The "In" Crowd

Marketing: "You have to stay in tune with your customers," Loyd stresses. "Stay on top of trends and what the customer wants."

To that end, LSU regularly surveys its clients. It also holds quarterly meetings with an advisory board made up of its largest customers.

Word-of-mouth plays a huge part in marketing, Loyd says. And a good reputation, he adds, can go a very long way.