Magic words that sell t engineered wood products

E DUCATION. education, edu-

E cationthree key words that sell engineered wood products in a home center or lumberyard. Education for the seller and buyer.

A retailer has to be on top of the basic features and benefits of engineered components available in his market to guide builder customers in picking the best product for the enduse application. "For example, a glulam header is often the best choice for garage doors and other long span header applications," explains Karen Mahoney at Weyerhaeuser, "while another product may be more efficient in a different application."

To sell a builder, a retailer must understand both the product cost and the in-place cost relationship between different engineered products and keep his company up to date with new product developments and general changes in product cost relationships. Sales people must be schooled in the different wood products being used in the area and able to teach the builders the advantages of each. Many sales managers like to set goals and incentives for their people to keep engineered products at the top of their lists since the margins can be attractive,

Engineered wood products are new to many builders and a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality may prevail in many instances. Retailers who work closely with their distributors and manufacturers to understand the benefits and applications of glulam beams and other engineered products will be able to sell reluctant builders on the advantages.

"On site seminars can bring retaiters up to speed on how to effectively handle, promote and sell glulam beams and headers," says Keith Wright at Bohemia. He recommends using the videos and literature produced by the American Institute of Timber Construction as well as most of the engineered wood manufacturers as a source of education. These are also good for customer enlightenment.

Providing a sample beam to give builders an opportunity to view the configuration up close is a technique Georgia-Pacific suggests. Any posters and point of sales displays that familiarize the builder with engineered products are also helpful.

Showing a builder how he can save money and time is important. Mahoney recommends working directly with builders to consider product cost, fabrication costs and installation costs of different framing systems in order to help them accurately compare products. Going over plans and using conversion charts help demonstrate the cost effectiveness of glulams and other engineered products.

"Depend on your supplier" is advice offered by everyone in the engi- neered wood products industry. Distributors should supply more than product. Technical assistance, both before the sale and on the job site, should be expected and used, they say.

Retailers should look to distributors for services such as custom cutting to lengths specified by the builder or remodeler, shop drawings, cut lists and installation instructions, Georgia-Pacific suggests.

Technical assistance varying from help with complex engineering or code questions to training seminars should be sought. Professional literature provided by a manufacturer can help both salesmen and customers. Easy to understand span and load tables for builders and more complex design manuals for architect and designer customers help to sell the product.

"Our stocking distributors have been trained by competent sales personnel to provide service to retailers and their customers," Kerlin Drake at Anthony Forest Products emphasizes. "We perform sales and educational seminars for our distributors and for their retail customers to explain the advantages of engineered timber."

Emphasizing the advantages of engineered products is a must, he adds. Faster framing, improved reliability, dimensional stability, ease of use for faster installation and availability in precision trimmed lengths with no waste are advantages he urges dealers to point out.

Stressing the environmental compatibility of engineered products is a point Tom Mock at Louisiana-Pacific emphasizes. "Engineered I-beams are the right products at the right time," he explains, since they make use ofsecond and third growth trees, yet are a superior product, outperforming solid sawn lumber.

Lumber yards that stock and sell engineered products such as l-beams

Story at a Glance

Keys to sucoess: educate statf .educate customers. relyon distributors for training, technical backup, literature, advertising, promotions. use creativity to make engineered wood products a good investment.

and glulam beams can provide their builder customers with a high quality, cost effective alternative to dimensional lumber, according to Tom Devlin, Trus Joist Corp. He feels this can lead to repeat business and greater profits for a dealer who satisfies a builder's need for quality alternatives to dimensional lumber.

Retailers are advised to use marketing and promotional support provided by manufacturers and suppliers as well as their technical help and services. Support ranging from heads produced by advertising to help with open houses for builders can bolster the retailer on the local level.

Mahoney sums up the recommended retailer approach to selling engineered products by saying, "The addition ofany new products to a retailer's inventory can be a risky investment. However, a little bit of creativity used in the marketing and promotion of engineered wood products can go a long way to insure both the success ofyour business and that of your customer."