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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.

 

November 2006
Volume 7 Issue 12

Profits_Plus Solutions

Tom Shay

Article of the Month

Developing Highly Effective Retailers

Stephen Covey had his book about the seven habits of highly effective people. Here is our version with a special twist for small businesses. Click on Article of the Month to view this article

Book of the Month


What I learned from Sam Walton by Michael Bergdahl

I found this book as I was wandering about in an airport recently. It looks to be about a five hour read, and I quickly found I had been captured by it for over two hours. This is the first hand story of a person that worked along with Sam Walton.

He tells you how to beat Wal-Mart as well as the areas where they can't be beat. He will have you hating them and then he will have you loving them for their efforts. We have a sizable list of books to suggest for you to read. Click on Book Referral to visit this page on our site.

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P.O. Box 128
Dardanelle, AR
72834 USA
(727) 464-2182 Voice
(727) 898-3179 Fax



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Business Advisory

You can't coach tall!

I wish I could remember who the basketball coach was that said the words above, "You can't coach tall!" I believe he was talking about the struggles of competing against a team that had tall players and how there is challenge in going against a team that has the height advantage.

"You can't teach personality", I say. It is great to hire someone that has a tremendous amount of knowledge about the products you sell. It is great to have someone that is passionate about the industry you are in. The concern I have is in watching these people with customers. They seem to have a preferece to be around the products more than they want to be around the customers.

They don't have personality! As you consider hiring your next staff person, may I suggest you consider hiring for personality over hiring for product or technical knowledge. You can hire based on technical knowledge and try to teach the person to have a personality. (Has that ever worked for you?) Or, you can hire someone that has great personal skills and then teach them the technical product skills.

You can teach technical and product, but you can't teach personality!

Internet Tip of The Month

Sales per employee

As the holiday season approachs, many businesses are considering adding additional staff. While few businesses go through this exercise, an important measure for the success of your sales people is 'sales per employee'. To determine your current level of sales per employee you divide the total annual sales by the number of full time employees. Of course, as you have full time and part time employees, there is a bit of mathematics involved to convert the part time hours into full time employees. The financial ratios calculator page on our website will help you with this exercise.

Click on this link to visit this page: Financial Ratios Calculator Page

The Power Promoting Idea of the Month

Christmas Tree Auction

Here is a great idea for publicity and engaging your customers during the holiday season. Display several artifical or real Christmas trees in your business. For each tree you display, contact a charity to decorate that tree with decorations you provide. Customers are then invited to submit a bid to purchase their favorite tree. You create a 'ballot' on which they put their name, address, phone, and e-mail (this helps to build your mailing list), and their bid for the tree.

The highest bid for each tree wins that tree with the proceeds going to that charity. Work this promotion right, and you will get some great coverage from the media.

 

 

 

 

 

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Tom Shay
PO Box 128
Dardanelle, AR 72834

(727)823-7205

MARCH 2025
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Small Business

AdvisorieS

Does it seem like you, as the owner or manager, are having to do everything yourself? The March Small Business Advisory points out ways to lessen your load; even the responsibility of hiring!

Small Business

NewS

Top Story

People love entertainment. Is there something about your business that engages customers? Perhaps a part of the reason for growth in online and drive thru shopping is because the business does not know how to engage the customer.

Article of the Month

If a person is going to sell their business, there needs to be a plan to do so. Perhaps the surprise is that there is a lot to be done before a business is offered for sale. The March Article of the Month is titled, "Game Over".


Book of the Month

What are your strengths? What are your talents? You may think you know them, but the Book of the Month, "Now, Discouver Your Strengths" by Don Clifton can assist you in getting a truthful assessment. You may even find some hidden strengths and talents.

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

Does it seem like you, as the owner or manager, are having to do everything yourself? The March Small Business Advisory points out ways to lessen your load; even the responsibility of hiring!

Small Business

News

 

Top Story

People love entertainment. Is there something about your business that engages customers? Perhaps a part of the reason for growth in online and drive thru shopping is because the business does not know how to engage the customer.


Article of the Month

If a person is going to sell their business, there needs to be a plan to do so. Perhaps the surprise is that there is a lot to be done before a business is offered for sale. The March Article of the Month is titled, "Game Over".


Book of the Month

What are your strengths? What are your talents? You may think you know them, but the Book of the Month, "Now, Discouver Your Strengths" by Don Clifton can assist you in getting a truthful assessment. You may even find some hidden strengths and talents.