For at least a week now, I've been watching the bloggers formulate their thoughts on the campaign strategies and marketing techniques and what won (and lost) campaigns this political season. Hindsight had started long before I even got my "I voted" sticker.

Today, my friend Joe Borgstrom beat me to the punch (stop doing that already!) and wrote pretty eloquently on the topic to his Michigan downtown constituents. Check it out (and not because he gave us props in his post).

The bottom line – like him or not, President-elect Obama did a phenomonal job using new media/social technologies to activate, motivate, communicate at every moment of his campaign…right to the end. He used web sites (plural – think niche), e-mail marketing, social media (like Facebook), text messages and more to earn favor and make sure the vote was cast. His was a marketing machine case study that we should all learn from and mimic – because his was the machine that decisively led to success, to the win. Isn't that what you want for your business, your downtown, your community?

Here are some of my personal favorites from different points of view the past few days regarding all things Obama marketing:

Barack Obama: Entrepreneur-elect from Entrepreneur.com. What a great commentary here on how Obama ran like an entrepreneur and left behind lessons that we as small business owners should make sure we apply.

How Will President Obama Use His Massive Social Media Influence? from Mashable.com. A great look back and the castle he's built with social media – and really cool suggestions as to how he could use it while in the White House. Are there ideas here for you? I think so.

Obama's Social Media Advantage from ReadWriteWeb.com. Some cool charts, lots of links to the stats – its the comparison in plain view of McCain and Obama. Eye-opening and challenging. If you haven't been believing me that you can take on competition by playing the technology card (which I might remind you is the CHEAPER marketing alternative) – wake up and look at the case study that has played out in our national lives the past 18 months.

Seth's Marketing Lessons from the US Election – Best for last. Hands down. You know I'm a fan – and you better read up and what else can I say – start implementing people! Don't just think about it – start doing this stuff called social media.

In today's economy, everyone is looking for ways to get ahead. And that includes marketing firms, ad agencies, web companies (yes, we own one of those, too) and the sort.

You want those tools that work – the magic pill that will help you survive – maybe even thrive. Right? What's working? And gimme a double shot of that.

I hang out on LinkedIn a fair amount, and a lot of the marketing and small business related questions floating around among the reporters there have to do with THE marketing tactic that is working or which PARTICULAR social networking tool is pulling the best.

Two things:

1. 99% of the time, no single hat trick is going to make your business wonderful. There isn't a magic wand. Unless you want to name it "hard work." Good business and in turn good marketing is a well crafted message pushed towards your carefully selected target market using the most strategic group of media, customer experience and customer retention practices that will make your marketing machine hum.

2. If you don't KNOW what combination or tactics are working for you, then you have a pretty serious problem. I've spent a fair amount of time measuring in my day – its sorta my shtick. But here's one thing for sure – if you work with us, then hold us to that. Don't do it because it's the "of the moment" tactic. Do it because it works. I don't care how cheap or quick or loud or beautiful or smashing "IT" is… do not do it unless you can measure it. And do not do it ever again if it doesn't work.

Chris Brogan said it best:

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Our "Thrive! Don't Just Survive" small business marketing seminar explains how to best persuade customers as you craft your marketing message. We turn to Aristotle's Elements of Persuasion and spin them into 21st century retail speak.

One of the elements of persuasion is logos – or logic. And one of the ways you can "persuade" a customer that a product is a "logical choice" is by making it a "greener" choice. Here's a case study spinning that very element today on The Decorating Diva blog.

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At this moment, I'm wondering if my mother would approve. She's not much on potty humor. Well, then again, I must take after her, because I'm not either. And my hesitation escalated when my honey just asked me if I was blogging from the bathroom. Horrors!

I immediately explained that we were blogging ABOUT the bathroom…or more specifically about business bathroom experiences and other such forlorn locations…not really ABOUT bonding with the girls in the bathroom (as we girls have sometimes been known to do). I mean, no self-respecting Southern belle would ever blog FROM the bathroom…would they? 

Humor aside (sorry mom!), I do have a thing or two – and a tip or two to share about how to make the most – and I mean make the most money – from a customer's time spent in your business bathroom. So, when Stephanie asked me a couple of years ago to join this jolly group of bathroom bloggers for an annual Bathroom Blogfest, I said YES immediately, and I can't wait to share another year's worth of my observation and practice in the experience jungle with you, readers of the official Bathroom Blogfest '08 – Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces Around Us.

This week, I'm going to tell my funniest story yet to date about bathroom marketing. I mean, if you don't think it's funny, then you've never had a two-year-old interrupt your most personal moments. (You've really gotta stick around for this one.)

While I'm at it, I think I'll throw in a bit of personal testimony on the best and worst bathroom arrangements I've found from the perspective of a mother who has had the "privilege" of potty training this past year. (Not as funny, but hopefully money-making potential will offset the loss there.)

Stay tuned and also check out my other friends who are making their mark this week on the topic of bathroom experiences.

Susan Abbott at Customer Experience
Crossroads
Katia Adams at Transcultural
Marketing
Shannon Bilby at Floor Talk!

Laurence Borel at Blog
Till You Drop
Jo Brown and the blogging team at Kohler Talk
Lisbeth Calandrino at Lisbeth
Calandrino
Sara Cantor at The
Curious Shopper
Becky Carroll at Customers
Rock!
Katie Clark at Practical
Katie
Iris Shreve Garrott at Circulating

Ann Handley at Annarchy
Elizabeth Hise and C.B. Whittemore at The Carpetology Blog
Maria Palma at Customers
Are Always
Sandra Renshaw at Purple Wren

Kate Rutter at Adaptive
Path
Claudia Schiepers at Life
and its little pleasures
Carolyn Townes at Becoming
a Woman of Purpose
Stephanie Weaver at Experienceology

C.B. Whittemore at Flooring The Consumer

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Well, I don't know about you, but my head has been spinning lately from all of the (no pun intended) spin floating around in the media. Presidential politics have definitely added a new level of drama to our financial roller coaster of late – and a few key points rise to the top of my mind as we face one of the most serious financial challenges of many of our lifetimes.

