A Promotion Campaign for Wholesalers

by CHARTES 5. DICKENSON Assistont lo lhe Generol Monoger, Coliforniq Redwood Associotion

fJAVE YOU EVER considered set- 11 ting out a promotion campaign to push a particular product or species, but dropped the idea because you felt too much work would be involved. contenting yourself with a few direct mail ads ? A successful promotion campaign for a wholesaler involves less work and less expense than you may think.

In its 45 years of experience, the California Redwood Association has found that promotion efforts are best directed toward architects, designers and builders. If it is a quality item you are promoting, the specifier is one of the most important, as well as least expensive, ways of influencing sales. The ideal program to reach specifiers consists of three types of contacts: direct mail, ofifice calls, and group meetings. Fach of these by itself helps generate interest and sales, but they are most efiective when two or moie types of contacts are combined.

The basic step is to know the product you are selling, and the literature and other sources of information avail- briefly, and calling attention to specific points in the literature enclosed. You might also wish to include a return postcard which would give the specifiers a chance to ask you for more information-and let you know which are most interested. The first mailing might include a list of the literature which you plan to offer later. Here is a chart showing typical costs of direct mailing campaign boosting redwood over a four month period: able on it, so oll lt, so tnat you can answer ifiers' questions. Programs such as that Literature

Mailing Number One: Introductory letter

Perhaps the next step would be to initiate mailings of literature. Your retail dealers may be able to give you a list of specifiers, or a local architect might suggest recipients.

Cost Postage

FOUR MONTH DIRECT MAIL PROMOTION COSTS_BASED ON MAILING LIST OF TOO speclners. questtons. I'rograms the CRA correspondence course "Lumber Technology for the Salesman" are especially beneficial in this respect.

CRA Sweet's Insert $ 6.00 $8.00 ( .08 each lst class)

Mailing Number Two:

CRA Data sheet No. 281-2 Yard

Grades 2.00

The first mailing should include a cover letter describing your office very

DOUGTAS FIR REDWOOD ond FIR PTYWOOD a a a a a

6.00 ( .06 each 3rd class) P. O. Box 385 Monufocturers Stock ctnd Deroil Flush Doors "Ihe bottom is the end with the buttons on it. Jack!"

Studc, Boords Dimcnsion Lumbcr Plonks, Tlmbcrs Rollrood Tlcs Industricl Cuftings EUREKA, CAtlF. o (Generol Office) 630 J. St. Hlllside 3-7001, TWX EK 84 Southern Coliforniq ofice: FRontler 5-5444 (P.O. Box 1356Tonunce, Cqlif.)

Mailing Number Three: CRA Data Sheet

Nos.:

3A4-l Redwood Siding: Application 2.00

4Af-f Nails and Nailing r.00

4B3-l Ext. Finishes 8.00

Mailing Number Four: CRA Data Sheet

Nos.:

3A7-f Redwgod Interiors: Specification 2.0O

3A7-2 Redwood Paneling: Application and Finishing 1.0O 347-3 Redwood Ceilings 2.00

3A8-3 Rcdwood Grillework ideas during one call. CRA fieldmen often carry a small sample of redwood paneling or siding, and a wholesaler might find this helpful if the subject of his promotion lends itself to it.

One of the most effective ways of getting the story across to the architect or contractor is to use color slides. When you expect to use such slides, make an appointment so that the architect will set aside a time for viewing them.

1.00 4.50 (.045 each 3rd class)

$40.00 $18.00

Total cost $5E.00 ($88 if all mailings are sent first class). All prices are at reprint cost-subject to 5lo/o discount when ordered through CRA member mills.

Naturally, a direct mail campaign of this type will be most effective if it is followed up bI, and co-ordinated with, calls on the specifier in his office. CRA's experience in conducting office calls has been that it is important to have something definite in mind when calling upon an architect so that we do not take up too much of his time and so that we convey one or tlvo definite

Perhaps the most efiective way of presenting a visual program to specifiers is to get them away from the business atmosphere to a meeting where you have their undivided attention and can stimulate questions and discussions. Color slides are well suited to this type of presentation as well, or slides may be combined with a film to give the presentation a little more spice and variety. While it is not as easy to arrange to show these films to architectural groups as it is to present short programs in individual offices, CRA has found that meetings are often the most effective medium of promotion.

The program which I have described is an ideal program, and not, perhaps the easiest program to undertake. When such a program is undertaken, it is very important to have the retail lumber dealers aware of what is being done. Inquiries generated by such programs generally go to the dealer first and only later do they reach the wholesaler. It would also be appropriate to print the dealer's name along with yours on some of the literature mailings, so the architect could easily locate a local source of supply. Some of the office calls or other contacts might be made by the retailer. The wholesaler and the retailer together might hold a Saturday morning coffee hour for the dealer's contractor customers and architect friends.

IN SUM'TIIARY

Here, then is a summary of a promotion campaign that could be followed wholly or in part by a lumber wholesaler:

1. Either by personal contact or by letter, introduce yourself and your dealer customers to the architect and contractor.

2. At monthly intervals, send the specifier supplementary information on the products you are promoting.

3. Give some sort of illustrated presentation to the specifier; either a slide show or film in his own omce, or preferably a group meeting of architects or builders.

If you think that you can't afford the time and effort to do a little promotion, you may want to reconsider. Increased sales resulting from promotion will easily return the costs. Many lumbermen have done it effectively. how about you?