Redwood marketing: a profitable approach

By Kcllh lrnnln3 Executive Vice President & Ocncral Mana3er Celifornia Redwood Association

lN 1916, the redwood lumber manuIfacturers joined togcther for the first time to promote redwood Products at the Panama-Paciftc Exposition which celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal and introduced products from the western Unitd States to the rest of the world. This event marked the beginning of the California Redwood Association as well as the beginning of a cohesive redwood marketing plan. At the time of the exposition redwood sold for

Story at a Glance

lmage bulldlng helPs dealer develop reputatlon as redwood merchant...Callfornla Red' wood Assoclatlon readY to help wlth prlnl, radlo and tv ad' vertlslng...llterature avallable for both consumer educatlon and employe€ tralnlng.

about $12 per thousand board feet while pine and fir were selling for $34 per thousand.

Since then, redwood's unique properties have bcen identified, graded, advertised, publicized and promoted. As a result, terms like "redwood decks," "redwood custom homes,tt and ttred' wood interiors" are familiar to dl segments of the house building/homebuying markets. Redwood is a favorite material of architects. Builders love it for the curb appeal it gives their houses; and lumber retailers realize a heftier profit from a redwood sale than they do from a sale of other materials.

All this is the result of successful marketing. Dealers can capitalize from it by identifying themselves as redwood sales centers.

We occasionally get calls from architects, builders and homeowners who are looking for redwood in their area. These are customers without a merchant. They know redwood is the right product for their deck or fence or siding or paneling because theY have seen CRA ads or publicitY in magazines and newspapers or on television. But there is no one in their area saying, "This is where You buY redwood."

If CRA does one thing this year, we are going to help more lumber dealers identify themselves as redwood dealers. There are three things a redwood dealer needs to do:

ADVERTISEMEI{TS like this help a dealer to establish a reputation as a redwood sales center. Architects, builders and homeowners are ollen sold on redwood in the media, but don't know where to find it.

(l) Advertise-Dealers should tell customers they are the redwood suppliers in the area.

CRA will help. We will provide ad art for newspapers and magazines. We will supply radio scripts for ads. We will supply slides for television advertising. We can offer ideas for promotions like deck contests and clinics. Call or write Chris Grover of our office and we will help you with your advertising campaign.

(2) Sell projects not boards- lumber isn't very glamorous, excePt to those of us in the industry.

Dealers have to sell customers on the idea of a luxurious outdoor living environment, or the exciting transformation that occurs when a home is remodeled with redwood. It is imPortant to sell projects in advertising, promotions and on the sales floorprojects that customers can relate to. CRA literature can help. We print 48