"MyHomeSaysA LotAbout Meo . . And CedarPrd SidingJ'

Sam Greco, Home Owner, Rancho Murieta, California

When I built my custom home, I wanted the best. I looked for quality in the products I bought. And I didn't want imitations or lookalikes.

When it came time to specify a siding material, it was a natural choice...CedarPro Incense Cedar. CedarPro has the look I want. Clean, sharp. It says "custom home".

I plan on being here a long time. I'm confident my CedarPro Siding will be too. It's the look that lasts.

Corporate Office, PO. Box 7349

Stockton, California \SZOT 209/957-6360

WALLY LYNCH

Paid Associates PO. Box 741623 Dallas, Tx.75243 l|lle-cof-foE-ME is a four syllable. 9nine letter word spelled D-l-C-H-OT-O-M-Y meaning division into two parts. Like there are two sides to every argument; there is no back without a front.

The word also has a paradoxical meaning: the glass is half full and half empty or partly cloudy or partly sunny.

Our industry is full of costly dichotomies that are easily corrected. Here are a few of the more ironic and amusing.

If 5000 people attend and visit the 400 booths per trade show, the question "What's new?" is asked 2,000,000 times during each event. If there are 100 shows each year, the query will be made 200,000,000 times. If each question and the answer covers five minutes, one billion minutes will be expended annually.

This is 16.666.666 man hours, but because at least two people are involved' it doubles to 33.333,332, each Year.

At $5 per hour, our industry sPends $166,666,600 a year talking about what's new. The dichotomy here is not the cost of the conversations, but the inquiry. What's new is a craP-shoot at best. What's old is what's sold! Our business is selling and planning to sell, not buying. Its priorities are: plan to sell, sell and buy a few more!

If there were an OlYmPic event in harping on advertising and pricing, almost any retail entrepreneur in our industry could coach the team and sweep the medals. Such talent is generated because no one can figure out how the other guy sells it for less. Along with ttris frustration, no one can afford the kind of advertising needed to compete. No alternatives short of four color multiple page tabloids are acceptable. The dichotomy of this is that virtually every retailer in the country outside of this industry uses some sort of telemarketing to generate business, goodwill and service. Through reputable telemarketers such services cost from 150 to 200 per call. Basically 1000 customers can be contacted each month for $150 to $200.

In terms of reaching a targeted audience this media has no peer. For every 100 calls placed 500/o cannot be completed because people have moved or are not at home. Of the other 50%, half will listen to the total message. The other half will listen to all or part of the message. This is a 37% share ofthe audience contacted, equal to or greater than this country's most tuned in radio station. These figures hold for telemarketing whether the message is live or recorded.

Most dealers regard this media as no good because when they get such calls they hang up. They believe such calls offend customers. There's a multi billion dollar industry in this country generating an offense for little guys who don't know it doesn't work to big guys who would hate to be without it.

"We service the customer better" has long been the cry of the independent in the face of encroaching "no service" chains. A few chains have changed ownership in recent years, but there have been literally hundreds of shutdowns and bankruptcies amongst the "out servicing" independents.

Let's examine a few dichotomies in

April 1988

lhrs scenario. I1'riiu'rc .L contructor oricntcci lLlmber cleltlcr. 1or-rr onlr custontcr gocs io *ork at 1u.nr. ['hc rintc vour llrst truck lcur cs elich ntoining. plLrs lbout .1.5 nrinLltcs. is the nteusure o1'hou wcll 1or-r irrc scr\ rcrng tne cLlstonler.

If roLr'rc ii\critse. your lirst trLlck is nrirking its llfst tlcliverv about 9 u.nt. \lt11q ;q 61 j.at

I r cn rrorsc \oll ntiss a duill opportLllrt\ l)cr truck t() intltress 1or.rr onll cLlstonrcr\ thilt )'oLl trrc rcallr. interested in thcnr. Il vou strrrt ut (r li.nt.. \ou can. tlttt irtp' tlrrr ligltt :.ri inr lirl... uic \ our lrucks with lr scconrl sct o1' tlril crs f or rulntost a scconil shili.

