Redwood news break: more details below

/l PICTURE is worth athousand Iwords, according to an old saying, and redwood dealers across the country are finding this true when they use audio visual materials to boost redwood sales.

For as little as $30 they can show customers why redwood is a beautiful and practical choice for projects inside and out of the house as well as convince them that they really can do it themselves. Along with this they have a point-ofpurchase display that answers customer's questions and sells redwood when the sales staff is not available. Staff members also can be taught the virtues of redwood and how to sell it effectively using films.

Two LaBelle audio visual shows produced by the California Redwood Association meet these needs and more, according to Chris Grover, a staff member at the San Francisco, Ca., office.

A brand new film entitled Choose & Use Redwood Like A Prol gives consumers and sales staff information about the grades of redwood while illustrating and describing its many uses. A clear distinction is made between architectural grades used for paneling and siding, and garden grades used for decks, fences and yard structures. Running slightly over five minutes, this show encourages viewers to do it themselves.

An earlier frlm, Redwood Decks

To Build & Enjoy has been used for more than a year by over a hundred redwood merchants. This six-minute presentation ties in with the Redwood Design-A-Deck Plans Kit and an assortment of other outdoor ideas and how-to-do-it literature. Equally effective for both personnel training and consumer information, the show sells more than just lumber-it sells the dream of outdoor living and the amenities that go with it.

The uses for these a/v shows are as varied as the needs of individual lumber merchants and their sales philosophies. Here are some ex-

Story at a Glance

Audio visual materials boost redwood sales . $30 invest. ment brings good return sales staff, customers both learn from films.

amples of how they are selling redwood.

In Louisiana, the J.E.B. Ransome Lumber Co., wholesalers, has purchased several LaBelle film cassettes on redwood deck construction. They loan these out or give them away to their more promotion-minded redwood customers. One was given to the Poole Lumber Co., a retailer in the New Orleans area. Wallace Poole, the owner, explained they have just purchased one of the newer LaBelle projectors that turns on automatically when a customer walks up to it. Poole commented on redwood's increasing popularity in his region, and in regard to the film, he said: "It's a very professional looking show that sells people on redwood. In that respect it's just like the literature produced by the Redwood Association."

Early last Spring, Everitt Home Center in Fort Collins, Co., held an ambitious deck promotion over two consecutive weekends. Craig Dandy, store manager, said the promotion attracted many interested d-i-yers and the show on decks was running almost continuously, giving prospective builders the details they needed.

A retailer in Fresno, Ca., Long's

(Please turn to page 62)

Advantageous, af f ordable redwood

ITH the current marketing situation, a will find it advantageous to emphasize jointed redwood products which have special tages for building and remodeling. dealer fingeradvan-

Finger-jointed, as a reminder, mpans short pieces of redwood, with knots and defects trimmed out, are machined at the ends and glued into long lengths. An example is Palco-Loc redwood.

Sforyat a Glance

Finger-jointed redwood . . short pieces glued electroni. cally. superlorqualities. affordable . . . super for re' modeling.

Of clear all heart vertical grain redwood, this product is end glued electronically using an exterior waterproof adhesive. The joints are tight and solid. According to builders, the lumber is straight and easy to work witli on the job. Another plus is its affordability. Finger-jointed redwood, with knots and defects trimmed out, are' solid redwood in the same grade, usually reducing costs by 35-4090.

The restoration and remodeling of old houses in urban areas provide an excellent market for finger-jointed wood. In San Francisco, Ca., for example, because the Victorians were originally sided and trimmed in clear all heart redwood and then painted, restoration jobs require the same wood.

Beronio Lumber Co. in that city has been able to supply contractors with clear all heart finger-jointed redwood at substantial savings. A big seller has been the lxl0 cove shiplap pattern manufactured by The Pacific Lumber Co. in Scotia, Ca. A traditional pattern used on many of the houses in the Bay area, it usually required milling, but now can be ordered in specific lengths.

(Please turn to page 55)