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Ways to make paint produce PROFIT
simplifying the painting job for the do-it-yourselfer or making it virtually impossible for him to fail. Among the most innovative are: o a drop cloth edged in masking tape and packaged in a roll, ready to hang or spread out. o wood finishes formulated with a sun screen to protect against ultraviolet light. o foam bumpers to keep ladder tips from scratching the walls. o iron on polymer patches for repairing holes in walls. o wood finishing products in squeeze bottles. o brushes designed for rough surfaces such as stucco, cement or shakes. o stains with the consistency of jelly for easy application. o applicators which carry paint in the handle.
. an anti-rust paint which can be applied to rusted metal without scraping or sand blasting.
. a latex primer that lets water vapor escape without cracking, blistering or peeling.
. one step stain and finish formulas.
Products which satisfy the latest decorative trends sell better and earn a store the reputation ofbeing a decorative center. Keeping up with the latest color trends is important. For example, color experts claim that fashion colors usually appear first in clothing, often a year ahead of being used in home decor. Irashion magazines and home decorating magazines can be harbingers ofwhat your customers will be wanting.
Peach and green combinations are considered the coming colors with slate blue and mauve on their way out. Yellow is due for a revival as an accent color, possibly in combination with red. Apricot and blue, black and white with bright accents, taupe and spicetones are candidates for the '90s.
Story at a Glance
Tips for glamorizing the paint department. . . what can keep you ahead of the competition meeting customerneeds making a profit.
Meanwhile these are some of the most fashionable home decorating products available: r frosted finishes in pastel shades with romantic names including mauve, taupe, fogmist, blue ice and butternut: o pickle finish stains o paints to coordinate with wallpapers and borders o country colors
T HINK OF thousands of potential I home improvement buyers all gathered under one rooffor a weekend, anxious to look at your merchandise and listen to your sales presentation.
It may sound like a dream come true, but it can be reality for retailers and distributors who participate in a home show. Trade shows are the most cost effective marketing tool available today, according to the Trade Show Bureau in New Canaan, Ct. Some amazing numbers have been produced by their nationwide search for statistics.
The cost ratio claimed by them is three to one in favor of a trade show contact over a traditional selling approach. A contact is defined as a qualified prospect who shows an interest in the product being exhibited, stops at the booth for information or literature and remembers that exhibitor eight to ten weeks later.
The Trade Show Bureau's research shows that no calls are required in 540/o of the leads closed after a trade show. The average is 0.8 or less than one call. The retailer who follows up on the contacts with a call or invitation to visit the store can raise this average.
Couple these statistics for the success of trade shows with the potential remodeling market and the dealer has almost a sure thing. The remodeling market is increasing 150/o each year. This faster-than-the-restof-the-economy growth is producing a $91 billion industry.
Do-it-yourselfers account for about 700/o of the home improvement projects at an average ofabout 4.5 projects per homeowner per year with a total value of $2.900. These figures are backed by the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census and the 1986 Homeowner's Modernization Study. Lumber dealers and home centers supply about 750lo of all materials used in remodeling projects.
Trade shows are becoming more popular as ways to market goods
Story at a Glance
Why home shows are cost effective marketing. .. ways to developsales leads. oppor- tunities for reaching thou' sands of customers.
