Holnes rI!a news andviews

by BOB McBRIEN execulive vice president of the Lumber Merchonts Associqtion of Northern Colifornio a5,16 El Conlno Rcol, Sultr 0 lor Allor, Cpllt. 91022 [,115] 941-l6lt

OME PEOPLE get into a jam and have a most difficult time finding their way out. And when they do, very often they don't want to discuss it with anyone they know.

This isn't the case with Yaeger & Kirk, long-time LMA dealer from Santa Rosa, Calif. You see, this firm decided to get into a "jam" promotion as a means of increasing store traffic and sales. And it worked

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Fred HolmesCorl ForceJim Buckner

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Box 665Ft. Brogg, Colif. 95437 17071 9644058 TWX: 707-573-8259

USE JAM to get out of a just great, they report' jam, advisee Bob after i6 n * hearing suc.h a story on Bob and Dave Kirk told fellow partici- how it works' pants at the recent LMA san Francisco Round Table that the promotion of jam at 39d for a 2O-ounce jar produced a 40/o increase in store traffic. Further, 90/o-ol -the p"..or,r who bought jam also bought something else while they were in the store. * u, *

The Kirks kept good tabs on sales for comparison with previous weekly' sales and found that the additional customers also spent -or" thun their average customer. Cash sales during the weekend o'jam" sale jumped from an average of*$S Per customer to $8.

Young Dave Kirk who handled the promotion explained that he purchased 10 varieties of Smuckers jam (strawberry was the b_est seller) which normally sells for 79$ to 89{ in grocery stores. He pointed out that other dealers might want to consider such a promotion, and if they do, they should buy nothing but the best "jam." As the radio commercial goes, "With a name like Smuckers, it just has to be good."

Thinking of the Round Table and information developed at same, the consensus is that northern California dealers are having a good year. It is also felt that the years ahead can be even better if more time and efiort is devoted to improved merchandising and advertising. r. * -F

Dealers who met in San Francisco and commented on their o'future" anticipate increased sales, greater inventories, a wealth of new products and product lines as well as more competition from discount firms and the like. x.

Most agree that more promotion must be aimed at the woman buyer who more or less controls most purchases made for today's home. These dealers also agree that efiorts must be made to attract new customers from the 20 percent yearly turnover in home ownership which occurs in most area*s throughout California.

To a man, they agree we just can't sit around waiting for busi' ness to produce itself. Efiort must be expended to produce satisfactory results. And with this I agree.

We would also like' Management r.-,"",'dil:n't*,i"

This ever-popular gathering produces some of the finest educational programs offered to dealers anywhere in the country.