Moulding & millwork: how to sell cold weather projects

f LJMBER and building marerials don'r sell in winter. If lJthat's your sales philosophy, you're kidding yourself. Winter is the ideal time for doing inside jobs - jobs that require millwork and moulding.

Winter offers an opportunity to promote remodeling kirchens and bathrooms, adding new cabinets, replacing interior doors, installing paneling and decorative moulding. These jobs can keep remodeling crews working when it's cold and wet or occupy homeowners housebound by rain, snow and freezing weather.

Dealers reporting steady sales of millwork, moulding and similar items during the winter months are not necessarily located in areas with mild climates. Interior projects are equally popular during the winter in less temperate regions. Replacing kitchen cabinets, adding paneling or retiling ceilings are cold weather jobs, one dealer reports. He says they help to smooth out the winter drop-off.

A series of weekly clinics offering help in a variety of projects utilizing millwork and moulding is an excellent way to attract attention and customers. Focusing on and moulding. Hardware, paint, wallpapea new window tteaElents, dl types of flouing and even tile or countertops are needed o complete projects. New appliances or bathroom fixnres can be additional add-ons, as arc tools to do thejobs.

Salespeople should be enthusiastic about promoting "inside" jobs. Showing a customer the newest louver, accordion or mirrored closet doors or paneled doors for halls and bedrooms or interior French doors can spark the idea of updating. Pointing out a vignette that demonstrates modemizing a kitchen or dressing up a room with chair rail or crown moulding can start ideas flowing. Ideas easily grow into sales when they are encouraged by enthusiastic salespeople and a ready source of building materials.

Wintei, Moulding & MillWork Prbjects

I Modemi'e kitchen o Update bathroom f nlrtyfU f""pf"* *itn roufding or a mantel a'InstBU'bhair rail, base' prown uroulding, double beaded, longue and groove'or grooved plankceiling r Panel,a wall or a rrlom

- Replace interior doore i6talling interior doors or applying moulding as an architectural accent on walls, ceilings, cabinet doors and builtins such as bookcases or fireplaces can get sales started. Advertising free kitchen design service or promoting a special on kirchen cabinets with copy pointing out the advantages of working inside in winter is another way to build interest for indoor jobs.

Before you begin any promotion, it is advisable to have sufficient inventory of moulding and millwork on hand or be prepared to replenish stock in a very short time. Analyzing your customer base can help you to detemrine your product mix - paint grade, hardwood, fingerjoint, southern pine, prefinished or extruded moulding. Display a selection of cabinets, mantels and doors with catalogs available for ordering others. Select suppliers who can get orders to you quickly.

Winter remodeling projects can sell more than millwork a Add wainscoting o Replace closetdoors oWood flooring a Build built-in or freestanding book caseE, entertainment cabinots, window seits, closetis, :storagu *"as f Add'cedar'paneling to closets

Story at a Glance

Ways to keep moulding and millwork sales steady during winter months promotion & advertising suggestions indoor projects with customer appeal.

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Here's a mini-buyer's guide to some labor-saving yard equipment:

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