Dealer Adapts t'School Customers " To try and Make it more

OR THE first time in its history, Pearson Lumber Co.. a crackeriack of a retail lumber and building material yard in Pleasant Hill, Calif., held its famous "Do It Yourself School" in condensed version.

The one day school was an overwhelming success, tho, with approximately 1,000 people attending.

To give you some idea of the number of people that it attracted, owner John Pearson said they gave away 600 hot dogs, 600 botdes of coke and orange drink, 32 large bags of pre-popped pop corn, 500 bags of peanuts, and 200 pounds of ice for snocones. All of this food was given away lree to those attending the one day school.

For the past eight years, Pearson Lumber has been putting on "Do It Yourself Schools," two each year, with each semester lasting for ten Saturdays in a row. The school usually starts on a Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. and lasts until 3:30 p.m. Attendance at the schools is usually from 50 to 150 men and women. At the end of each semester an engraved diploma is given each graduate who has attended three or more classes.

Tough Subjects Taught

A list of the subiect taught during a semester include such non-cinch courses as concrete, exposed aggregate, fencing, re' taining walls, drainage, sheetrock, wall paneling, roofing, vinyl asbestos tile, electrical, plumbing and insulation. Classes are given by either John Pearson, manager Bob Gerhart, salesman of suppliers, cus' tomer general contractors, fencing contractors. or cement contractors.

In as mueh as Pearson Lumber had just completed a new store addition, owner Pearson decided to have a one day promo' tion to introduce the public to his "hard to find" and "ofi the beaten track location". The one day promotion was adver-

Sfory q] q Glonce

An old-pro dealer strives to improve already successf ul d-i-Y school...like all really smart men, he seeks other's advice what would yours be?

tised with 50.000 direct mail brochures to his market area, stuffers in his statements for three successive months, and a news' paper ad in local papers.

THE SCHOOT'S COST

The cost of the 'oone day school" came to about $I50 for soda pop, hot dogs, PoP corn and peanuts, and about $200 for newspaper advertising. The cost of the 50,000 direct mail pieces came to about $3,000, but this would have been put out twice a year whether the one day school was held or not, ./

On the Saturday of the "one day school," classes started at 9:00 am. and continued every half hour until the 4:30 pm. closing time. Each supplier or ooteacher" brought samples of his product, brochures, as well as some "give-away" key chainso pens, pencils, yard sticks, paint stirrer, etc' to gve to the students.

In one booth, the local bank manager ofiered remodeling loans to the students and actually had a fist-full of applications for loans. He also gave away cufi-links, Wells Fargo badges, and miniature stage coaches.

CREAIING THE AIMOSPHENE

To create a carnival atmosphere for the day, in addition to the hot dogs, soda pop, pop corn, and snow-cones, Pearson also had several booths to interest and amuse the children; a nail pounding booth, a throw dart and bust a balloon, and a ring-toss game for small prizes. These carnival type attractions interested the children and kept them amused while the adults were "going to school". All the carnival type booths were free and prizes were free also. The Glidden Paint people had a 'oTreasure Chest" that could be opened with a lucky key to receive a prize.

In analyzing the "one day school," Pearson feels that there was actually too much going on and too much to see for a person to comprehend all the subjects that were presented. He does not {eel that the 'oone day school" is the answer, but still would like to get the school over in less than the l0 week duration. Maybe the answer, he wonders, might be a ootwo weekend schoolr" so that the subjects might be taught and given a little more time and still not demand the student come back for ten weeks in a row.

Owner Pearson would be more than hap' py to discuss the operation with any lum' ber yard owner or manager, t'just so they are not a direct competitor," says John.