BOOK US

With over 25 years of frontline experience Tom Shay is America's leading small business management expert. He's a "Must Have" for your next event.

The article for May is "They went that a
way". It is a story about an often overlooked
aspect of customer service:

They went that a way

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We also want to remind you of a neat book
that you should consider reading in your continued
efforts to improve yourself and your business.
"Stop talking, start doing retail branding" by
John Torella. If you have already read this book,
take a look at the current list of suggestions on
our website.

Book Referral List

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Each month we share with you a promotional idea
that a successful merchant has shared with us.
Try a "Dutch Auction" to get ride of old merchandise.
Take the items you want to get rid of, clean
them up, and put a new full price sticker on
each of the items. Place all of the items on
a table in a prominent place in your business.

If you did this sale this month, the sign would
read something like this:

10% off all items on this table. Any merchandise
left on the table as of May 9 will be 20% off.
Any merchandise left on this table as of May 16
will be 30% and merchandise remaining as of May
23 will be 40% off.

This promotion can really clear out any old
merchandise you have.

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We also have a sales tip that will work for many
of the items you sell. When the sale has been
made, ask the customer, "Is one enough, or
would two be better?"

There are many items you sell that this subtle
suggestion/question will push the customer to
say, "I will take two".

When you have your next staff meeting, suggest
that everyone try this on as many of their
sales as applicable. You will likely see a
success rate of 10% to 15% and that represents
a lot of sales increases.

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Got a question? Click on the link and
send us your question or comment.

The upper left corner of this page has a link for subscribing to the newsletter.

If you want to call or fax us, here are our
numbers:

The phone is 727-823-7205
The fax is 727-898-3179

Thanks for your time. See you in June.

Tom Shay

 

PROFITS PLUS, FOUNDER OF...

 

©1998-2026 Profits Plus Solutions, Inc.
Tom Shay
PO Box 128
Dardanelle, AR 72834

(727)823-7205

MARCH 2026
Have the Small Business Advisories and News sent to your inbox. Subscribe HERE

Small Business

AdvisoriES


Every time I see the logo for Target stores, I think about small businesses and the need to know which people to target as their customers. Of course, of most importance is the person who has spent any money with your business.

 

I ask businesses if they know how much the average person spends with their business. Most offer a quick response with a dollar amount. That answer is incorrect as they are telling me what the average existing customer is spending. The average person in any community spends no money with that small business.

 

Looking for new customers without any plan of how to do so is just spending money. That is why every small business needs to know how to find and use information. Find ideas in the March Small Business Advisory.

Small Business

NewS

Top Story

Employee retention; is it important? Or is it easier to lose an employee and wait for the next applicant to walk in the door? The Small Business News for March shares some statistics of the expense you incur when you make the change instead of working to retain a current employee.

Article of the Month

It is baseball season and we use the sport as an explanation of the cost of growing your business. In Boston's Fenway Park, left field has a wall that is know as the green monster.

 

And that is what growing your business is - a monster! You can't successfully grow your business without a plan and knowing you will have the cash on hand to pay for the growth.


Book of the Month

Are you selling something or persuading the customer? With your employees are you repeatedly telling that employee or are you persuading them to excel?

 

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Ciaidini is our suggested book for March 2026. Most definitely an appropriate read.

All this plus the Internet Tool for Your Business and a staff incentive idea for your business.

BOOK US

With over 25 years of frontline experience Tom Shay is America's leading Small Business Management Expert. He's a "Must Have" for your next event.

Small Business

Advisories

Every time I see the logo for Target stores, I think about small businesses and the need to know which people to target as their customers. Of course, of most importance is the person who has spent any money with your business.

 

I ask businesses if they know how much the average person spends with their business. Most offer a quick response with a dollar amount. That answer is incorrect as they are telling me what the average existing customer is spending. The average person in any community spends no money with that small business.

 

Looking for new customers without any plan of how to do so is just spending money. That is why every small business needs to know how to find and use information. Find ideas in the March Small Business Advisory.

Small Business

News

 

Top Story

Employee retention; is it important? Or is it easier to lose an employee and wait for the next applicant to walk in the door? The Small Business News for March shares some statistics of the expense you incur when you make the change instead of working to retain a current employee.


Article of the Month

It is baseball season and we use the sport as an explanation of the cost of growing your business. In Boston's Fenway Park, left field has a wall that is know as the green monster.

 

And that is what growing your business is - a monster! You can't successfully grow your business without a plan and knowing you will have the cash on hand to pay for the growth.


Book of the Month

Are you selling something or persuading the customer? With your employees are you repeatedly telling that employee or are you persuading them to excel?

 

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Ciaidini is our suggested book for March 2026. Most definitely an appropriate read.

 

All this plus the Internet Tool for Your Business and a staff incentive idea for your business.