A store's layout and its overall aesthetic are key for attracting customers and guiding them toward the most profitable products, writes Rieva Lesonsky. Consider the flow of traffic through your store, and create the right environment by focusing on features such as fixtures, lighting and signs, she writes.

Create a YouTube video ad campaign by following a five-step process that starts with linking your YouTube Channel with Google Ads, writes Uzair Kharawala. "Creating a variety of different video creatives for your campaigns will help you better engage viewers," Kharawala notes.

Research suggests that data breaches can hurt customer retention at small businesses, so taking steps to secure sensitive information is key. To avoid data breaches, small businesses are updating point-of-sale equipment, ensuring compliance and offering training.

Adding a new employee to your business is a major event, and it's critical to perfect the onboarding process to ensure the best possible experience, writes Dennis O'Keefe. He shares 11 steps that include setting expectations, checking in regularly and matching new employees with mentors.

In addition to fueling sales growth, hosting a pop-up store can draw in new customers and promote your brand, writes Nichole Simms. A store's location and setup are key, writes Simms, noting that it's a good idea to group merchandise by category.

Stocks rose Thursday after President Donald Trump tweeted a plan to delay tariff increases on $250 billion in Chinese imports from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15, but other recent economic data shows the ongoing US-China trade war is taking a toll on US businesses and jobs. NRF and other business groups agree with the goal of restructuring the US-China trade relationship, but they don't support tariffs as an effective tactic, NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

Husband-and-wife team Joe Carlson and Daven Ralston are planning to launch a business called Charm City Books in Baltimore. In addition to selling books, the entrepreneurs plan to use their space to host a pop-up shop for local artists and provide space for music lessons, live performances and other events.

With Congress back in session, retailers have an exciting opportunity to break through the noise. That's why NRF is relaunching the NRF Action Center. The online platform provides the industry with tools to connect with lawmakers and take a stand on issues that matter most, including trade, labor and taxes. Learn more and contact members of Congress.

There were more retail companies opening stores last year than closing them, including smaller stores. According to Census Bureau data, stores with fewer than five employees saw a net increase of 4,569 in the first quarter of 2018 compared with a year earlier. "It's easy to forget that retail is an industry dominated by small business," NRF Vice President Mark Mathews writes. "This segment's vibrancy is encouraging because it represents the future of our industry." Read more.

According to Census Bureau data, 2018 saw a net increase in US retail stores. There were almost 3,100 more stores during the fourth quarter of 2018 than a year earlier. Source: US Census Bureau/NRF.