4
Unwind
8
Productivity
11
Educational
13
Fun & Games
16
Culinary Contentment
20
Personal Expression
22
Hustle & Grit
28
Keep Selling
30
Better Business
32
Positivity Challenge
34
Financial Assistance
36
Keeping Connections Strong to
Survive COVID - 19
38
Utilize Free Resources
CONTENTS
Dear retailers,
You are amazing! This has been a strange and unpredictable
stretch that will go down in world history. No one saw
this coming or expected it to have the effect on main street
businesses that it has. But mainstreet businesses have risen
to the challenge. You are providing a bright spot in the bleak
scenery that is COVID-19. Getting products your customers
want and need into their hands safely has become your
mission. We see you working 7 days a week around the clock
to make it happen. We acknowledge that this isn't glamorous,
or even profitable in many cases, but you are doing it in the
name of serving your customers and community.
I think we can all agree that 2020 hasn't lived up to the
hype! But let's not write the entire year off just yet. We've
still got a promising third and fourth quarter ahead, even
though retail may look decidedly different. There will be a
new way of shopping. Less foot traffic and a hyper-scrutiny
of cleanliness and social distancing offer new challenges
to the brick-and-mortar retailer. That means we MUST do
the most with each and every customer who comes into
the store. If we can give each and every customer the best
in-store experience, and exceed their highest expectations,
then we can maximize each and every sale.
We need to be remarkable to our core customers and
focus on doing what we can with what we have. That might
mean taking some risks and trying new kinds of digital
engagement. Your customers are spending more time on
digital channels out of necessity. So show up for them there
and give them a reason to show up for you AT your store
when you reopen. As Seth Godin says, "If failure is not an
option, then neither is success."
During this crisis, we are all being forced to live without —
without going out to eat, without normal supplies, without
human interaction, without work. We are discovering that
we CAN do hard things. So how do we convince ourselves
that when our world opens back up, it will be safe enough
to go out again and make meaningful purchases? We do that
by creating human connections with our customers and
reassuring them that we are there for them during the hard
times and will celebrate with them when things get better, in
the safest way possible. Show them that you have meaningful
products and services that will help them return to the
"normal" they are craving. We ARE all in this together!
F R O M T H E E D I T O R
ON THE COVER
Organic, modern, friendly and homegrown,
Pigment has three locations in San Diego and
is hustling seven days a week around the clock
to get orders out the door safely and securely.
Check out their updated website for inspiration,
www.shoppigment.com. Photo by Linette Gary,
www.linettegary.com
THE TEAM
Debbie Eisele | Managing Editor
deisele@greatamericanpublish.com
Julie McCallum | Editorial Director
jmccallum@greatamericanpublish.com
Kimerly Baker | COO & Director of Custom Media
kbaker@greatamericanpublish.com
Joe Tacosik | Content Marketing Specialist
jtacosik@greatamericanpublish.com
Jess Schmidt | Custom Content Manager
jschmidt@greatamericanpublish.com
Allison McKenzie | Multimedia Designer
amckenzie@greatamericanpublish.com
2 T H E S U R V I V E & T H R I V E G U I D E
We
Can
Do
Hard
Things
Editorial Director
