Jon’s Blog
2021’s New “Shop Local” Marketing Campaign That Will Change Everything
I discovered this sign in a butcher shop in the Midwest.I think this could be the new 2021 "Shop Local" Marketing Campaign that really gets consumers to spend their dollars in their own backyard?What do you think? Send me your thoughts and if you've seen better Shop Local campaigns, send them my way at js@jonschallert.com Thanks!
Destination Creation, Becoming a Facilitator, & Holding a Town Hall with Covid-19 Business Strategies: May 8, 2020
This is my “Just Over 4 Minutes E-Newsletter” with my observations, tips, and two powerful tools (way down at the end) that you might want to use right now Two weeks ago, I surveyed my entire e-newsletter list and asked business owners what they were doing, whether...

Use QR Codes to Boost Customer Walk-by Purchases
Derrick Roberts, owner of Pop Around the Corner in Denison, Texas (www.poparoundthecorner.com) is shipping popcorn all over the country during the Covid-19 outbreak. But he’s also making it easier for customers walking by to know what he carries and making it easier...

World’s Best Restaurant Takeout Video During COVID-19
When the Covid-19 virus hit and restaurants in Colorado were only allowed to offer takeout and delivery, AKA Kitchen in Loveland Colorado, www.akakitchenloveland.com, wanted to get the attention of consumers with their new takeout option and bring some joy to the...

Simple Steps to Create a Successful Viral Video
Jenna Shaffer, Programs Marketing Manager and National Product Expert with Constant Contact, explains to Jon Schallert, how with minimal effort, she created a video for her family's restaurant that went viral during the Covid-19 crisis. https://youtu.be/tQOzVrfzSB4

How to Avoid Negative Thoughts During a Crisis
Stuck in COVID-19 isolation, it’s easy to veer into the deep end of negative thoughts. Many of us are dealing with profound, real-world challenges such as job loss, health crises, and protecting our children. The reality of the situation is difficult enough, but when...

Great television segment worth watching, from Cleveland’s Fox 8
Cleveland news has officially lost their minds... https://twitter.com/i/status/1245510918299103232
Less than 2 Minute Blog: How to Make a Viral Video, New Classes Open for Registration, and How to Sell Every Day
Welcome to Successful Independent Business. Here are my Silver Bullet Solutions this week. First up, on this site we have a brilliant marketing expert explaining how she used a free software program available to anyone and with no experience with the software, created...
Less than 4 Minutes of Business Updates from Jon Schallert
Some of you know I’m a perfectionist (just like many of you reading this). I stared at my computer screen for over 5 minutes, trying to think of a title for this blog post, and finally, just typed “Less than 4 Minutes of Updates from Jon Schallert”. As Lou Heckler...
Kansas Department of Agriculture Hosts Destination Business Workshops to Assist Rural Towns and Business Owners
The Kansas Department of Agriculture is partnering with Jon Schallert to present his two-day “New Rules of Business Success” workshop in Abilene on October 7-8, focusing on his strategies for making independent businesses and towns irresistible to both local consumers...
How a Business in a Town of 28 People Became a Destination: The Mildred Store, Mildred Kansas
The essence of a Destination Business is that it can exist anywhere. It’s not location dependent, it can defy its demographics, and it has the ability to pull customers from hours away. But honestly, when I found a Destination Business in Mildred, Kansas (population...
The importance of celebrating your successes
Last Thursday I spent the day in Marshall, Michigan, speaking to nearly one hundred business owners from all over the State. Some owners drove in from over 4 hours away to spend the day learning how to turn their businesses into Destinations, capable of pulling in...
It’s a New Year, and You’re Not the Problem
Here’s my first blog post of 2019 that will help you start off right. I had a revelation during the holidays. It came while I was browsing in some bookstores (shop local, right?), in their business book sections. It had never occurred to me before, but I realized...
The Power of a Historic Building
Note from Jon Schallert: If you received my email newsletter, there is an obvious grammatical error in the 3rd paragraph. Read down to the bottom of this blog and you'll learn why it's there. Most of you know that our company is located in Colorado, but did you know...
Sure, Retail’s tough. And here’s how to succeed at it.
Not a week goes by without someone saying to me: “Retail’s tough.” I hear it from developers, bankers, downtown directors, and business leaders. They say with a “That’s just the way it is" sigh. Want to know how independent retailers today thrive? Here’s how: At the...
Retail Isn’t Dying & the Retail Apocalypse Isn’t Coming
In the last 2 months, there have been multiple articles written about the “Retail Apocalypse”, the term journalists use to describe the many retail stores and malls that are closing. One article in Bloomberg magazine by Matt Townsend and others was titled: “America’s...