What if you're suddenly i

By Ctades D. I-auber V.P., Advertising & Promotion Palmer G. Lewis Co. Auburn. Wa.

UDDENLY you\e weaing a newhat...

"Your boss just called while you were at lunch and left word that you are now . . Advertising & homotion Manager!"

(Wait a minute! "you" do not know anything about advertising and can't distinguish the difference between the terms "display" and "classified," you've never even placed an adt)

As incongruous as this tale seems, all too often the important function of advertising and promotion is relegated to "who's ever handiest" who can draw a straight line experience not withstanding. The promotion of a company's business is as important as any management function whether it be administration, buying, selling or purchasing, etc.

Back to our fable. After the initial shock of being elevated to advertising manager, the cold fear of reality sets in. You can do the followins:

(l) Refuse the promotion, ask for your old job back.

(2) Quit the company and seek employment elsewhere.

(3) Accept the challenge, find out all you can about ad' vertising and promotion.

You choose altemative (3) and tell the boss youll give this "A & P" (advertising and promotion) thing a trv.

- The boss says your main concern and objective is to develop the home remodeler business since the contractor/builder sales are already good and healthy. This is where we can help. Our experience and expertise has largely been in the field of retail advertising and promotion.

We submit the following information and outline to assist you in defining the responsibility and goals of an advertising and promotion manaeer.

(A) Just What Is "Advertising" & "Promotion"?

l. Advertising.' "to announce publicly, hence, to call public attention to, especially by emphasizing desirable qualities, in order to arouse a desire to purchase or invest." (Webster)

2. Sales Promotion: in the broadest sense, sales Promotion includes all those functions which have to do with the marketing of a product or the Promotion of a service-personal selling, advertising, displays, exhibitions, and all other activities designed to increase sales and exPand the market. "Sales Promotion moves the product toward the buyer, while advertising moves the buyer toward the product."

3. Merchandising. -Everything you do to prompt a shopper to buy.

(B) Irt's Go After The Home Fix-UP Market

l. The do-it-yourself market is BIG, over $47 billion, and getting bigger and more important each year.

2. Consumers have more time, more funds.

3. Hieh interest rates for new holme loans will encourage home fix-up rather than buYing new homes.

4. We have to fight for our share of the available expendable dollar the consumer holds.

(C) Program Your Advertising

l. Have a plan and work the plan.

2. Use available calendars or program sheets.

3. Project at least 3-6 months ahead for consistencv.

(D) What To Spend On Advertising?

1. Building material dealers are notoriously poor promoters and rate near the bottom in terms of percentage spent for advertising.