I just got back from an 18-day road trip, riding along on my husband’s photo tour of the South. Eighteen days in a car will teach you some valuable lessons. Navigation. Space planning. Spousal communication. Naturally, the lessons I picked up have to do with marketing. For example:

The customer gets to define the customer experience. We stopped for lunch at a fast-casual restaurant where the host was chirpy. Really chirpy. I know he was trying to give us a good customer experience. But I appreciated so much more the dapper paper diaper on the honey mustard chicken sandwich. Not dripping on myself: That was a good customer experience.

Brand extensions work the same way. By the end of our trip, the House that Ronald Built had become synonymous with clean restrooms. We know that isn’t why they put up those golden arches. But it’s why we liked to see them.

Image divorced from reality is worse than no image at all. Early in our trip, we stayed at a 1950s-style motor lodge selected primarily for its über-cool neon signage. It billed itself as “where the stars stay.” A tagline like that creates a few expectations. Like a blow dryer. Or shampoo. But neither was available, even on request. Cool image + zero delivery = big disappointment.

Marketing really can generate revenues. While one motel had axed the amenities, another slathered them on. At the Thunderbird Inn, “Savannah’s hippest hotel,” we got samples of not only shampoo and conditioner but also body lotion, face wash and bath gel. The bottles noted that retail sizes of the products are for sale in the lobby. Nifty.

Presentation is everything. At Boutin’s in Baton Rouge, another lagniappe arrived at our table every few minutes. A hush puppy for an amuse-bouche. Warm bread. I know the extras probably just came with the meal. But the way they were delivered made them feel like little gifts. Compare/contrast with the sit-down restaurant where our salad dressing arrived in tear-open plastic packets. Presentation made the difference between effortless hospitality and effort-less food service.

Good brand ambassadors are worth … well, a lot more than they probably make. I won’t take this space to name names. But I am leaving props on Urban Spoon and Expedia for the teams at some of our favorite finds. They made good brands great.

Note: In case the FTC is wondering, I have no financial relationship with the Thunderbird Inn or Boutin’s, beyond paying my share of the bill.

These days, everyone has a niche. So what’s the niche of the C suite in marketing? Most would describe it as setting the course and minding the ballast of budgets and timelines. But in successful marketing campaigns, the C suite plays another important role: putting a strong wind in the sails of the creative team. Read the rest of this entry »

Part III: Stretching Dollars

In this economy, marketing budgets have to stretch like a contortionist at a taffy pull. As a warm-up, here are 10 ideas for getting the most from your dollars. Read the rest of this entry »

Part II: Top-priority Tactics

Even in lean times, marketing shouldn’t waste away. But how can you best ration your marketing dollars? Here are four tactics you can tackle without breaking the bank: Read the rest of this entry »

To survive the “great recession,” many businesses are changing what they do, how they do it and for whom. In short, they’re changing their brand. But just shifting focus or adding a new service line doesn’t necessarily generate business, especially if you’re entering an already crowded field. How do you stand out from the (new) pack and turn a good idea into good business? Read the rest of this entry »

When money’s tight, marketing naturally takes a hit. But businesses that drop marketing altogether can find themselves sidelined as the economy gets back on its feet. The challenge is finding the best places to put marketing dollars while the economy recovers. To help, we’ve put together this protocol for Recession Marketing Triage.

Part I: Brand-Aid on a Budget

Now, while you have time, step back and take a hard look at your business, your industry, your competitors and your future. To start: Read the rest of this entry »

A number of services offer businesses an easy and affordable way to design and distribute their own e-blasts. But as we’ve said before, there are pitfalls in DIY marketing, and e-blasts are no exception.

If you want to make your blast as effective as it is convenient, you’ll need to put on your marketing consultant hat. Start by asking yourself these questions: Read the rest of this entry »