=> Print this month's issue of the e-retailer so
you can read it at your leisure.

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1. Article of the month: Developing a Profitable
Relationship

This year we have been asked frequently
about the working relationship between a sales
representative and the accounts they call on.

Appropriately for this month, our article of the
month is entitled, Developing a Profitable
Relationship. From the many years of experience
our family has had in business, we have found
sales reps to be one of the most valuable tools
that a business can have. Click on this link to see
the article on the Profits Plus website.

Developing a Profitable Relationship

O <= After printing the e-ret@iler, check here if
you plan to read this month's article

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2. e-ret@iler advisory: Taking the final step
towards making the sale.

Bob Woodhall and the folks at Jupiter Music are
strong supporters of small business and the need
for education. After one of our conversations,
Bob shared with me some information about a
presentation he had participated in. The issue
dealt with the decision process people go through
as they decide what they are going to purchase.

Often I hear people state they are uncomfortable
about talking to customers about what they are
purchasing. They tell me that customers know what
they want to buy, and by making suggestions or
showing them additional merchandise, they would
be pressuring the customer.

Quite the contrary is true. In a study provided
by POPAI and DuPont, they found that only 35.2%
of customers actually walked into a business with
their purchasing specifically planned.

14.8% of the customers reported their shopping trip
was "generally" planned, enough to the point that
their purchasing decision could be influenced.

Of the remaining 50% of the customers, 48%
reported their shopping was unplanned and 3% was
changed by a substitute product.

All told, this means that almost two out of every
three dollars being spent had the decision made
while the customer was in the store. Of course,
this speaks volumes about the need to have a
sales floor that is neetly and attractively designed
so that you can affect that 2/3 of every dollar
that is walking in the front door.

In the next couple of months, we will continue with
some more information from the report that Bob
Woodhall has shared. Stay tuned.

O<= After printing the e-ret@iler, check here if
you plan to use this idea in your business.

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3: Power Promoting Idea of the Month: May 10

Saturday, May 10 is National Small Business Day.
It does not matter what country your business is
located in. The only way your customers will know
about this day is if you tell them about it. To
make this become an event for your business, try
these ideas.

Have a sale on this date. Promote your business as
an "official supporter of National Small Business
Day". As this is the 10th day of the month, you could
have 10 items with a special price, or have all of the
special prices end with 10, like $6.10

Ask the mayor of your community to recognize the
day by issuing a special proclamation. And you can
get the media involved by creating and sending them an
announcement of the event. In your announcement you
can volunteer to appear on a talk show or be
interviewed for an article as a part of their
celebration of the event.

O<= After printing the e-ret@iler, check here if
you plan to use this idea in your business.

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4. Your free subscription to the e-ret@iler and
contacting Profits Plus

Our monthly electronic newsletter, the e-ret@iler,
is sent to you free of charge as one of our efforts
to help you increase your profits, plus build your
business for the future.

If you received this e-ret@iler because someone
shared it with you, we will be glad to add your
name and e-mail address to the subscription list.
You can subscribe to this newsletter by visiting our
Profits Plus website, or by sending us an e-mail.

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And as always,
Make an effort to locate and do business with
other small businesses - let's keep the money
in the family!

Get your Profits Plus,

Tom Shay