Howto sell ptoiects, not prcducts

By SusanJ. Black Merchandising Manager Norton Consumer Products Division Norton Company

OUR BEST customer is your present customer is an old marketing adage with much truth. If you stop and think about it, who but the customers already in your center offers you the most potential for additional sales and profits?

Supermarkets, for example, long ago recognized that their sales could be maximized without increasing square footage. They hang small racks of dips in front of snack foods, display higher-priced salad dressings on shelves above produce, and even merchandise baking utensils with cake mixes.

There's no reason why lumber and home centers can't emulate these pros by using the same principle of selling a project, rather than a product, through cross-merchandising.

Let's look at an example. You've pur- chased pressure treated decking at an excellent price and plan to run a "special." Before you advertise, however, think project, not product. What other items do do-it-yourselfers need to build a deck? Sandpaper for one, both discs for power sanding the deck and sheets for smoothing rails before the stain is applied. Other necessities are anchor bolts, galvanized nails, rust-proofed hinges and handles. By cross-merchandising through signage, samples or minidisplays, you can remind customers of these other products that you carry. What does this cross-merchandising strategy accomplish? First, you're more likely to capture additional sales that might have gone to another store. Many customers don't have a complete shopping list when they open your door.

They're focusing only on the major elements of their project. By reminding customers that they'll need other supplies to complete their project, you're providing a service.

In addition, they're more likely to buy those other items at your center (even if they're not on sale) for the convenience of finding everything in one location. Through aggressive cross-merchandising of accessory items, which are usually high-margin sales, you can build volume and profit from existing traffic.

Perhaps mostimportant, You've created good will. Today's do-ityourselfers want and welcome education. Whenever you make it easier for them to do a professionaljob you're building customer loyalty and repeat business. Interested in other examples of how