Southem California Retail lumber Assoeiation

fuesdoy, April 7 l0 :00 a.m.-Registration-Main Lobby. Equipment and Products Exhibits-Embassy and Colonial Rooms.

Officiating: Hal A. Brown, Woodhead Lumber Co., Los Angeles; President, Southern California Retail Lumber Association.

8:30 a.m.-Board of Directors Breakfast meeting- Lido Room.

12:00-Kick-ofr Luncheon, Embassy Room; Music by Chauncey Haines, Jr.

Invocation-Dr. Paul F, Huebner, First Methodist church, Inglewood.

"The Lumber Industry and Its Future." bv Bernard L. Orell, vice-preiident, Weyerhaeusei Ti*ber Company, Tacoma, Wash.

"Report on Association Aftairs," by Hal A. Brown, president, SCRLA.

7:30 p.m.-"It's a Polka Party," with John Meloch's original Hofbrau Orchestra-Favors and Refreshments. Open HouseFamily Night at the Trade ShowEmbassy and Colonial Rooms.

Presiding : George KELLY, Sun Lurrr,ber Co., San Pedro

9:30 p.m.-Award of Attendance Prizes.

Wednesdoy, April 8

8:00 a.m.-OLD-TIMERS' BREAKFAST-Honoring all industry veterans who have completed 4O or more years of .continuous service in lumber and allied products (at least part of career in Southern California), and their Wives. Presiding: H. Park Arnold, Fox-Woodsum Lumber Co., Glendale.

10:00 a.m.-Playlet : "The Employer's Dilemma"-or-

"Who's Strangling Your Business ?"-with an Allstar Industry Cast (in the Order of Their Appearance) :

Clerk of the Court. Robert R. James

The Presiding Judge......Joseph K. Horton

The Counsel for Management. .Ray C. Foote

The Counsel for Employees. Henry Becker

The Employer. .. .Terry Mullin

The Sales Employee....Norbert Bundschuh

The Truck Driver. .Thomas D. Supple

The Assistant Manager..... ...Guy Barnett

Foreman of the J,rry....... .Leo E. Hubbard

12:0O-Business Luncheon-Embassy Room; Music by Pomping Vila.

Preeiding: Wayne F. MULLIN, Mullin Lumber Co., Los Angeles

"llow to Get Better," by Joseph E. Burger, director of public relations, H. V. Nootbaar & Co., Pasadena.

" and Not to Yield," by Dr. V. Orval \I/atts, economic consultant; author and lecturer.

?:00 p.m.-Annual Banquet-Embassy Room; Music by Chauncey Haines, Jr. Entertainment: Lloyd Lindroth, swing harpist, and June Rudell, song stylist; Rose Marie, America's premiere comedienne, with Buddy Freed, musical conductor; The Unpredictable WIERE BROTHERS, with Mildred Seymour at the piano.

Master of Cerernonies: Homer H. BURNABY. Sun Lumber Co., San Pedro

Thursdsy, April 9

12:00-Hoo-Hoo and Hoo-Hoo-Ette Luncheon-Embassy Room.

"The Retail Picture on a National Level," by H. W. Blackstock, president, H. W. Blackstock Lumber Co., Seattle, Wash.; president, National Retail Lumber Dealers Assn., Washington, D.C.

"The Future of Hoo-Hoo," by Robert E. Gallagher, Snark of the tJniverse; president, Thunderbird Lumber Co., Albuquerque.

Fashion $fusq7-'r$2sics to Bouffants ;" Co-ordinator: Emmeline Snively and Her Blue Book Models. Music bv Bernice Fav at the Hammond organ.

7 :00 p.m.-Annual Dinner-Dance-Frank Sennes' MOULIN ROUGE, 6230 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, presenting the Extravaganza, "It's a Wonderful World," with star-studded cast.

Convention Arrangernents by Orrie W. Hamilton, Executive Vice-president, Southern California Retail Lumber Assn.

TTII(ITESATE IIISTRIBUTORS DIRECT MI]] S}IIPMENTS IUINBER o PLWYOOD

By Gorlood fruck qnd Trallcr

Distribution Yand

l3ilOl Bu6onk Blvd.

Von Nuys, Gallfornio

You Con Find o tlillion - Dollsr ldeo in o Visit to the Erhibits

The convention exhibit hall is the finest concentration of information, product samples, ideas and better business aids that a retail lumberman will ever see . until he returns to the convention the next year.

Yet but a tiny percentage of conventioning lumber dealers take anywhere near the full advantage of t.his opportunity which is usually so colorfully and interestingly set before them. A survey of Western Pine Association field representatives who attend about 25 conventions each year indicates few lumbermen may really understand the true purpose and potential of the exhibit hall aad all it contains. /

lO Musts for Building Merchqnfs

By JACK C. DIONNE

l. You ,rnust- believe in the community in which you work and be glad that you are permitted to work and live there,

2. You muet believe in your fellow men, including your competitors.

3. You must KNOW that you are in the best business on earth.

4. You must take a persond interest in your town and itr people.

''

'{It is gratifying to call upon a dealer who doee," one field : ' man reported. "During my calls (about 1,0O0 per year) I have noticed time and again the successful retailer is ueually one who has sought out and put to use information" materials and ideas made available to him by manufacturers, patt of which almost always comes frorn conventionB."

