It's hard to escape the media coverage of what has become one of the most viral brands in history. Jeremy Lin, the 24-year old point guard for the New York Knicks, has so much media coverage he has become a household name and spawned a litany of new pseudo-words. Linteresting stuff.

How fast is his rise to fame? Well, consider that a few weeks ago he was unheard of. Now consider that today, according to Celebrity DBI, an independent organization that quantifies the marketability of celebrities, Jeremy Lin is as appealing as Jim Carrey, as aspirational as Denzel Washington and George Clooney, and as influential as Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Hank Aaron and Steven Spielberg. He is a marketers dream.

There is much to be learned by his meteoric ascent, things that every business should heed. Let's take a look at a few of these lessons.

• If you do your job really, really well, people will take note. Everyone wants to be the best at what they do but, in reality, many do just enough to keep their place on the team. For those who transcend the average, they stand out from competitors without even really trying. The quality of their work says it all.

• If you perform consistently, people will love you. Whether it's shooting 3-pointers or selling potting soil, people respond to consistency. In fact, most Americans prefer consistency to quality. That's how important it is.

• If you stay true to your values, people will respect you. Jeremy Lin is a devout Christian. He doesn't shirk from this. Instead, he proudly wears his devotion as effortlessly as his uniform. When we embrace our values and live them, it displays a strength and confidence that earns respect. It's not about whether others share your values; it's about your level of commitment.

• If you can sustain what you do long enough, people will become your brand advocates. Sometimes these things are a flash in the pan and it's still too early to know for sure about Jeremy Lin. But when a business can perform at this level for any extended period of time, others jump onto that bandwagon and become some of the most vocal brand ambassadors.

• If you play it cool, people will listen. When a business carefully crafts a message, keeps it concise and sticks to the script, people pay attention. When a business bombards the market with tons of messages at every turn, people will tune you out. Another case of quality versus quantity. If you want people to really hear what you have to say don't hit them over the head with it. Present your information in manageable sizes, measured steps and meaningful words.

These are just a few of the lessons businesses can learn. For more, stay tuned.

Whether you subscribe to 4 or 7 Ps of marketing, it's important to know that defining these pillars of marketing (the 4 are product, price, place and promotion, while the 7 add on process, physical evidence and people) is just one step in creating a marketing strategy.

The Ps alone won't deliver success. However, more often than not, I see business owners absent-mindedly define the Ps for their business then expect dramatic results.

It requires a bit more elbow grease to get any kind of substantial results. For starters, the Ps are meant to work together. It's this working together, or synergy, that contributes to a strong brand presence. When your product and price are aligned with your promotion and place, and then your people and process support that vision, only then can you begin to realize the full potential of these components.

The Ps of marketing are but one tool to help you find your niche. Make sure you know how to use them before expecting results.

I met someone years ago who used a headshot that was 20 years old. She felt the image captured her in her prime. The problem was, upon meeting her for the first time, people were startled or even embarrassed at the obvious difference in her appearance.

What message does it send to use an outdated photo?

In a world where high-resolution photography has trickled down to our cell phones, it seems we have the ability to update our headshots pretty easily.

If we use old photos in our profiles, do people think we aren't up-to-date with our technology? Or do they think we don't care? Some people may even think, "If she's trying to think I won't notice her age, what else is she going to try to get away with?"

It's really very simple. Put your best foot forward and update your photo.

This week marks the 37th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Food manufacturers, purveyors and artisans from around the world set up shop in the Moscone Center for folks in the restaurant and food service industries.

The show was quite exciting, with 17,000+ attendees visiting more than 1,300 exhibitors. I was fortunate enough to sample everything from prosciutto to apple cider vinegar to sake. Food demonstrators taught different ways to incorporate miso, seaweed or beans into everyday recipes.

For me personally the show is joyful because I get to see aisle after aisle of incredible packaging design. Of particular note were several designs for olive oils and various vinegars. From glass to ceramic, sleek to stout, good design always stands out from the others. And this year's oil and vinegar designs were downright sexy.

If the volume and energy of attendees are any indication, I'd say we're finally over the hump of the economic doldrums.

Each year Pantone - those trusty folks who keep our yellows sunny and our browns drab - selects a color to help us get through the new year ahead. And 2012 is no disappointment.

Our hats go off to Pantone 17-1463 Tangerine Tango, what Pantone heralds as a vivacious and appealing reddish orange. Read more at Pantone's website.

Whether you subscribe to RGB or CMYK, there is no denying the heat and energy of this color. Neither for the faint of heart nor the conservative. Oranges in general are stimulating but, with a hint of red, they become downright seductive.

What are your thoughts?