Why Not Canvass Lumber?

Tacoma, Wash., Dec. 31.-Book agents, aluminum kitchen-ware salesmen and patent medicine representatives find customers in every city every day in their house-tohouse canvass- Why not building materials? The St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company, of Tacoma, 'Washington, asked itself this question and sent out to its own sales organization, to various trade papers and to several of the other Northwest lumber manufacturers who have their own sales organizations, a bulletin, urging the retail dealer to go out after remodeling and modernizing jobs. In soliciting the co-operation of its sales force to this end, it said: "If we could get even any considerable percentage of dealers throughout the country working along these lines and going after business it would increase the volume of the lumber business to such an extent that the mills in the Northwest would have to run day and nightto take care of the demand." The idea has now been put to a test.

Reports are that sixty percent of the home-owners, so far approached, were prospects for improvement work of some kind. So successful has been the campaign that plans are afoot to extend the effort and salesmen will be provided with a list of 130 suggested home improvements involving the use of lumber.

The home owner is often oblivious to much-needed repairs and improvements until they are brought to his attention. Take the house in which you live, either as owner ortenant. There is scarcely a day that passes but what some slight defect in construction needs renewal or correction. The home is subconsciously taken for granted. Not until the front step collapses, or the roof leaks, the kitchen spigot goes on a strike, or a squeaking shutter keeps you awake, does the impulse come to remedy the trouble-

The engineer takes pride in the locomotive in which he spends the greater part of his 1ife. He safeguards it from, decreased efficiency, tightens a screw here-loosens another there; lubricates, cleans and polishes. By correcting the first signs of trouble, he saves a large expenditure at a later date.

A vast unexplored territory awaits the alert retailer.

Never before in the history of the lumber industry has such an array of retailer aids been available, without charge, for his benefit. The National Lumber Manufacturers Association is in close working relationship with thirty-two retail lumber associations, making a formidable list of retailer aids available for them.

The N.L.M.A. has available for distribution a free newspaper mat service, affording home building, modernizing, remodeling and small house suggestions.

"Lumber Facts", a periodical service folder, ofiers selling points for lumber and wood products; gives detailed drawings not readily available through existing plan services, and informative material about lumber and wood products manufactured from lumber. A pocket container is furnished with the initial consignment.

Sales leads, resulting from N.L.M.A. advertising and publicity are cleared through retail secretaries who, in turn, send 'them to individual lumber dealers in position to follow up the prospect and supply his lumber requirements'

The Association maintains an agricultural engineer at the Chicago of ice rvho is continuously available for specialized work in the promotion of lumber uses on the farm. He accompanies agricultural trains that stir up a market for lumber. An unusually profitable cooperative effort is maintained with and through the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Association publications in quantity lots of trventy-five or more are available at one-half the production cost for distribution by dealers to their customers or prospects. Single copies of these booklets are free to lumbermen. They have been successfully used 'by lumber dealers as a means of stimulation by sending them to customers and prospects and the dealers' names are imprinted at low cost.

There is also available for campaigns, in line n'ith that being conducted by the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company, a list of suggestions on rvhat can lte done u'ith lumber in every part of a house. There are several hundred items and the salesman will find these leads of invaluable service,

There Is A Reason

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