Siding and roofi ng looking up for dealers

If,/lTH such a hefty percenta-ee of Y Y roofing and siding sold directly from manufacturer to installer, many dealers feel locked out of these profitable product categories.

Yet new materials, sales aids and strategies are helping dealers to get a cut in the action.

CertainTeed sells siding and roofing through a variety of channels, depending on the product. "Traditionally, most vinyl siding has gone through one-step distribution," explains Walt Hoyt, director of marketing for CertainTeed's siding group. "The bulk of fiber cement siding, however, more of it is through twostep, because it is so heavily into new construction."

Since vinyl siding is a relatively light material, building products dealers are better equipped to handle and deliver heavier fiber cement products.

Elk Premium Building Products distributes its roofing through wholesalers, who resell the products to both contractors and dealers. "Typically, homeowners do not get their roofing product needs through retail channels," explains Mike McLintock, director of marketing. "They rely heavily on the contractor. Consumers are just not familiar with roofing."

Consumers' general unfamiliarity with roofing and siding has convinced a number of dealers to offer installed sales. It's also a good reason to offer well-known brand names.

Dealers and wholesalers can add value by helping to educate their customers as well as their customers' customers. "The way for any two links in the chain to prosper," explains Hoyt, "is to form a partnership. We as manufacturer form partnerships with our distributors and dealers, who in turn form partnerships with their cus- tomers. We don't sell to our customers; we sell through our customers. So, it's vital to listen to the enduser."

An expanding array of merchandising aids can help flesh out what a customer wants. "Merchandising aids are vital to the sale of a roof," agrees McLintock. "Elk suggests point-ofpurchase materials as well as tools used in the home. Sample boards are used most often and are the most effective way to sell the roof. Homeowners like to hold the samples up to their house to pick their colors and styles. We also recommend videos and brochures."

Equally important, stresses Mclintock, "keep your point-of-purchase displays fresh. Keep sample pieces in stock. Cross-sell roofing with other building products."

Trish Emling, Revere Building Products, suggests siding and roofing dealers "use a quality product, maintain strong business ethics, work with a strong lead and referral program, and make use of effective merchandising aids. Dealers should maintain a working relationship with their distributor representatives. They can be a useful tool to dealers providing tips and advice for individual markets."

"Ours are very tactile products," says Hoyt. "People want to touch and feel it. They're concerned about three things: beauty, performance and durability. What's it going to look like on my house? How will it perform over time? And, how long will it last?"

To help customers visualize how different products and combinations of products would look installed, CertainTeed has a new computer design program available via CD or the Web. With ColorView, users select one of four house styles and then add roofing, siding and accessories.

"This way," says Hoyt, "they can see if red siding looks good with a sreen roof-or not."