VAIUABI.E TIPS FOR MODTRN MARKETING Publicity can be a valuable business tool-if used well

Every lumber dealer can readily realize the value of projecting his name repeatedly before the public in the local newspapers.

Breaking into print is not as difficult as it sounds. Editors are hungry for news items which will have reader interest.

If you advertise in a paper, you certainly should inquire about publicity coverage. Best procedure, however, is to beat the editor, reporter or columnist to the draw by making your own news suggestions on which he can follow through.

Most newspapers carry a home improvement or builders page, usually in Saturday editions, and even the weeklies feature such sections around which to build advertisements. The editors prefer copy with a 'olocal angle" , . about people who are known in the community as it makes for intensified news interest,

Get to know your local columnists. They are always hunting for interesting news with a local flavor.

Remember that real news makes the best press release. You must do something in' teresting to make a story that papers will print and people will read and remember.

Here are ten suggestions with which dealers who want to develop a simple, yet efiective publicity campaign can go about ir.

(1) Timely, seasonal hints to honeowners. Remodeling or modernization data on how basement rooms, porch enclosures, etc. can be added to the house at little cost.

Ten ways a dealer or wholesaler can find genuine news within his operation. News items about yourself, business, or employees can result in new sales.. cost: nominal.

(2) You can help feature writers describe something new by advising them of the latest or unusual products which you've taken on like lignum vitae or other tropical woods. Send a description of it to the newspapers along with sketches or photographs.

(3) If you've made an important local sale, one of major value or belonging to a well-known person, write your own release. Give factual information without worrying about style of writing.

(4) So-called "human interest" or feature stories are avidly sought. Has one of your stafi attained his lfth or 25th year at his job? Perhaps he is a refugee and has an interesting tale to relate. One of tho employees may have taken an unusual vaca' tion trip and has a good account to reveal.

(5) Is your establishment going to be remodeled, expanded or moved to a new location? Details on such a step are of community interest.

(6) Are you planning to go on a busi' ness or personal trip, attend a convention? The more distant the markbg the greater the importance of the item.

(7) Items about personnel always rate space, especially if they are well known in the community. Has an employee been pro' moted to an important position? Is a wellknown old-timer planning to retire?

(B) Develop a cultural program. For a period oI one month, paintings by local and statewide artists are exhibited. At the end of the exhibition period, the paintings are sold with a small commiesion accruing to the store for its participation. But the real value is in the newspaper publicity which always mentioned the store.

(9) Civic activity also provides a dealer with another golden opportunity to get public attention. An enterprising dealer, for example, headed a campaign to raiee funds to place the name of the town on the post office building. He also conducted a public contest, awarding prizes, for the best letters on the education of children in religion, which were published in the town weekly.

(f0) In this same category, by ofiering desk spdce to a civic organization or Iocal amateur activity, similar results can be obtained.

Summarizing, reporterc and editors should be made aware that they can count on you and your establishment as a source of news.

Write the editor if you're in a fairly large city, or stop in for a personal call in the smaller towns. You'll find that the welcome latch is always open because he has a job which calls for meeting the public and continually asking, "What's new?"

Plumas National Forest is Nikkel's Prime Timber Source

Towering Ponderosa Pines stand among the dense timber forests surrounding historic Downieville, the 1850's gold mining center deep in the Plumas National Forest. Early gold miners beat their path through this beautiful Feather River Country to turn Downieville into one of the wests' booming mining towns. Today the gold miners are gone, but the Plumas National Forest is well known for its high altitude soft wood species which grow at elevations up to 8,000 feet. The area is the prime timber source for Nikkel Lumber Company.