To assist retail lumbermen planning to attend their regionat and/or national conventions this coming season, here are some suggestions and pointers as gathered from the field men in answer to the survey questions:

WHY GO TO A CONVENTION IN THE FIRST PLACE?

The reasons for attending the convention are numerous. Business, usually, is the chief reason for coming, for the entire program naturally is built around methods and means for bettering retail lumbering, collectively and individually. There are other , less commercial reasons, however, including t.he relaxation of the trip and the visit to the city or resort area where the convention is being held; the renewal of old friendships, and respite from the pressures of the office and lumber yard.

From the business end of conventioneering, there are the chances to learn answers to business problems in addresses at the meeting sessions; to make contact with manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors; and to pick up ofiered merchandising aids.

PRE.CONVENTION PREPARATIONS

Prior to leaving for the convention city, make a list of the particular problems bothering you during the past year: bookkeep- ing, merchandising, materials handling, financing, inventories, product problems and other difficulties. It may be wise to make detailed notes on them, and of the particular companies or individuals you may wish to contact for assistance. .Also, check your consurner and technical product literature file, and your counter displays and pieces to see if they are adequate.

5. You must havc thc confidcnce and reapcct of your townspeople.

6. You must know your business from the slab up.

7. You must know ttre goode you are sclling, the lines you should sell, and the New Products that are constantly coaning out.

8. You must know the Building needs of your community and feel that it is your personal job to Supply those neede.

9. You must know Plans and Specifications.

10. You must know $alesmanship.

11. If you are up to par on these ten musts, and you keep a smile on your face, and carry a large supply of real handshakes up your sleeve, and speak the language plainly and interestingly-then YOU strould be a hard rnan to take the business away from in Your Home Town.

How To Tour The Exhibit Hall

Obviously you do not want to spend every minute between the scheduled business and entertainment sessions on the exhibit hall floor. The question is how to get the most out of the exhibits. Too often, the field men report, the retailer simply makes one quick spin around the booths, shying away from those which he may feel he has no need to contact, and picking up samples of

INTERTOCKING PANETS ond POSTS

FENCE Designs

READYMADE wos designcd for olfroclive, low cosl, eosily inslolled fcnce, bul homc owneru hove odopted lhis moleriol lo the moking of gorden houscs, romodos, lonois, portoblc ploy yordr, wind scrccns ond mony other homc improvemenlr. Ereclion of READYMADE interlocking ponels ond posts is so eo3y lhol cuslom looking fencc or gorden improvcmcnlr con bc osscmblcd with lhe leosi cffort. READYMADE Fencc ir builf of nolurol, wcqther rcsisfont, tnoffree Colifornio redwood thot will kccp its bcoufiful oppeorqnca ond losl o lifsfimc.

SEND FOR TITER,ATURE most everything which comes within his reach. Seldom does he have questions, and often he waits until a period when representatives are not on hand to slip up and pick up items in which he -may be interested. This is a process for short-changing ,himself. , Generally, field men agree a "two-trip" tour does the job best for a retailer. Trip One: a general swing around the exh.ibit hall, gathering materials on a "once-over-lightly" basis, noting individuals and firms with whom you may wish to discuss matters later or whose displays or .products arouse your interest. Trip Two is more specific; now you get down to details, going back to selected booths, asking questions, discussing problems, enlarging the library of literature on special interest items.

Some Distribu?orships ore ovoiloble. Write us.

WHAT PART IN THE CONVENTION IS PLAYED BY THE E.XHIBITOR?

Some successful conventions are held without exhibits, but it is generally agreed an exhibit hall with the quality of displays which manufacturers provide today adds a great lift and sparkle to the whole convention picture.

But more important here is the fact that the display and the representative of t.he .nanufacturer are there to provide service to the lumberman. He is there to make sales, of course, and often does. But just as important, he is there to answer questions and help out with problems which may have developed in regard to his product. He can suggest ways and means for merchandising his product, and rperhaps new uses in the tbuilding field which can expand the product's market with the lumberman.

WHAT SORT OF QUESTIONS SHOULD YOU ASK AN EXHIBITOR?

Ilere you have your man trapped! Pin him down on service and delivery promises not kept, on product malfunction. Suggest more (or less) frequent calls on his place of business. Invite a sales pitch: make him show you why his product is better. Ask

,..him how to ;better merchandise the product through your store, *rtnd lor any available aids with which to accontplish ,better sales. '

Be charitable to the exhibitors. They have gone to considerable eftort and expense to come to the convention, set up and assign men to help you. Let them make their pitch you might be interested. It pays to attend a convention with an open mind.

