THtr SOUTHLAND

By WAYNE GARDN executive vice president

TWO WOMEN completed a Sales I Seminar recently sPonsored bY the- Lumber Association of Southern California. In the course of the last few years many women have also taken the Products Knowledge Course, sponsored by LASC as well.

These people are emPloyed bY lumber dealers and are actively engaged in day-to-day contact with customers, both contractor and consumer. As a result of their interest and the educational courses they have completed, they are highly qualified to serve as sales personnel in the lumber and building materials industrY.

Interestingly enough, although there is much talk about women being accepted on an equal basis with men in many fields of endeavor, we find that in the lumber and building materials industry many of our customers do not feel that a woman can adequately answer the questions they have or sell the right product for the job. This is most unfortunate. It doesn't allow these capable people to perform to the full extent that they are qualified to.

It would seem that those emPloYers who have women on their staff might successfully use some technique to inform the customer, whether he be contractor or consumer, that these women are adequatelY qualified to answer questions regarding the use and application of the building material being sold.

Just what this Promotional effort will entail will have to be uP to the individual dealer. Certainly there are many ways in which this Promotion could take place. Some thoughts to be considered are featuring them in one of the ads you run in the local newspaper. The ad might saY, "Come.in lnd talt< to me about Your building material needs." The ad could feature one of the women emPloYees as sales person of the month. The promotional effort might entail Putting their certificates with their pictures along side in a place the buying public could view them, so that when a customer saw the individual they would recognize them as a trained sales Person.

Women are well received as sales people in the real estate business, in the new car business, and in manY other fields which only a few years ago were entirely male dominated.

These other industries have faced the same problems as the lumber 'industry and yet they have overcome them. Have you tried any technique to inform the buying public how capable that female counter person is? Think about it. It could help her morale as well as boost sales and profits. And in the final analysis, isn't that why we open the doors each morning?

Anchorage area and other parts of the state.

They said users of the AWWF are saving anywhere from $900 to $3,200 on a house, with an average saving of $ 1,200.

By CHUCK LINK executive director

WELFARE RECIPIENTS: A NEW INDUSTRY welfare recipient borrowed a country ham from the farmer where he had part-time work, but didn't tell the farmer he had borrowed it. He went downtown and sold the ham to a grocer for $27. He used $20 of the $27 Io buy $80 worth of food stamPs for which he was eligible.

The man then bought $51 worth of groceries and bought back the ham for $29 worth of food stamPs'

The ham was returned to the farmer's smoke house. The grocer made a profit, the farmer got his ham back. and the welfare recipient ended up with $7 cash and $51 worth of groceries.

This is almost a humorous story until you ask, "Who paid for the food stamps?"

United Building SuPPIY of Anchorage reports that since it began handling the All-Weather Wood Foundation system in April of last year, it has sold approximately 27 5 units in the

After a short stay in the hosPital, Clayton Morse of Lamb Morse Co., Astoria, Or., has returned home. We join all of his many industry friends in sending Clayton our best wishes' He is a past president of WBMA and is currently chairman of the Western Building Material insurance and pension trusts.

We are glad to report that J' M. "Mel" Bettis of lrrigators Lumber Co., Caldwell, Id., is back on the job. Mel is also a past president of WBMA and a trustee of the Western Building Material insurance and pension trusts.

Doug Jones has been named v.P. and general manager of Hammer Lumber Co., Eugene, Or. according to Wyman Hammer, president.