.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} A fun fact. I’ve been to Walt Disney World at least once a year since it opened in 1971. As you can imagine, I think of it as MY Disney World. But I spent this past weekend on unfamiliar grounds: Disneyland.

We spent the weekend comparing the two destinations, but the difference that was most telling to me was each park’s upkeep. At Disney World, everything is pristine. For as far as the eye can see, there are fresh coats of paint, spotless bathrooms and neatly pruned flower beds and shrubbery. At Disneyland, facades were faded, railings were chipped and worn, and everything looks unkempt and dirty.

As human beings, we respond to our environment.

At Disney World, the guests pick up their own garbage, wipe up after themselves at the bathroom sinks, and return chairs to their proper place as they leave restaurants.

At Disneyland, people were discarding paper cups anywhere they could toss them, the bathrooms were disgusting and guests had no qualms about violating rules.

Are the guests that different? Maybe a little, but I think it goes far beyond that.

Just like we’re a lot more careful in someone’s formal living room, our customers react to their surroundings as well. When was the last time you stood in your front lobby or walked through your office or store and tried to see it with fresh eyes?

Will a customer or potential customer get the impression that you take pride in your work? That your clients matter? That your business has seen better days?

Don’t let your environment be created by accident. Create the clues and cues that will trigger the response you want.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2007 Drew McLellan