51. Clue locals in on your retail operation by running social media contests that ask for photos of remodeling projects, cool products, or even fun uses of wood. Award winners with in-store discounts.

52. If you’re closed on Sunday, explain why. Business cards carried by San Marcos, Texas-based McCoy’s Building Supply include an icon that says, “We Spend Our Sundays Building Family Values.”

53. Donate unused or unusable pallets cluttering up your yard to the local fire department to burn in training exercises.

54. Offer your local fire department the opportunity to use the fire hydrant in your back lot for training exercises.

55. Partner with your local animal shelter to host a pet-adoption and fundraising event. People coming to your yard to adopt their next pet would leave with a bag of treats and toys, leashes, coupons from local retailers—and your ad insert.

56. Whether they’re neatly filed in a Rolodex or haphazardly dumped in a desk drawer, your business card collection is valuable real estate. And it belongs in the digital space. Spend a long evening plugging all those names and numbers into a computerized address book (Outlook’s or Google’s contacts folders, for example, are easy to input and quickly share among colleagues) or task a child or grandchild with spending a day of their summer vacation helping out.

57. If you’ve added locations over an extended period, you’ve likely faced the issue of consistent branding. L&W Supply recently began a public effort to align the logo and motto of its 24 local brands. Examine the “face” of your company in each of the markets it serves. Could it be more consistent?

58. Consider getting out of the office and spending some time with other small-business owners in your community. Roundtables let dealers compare best practices and troubleshoot solutions among a group of non-competitor peers. Check with your local Small Business Administration office or with the business school at a nearby college or university.

Facility

59. Outfit your yard with racks that protect products from damage. Keep extra foam, ties, and cardboard on hand for makeshift supports and wraps.

60. Out of stock but expecting a load soon? Post a sign saying so on the shelf where that product usually is stocked.