Il'lou trrc u luntber rurrl or hltrclwarc storc goltc honrc cantcf lrsk r 0ur $ if c tO ririt tlte \l()lL .iltri it. r,'.t r,"'s11. j11 1r.11-ticulur. .\sk hcr ont' r]tlc ti()n. "\\ or-rlcl 1ou hostcss li cirrtncr in this cnr. ironmcnt l '

\\'h1 spcntl rcir crlising tlollrrrs inviting custorlcrs into e tlirtr or t:nkcntpt busincss l \unrcrous \tLt(iics havc sho* n -i o1' the pcoplc go into it rctitil storc to use the rc\t f()ont.

( hrins cost ntof c lo oi)e ri:ltc. but thcl' hlir c l'e* er clichotonries.

E.J. JOHNSON executive ( \ vice president

T UE ALBSA convenlion is getting

I closer and what a great time everyone will havel As reported ealier, the eolf committee has scheduled an unbe- lievable shot gun tournament for Friday the (May) thirteenth. Participants will get a shot at a new $ I 5,000 Chevroletall that is required is a hole in one over 1 86 yards! Logo shirts and shoe bags and prizes will be waiting for those who sign up.

Several interesting topics will be on

The Merchant Magazlne

the business schedule including a presentation by one of the newest and pro' minent players from Phoenix Football Cardinals. Mayor Terry Goddard of Phoenix has been invited to be this year's Keynote Luncheon speaker on metropolitan growth.

The ALBSA has now instituted a new member service which is designed to assist both member companies and the association's future. We are now prepared to perform title and legal verifications and the filing of 20 day preliminary lien notices. The initial effort is for Maricopa County, but statewide services are being planned. This is a valuable function for those in need and we look forward to its success.

A word herein must also be said about the prevailing market conditions here in Arizona. No doubt that times have indeed been better, but in a realistic sense, growth as has been experienced for the past 28 years cannot continue without periods of down cycles. The future of Arizona is bright as employment and population factors increase. Building will continue and there are indications that the present cycle is turning around. As times change, businesses must change to meet the challenges of the future and the state's lumber industry is an integral part of that changing process. Arizona's lumber interests are filled with good people and good companies - they will be here to serve generations of present and newer Arizonans.

LMA NEwS

(Continued from page 26) o Published newsletters, bulletins and other communications useful in your business. o Administered health and dental and workers compensation programs for member companies. including distributing $38,307 in bonus dividend to 80 members in addition to their normal dividend - including $8,534 to members that would have otherwise received no dividend because of high losses. o Saved member companies significant amounts on business forms. Four companies alone saved over $12,000 ordering through LMA. o And many more services.

Sound like an advertisement? We prefer to call it a testimonial to the commitment the professional has to his business and his industry, because an association is made up of its members, not its employees.

New Windsor Mill Plant Fire

Fire has devastated Windsor Mill's newly purchased remanufacturing plant in Willits, Ca., causing in excess of $2 million damage.

The cause of the Feb. 28 blaze is under investigation. It burned 50,000 sq. ft. of the building and 2 million board feet of redwood and Douglas fir.

All machinery was also lost. "What wasn't destroyed bY fire or heat, water from the sprinklers took care of," said Ray Flynn, president of the Windsor, Ca., based firm.

The plant will be closed until remodeling is finished, expected between mid-May and June. "We are taking this opportunity to completely renovate the plant and bring in the latest equipment," Flynn said.

Windsor Mill had bought the facility only several months before from Harwood Products.

Joint lndustry Meetings

Three wood preserving industrY organizations have agreed to hold concurrent annual meetings this year revolving around a core program.

The Society of American Wood

Preservers and the American Wood Preservers Institute will conduct concurrent and joint sessions Nov. l-2 in Orlando, Fl., with the American Wood Preservers Bureau meeting in the same location Oct. 31.

