhaps? She'll be delighted at your thoughtfulness, happy that she shared that information with you and more likely to share more going forward.

Put new communication touch points to effective use. If Mom has opened a door, walk through it gracefully and don't make her regret the decision. Delight her with your ability to speak to her in new ways, solve her problems or meet her needs, and she will return the favor by passing along your message and helping grow your business exponentially. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Carefully think through your timing. If Mom has just shared her email address, tread lightly. For most brands, she does not need to hear from you more than twice per month unless there is truly special news or an important reminder.

• Entering new channels should mean letting go of old, ineffective ones. If she's told you that she prefers to hear from you electronically, take it seriously and don't create more paper recycling for her.

• New channels require new strategies to keep Mom interested. If she's offered you a new way to speak with her, speak with her in a new way. The ability to connect directly and quickly to Mom should get you excited about launching interactive, entertaining ways to engage her with your brand and to encourage her to share her discovery with her friends.

As your moment of reflection ends and you head full speed into 2011, plan wisely for the year ahead. Consider what gifts you'd love from Mom throughout the year and which marketing strategies will make her most likely to give them to you.