Hardwood Flooring

I ET'S START with a positive statebment. The sales potential that exists for hardwood flooring in the do-it-yourselfer market is huge. Absolutely no question about it.

What can be questioned, however, are some of the basic salesmanship practices that are either overlooked or neglected by the vast majority of lumber yards, building supply houses, and home improvement centers. All of which result in profits lost from sales never realized.

In many cases, potential d-i-yers can justifiably feel like orphans when inquiring about hardwood flooring. They are pointed in the direction ol a display and essentially told, "Help yourself."

Good salesmanship means assisting the potential customer to make up his or her mind about buying the product from your store.

Now. let's take that statement a little farther with reference to selling hardwood flooring. Assuming that your sales person is knowledgeable about the product and has answered any questions correctly, why not have him suggest (to the

by Dave Ferrari President Virginia Hardwood Co.

come back. If not, you haven't lost anything. Your hardwood flooring distributor can also supply you with additional samples if your display supply is not adequate.

customer) taking home a 24-inch square wood pattern from your store display to show to the wife or husband -to see how it blends in with the decor-how beautiful it looks in the actual setting where it would be installed. Believe me. this is a proven technique that works. There is almost nothing that can close a sale faster in hardwood flooring.

And don't worry about losing money if the sample is not returned. Just charge a deposit sufficient to cover the cost of replacement. Nine times out of ten it will

Here's another thought to tie in with the selling approach. Why not line yourself up with a freelance craftsman who is looking for spot labor assignments to install hardwood flooring? Your sales people can thus lead in to the potential flooring buyer by offering to "have an experienced professional come out to the customer's residence at no charge to measure the job and quote a price for the installation labor."

You have now accomplished two things: (1) You have planted the seed in the buyer's mind that not only can he purchase the flooring himself, thus avoiding a theoretical price mark-up from a contractor. but can save himself the time and trouble of doing the task himself by employing a professional installer. (2) Established the odds heavily in your favor that no matter which way the buyer (Please turn to pase 62)

Winter Hardware Seminars Set

Increased sales and effective management skills will be addressed in seminars at The Winter Hardware & Home Center Show and Hardlines Conference to be held February 17-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.

Jud Walford, executive vice president of Builders' Square in San Antonio, will be the keynote speaker at this year's Hardlines Conference, part of the annual show, a western regional marketing event sponsored and conducted by the American Hardware Manufacturers Association.

"Turn Your Store Into a Selling Machine" is the topic of the first seminar in the series, presented by Jack Rice, director of education for the National Retail Hardware Association, and Bob Gast, managing director of the Wisconsin Retail Hardware Association.

Other seminars planned are "The Impact of Computers," addressing the use of in-store computer systems; "D-I-Y Strategies that Work," concerning different types of d-i-y stores and how they fit into their markets; "Variable Pricing for Profit and Image," explaining the importance of customer perception on pricing; and "Positioning Your Store to Serve the D-I-Y customer," offering ideas for retailers to select the best positioning.

HPMA Honors Davidson

Jack Davidson, retired owner of Pacific Wood Products Co. and Davidson Panel Co., Anaheim, Ca., has been named an honorary life member of the Hardwood Plywood Manufacturers Association.

Directors recognized him for over 30 active years in hardwood plywood retailing, wholesaling, importing and prefinishing at the annual fall meeting at the Doubletre€ [nn, Monterey, Ca., Oct.24.

Clifton Jones, president, Bradley Plywood Corp., Savannah, Ga., was elected chairman of the board effective Jan. l. Bradford Mills, director specialty products, Champion International Corp., Stamford, Ct., was elected vice chairman. Clint Ludeman, Davidson PWP, Anaheim, Ca., was among the new directors elected.

Approval was given for separating the veneer & affiliate division into a veneer manufacturers division and a supplier division. Actions by the formaldehyde task force were reviewed by the prefinish division. A slide presentation of statistical information on the consumption of hardwood plywood was made to the cut-to-size division.

Speakers during the meeting included David E. Stahl, president of the National Forest Products Association; Roy Polatchek,Capital Woods International Inc., Fountain Valley, Ca.; Bernard B. Barber, Jr., executive secretary of the Woodwork Institute of California, Fresno, Ca., and Norm Eaton, Steelcase Inc., Carolina Division, Fletcher, N.C.

Gustav Grube, Architectural Plywood Inc., North Hollywood, Ca., and Clark McDonald, HPMA, were among the 12 members and spouses participating in a hardwood plywood veneer mill study tour through Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil after the meeting.

Learn by Doing

On-the-job training results in 7 5s/o retention as compared to l5q0 retention for classroom training.