June 2026
Volume No. 27, Issue No. 7

Celebrating Independent Retailer Month

It has been 24 years since the creation of Independent Retailer Month. We created it in 2003 as a part of a presentation on how promoting to your existing customers is always better than advertising to the public. The event has grown for which we are very appreciative and honored that so many communities have joined in the effort.

And what is the effort? Independent Retailer Month exists to tell residents in communities and the officials in the community government that there are many big advantages to the community for supporting a locally owned independent business. The many reasons include how much the local business spends with other businesses and how much the local independent business pays in taxes. It is also how many local people the business employs.

The Independent Retailer Month website also tells of how much more consumers prefer a local independent retail business over chain stores, box stores, and mass merchants.

There is nothing for sale on the website as indieretailermonth.com is created to provide you with information and statistics that support the statements we have made. There is no need for these attempts at shaming people into doing business with a local independent retailer. There are plenty of advantages to the community and individuals for doing so.

Article of the Month - 
Words from Strother Martin

Whether your business is service-oriented, product-oriented, or a combination of the two, in today's world, a small business is very likely to have some software handling transactions, scheduling, or back office management. The message we share is the comment made by Strother Martin in Cool Hand Luke.

"What we have here is a failure to communicate".

We ask what the software is doing for you now and how much more it could be telling you. It could be compared to your cell phone and the many apps you likely have. How many of the apps are you actually using? Or are many of them on the phone just in case you need them? Of those being used, how much of the application are you using?

While most of the apps you downloaded were free, the software used to help make your business profitable was not free. The failure to communicate comes in part from your not asking enough questions, and in part from the software that is not teaching you what it can do and how to do it. Our Article of the Month for June has some ideas on how to remedy that situation.

Book of the month - 
The Power of Cult Branding

Our book suggestion for June is The Power of Cult Branding by B.J. Bueno. Last week, we got to observe an example of cult branding with the motorcycle rally in my hometown. Restaurants were full; streets and highways were full; and the downtown was closed to traffic because there were 14 blocks of motorcycles taking up all the area. The motorcycles? All Harley Davidson's. No BMW, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki or other brands; just Harleys.

What else has created cult branding? How about Apple? How about Campbell's soup? At one point, Campbell's advertisements simply said, "eat more soup" because the company had over 80% market share. Star Wars and Star Trek have that status. What is it these businesses have in common that creates cult branding?

Enjoy B.J. Bueno's, "The Power of Cult Branding".

Internet Tool for Your Business -
Promotion Evaluation Calculator

This month's calculator came from an owner in Georgia. Allow me to share their story that we used to create the Promotion Evaluation Calculator.

After having a sale, they took the time to total how much money they spent to get people to become customers. They totaled all the dollars they spent on advertising as well as miscellaneous items such as the decorations and refreshments for the business during the event.

Then they looked at the discounts they offered their customers and the total dollar amount of discounts given. As this was tracked, they found they were spending much more on the advertising.

No one is going to talk about how much money you spent on advertising, but they are going to talk about the deals they got during the sale. So, this calculator helps you track both and create a plan for spending and markdowns. The couple owning the store said the advertising must be the lesser of the two.

Having larger discounts than advertising spending gave customers something to tell other potential customers. And that is why we call this the Bonnie Raitt calculator.

Because she has a song titled, "Let's give them something to talk about".

Each month we highlight one of the 47 free tools on the Profits Plus website; we call them "calculators". While some provide analysis by numbers and ratios, some are assessments, and others are self-examination questions. Many are downloadable, while others, because of the complexity of the calculations going on behind the scenes, are a part of the website and allow you to print your answers. None of them requires you to give any personal information nor are there any "cookies" tracking you or your information.

Staff Incentive for Your Business - 
Who looks professional?

There is an arborist I know in southern Alabama whom I see at events within the green industry. This owner always has members of his staff in attendance. As I walk in the door, I can easily identify them. Their attire is so professional. And while this is indoors at an educational and trade show event, it is the same attire they wear on the job.

Then there are businesses I will not go into because their staff dress as if they have been working in the field all day. Of course, there are all levels of attire between these two examples. What about your business? Yes, it can be a challenge, without purchasing uniforms, to persuade employees to improve their appearance. And what is the advantage to your business?

The advantage to your business is simple self-esteem. Think about how you feel when you dress nicely, when someone compliments you on your appearance. Think about how it would be if everyone felt good about their appearance. (Like my arborist friend from south Alabama.)

How do you accomplish it? Engage in a conversation with your employees who make an effort to have a sharp appearance at work. When you have your next staff meeting, ask these individuals to provide input about their experiences with customers.

It may be easy to ignore a word of encouragement from their boss, but when co-workers are talking about why it is important, the message can come through loud and clear. And it has been my experience that it is difficult for the mediocre employee to win a point of discussion with the employee who makes the extra effort.

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.