Deck clinics: the perfect sales opportunity

EARLY three-fourths of all decks are built by the do-it-yourselfer, your customer. He often doesn't know where to begin, but a deck clinic offers an opportunity to gather needed information.

related products and generating customer loyalty.

"Putting on a successful deck clinic is not as difficult as you may think," explains Pat Simpson, host of the nationally syndicated "Backyard Amer- detailed preparation, Simpson adds. Clinics usually last from 45 minutes to an hour, but preparation begins days or even weeks in advance.

The first step is selecting an appropriate location. "At first glance, there may not seem to be a lot of good places for a clinic in your store," Simpson advises. "Consider the break room, the receiving room, the warehouse or an area in the back of the store. It's important that you have a spot with plenty of room. Plan for more people than you think you'll actually get."

The clinic area should be neat, clean, safe and free from distractions. Telephones, intercoms, passing forklifu and even routine foot traffic can cause disruptions. Do the best you can to ensure that the area is relatively quiet. You may need to add heaters, fans or lighting to make the area more comfortable, according to Simpson.

He recommends staging a deck clinic on Saturday around 10 a.m. "Be sure to check your local community calendar to see if there are conflicts," he cautions. "If there is a big event scheduled, you will want to change your date. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings starting at approximately 6: 30 ot7 are good alternatives."

Advertising the deck clinic in both the store and local media is essential to ensure good attendance. Begin about three weeks before the date. The local radio station is another way to spark interest. Stress date, time and location in all advertising.

"A series ofdeckclinics I conducted at Big Tin Barn stores in the Houston, Tx., area drew thousands of potential customers because of an aggressive promotional campaign. They used direct mail and radio advertising with tremendous results," Simpson said.

Clinics are a valuable opportunity ica"televisionshow."Oneofyoursales to instill in your customers the confi- people can easily leam to give the predence to build a deck while increasing sentation." your sales ofpressure treated wood and The success ofthe clinic depends on

In setting up for the clinic, plan seating for up to 50 people with additional seating available. Seating can be folding chairs or something as simple as 5 gallon buckets of drywall compound with 2'xL2' boards laid on top. Use duct tape to cover the joints, Simpson advises.

At least one tv screen for viewing the video is needed with two or more if the crowd is large. Locate the tv screen approximately five feet above the floor. Make sure the vcr and tv are in good working order before the clinic, Simpson stresses.

Set up a display of related products such as water repellents and stains, tools, hardware, adhesives and saw blades and refer to them during the presentation. Samples of a treated 2x6 with a warranty tag attached, treated lattice and specialty products such as spindles, rails and pre-cutstep stringers also should be on view.

Hand-out materials include instructional booklets on decks, other outdoor projects, related products and Consumer Information Sheets. "Instead of having hand-outs lying around, I recommend using them to greet your customers," Simpson points out. "Put them inside a give-away nail apron or in a paper folder to give to customers as you welcome them to the clinic."

Story at a Glance

Step by step directions for stagingadeckclinic ways to sell up... how to close a sale and keep customers coming back for more.

maintain contact with the customer. Door prizes and refreshments encourage attendance.

The actual clinic presentation includes four major elements: the greeting and introduction, the project presentation, the wrap-up and selling. Simpson recommends that the clinic presenter greet customers arriving for the clinic and inquire about their project ideas and needs in orderto address their specific concerns.

Much of the information is conveyed through the videotape which covers the made during the presentation and answers final questions. After the door prizes are awarded, those attending should be invited to discuss their projects with a salesman one on one.

"After you have presented the information the customers need to build a deck, you have a unique selling opportunity," Simpson said. "Your customers may not have realized prior to the clinic how many options are available for building a deck and now is the time to encourage add-on sales and exhibit vour commitment to customer service. "

A table with extra brochures, blank paper and pencils should be set up near the entrance to the clinic area. Have name tags so that the presenter and the staff can greet the customer by name.

Posters and banners can decorate the area as well as identify the location for those planning to attend. They also can attract attendees from other customers. Armounce the starting time on the store sound system. Arrange to have qualified people on hand to do deck estimates and take-offs. Extra lumber correct construction procedures for building a deck. The presenter must preview it to be able to answer any questions which come after the showing. Pressure treated wood types and grades should be reviewed with emphasis on the warranty and safety. Fasteners, pressure treated deck accessories and stains and sealers also should be covered. General questions should be answered with specific problems referred to the presenter or sales staff after the presentation.

The wrap-up summarizes key points

"By making a few suggestions, you'll encourage them to consider all their project needs, and ultimately increase the total sale," he continued. "Upselling is anotheropportunity to increase sales. This means you suggest products that may better suit the customer's needs even though the price is higher. Make them aware of options that are a better value in the long run."

"Be sure your customers know where to find featured products in the store and have plenty of sales help," is his final advice.