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We believe that organizations thriving in a tough economy
and political uncertainty will be those that approach the future with purposeful intentionality. |
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RESOURCE LIBRARY
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Marketing
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The next time you are visiting your favorite apparel store, smell! That’s right, stop what
you’re doing and take a long sniff. Notice anything of interest?...
When you pause to think about it, a “Moment of Truth” is just that. It’s when a customer
comes into contact with your store (or business) and experiences your level of quality...
Quick – in language that speaks to donor benefit, what is unique, compelling, and
clearly distinguishes your store(s) from your competitors? Go ahead . . . |
A recent article in the Harvard Business Review had this to say: "Our research into the role of
marketing strategy in brand performance indicates that companies are paying too much
attention to short-term data and not enough to..."
Ok,
I'm
going
to
say
this
only
once:
"Before
you
send
a
fund
raising
letter,
know
what
you're
doing.
Make
it
a
science
if
you
must."
A
couple
of
weeks
ago,
I
received
a
direct
mail
appeal.
Nothing
about
that
upset
me;
after
all,
many
not-for-profit
organizations
rely
heavily
on
the
charitable
goodness
of
persons
receiving
the
appeals.
May
their
kind
increase!
Here's
what
bothered
me... |
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"Nonprofits have to recognize that they're businesses, not just causes. There's a way to
combine the very best of the non–for–profit, philanthropic world with the very best of the forprofit
enterprising world. This hybrid..."
Considering a retail thrift business? Impressed with the opportunity to make money while
simultaneously helping your clients? Excited about the chance to do your part in reducing... |
A
nonprofit
executive
I
met
recently
asked
how
he
could
get
his
Board
of
Directors
to
buy
into
the
idea
of
starting
a
business.
He
characterized
the
board
as
old
school
and
by
the
book.
After
we
agreed
that
a
risk-‐averse
board
is
not
inherently
bad...
"Starting your own retail thrift and enjoying the financial benefits of ownership is certainly an appealing
thought–especially if you are frustrated with the myriad of government regulations and/or the inherent
unpredictability of donor giving..." |
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He had been with us only a short time when one of my vice presidents exclaimed, "Mission
requires margin!" Though most of us in management have probably heard this tidbit of
wisdom, I for one, had never...
Quick – for every dollar of gross revenue, what percentage do you pay in wages? This
number should be tip of the tongue for every thrift retailer. In their informative book, Start and
Run a Retail Business, James E. Dion and Ted Topping suggest...
Unmanaged time is opportunity lost. Distinguish your store with accountability in this all–important
area...
I don't usually position myself to overhear conversations, but recently I did so. Two managers
were discussing their store performances and I wanted to hear what they said. Both were
excitedly exchanging percentages of sales growth and speaking of the bonuses they were
sure to get at the year’s end. That's when I moved in for a bit more of the conversation...
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We all know that our store's walls give us some of the best returns per square foot of retail
space. The vertical dimension catches our attention...
It's ok to say it: the economy is depressing! You can't help but see these ominous warnings wherever you look...
Really – I'm being serious! Prophets foretell based only on what they have been told. And to be truly a prophet, they have to be 100 percent correct. We all would like to be told with absolute certainty that we're going to make a profit – make mine a big one, please. That isn't going to happen, however. Profitability will be determined by hard work and smart decision making. These questions might help. |
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It was a few days after Christmas. Some of the toys that our children had received where
already broken or lost. We were all wearing new clothes. The four of us sat down for a good
old fashioned game of Old Maid...
Well–run staff meetings provide a number of benefits for any organization, retail thrift stores
included... |
Here is a scenario that is all too common with nonprofits: it's the last month of the fiscal year
and somewhere in the bylaws (we think), it's time to nominate our Board Officers...
Unless you are intimately involved with a 501(c)(3)
organization as staff or supporter, you’re probably
not aware of the difficult times most are facing. |
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