e-ret@iler from Profits Plus and Tom Shay
ideas to be more profitable in your business
August 2006 - Our 81st consecutive issue

The August e-ret@iler contains:

1. The article of the month: To bee or not to
bee
2. e-ret@iler advisory of the month: Attending
your conference or trade show
3. Web tip of the month: Cost of goods sold
4. Our Power Promoting idea of the month:
Postcards
5. Book of the month: How customers think
6. Your e-ret@iler subscription, contacting
Profits Plus and Tom Shay

O => Print the August issue of the e-ret@iler
so you can read it at your leisure.

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1. The article of the month: To bee or not
to bee

The August article is not about learning the
great lines from classical plays. Instead it
gives a brief science lesson about bees and
how we can compare ourselves and our business
to the way that bees respond to a challenge
facing them.

To bee or not to bee

O <= After printing the August e-ret@iler, check
here if you plan to read the article of the month.

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2. e-ret@iler advisory of the month: Attending
your conference or trade show

This past week I attended the National Speakers
Association annual conference. Just like when
you go to a trade show or conference, I have
the opportunity to see new products and
services that I can use in my business.

I have the opportunity to listen to some of
the best speakers in the world. I learn how to
polish my material and make my business better.

As the fall is just around the corner, I know
that many of you will have the opportunity to
attend a conference or trade show. Please,
don't miss this opportunity. Take the time to
invest in yourself and your business. Take the
time to step back from the business and take
a different look at it!

O <= After printing the August e-ret@iler, check
here if you plan to schedule your attending a
trade show or conference this fall

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3. Web tip of the month: Cost of goods sold

"COGS" - Cost of goods sold. The unfortunate
part of people using software like QuickBooks
to operate their business is that they create
a report that looks good and gives them a
financial statement. Unfortunately, a lot of
them are not set up correctly. This is not the
fault of QuickBooks. It happens as someone who
is not familiar with finances sets the program
up.

What I see frequently happening is inventory is
set as an expense. This is not correct! Inventory
is an investment. Each month however, the
COGS is calculated to tell you exactly what it
means. It is the Cost of the Goods that were
Sold during the past month. Take a look at
this page on our website. You can find more
information when you follow this link.

Cost of Goods Sold

O <= After printing the August e-ret@iler,
check here if you plan to look at the financial
ratios calculator.

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4. Our Power Promoting idea of the month:
Postcards

Two thirds of the customers that leave your
business to do business with someone else will
leave you because of their perception that
you no longer care about them.

This happens because we fail to stay in touch
with them. When your business makes a point
to contact customers on a regular basis, you
are causing the customer to feel a sense of
obligation to shop with you. Many of them
will feel guilty about going to another
business that sells the same products or
services that you do.

That's what I want from my customers - a sense
of responsibility to do business with me. I
want them to think that no one cares for
them like I do.

Here are a couple of ways to instill that
thought with them: phone calls, e-mails,
and postcards.

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5. Book of the month: How customers think by
Gerald Zaltman

This month's book is no easy read. It is indepth
and will definitely cause you to think about how
your business can get into the mind of your
customers. It will take you a while to get this
in depth book read completed, but I would definitely
suggest you add this book to your reading list.

If you have already read this book, or are looking
for more books to read, follow this link to the list
of suggested readings on the book referral page
of the Profits Plus website.

Book Referral List

O <= After printing the August e-ret@iler,
check here if you plan to read the book of the
month.

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7. Your e-ret@iler subscription and contacting
Profits Plus and Tom Shay.

The upper left of this page has a link for subscribing to the e-retailer.

Contacting us is just as easy:
The phone is 727-823-7205
The fax is 727-898-3179
The mailing address is:
PO Box 128
Dardanelle, AR 72834 USA

Get your Profits Plus. May God bless you
and yours. We will see you in September.

Tom Shay