Arizona group sets another new record

(RINCE its inception 2l years ago, \rthe annual golf tournament held by the Phoenix Hoo-Hoo club at Pinetop, Az., has had ever increasing attendance. This year the lumbermens fraternity, joined by the Tucson, Az., club, logged a record 132 reservations, with 124 golfers, including 49 guests.

Pinetop, Az., is a picturesque

Northern Az., resort, about a four hour drive Northeast of Phoenix. Situated at 7300 ft., in the largest single pine forest in America, the town has two excellent golf courses. The club played at Pinetop Country Club.

People from six states attended the two day event, which concluded with a Saturday night banquet, Sept. 13.

The golf chairman was Wally Pensrnger.

A new slate of officers has been elected by the Phoenix Club. New president is Jim Homan of O'Malley's Mesa store; Connor Butler, Glen Mar Door, Phoenix, lst v.p.; Steve Hancock, Arizona Millwork, 2nd v.p.; and Jim Barlow, O'Malley's in Phoenix. sec-treas. Marv Setzer is the business mgr.

CHUCK LINK executive director

A S RECESSION settles in, the lrltemptation for a cost-conscious company is to cut advertising. Why throw money down a rathole, so the argument goes, when consumers aren't buying anyway?

Some companies are reasoning differently now, especially in light of 1974-75 recession. Their view: shortterm cuts in advertising can spell longterm trouble for sales and profits. You should keep in mind that ad reductions can further worsen a company's slow recession-period performance and make for tougher recovery period scramble to win back prospects, customers. Weigh carefully any proposals that would have you veer from maintaining your current level of advertising. (From Howard Niles, "Advertising Versus Recession, " Dun's Review, April 1980.)

Credit collection is an unappreciated art. To judge it, ask these questions: What percentage of payments are generated by the first collection letter? the second?

Do your collection series (be it letters, calls, telegrams, a mixture) become progressively stronger? What is the cost of each call? Which collection medium brings in the most money? What is the cost of each dollar brought in by mail, by phone? Says one collection expert: "lf you have never taken the time to find the answers to these questions, you really don't know the effectiveness ofyour collection procedures."

Tips for the collections artist: Before you write or call, have all facts at hand.. date of sale, when last payment made, amount paid. Don't let a promise to pay slide; follow up. If you threaten action take it. your reputation is on the line. Inject a second party letter into dunning sequence. their effectiveness is proven.

If the payment problem is due to legitimate customer dissatisfaction, then ensure that complaint gets attention from the proper department: this can allow your collection efforts to play a role in improving customer relations. Don't antagonize; don't apologize. Your attitude should be: "This is my money; I have every right to it."

Important: Don't let a conversation end without an agreement reached on when payment will be made. And repeat the agreement struck. When making collection call, use the strategic pause: You identify yourself and state the reason for the call. then pause for six seconds. This puts you, the collector, at an advantage. The customer feels compelled to explain himself.

(Adapted from Credit and Financial Management, Sept. 1974, Jan. 1975.)

Ten ways to increase sales right now: (l) Stop your employees from parking in front ofyour store entrance. (2) Post your store hours on the front of vour buildine. (3) Wash the windoris. (4) Take ihe old metal signs off your gate, the posters out of your windows, and the stickers off your doors. Old faded signs suggest old, tired business. (5) Check to be sure every product in your showroom is priced. (6) Turn all the lights on. (7) Move all the damaged, discontinued, dirty merchandise awav from the front door and sales counter.'(8) Go to your "back room" and move the stuff out to the showroom (leave out-of-season merchandise in the back room). (9) Go get cleaned up. you'll be a mess by now from all the dust you've been raising. (10) Go to your office and lock the door. Don't go in. Lock yourself out. And spend the rest of the day on your own market research. You can't do that cooped up in an office. You need to know what your customers are thinking before you can effectively write advertising for your company.