First, I'm really hoping that my seminar attendees listened up when we started telling them back in the late spring to secure their lines of credit and to plan on making it this Christmas on cash. In our "Thrive! Don't Just Survive" seminar, we outline practical ways to position your business, market your business – oh, and most importantly, manage the cash of your business – so that you GROW through this trying economic time.

Folks, I believe in grabbing hold of your own destiny. Pick up that chin, grab hold of some passion and a great attitude, and go out there and be the above-average, everybody wishes they were you picture of the American dream. I really don't care who becomes President (although I think my taxes will be less under one than the other – and that certainly doesn't hurt my ability to be an American Dream success story); I believe in being American. And to me that means grabbing my own version of the Dream. And that's what I want for each and every one of you. Don't sit around talking about the recession – find a way out of it. There is money out there – and some our clients are making wads of it right now. Personally, I can really tell you our business has NEVER been better.

And, I love that "Main Street" is finally getting some national attention. From the headlines about saving "Main Street" to "Joe the Plumber" – the small business owners of the world are getting some attention. And we well deserve it. Andy and I have worked with "Main Street" in the sense of restoring our lost downtown micro-economies through the National Main Street Program for a while now – but we're really about helping passionate small business owners find their version of success. Joe the Plumber and Barbara the Baker and Sally the Shopowner – you are our passion. And I'm hoping that some of this attention will give you renewed pride in your place among American economics and reinvigorate you to create a business that goes beyond your wildest dreams in terms of success.

So, my friends (I stole that line!), let's quit waiting on a trend to follow or a bail-out package to save us. Let's be our own trend and bail outselves out – and let's show the national media what Main Street is made of…

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Last week, I was attending the weekly lunch meeting of our local "networking group." It’s an informal group – less aggressive than a Business Networking International group. But progressive, intent, and purposeful. (As a sidenote – everyone should participate in such a group, if for no other reason than to keep your marketing and networking muscles toned and tuned in to the market.)

During the course of the lunch meeting, one of the attendees posed the question to the group: "What kind of marketing has worked best for you recently?" Some of the answers that were given disheartened me a bit, but to each his own. I am a marketing coach, after all, and yes, I did freely give advise to my friends – whether they wanted it or not.

Then, today, I got an e-mail from an online networking group in which I participate. The EXACT same question was posed.

So…. to get the ball rolling, I’ll tell what’s worked best for me – and in return, I hope you’ll post in comment form below what’s worked best for you – and furthermore, by "best" – how do you know it’s working and specifically how well is it working.

My point isn’t really to get to the bottom of hot button marketing concepts. While that is a worthy endeavor, I’d really like to gather a stack of common marketing ideas and see if we can’t help you improve upon them by adding a new twist or piece of flair (as Facebook calls it…) to bring even more success to your best tricks of the trade. So, comment away, dear friends, and let’s work together to make your marketing dollars stretch further.

Now – what’s working for me? Anything that allows my prospective customer to sample my offerings first – whether hearing me speak, reading an article I wrote, or trying one of our introductory services – we are in the business to keep customers for the life of their business – to help them grow to the next level and the next over and over again. We want to help your success breed success. So, what’s working for us? The Team HALO version of good old fashioned product sampling – made new for the year 2008.

After my presentation at the National Main Street Conference this past spring in Philadelphia, PA, we got a delightful phone call from a gal named Amy Meadows inviting us out for drinks. She wanted to partner up with us – and wow did we agree! Amy is a dynamite personality with experience that means business.

Amy did the windows for the iconic and historic Marshall Field’s Department Store in Chicago – yep, THAT Marshall Fields – for the better part of her career. And now, she’s helping small business owners JUST LIKE OUR CLIENTS – have fabulous windows, displays and curb appeal. She is an artist with a heart for small business and downtown success – and we were instantly a match made in heaven (and I don’t think that was the Pinot Grigio talking).

Since that time, Amy has become a cherished friend and colleague, and she even let us design her web site. Phase one is complete, and, not to brag, but Amy sent us the sweetest note that I just have to share with you.

"Hats off to Halo Business Advisors and
Fox Web Co for my gorgeous website! This marked my first journey into the
world of web marketing and brand exposure. While there are many perfectly
fine "local" web site developers, I felt strongly that I
needed to partner with an independent firm in order to be more than just a
template. In addition, I felt that this could become more complicated than most
as this site needed to not only promote but create my new business.

"Working with the team was a terrific
experience . . .frequent discussions regarding the look, content and flow of
the site, timely reviews and approvals and valuable feedback as the site
was built–what was possible vs. what was reasonable, how it looked vs. how it
worked, etc.

"As a consultant, I challenge
business owners and others to closely examine the impressions that they create
by way of appearance, signage, displays and marketing, including
websites. I stress the importance of looking beyond off-the-rack signage,
propping and more. Given  that this was both my mission and my
message, I couldn’t very well go with just any old website design, now could I?

"Many thanks again and I look forward
to our future collaborations!"

Be sure to check out Amy’s new web site (and check back often because Phase Two expansion is already in the wings) – but more than that, consider the value of her services to your business or business community. Team HALO’s "Look that Sells" presentation is the perfect compliment to Amy’s hands on teaching approach. And not only do windows matter, windows SELL. And that’s an idea we can all support.

Thanks, Amy!