How to sell gas barbeques

lltssounl isn't the only place IYlwhere people say "show me."

Many Rocky Mountain Charmglow gas barbeque dealers and their distributors have found that proving the product and themselves are essential in the competitive field of LP (Liquified Petroleum) and natural gas barbeque grills.

By using the sound, time-Provvn selling concepts of display and demonstration promoted by Charmglow Products, combined with creativity and a knowledge of customers, these dealers merchandise their wares strongly.

Creating something totallY new under the sun is difficult, if not impossible. So often it isn't the new idea, but the old idea used in a different way, which catches the buYer's eYe, points out Bob CzerwonkY, v.P. of marketing for Charmglow. There is no substitute for Product knowledge and quality Products, but these areas can be augmented bY skillful merchandising to show off the product to its best advantage and gain the interest of the customer.

Dave Hall of the Rod Hall Co., Denver, Co., a distributor of Charmglow products in Colorado, WYoming and Montana, has used the "show me" attitude of his dealers and their customers to his advantage in strengthening product identity and showing customer interest.

"Dealers are businessmen and they are looking for results," Hall said' "I tdk to a potential dealer, then arrange a barbeque demonstration for the public outside the store. There isn't a better way to convince a dealer there is interest in the product than to let him see first-hand the people lining up at the demonstration."

Hall believes in making it as easY as possible for the dealer to concentrate on selling his products by supporting him, not onlY with the product but with resources and training aides the dealer can use.

"Our staff of 12 home economists work at demonstrations, assists with training sessions and generally keep up to date with the gas barbeque industry," Hall stated. "We also have a van and trailer especially prepared for product demonstrations at our dealers' stores. "

Don Fullner, sales manager at Brookhart's Building Center in Color- ado Springs, Colo., uses "peoPle watching" to help him sell grills. He's found there are traffic areas and browsing areas in his store.

"It's hard to catch the attention of people in a traffic area. They are moving from one place to another. So we place our grill displays in the browsing areas of the store, where people slow down and reallY look at the products," Fullner said.

Story at a Glance

How four Rocky Mountain area dealers go about increasing sales of gas barbeques through proven merchandising techniques.

"Hands on" buying is another concept Fullner believes in.

"We feel allowing the customer to pick up a product, insPect it and play with it is a definite advantage," Fullner noted.

"We've made a special display rack to show off all of Charmglow's barbequing accessories," he comments. "There are hooks and shelves for the products, but the buyer can readilY pick them up and look them over."

Doing it this way, Fullner feels the customer often sells himself with the salesperson handy to offer assistance and close the sale.

"I've found the distributor demonstrations and the ones we do ourselves to be very important sales tools," Fullner noted. "I would say 75% of the people who stop at the demonstrations have thought about purchasing a gas grill, but aren't familiar with them. The market is there, we've got to reach out and get it."

One way Larry Baker of Fairfax Sentry Hardware in Denver reaches out to potential customers is his annual Memorial Day weekend truckload sale. Radio and newspaper advertising, as well as free hot dogs and Pepsi turn his demonstration into a weekend event.

Baker has owned a Charmglow grill for 1 5 years and puts his barbequing expertise to good use. "We use the weekend to draw people and show the variety of Charmglow models and their features." he said.

At the morning demonstrations bacon, eggs and pancakes are Prepared on the grill. Around noontime the cooks show how Oriental foods can be made on a gas barbeque with a wok. Then in the afternoon it's baking time with cakes and cookies.

"The art work and labels used on the CharmgJow grill cartons make for a nice display in themselves," Baker commented. "We moved the boxes out of the back room and onto the floor as a backdrop for the set-uP units and the accessory disPlaY."

An LP gas company's stores would seem like a logical outlet for selling LP gas barbeques and LeroY Lebsack, manager of the RockY Mountain region of Poudre Valley Vangas, agrees wholeheartedly.

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"We keep a large selection of the grills completely set up on the floor. When people come in we can show them the differences in the various models and the units are readY to be wheeled out the door," Lebsack said.

"If the people prefer to have the unit delivered, we're happy to do it. That way we can show the owner exactly how his unit operates on his own patio. This makes for satisfied customers," he added.

"We've also moved some of our cooking demonstrations into food stores," Lebsack explained. "This way we have a heavy traffic area to demonstrate in and we tie-in with the store that provides the food. Along with the demonstration, the store's meat department will usuallY have a sale on some type of meat used in barbequing."

"I've even heard of one dealer placing gift certificates in packages bf miui sold by the food store," Lebsack noted.

Weekly training sessions arc a must at Vangas, according to Lebsack. Each week a different person gives a presentation of the Charmglow grills with the rest of the sales force encouraged to ask questions, as customers do.

Don Fullner at Brookhart's uses the training sessions organized by the distributor for his new people. Then back at the store, he teams the new arrival with an experienced salesman so the newcomer can leam bY dealing with customers first hand and be exposed to the questions theY ask.