Everybody has "elephants" out in the weeds that will eventually be sources of large business for the company. They take time to develop, and we understand that.

It's time to start focusing on some of the "bread and butter" accounts. These are the retailers and smaller outlets that serve our target community. When is the last time you entered a small convenient store or mom and pop and asked to talk to the owner or manager?

Make it a point to visit some of these establishments and talk with the people there about our cards and services. Then give Tom a call and let him know what happened.

Ask what the most important features of our retail program appeal to them, what they like least, what we can do to get them to carry our cards. This is the kind of feedback that will be critical to the collateral materials we are developing now.

If every MD does this over the next week, we will have new accounts and ideas to put into next week's newsletter!