As consumers, we're bombarded with ad imagery on a daily basis. And while one might think that would automatically make us all experts on what makes for a great ad -- that simply isn't the case. Large ad agencies employ huge teams and countless millions each year conducting market research on what gives John Q. Public the impetus to make a purchase.

As much as it pains me to admit this, I may have learned something from the Terminator. Well, to be clear . . . it was actually from the new Fox(R) spinoff series, "The Sarah Connor Chronicles." I have never been much of a fan of this series of movies, but after viewing them again recently with my husband, I must reluctantly admit that "Ah-nold" just might be on to something.

Now that the onslaught of holiday gift-giving idea commercials have ceased -- have you noticed all of the commercials for various diet programs -- capitalizing on our need to declare our "diet resolutions"? The whole idea of diet resolutions "weighed on me" (and not merely about all of the carefree cookie consumption of December, either).

Suppose we were to take the concept of diet resolutions, and applied it to our business.

The word "niche" may be all the rage these days, but it really isn't a new concept. In fact, savvy marketers have been quietly raking in their fortunes using the niche principle for hundreds of years.

Now, don't panic if you have an established business; you can still carve out a niche market for yourself, if you haven't already done so.

Spring has finally sprung here in Northeastern Indiana. The sun is shining, a warm breeze is blowing, and my backyard has been overtaken by...dandelions. I would swear that they appeared overnight. I got up one morning to take my dogs out, and there they were.

So there I am, gazing out upon this sea of golden weeds when all of a sudden it hit me.

My very first job was working for the department store chain J.C. Penney(R). I worked for them for several years, during the summers, and on my breaks from college. While most of my classmates were flipping burgers or slaving over deep fryers, I was honing my early sales skills, and thoroughly enjoying a shopping mall setting - my own little "retail nirvana.

My first childhood crush was on the cartoon Speed Racer.

When that theme song would start to play, time stood still. After each episode aired, I would sit for hours in my bedroom, perched on top of my toy box (my own little Mach 5), and reenact the episode, with me playing the role of Trixie. Ah, those were the days.

Imagine my surprise when I saw the trailer for the new Speed Racer movie.

You can't put a price tag on a good reputation. At the risk of sounding like a MasterCard(R) commercial, It's priceless.

Folks, we're living in the Recommendation Age. Social networking and community-driven content sites are launching and growing at an incredible rate. With only a few clicks of your mouse, you can get restaurant, movie and book reviews, network with peer groups, broadcast your own radio show, pose questions of political candidates, and submit your own eye-witness news footage to your network of choice.

Many a savvy salesman has lost a sale because he failed to know his customer. You may have infinite product knowledge, a slick sales pitch, and a phenomenal product - but, if you don't know who needs your product and why they need it - you'll be about as effective as a death row pardon at two minutes past midnight.

So, how do you gain a better knowledge of your customer?

Keep a pulse on the market.

This week I received a press release to inform me that the company sending the release had changed email service providers. Are you kidding me? Is this really news?

Did you hear that? It was the sound of that release hitting my circular file. No doubt it will suffer a similar fate at many, if not all of its other intended destinations.

It is frustrating to think that there are actually companies shelling out their hard-earned money to pay for such drivel.