EDITORIAL

Grandma doesn't allow that here

The current federal sex discrimination lawsuit against Home Depot is another warning light for those who still don't take seriously new genderbased regulations. The women plaintiffs contend Depot had separate pay and promotion guidelines for male and female employees.

The suit opens the wider question of our industry's attitude toward women employees, not only in pay and promotion, but in workplace attitudes and aftnosphere.

For years ours was virnrally a men-only business, reflecting its hairy chested origins in logging and the rough and tumble of early lumber yards. The few female staffers were generally expected to tolerate or ignore crudities.

Those who think that raunchy still goes had best listen up. Changing anitudes and tough new laws have forcefully consigned the behavior of an unenlightened past to where it belongs: in the past.

Conforming to these new laws isn't rocket science. As for pay and promotion guidelines, see the Golden Rule. As for behavior and language, if you wouldn't want it said in front of your grand- mother, don't say it. If you wouldn't want it done to your mother, wife or sister, don't do it.

It's a sad commentary on contemporary life that behavior has declined to the level where we have to have federal and state laws to dictate what common sense should tell us. The miror of our society held up to us by the media reflects a world of casual crassness, gratuitous vulgarity, and a coarseness of behavior that is appalling. The fact that millions of people think these ways of acting are normal, even desirable, is nothing short of astonishing.

What we've said here has applied to male/ female discrimination. But as the steamy new movie Disclosure demonstrates, female/male discrimination is just as bad. That it occurs less frequently doesn't excuse it.

Good manners and considerate behavior are based on common sense and decency. Use them at work and you'll avoid problems and have a happier, more productive life. Just like your mother told you.

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Sharply targeted efforts can make a real difference in your redwood revenues and how customers perceive you and your store. Budgets and regional differences will dictate which of the following California Redwood Association ideas will be most effective in helping your company:

Marketinq to Consumers anil D-l-Yers

Be Basic. Traditional methodsdirect mail and newspaper, radio and TV advertising - have become traditional because they work. Be sure to emphasize the things that make you different from your competitors.

Manufacturers and trade associations can help assemble effective sales materials.

Be Eye-Catching. Displays make your store colorful and interesting. Many manufacturers and associations produce attention-getting point-ofpurchase displays such as signs, banners and posters.

Be Family-Friendly. Turn shop ping in your store into a fun family outing. People enjoy demonstrations of products, tools and cooking appliances. Cater to children by offering free candy, balloons and toy or tool give-aways.

Be Informed. Redwood is a specialty wood, and the better your salespeople understand it, the more profits you'll see. California Redwood Association offen many materials to educate your staff. Videos cover the basics. Literatrne zeroes in on specific topics such as grades, finishes, siding and decking. For those who want to know redwood inside and out,

Story at a Glance

Score big redwood sales by keeping your promotions in focus ... tips to increase sales to congumeng and Professionals.

there's an eight-lesson correspondence course.

Be Creative. Set aside a deck design and specification area. Computer deck design programs are becoming increasingly popular. CRA's Redwood Design-A-Deck Plans Kit with its modular deck sections provide a simpler planning tool. Do-it-yourselfers can take the kit home to refine their deck designs.

Be Picturesque. Many merchants sell how-to and product videos, but others try to encourage big deck project sales by loaning the videos to customers. You can even create a center where customers can watch how-to and product videos in the store.

Be Demonstrative. Build a demonstration deck. Create excitement with a display that combines redwood decks, fences, shade shelters, benches and planters. Include plenty of how-to and promotional literature. A competition between store branches for the best display is a great way to build employee enthusiasm.

Or host a deck clinic. Choose a Saturday and make it an event with special guests, refreshments, special product sales and give-aways, and a deck-building demonstration. Often local builders will agree to put on a demonstration. The appearance spotlights them as experts, and they're sure to get some job leads as a result.

Be Competitive. Hold a local deck contest. Contests really work. People start projects they have been putting off in order to enter. Your contest prizes could be cash, travel and/or store merchandise. Advertise and place stories in the local press. CRA offers guidelines for a successful contest.

The association also co-sponsors a national wood deck design contest with Home Mechanix. Your customers can win cash by entering in either the D-I-Y or Building/Design Professional category. Get free CRA entry blanks and banners from your redwood supplier.

Be Showy. To bring in new customers, set up a booth at a local home show or fair. Include colorful photo blow-ups, videos, a demonstration deck and give-aways of literature and small tools. Have store experts on hand to answer how-to and product questions.