PERSPECTIVES

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  Enough already with the "Covid Fatigue"

  Have you noticed? "Covid fatigue" has been spreading lately. It seems to be almost as contagious as the virus itself. Ugh!
  
  And small wonder. Even as parts of the economy strive to re-open, they only remind us of how different everything is.

  • Major League Baseball played in stadiums of cardboard cutouts of fans. The U.S. Open Golf Tournament with no spectators. Professional basketball teams in "the bubble" at Disney World. 
  • And some colleges preparing to resume fall classes have been described as "a cross between a seminary and a minimum-security prison."

  Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress cannot agree on what should be done next. A nasty election campaign season looms. Protests are still happening in many locations. 
  
  Remember this: all these things that contribute to our Covid fatigue, what we have called the "Pandemic Trifecta of 2020" – the virus, the economic meltdown, the national protests – all of these are uncontrollables. We all are victims of all three pandemics. 
  
  But, you CAN control what you choose to do with your business going forward. Will you choose Door A, Door B or Door C? 
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  Enough Already with the Uncontrollables

  A frequent recommendation for how to navigate the current economic uncertainty is to be more diligent about controlling expenses, and focus on profit. (You'll see; we challenge that below.)
  
  Hmm. Concentrating on profits is easier said than done in today's environment, with cost increases proliferating under the umbrella of inflation.

• Dealing with Your Landlord? This Is Better Than Begging!

  Let's assume your stores have been closed for weeks now. 

  We recognize how conscientious you are. So, after paying what you can to your employees (and yourself), the next most-worrisome dilemma is your rent.

  • How best to get some immediate relief from each month's lease payment?
  • And you wonder, what would be the best way to negotiate with your landlord?

  As you likely have discovered, a common choice for many landlords is to offer to defer your payments. But that means taking on more debt, as those payments are only being postponed to a later point in time. 
  
  You need a better solution than that.

• Spring Cleaning – With a Purpose!

  Ahh, springtime! A time for new beginnings, fresh starts.
  
  Spring also is a time for "Spring Cleaning" – that time of year to spruce up, clean up, fix up. Sigh! Another chore.
  
  This year, here's how to break out of that another-to-do-task rut.
  
  It starts by seeing your stores the way your shoppers see them. Then, with that awareness, the spruce up, clean up, fix up tasks can actually focus on attracting and appealing to your very best customers. 
  
  And we have the (free!) tool to make all this happen.

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  Get Your Tents and Sidewalks Ready!

  As more stores are able to reopen, and more shoppers are willing to emerge, what will they encounter?

  • "A glut of pent-up inventory is waiting to be dumped on consumers this summer as retail stores reopen in the U.S., and shoppers for everything from shoes to sofas should be able to find major bargains," reported the Wall Street Journal* on June 2.

• Compete with Amazon? You don't!

  As Amazon Prime Day approaches – it is June 21 and 22 this year, the earliest ever for this 48-hour promotional event – retailers from all segments are wondering (or being asked): "So, how do you compete with Amazon?"
  
  Our response? You don't, at least not directly. 
  
  Yet independent retailers do have many strategic advantages over Amazon. But you must recognize them, and enhance them at every opportunity. Here are some ideas that you may want to consider.