Building a Business That Lasts

Change Your Business

I am told that whereas some vears aco 85 per cent of the material entdrine in-to the construction of a building, was limber, -today it runs only from ten to thirty per- cent, or an average of about fifteen per cent. This means that in the old days. where the material for a building cost a hundred thousand dollars, eighty-five thousand dollars of this would - go to -the lumber interests; whereas today, but fifteen thousand dollari of this.represents the lumber used. From the great variety of materials other thau Iumber now used in building, it would seem to me that we have reached a point where the lumberman should change iris business and become a dealer in Buil-ding Materials, rather than a lumberman.

I can understand why a producer of lum- ber should be interestid primarily in that product, and would discourage thi sale of materials used as substitutes, but I have never been able to see why a dealer in buildin^g materials should be prejudiced in favor of lu-mber, and should discourage the use of other materials if they paid him as good or a better margin of profit. As merch--ants handling building materials, it seems to mc to be logical that you should supolv vour customers with the kind of matiiiit ihey desire and for which a demand has been created. l'his, regardless of how it afiects the manufacturer of lumber. I am assum- ing now that you are a merchant and have no_personal interest in manufacturing.

(Continued from the March 15 issue.)

The live shoe merchant who is aiake to new development and new products, does not refuse to handle shoes with rubbei soles because shoes formerly had leather solei nor does the real estate agent refuse to sell cement, stucco or brick houses because for_ merly.the buildings sold were of frame con- structron.

, I think many retail lumbermen have in the past allowed their prejudices along this line to influence them to a-point where- thev have actually lost money.Just how fai-'a lumberman should go in handling other Itnes, ls not tor me to say. Many consider_ ations enter into this, such as locaiiorr. eouio_ ment, materials demanded in a paitiiular locality, and last, but not least, his reliiion to and with other merchants, particulartv in small towns. But logically; t ;;;-;; caters to builders and supptiij material for building, should handJ" ihe ""rio"s lt"-s and lines used in construction; "na-irr-""" event, it would seem to be a 'shori_sish;"d policy to refuse to handle certai" ii"i?--t"_ cause they take the place of lumber. For, whenever there is a demand for these other materials, somebody will supply them, and you will have accomplished little or nothinc by way of promoting the interests of thi lumber producers, but you will have thrown a.way th-e opportqnity of making a substan- tial profit.

Saleomanship

An address by a salesmanager without some reference to salesmanshifl would be in-complete. I have no sympathy with some of the ideas of salesmanihit th;t have been encouraged during recent years. I have no rrse for psychology as applied to salesmanshrp, and. as taught in some of our schools, and particularly by correspondence courses. To my mind, the thing thlt is fundamental in salesmanship is chalacter. I would not rvaste time on a salesman who was not clean and. honest -and upright. No successful ousrness, so tar as I know, was ever built up on staple products, on the basis of "strong-arm" methods or,'high-pressure,, salesmanship.

Teach your_ men that salesmanship con- sists of intelligence, industry, and enthus- iasm, with a sincere desire to be of serv- ice. A man possessed of these qualities. -who knows his merchandise-who wili (Continued on page 14)