ApplledDeclronomlcs.

The Deckspert theory of Applied Deckonomics is simple. Develop a product so good that everybody winsyou and your customers.

And that's MellcoSealrM, the ultimate in long lasting, good looking lrealed Southern Yellow Pine. We have the technology and process control to consistently infuse Mellco lumber with Weather Stabilizers.

MellcoSeal provides the most complete protection possible from damage due to exposure to the elements. The lumber you sell will look better longer. This means happier customers and fewer complaints. MellcoSeal costs the same as the first year's application of a topical water repellenl, so it makes more sense for your customers over the long run.

Weather Stabilized lumber also means higher margins for you. Recent independent research showed over 50 % of consumers surveyed were willing to pay more than twice the additional cost of the new product. And that's not all. With the Decksperts'sales training, DIY and Contractor seminars and comprehensive merchandising program to help spread the word about MellcoSeal, increasing your profits is easier than ever.

Izt MellcoSeal and the Decksperts give you a new appreciation for deckonomics.

IIORE than a quarter of allhomes lUl in the U.S. have decks. More than 1.5 million decks are built each year. Between l2 and l5 million new decks will be built in the next l0 years. Wood decks are the No. I doit-yourself project.

Despite these encouraging figures a retailer might well wonder just how long the deck boom will continue. According to industry analysts, there is no end in sight. However, it makes good sense for a dealer to be prepared for any eventuality.

Story at a Glance

Ways to use niche marketing to reach professional deck builders . finding customers what they expect from a dealer.

Many dealers concentrate on selling pressure treated, redwood and cedar materials to the d-i-y deck market, courting business with model decks, clinics, complimentary plans and even computer generated custom designs for special needs and sites. Nevertheless, this is only a portion of the available deck materials market.

Contractors, remodelers, builders and deck specialists offer a rewarding sales potential. A dealer looking to expand his deck sales should seriously consider this niche market.

A niche market is defined by Bruce Merrifield as a target market which has needs different from the broader market. A firm using a focused, specialized strategy can achieve a low cost and/or unique capability for serving this market which he describes as smaller in size than the general market, but not necessarily with a size constraint or a geographical limit.

Effective niche marketers think.