LMA Dealers to Meet

The Interdependence of IndePendents is the theme of the 49th annual Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California convention, May l4-17, at John Ascuaga's Nugget, Sparks, Nv.

Guest speakers, seminars, Product display show, election of oflicers, board of directors and general membership meetings, annual award presentations, dinners, and a golf tournament.

Dick Campbell, Hoo-Hoo International's president, will speak at and judge the Quick Pitch Program.

Other guests will include Earl Carpenter, National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association president; WaYne Quasha, North American Wholesale Lumber Association, and rePresentatives from Handy Store Fixtures, discussing innovative display techniques.

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The Merchant Magazlne

Westem Tumings & Stair Sold

Western Turnings & Stair Co., Denver. Co., has been purchased bY Visador International, Jasper, Tx., a subsidiary of Visador Co.

The plants in Denver and Tacoma. Wa., and a distribution warehouse in Los Angeles, Ca., will continue to operate under the Western Turnings & Stair Co. name.

Former owners Ronald W. Pott and William G. Grimm have joined the Visador International board of directors and will serve as consultants. No other personnel change except their replacement on a daily, active basis is anticipated at this time.

Western Turnings & Stair Co. manufactures softwood and hardwood stair parts, "Marbleine" structural columns, "Expandoor" folding doors, "Wonderail" wood stair systems, and other related products'

Pott and Giimm's other business, R-W Specialties, Denver, was not included in the sale.

Visador Co. operates three divisions producing doors, stairs, and accessories in Jasper, Marion, Va., and Washington Court House, Oh.

Electronic Marketing & Treated Wood

Electronic marketing is generating a strong viewer response for many companies including Osmoie Wood Preserving, Inc. As a service oriented company, it emphasizes providing customers with state-of-the-art electronic marketing capabilities.

These include national television exposure and a toll-free hot line. Over 26,000 potential buyers of treated wood products called in for free plans in 1987 to their number. Callers were referred to a local dealer, resulting in increased in-store traffic and retail sales.

_ In order to generate a strong viewer response, Osmose utilizes a television show appealing to the home gardener, one of their target markets. They purchase complete show segments on The Weekend Gardener television show in order to educate and inform viewers about using treated wood products in the home garden.

Story at a Glance

Television shows, project video cassette tapes, toll-free telephone numbers and tv talk shows are all being utilized to teach both trade and consumer.

This show, aired on TNN every Saturday, is seen by over 65 million viewers. At the end of each show, free project plans and the Osmose toll-free number are shown on the screen. Viewer response has been immediate and substantial. For example, after a recent demonstration on building a cold frame, over 2000 calls came in to the Osmose operators.

A slightly different television approach involves Bill Yanson who is promoted as "The Osmose Handyman." A mobile spokesman for the company, he travels around the country appearing on noontime talk shows. Dealers are informed in advance of his appearances in their areas and often schedule sales dates or store openings to coincide with his air dates.

The company also has sold hundreds of project videos to potential customers over the last three years.

ll|0 ilil0 ca||$ util]| ll|0 il0 Pnoflffi!

Famowood

is the PR0FESSI(It{A['S Att pURP(ISE ptASTtC

Boat builders, furniture makers, cabinet makers, etc. have found it the one sure answer to correcting wood.defdcts, filling wooo cracks, gouges, covering countersunk nails and scrilws. -

Can be used under Fiber Glass! ,kge iliJlil,,ilf,Piiii-*sticks rike srue; dries and will not gum up sander. Waterproo weatherproof when properly applied. |;i";illfe:.

Reaoy ro use ngnt our or tne can, Famowood!

16 matching ryoort cotors

BEVERLY MAI{UFACTURII{G C(lMPAI{Y

9118 S. Main Street .Los Angetes, Calif. 90003, p.0. Box 73233 Manul.cturCrs ot Femowood. Famogta!., F.mosolv€nt Oistribulor and Do.l.. Inquirils Invitld