To improve the worth of ISO 9001, what features could be included to support the framework of not just a marketing ploy, but actual links to product/service quality?

Perhaps Quality Control Plans for each product (implemented, of course)!

Any other thoughts on how to make ISo9001 visibly beneficial to product quality?

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At a fairly large company we were able to link it to assisting with our next efforts of implementing lean manufacturing. Mostly in the area of making sure all the right documents were available to re-set up and qualify equipment following a rearrangement, or in one case the complete relocation of a building. We knew before we started that we had all the right drawings, instructions etc were "readily available."
That was actually great for the QS effort, because initially it was seen a "such a pain in the neck" - that 2 years later it got credit for helping with lean...which was really being pushed by upper mgmt more than QS....finally gave QS its appropriate appreciation!