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.

e-ret@iler
August 2002
Sent at your request by Profits Plus Seminars & Tom Shay

1. The article of the month on the Profits Plus website: Consulting with other Dealers
2. e-ret@iler advisory of the month: Wants are not Needs
3. Our Power Promoting Idea of the month:
4. Your free subscription to the e-ret@iler
5. Contacting Profits Plus Seminars and Tom Shay

Print this month's e-retailer so you can use it as a plan of action in your business

1. Doing Your Market Homework
Our August article on the Profits Plus website is entitled,
"Consulting with other Dealers".
Meeting someone at a trade show or conference, or just sitting down to have a bite to eat or a cup of coffee, if you utilize these ideas with another dealer, you will find this can be a very wise investment of your time. The article of the month talks about how this can work in your business.

0 <= Check here if you plan to use this in your business

2. August 2002 e-ret@iler advisory: Wants and Needs
Think about a customer that calls you, or walks into your business. They ask for a product and you ring it up at the register. What was it that you sold them? The answer is, "Absolutely nothing!" You sold them nothing because they asked for that product, or service, and you delivered it. There were no sales skills what so ever in that transaction.

If instead, the customer was asked why they selected that particular item and what their expectations were, you might have found that what they were asking for was not what they needed. There is the definite possibility that after they use that particular product, they will return it to your business telling you that it is defective.

While we know it is not defective, we do have to lay the blame for this situation at the feet of the person who did not ask the necessary questions of that customer. In addition to your not wanting an unhappy customer and unnecessary return of a product, the best reason for your asking your customer about their selection is that the "needed" item is most likely to be a more profitable item for you than the item that they "wanted."

We found a good article on the Internet about selling things. It is written by Pam Danziger and is entitled. "Why People Buy Things They Don't Need". Click on this link to visit that page on the Internet. (The article that this link is referring to has been deleted from their website)

0 <= Check here if you plan to use this in your business

3. Our Power Promoting Idea of the month: Happy Birthday!
One of the businesses attending our presentations, shares that they make a point to get the customer's birthday as well as their name and address. Each year on their birthday, they send the customer a card along with a small gift certificate worth a couple of dollars off of their next purchase. Another option would be to have a small gift item that is given free to the birthday customer.

0 <= Check here if you plan to use this idea in your business

4. Your free subscription to the e-ret@iler
Going to change your Internet provider soon? Creating a new e-mail address for yourself? If so, be sure to let us know so that we can keep the e-ret@iler coming to you.

It is the best way to make sure you do not miss an issue.

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

You can also visit the website and click on the e-retailer logo to subscribe.

6. Contacting Profits Plus Seminars and Tom Shay
Thank you for inviting us to 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 next month.

Make an effort to locate and do business with other small businesses! Let's keep our money "in the family".

God Bless America!

Get Your Profits Plus,


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.