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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.

This month: Independent Retailer Month, Talk Radio and the Invisible Touch
 
e-retailer logo
June 2016
Volume 17 Issue 7
Next month is Independent Retailer Month;
are you ready?


July will be the 14th year of Independent Retailer Month. What began as a lesson of how you can create a special event for your business or community, has truly grown.

It is a celebration and opportunity to share with your customers, the advantages of their doing business with an independent. And there are a lot of advantages to them. Think of all that money that is going into payroll for local individuals; money that is not being sent to some corporate headquarters. The list goes on and on, and you can read about all the reasons we have thought of by following this link.

Independent Retailer Month

 

times square irmHere is a photo from New York that was shared with us. You might not be able to announce your participation in such a sizable manner, but the participation of your business tells the story on your behalf and behalf of the hundreds of thousands of independent retailers.

The website has lots of ideas as well as a section where  you can list your business. There is nothing to buy on the site and it costs nothing to participate in the event.

Join us for 31 days of celebrating the rich legacy of being an independent retailer.
Article of the Month - Talk, Talk, Talk

Have you thought about people you have heard, seen or read as they were being interviewed by the media? There is a sense of "expertise" that is assumed about the individual that is doing the talking about some topic.

If you were the expert, what would people think about you and your business?

This month's article is titled, "Talk, Talk, Talk" and shares the experience of a friend who turned an initial interview into a weekly radio talk show. It worked for him; it can work for you.
Book of the Month - Invisible Touch

How do you want to be connected with your customers? Is it by way of your prices? How about your "brand"? Could it be the way you package your services and products? What about a relationship?

Harry Beckwith's book, Invisible Touch, gives insight to keeping customers and gaining new ones by way of your utilizing invisible touches.
Gross Profit Percentage

"Anything to do with numbers"; In those five words we find the biggest challenge small business owners have. While we do mention something about a facet of numbers in every month's e-ret@iler newsletter, this month we are going to suggest looking at one that is probably the most important. That is understanding the relationship between the price a customer pays and the cost of the product or service that the customer receives.
Staff Incentive for Your Business


This monthly incentive suggestion has previously mentioned a reward in which the employee gets time off with pay and the boss does their job for them. We know from personal experience that this works.

Today, we think it could be taken a step further. What if the reward for an employee was the boss washing their car for them? Maybe taking their car and having the tank filled? These are just two examples of chores, and expenses that all of us have. It feels good when someone does it for us.

We want to recognize A Carrot A Day by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, whose book provides the basis for each month's incentive idea.

Profits Plus | tomshay@profitsplus.org | (727) 823-7205 www.profitsplus.org

 

 

 

 

 

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©1998-2026 Profits Plus Solutions, Inc.
Tom Shay
PO Box 128
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(727)823-7205

MARCH 2026
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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.
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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.