Massive promotion campaign for home improvement

With a month still to go, dealers can still tie-in profitably with the May is National Home Improvement Month program that is bigger this year than in any year in the past.

The 1969 Home Imprnvement time program promises even better results for par' ticipants than past years' promotions, pre' dicts National Lumber & Building Mate' rials Dealers Assn. and the three other associations sponsoring it: National Home Improvement Council, National Association of Home Builders and National Remodelers Association.

Wide national editorial coverage and advertising to back up these associations' efiorts are planned by 'oeveryone with an interest in the home improvement market place." Although keyed primarily to the prime selling season, the program has been geared also for year 'round sales activity for dealers. They are encouraged with new provisions in the 1968 Housing Act that make Title I loans insured by FHA more desirable for lenders. In addition, there is a growing tendency for home owners to stay in their own homes and improve them rather than assume new mortgages on a home requiring higher interest payments.

Available to dealers are several proven promotion packages. The Cuideline to Profit Boolc, is a ,18 p., slick paper, objective promotional piece prepared by 30 difierent associations and manufacturers. Included in the 48 p. is a sample of a 24 p.

self mailer, ready for imprinting with the dealer's name. that can be ordered in lots of 1,000 costing $12.00 {or the first 1,000 with additional thousands at $6.00/M. With no imprint they sell for 6Vzf each in lots of 1,000 to 3,000 or 5l for 7,00010,000. For minimum orders of 5,000 the dealer may also personalize the entire back

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Dealers can profit all year by tieing in with the all-time largest, indepth, industry wide, home improvement month promotion.

page with advertising copy about his busi' ness; price for this is $75 which can be shared with a non-competitor firm. These mailers may be ordered from Home Im' provement Time, P.O. Box 102, Carnegie, Pa. 15106.

The mailer also contains a coupon mak' ing available booklets that present ideas on home irirprovement. This coupon is sent to the Home Improvement Time Headquarters, which forwards the material to the home owner and informs the dealer of the inquiry. Dealers are advised by members of the Steering Committee of the Industry Home Improvement Time Program to plan progressive mailings in their areas, followedup by personal contacts to receive maximum benefit from the mailings.

The other 24 pages of the Guide Book contain detailed advertising and promotion planning suggestions, such as a Sales Calendar for April (building up to May, Na' tional Home Improvement Month), a list of trade and consumer publications assisting in program promotion, sales stimulators that can be purchased by dealers, and other helpful aids.

An expanded promotion kit has been prepared in conjunction with the promo' tion which is also objective in its content. However, the dealer can easily place his advertising emphasis on a specific product if he chooses. The kit is composed of a variety of promotional materials that are separated in specific categories: community programs, newspaper advertising, radio and television publicity, display material, management aids and remodeling products. The promotion kita self-contained desk top file with all the above materials and many moreis available to building material dealers for $5.50 each postpaid, same address as above. More tlan 30 lead' ing manufacturers and associations have packed this kit with the best aids to help all participants promote May-National Home Improvement Month. It has been desigaed to help establish the dealer's business as the community's remodeling headquarters.