1'|rr+

R. F. NIKKEL LUMBER CO.

Four-Forty Drake Circle Sacramento, California' 95825 Phone 916-487-8675

fN THE year l869-three months before r the Golden Spike was driven at Promontory Point, Utah, linking the East and West with rails-The Pacific Lumber Co. was incorporated ". to purchase timber land, to erect sawmills to cut and hansport timber and lumber, to saw lumber and sell the same and to do all things that may be necessary to the production and sale of lumber in the state of California or elsewhere." The actual date was February 26, 1869.

The years have been busy since then. The brief outline below, covering B0 of the I00 years, only hints at their activity.

1863-A. W. MacPherson and HenrY Wetherbee. "Mendocino Lumber' men," acquire 6,000 acres of redwood timberland, near present mill site.

1869-February 26: The Pacific Lumber Company of California incorporated, with capital stock of $500,000.

l8?6-Nevada 'oBig Four" (John CIaY Hampton, W. S. Gage, Allen Curtis and John Paxton) controlled com' pany.

1890-Largest producer in redwoods. Put in Allis bandsaw and electric plant.

I89l-Tariff cut in Canadian lumber; collapse of building boom in [,os-An. geles. Cut wages, but no one fired.

I89,L-Complete plant again in operation (57r/2 million bf. in year).

(Coxey's Army marched on Washington, D. C.)

I895-Mill "A" burned to ground in one hour.

I897-Back in operation with 3 band mills, Armstrong Patent Dry Kiln. Capability of 135,000 board feet/day.

A quick look at the long and fabulous history of The Pacific Lumber Co. Its past courage, integrity and progressive thinking reflect well on the entire industry.

American Expo. in Buffalo)

I903-Hammond resigned as direotor' All of The Pacific Lumber Company's holdings, including mill and timber, three railroads, shipping facilities and most of Excelsior Redwood Company, purchased by Santa Fe Land & Development Co.----of which Simon Murphy owned two-thirds interest.

February 4: new company incorporated as ooPacific Lumber CompanY of New Jersey" with 30,000 acres of timber; capital stock of $2% Million. Accent on re-manufacture and marketing.

Homes in Scotia modernized and electric lights providedc'lsfelg Teddy Roosevelt had them in the White House!". New and larger school.

(Wright Brothers First Flight at Kitty Hawk, N. C.)

(Custer's

l882-Began operations in Humboldt County. First.concern to get products to market.

1886-Railroad to Field's Landing, around Scotia Blufis. Mill "4" shrted' (Haymarket Riot in Chicago)

1887-Longest mill on Coast completed in March.

1888-Scotia named. Launching of lumber schooner'oAllen A.tt

I889-First o'Dolbeer Donkey" in woods. First experimental dry kiln 'oto reduce great weight of redwood for shipping."

(Johnstown

Flood)

l898-Reorganization under Captain Nelson. Nevada Group out. Production to 200,000 a day. Largest shingle mill in the world. Increased marine shipping.

(Spanish-American War. U. S. becomes Naval Power)

I90l-Shipments to Japan and Hawaii. A. B. Hammond bought up stock from Nevada Group (thought he had control). A. S. Gage to Arizona, trying to interest Santa Fe in building railroad from San Francisco. Met Simon Jones Murphy-lumberman from Penobscott River in Maine, who had followed lumber and mining interests westward. Gage convinced him to form partnership for acquiring TPLC.

(President McKinley shot at Pan- l90G-Selwyn Eddy, long-time associate oI Simon Murphy, became' President. Sailing schooners sold and steam schooners purchased one day before San Francisco Earthquake (April I8). Some damage at Scotia. S.F. offices destroyed, yards saved. Helped redwood lumber sales. (S.F. Fire Chief Shaughnessy said, '0. . . if exterior finish of these buildings had not been of redwood lumber, I am satisfied that the area of the burned district would have been greatly extended." )

1908-Mill 'oA" producing at highest level. 'oB" Mill planned. Blinn Robinson Co. of Wilmington, Calif. purchased for re-manufacture and shipping.

I9l0-Company saloon closed and First National Bank of Scotia took over (Continued, on Page 47)