WHAT ABOUT EXHIBITOR LITERATURE?

Load up! On your quick tour around the booths, gather up any and all material offered if it has the least bit of an application to your problems. On the specific tour (if you make it later, rather than earlier than the "quickie"), you will have a chance to concentrate on those firms' booths which provided the materials most interesting to you.

B_y all means, judge each piece of material prior to discarding it. Some you haven't seen before, some you have. Reconsider the familiar, and give every consideration to the new material. Modern p'romotional methods are open to you with such literature which can produce effective results at relatively low cost.

HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO EXHIBITS?

The concensus is at least half a day should be devoted to the exhibit hall. This might be split into two periods, and since morning exhibition times usually handle the lightest traffic, this is suggested as the best time to make the tour. However, since the size of display halls varies from convention to convention, no set period of time could be logically assigned here. For the sake of the business, however, it will pay every lumberman to make as much use of the exhibit hall and the displays and services ofiered there as he feels he can allow.

HOW DO YOU MAKE A CONVENTION EXPERIENCE WORK FOR YOU?

So you are back home. The convention can do you plenty of good but not if everything garnered there-materially and mentally-is forgotten. Take each idea, product data, merchandising suggestion, sales aid and tale of "success stories." Examine each individually, and determine if it might not be put to work for you.

Some of the success stories may be just stories, but others won't. See if the new merchandising ideas will appeal to your community, or if some variation might not work better. Explore the possibilities of rputting the manufacturer's l.iterature to work for you. Expertly contrived envelope stufier-size folders are often available which can be used in a separate direct mail campaign, or can be enclosed with invoices to old customers. Larger items may be worthy of giving away to your better customers, or for using as counter pieces. Often such items may be imprinted with your name at little expense.

Association officers fcel manufacturers' exhibits have a definite, positive part to play in the retail lumber dealers conventions. That is why most conventions have them and play thcm up to thrir Etme,t itDport&€G

The manufacturers themselves feel exhibits are a necessary part of their sales and service. They lay out surprisingly heavy expenditures annually to purchase booth space, create and build attractive, competitive displays, to ship equipment and displays to conventions scattered all over the country, and to assign personnel to work the display ooths.

T,he exhi,bit hall is a definite plus-factor for the retailer who avails himself of the vast opportunity offered.

Builders Gonfeience July 6-9

San Francisco.-Thousands of western homebuilders are expected at the first annual Pacific Coast Builders Conference, July 6-9, at the Sheraton-Palace hotel here. The event will be sponsored by the llome Builders Council of California in cooperation with local building associations. Earl Popvich of San Francisco has been named a director.

LUMBERIIEN'S 42nd ANNUAT mEETlNc qnd TRADE SHOW Of the Souihern Coliforni.t R,efqil Lumber Associotion

Ambossqdor Hotel,

Los Angeles,

April 7-9

This is the final_li_sting of Exhibitors who have signed for Booth Display space at the 1959 Convention and Trade Show of the S.C.R.L.A.:

Alsynite Company of America Harbor plywood Corporation

San Diego, Calif.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Brown Company HYster ComPanY

San Francisio, Lalif. Los Angeles, Calif.

Carlow Company

Los Angeles, Calif.

The Celotex Corporation

Chicago, Ill.

Insulite Division-Mando

Minneapolis, Minn.

Johns-Manville Sales Corp.

New York City, N. Y.

Kaibab Lumber Company

DEK Industries, Inc. of Calif. Flagstaff' Ariz'

Los Angeles, Calif. Koppers Co., Inc.

Douglas Fir Plywood Assn.

Tacoma' wash'

Encyclo,paedia Britannica

I-os Angeles, Calif'

Great Books c/o Moss & Hallock

Los Angeles, Calif.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Lumbermen's Mutual Casualty

Co. and \il/estern Pacific Agency

Los Angeles, Calif.

Moisture Register Company

Alhambra, Calif.

Porter-Cable Machine Co.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Putty Stik, Inc.

Seattle, Wash.

Sager Weatherstrip & Calking

Chicago, Ill.

Sargent & Company

New Haven, Conn.

SoCal Building Materials Co.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Southwest Plywood Corp.

Compton, Calif.

Tarter, Webster & Johnson, Inc.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Unique Balance DivisionS. H. Pomeroy Company

Stamford. Conn.

United States Plywood Corp.

Los Angeles, Calif.

United States Steel Supply-

Division of United States Steel

Los Angeles, Calif.

West Coast Lumbermen's Assn.

Portland, Ore.

Western D\ro-Fast, Inc.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Western Pine Association

Portland, Ore.

Weyerhaeuser Sales Co.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Long-Bell Kitchen Cabinets are auailable in any kitchen (in 3" modules) Ready to install units to fit or hnoched down.