If you need help with your 'Truckload Seed Sale"

Currently we have a booklet available on the topic: Fall Wild Bird Seed Truckload Sale. Check it out here

Creating Word of Mouth

Go to National Association Independent Wild Bird Stores to read the latest 'White Paper on the topic - Creating Word of Mouth"

SBA - Micro-Loans

The SBA Microloan Program provides very small loans to start-up, newly established, or growing small business concerns. Under this program, SBA makes funds available to nonprofit community based lenders (intermediaries) which, in turn, make loans to eligible borrowers in amounts up to a maximum of $35,000. The average loan size is about $13,000. Applications are submitted to the local intermediary and all credit decisions are made on the local level.

Terms, Interest Rates, and Fees:

The maximum term allowed for a microloan is six years. However, loan terms vary according to the size of the loan, the planned use of funds, the requirements of the intermediary lender, and the needs of the small business borrower. The maximum loan amount is $35,000, however, the average loan amount is around $13,000. Interest rates vary, depending upon the intermediary lender and costs to the intermediary from the U.S. Treasury. Generally these rates will be between 8 eight percent and thirteen percent.

Collateral

Each intermediary lender has its own lending and credit requirements. However, business owners contemplating application for a microloan should be aware that intermediaries will generally require some type of collateral, and the personal guarantee of the business owner.

Technical Assistance

Each intermediary is required to provide business based training and technical assistance to its microborrowers. Individuals and small businesses applying for microloan financing may be required to fulfill training and/or planning requirements before a loan application is considered.

How to Apply:

Small businesses that are interested in applying for a microloan should contact a microlender in their area.

Microlenders (Intermediaries) are located in 46 of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Alaska, Rhode Island, Utah and West Virginia are the only states without an Intermediary. Rhode Island is currently being serviced by South Eastern Economic Development out of Taunton, MA and a portion of West Virginia is being serviced by Washington County Council on Economic Development out of Washington, PA. For an intermediary lender in your area click on the link below.

List of Intermediary Lenders

The 2009 report: 'Birding in the United States:

"A Demographic and Economic Analysis" has been published. The report can be downloaded from here

Customer knowledge base - are you helping?

For many store owners industry information and terminology is assumed to be known by their customers. Yet ask yourself how many grill salesman assume that everyone knows what BTUs are and why a grill capable of producing more of them is a good thing? How many vitamin stores assume customers know what anti-oxidants are and why it's a good idea to supplement with them? How many wild bird store owners assume customers know that sunflowers produce phytotoxins or for that mater what phytotoxins are?
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FYI: Phytotoxins (a toxin produced in a plant) are present in all parts of the sunflower. These phytotoxins either inhibited seedling germination and seedling growth, thus sunflowers should not be grown in a customers flower or vegetable garden. If the residues of the sunflowers are removed each year the effect of the phytotoxins is significantly lowered. Hopefully you are educating your customers and thereby increasing customer loyalty and sales?

eNewsletter sent July 8, 2009

The year is half over time to check sales against inventory

You are now entering the third quarter of the year. It is the time to review your sales vs inventory status. Granted inventory is an asset, but those dollars are not necessarily available.

In a depression (which in spite of what the TV says - we are in) cash is king

As a wild bird store owner I would be working toward a 60 day inventory turn on non consumables, and 14 to 21 day on consumables. This will keep your inventory clean and your dollars turning and available.

My recommendations:

Emphasis your consumables
Make sure you have the right products
In the size your customers want
With the variety your customer likes
Cover the bird store basics
Fresh and new - gets a trial
Inventory that doesn't turn quickly - goes.
What are your recommendations during these trying times ?

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Until next time.
John