Advantage Marketing Promotes the Lakeshore
We Feature Travel Adventures
We Showcase Nature's Beauty
We Guide Customers to Your Business

Photos by Todd & Brad Reed Photography

Advantage Marketing & Publications, Inc.

We are proud to publish this website and many more. Thank you for visiting!

On This Page

Our marketing company is based in Ludington, Michigan.  Though our publishing and marketing team is small in size, we are mighty in our passion to promote all the wonderful things we know about Ludington! We live in Ludington, raise our families here, and are lucky to enjoy all the beauty around us EVERY DAY! 

Because Ludington is woven into the fabric of our lives, the content we publish is truly home-spun and from the heart. Our love of this area makes our job easy and we’re always happy to boast about the endless variety of things to see and do in the Ludington area. 

Our Publications in Print

You’ll find our printed publications at over 100 area locations– FREE for you to take! We distribute throughout the year to local lodging facilities, restaurants, retail stores, service businesses, area chamber offices, and more locations. Business owners tell us over and over how much they love giving our guides to their patrons. 

Ludington Area
Visitors Guide

The Ludington Area Visitors Guide is one of the most popular publications in our area for both locals and tourists, because everyone who visits Ludington wants to know the best places to eat, fun things to do, where to stay, and more. Inside you’ll find business information, maps, articles, photos, a calendar of events- everything you need to know to enjoy life in Ludington.

Ludington Area
Map Guide

The Ludington Area Map Guide (published locally since 1998) features a Business Index to help you easily find shops, restaurants, and points of interest; complete with phone numbers and addresses for digital directions. In addition, the Ludington Area Map Guide will point you to our popular beaches, parks, boat launches, lighthouses, scenic lookouts, and trails. It’s beautiful to look at, easy to use, and small enough to fit in your purse or pocket.

Lakeshore
Food Guide

The Lakeshore Food Guide (published locally since 1993) is the original and only Menu Guide in the Ludington area, also including locations in Manistee and Oceana counties. It’s very popular among both locals and tourists because everyone loves food and wants to know the best places to eat.

Website Marketing

Inspired by our passion for regional tourism and for serving LOCAL businesses with quality marketing, our online publications have grown into a multi-site network with articles about West Michigan, Northwest Michigan, Northern Michigan, and the Lake Michigan shoreline. 

We are currently going through a major upgrade for all our locally published websites. Thank you for your patience during this transition. Please contact us with comments or corrections.

Our marketing company is based in Ludington, and there’s nowhere else we would rather live or work.

VisitLudington.com

West Michigan is home to us, and we are passionate about promoting this beautiful region. 

WestMichiganGuides.com

Northern Michigan is our neighbor, and we love to visit this scenic region up north!

NorthernMichiganGuides.com

Meet the Advantage Marketing Team

Lynne Foster has been helping local businesses with their marketing needs since the early 80’s, and is the founding owner and manager of Advantage Marketing & Publications, Inc. After experiencing many different marketing options, Lynne fell in love with publishing, and began the decades-long endeavor of printing Ludington’s annual Visitors Guide, Map Guide, and Menu Guide. Lynne added an internet department to the company in 1999, producing websites for local businesses, communities, and regional destinations. Residing in the Hamlin Lake area, Lynne enjoys gardening and traveling around the Great Lakes with her husband.

Marie Fay came on board the summer of 2010 as a salesperson. Marie has been teaching various grades from kindergarten through high school the past 33 years. During this time, Marie was proud to be voted “Teacher of the Year” three times. Due to her many years of teaching, she is known by countless families and businesses in our community. Marie’s enthusiasm and commitment to her work make her the perfect fit for our growing company. She is married with a grown son.

Lexi Kosla came on board in July of 2015 as a writer and salesperson and has since had a large role in developing and managing the content for our three websites. Lexi has always been very involved in the community. Currently, she is the co-founder/managing director for the Stage Left Theatre Company. Previously, Lexi served on the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Lakeshore Board of Directors, and is a past president/life-member of the Ludington Area Jaycees. In addition to her work with Advantage, Lexi is a vocalist and performs around West Michigan in a duo act called Redux, alongside her husband Dave. Lexi has an Associate’s Degree from West Shore Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Grand Valley State University. She lives in Ludington with her husband and children- Liam and Hartley.

Misty Reed came on board in the Spring of 2021 as a freelance graphic designer. Misty received her Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Communications, Summa Cum Laude, in 2001 and received the prestigious Most Outstanding Graduate Award. Since college graduation, she has worked in a variety of settings to hone her skills and broaden her experience in the industry. In 2009, Misty opened her own graphic design company, Savvy Design & Print Media, LLC. Misty grew up in Pentwater and now resides in Hamlin Township with her husband and two small children.

Diane Sonefeld was one of the first full-time employees of Advantage Marketing. She served as our office manager starting in 2005, then retired from that position in December 2021- after 16 years of faithful dedication to our company! After missing us for a year, Diane has returned to the team in a new part-time position, helping us with writing, proofing, and communications. Diane and Lynne first worked together back in the early 80’s at WKLA, where Diane was Creative Services Director. She graduated with a B.A.A. from Central Michigan University and then traveled to five countries over 14 years for her husband’s job with Voice of America. She is married and has two grown children.

We feel honored to have the father and son team of Todd and Brad Reed provide us with most of the photography featured in our publications and on our websites. Their contribution to Advantage Marketing is evident on the covers of both the Ludington Area Visitors Guide and Map Guide. No one has done a better job of capturing the beauty of Ludington than the Reeds.

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement
and the thrill of creative effort.”

—-Franklin D. Roosevelt

Contact Advantage Marketing

Thanks for your interest in Advantage Marketing!

We encourage you to support small businesses in the Ludington area. Thank you!

Please support small businesses!

Scroll below for more business categories in the Visit Ludington “Business Directory” section. 
 

More Categories in the Ludington Business Directory

Convenience & Party Stores

Stop into a Ludington party or convenience to store to get your beverages, ice, snacks, lotto tickets, gas, and more.

Bed & Breakfasts

You’ll find personal, friendly, and cozy accommodations at a Ludington Bed & Breakfast, many of which are located within Victorian homes.

Boating & Fishing

The Ludington area is a paradise for those who love boating and fishing. Numerous marinas rent a variety of boats and offer modern facilities.

Hotels & Motels

Ludington area hotels and motels are some of the top lodging choices. Find your best accommodations with these places to stay.