A trillion dollars is spent worldwide in marketing each year. Everyone agrees that this is the least accountable item in any company’s budget. It has been this way for as long as humanity has practiced the art of trade. Everyone has always agreed that something ought to be done to improve marketing accountability and effectiveness.

A new approach to primary research. Blogs, online forums, chat rooms and social-networking sites are replacing traditional focus groups. They yield immediate and inexpensive results, and they can bring companies closer to their customers.

Is your market younger or older? When asked what they felt was most important when doing business with a number of different types of firms (in the financial services, insurance, and retail sectors) across five generations of consumers (Gen Y, Gen X, Younger Boomers, Older Boomers, and Seniors), consumers answered with: Young consumers really care about low prices, and older consumers really care about good service and the firm's reputation.