What you will read in this month's issue of the e-ret@iler:
1. A new article on the Profits+Plus Seminars website: Creating Customer Service Instructions
2. e-ret@iler advisory of the month
3. Other Internet opportunities
4. The resource library available to you - with some new additions!
5. Your free subscription to the e-ret@iler
6. Contacting Profits+Plus Seminars and Tom Shay

1. Creating Customer Service Instructions
The March 2001 article on the Profits Plus website is entitled,
"Making the Pass".
You have probably heard that Nordstrom's Department Stores have their instructions for their employees written on a three inch by five inch card. Most of us would look at that and think we could never duplicate that. In the March article on the website, there are some suggestions of how you can create a short list of instructions for waiting on customers. And of course the article of the month for the last four months is still on the Profits Plus site.

Don't forget, we have even added a new feature. If you know of someone that should read the article, you can simply add your name, e-mail address along with the name and e-mail address of the person you want to see the article, then just one more click and the article is on the way to your friend.

2. In this issue, Tom provides you with a brief overview of another new feature on the website - the book review page. I know you do not have the time available to read lots of books. If you are like me, when I would get out of the store I was usually exhausted and the idea of spending an hour or two reading just did not warm me up. Here are four of my favorite books, each of which do relate well to the management of our businesses:

The Experience Economy - by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore - A fascinating book, although it does get a bit dry in the middle chapters. If you get only one thing from this book, look for the differences in: Selling commodities, goods, services, an experience, and creating a transformation.

The E-Myth - by Michael Gerber - This book was released years ago. It does a great job explaining why people who are very good at the sales aspect of business have a difficult time becoming owners and managers.

Who Moved My Cheese - by Spenser Johnson, M.D. - This author says his book applies to many aspects of a person's life. If you read this and think of yourself as the owner or manager and begin to examine which of the four characters in the book that you are, you will gain a tremendous insight.

Predatory Marketing - C. Britt Beemer - From the times you have heard Tom Shay speak, you know I always like to use statistics to backup the points I make. This book is full of information, and it is specifically aimed to retailers.

3. Other Internet opportunities

You have heard Tom speak several times about the need to promote your business. Paraphrasing from the book, "The Experience Economy", people will purchase a souvenir from a business that provides them with an experience worth remembering. If you are one of those type of businesses, you can work with the guys at Screen Graphics to create a really neat shirt for your business - whether it is one you give away, sell, or use for your employees.
Screen Graphics

4. The resources library at the Profits+Plus Seminars website
Last month, we announced that we had added an article on "Open to Buy" to the bottom of the Resources page. Now we are taking it a step further by adding an open to buy chart. Hoping that Tom has correctly created this tool, you will be able to have a FREE template for keeping track of inventory and purchase orders.

All 26 of the posters that Tom gives away at his presentations are now available as a free download from the Resources page. There are even two bonus posters that are not available anywhere else. You can click on this link to go immediately to that page on the website.
Resource Page

5. Your free subscription to the e-ret@iler
If you have received this edition of the e-ret@iler by way of someone passing it onto you, you can add your name to the free subscription list by clicking on this link and putting the word "subscribe" in the body or reference line of the e-mail.

6. Contacting Profits+Plus Seminars and Tom Shay
Thank you for inviting us onto your desktop, and taking the time to read our newsletter. We trust you have received some business building ideas from it as we look forward to seeing you again in April. Our website is: www.profitsplus.org
and you can click on this link to send an e-mail:

Get your Profits Plus,

Tom Shay

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