SELLING LUMBER 



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tributed by the retailer in such a manner as will get results, in 

 suggesting to the retailer the many uses which could be made of 

 Yellow Pine in his territory if the proper effort were put forth 

 by him, and that his business would grow as a result. Not only 

 that, but go out with him to the prospective consumer and see that 

 the proper arguments are presented in behalf of the Yellow Pine 

 interest. If he encounters any questions or problems which he 

 cannot answer satisfactorily, let him report the facts to his general 

 office so that they may take it up with the Association. 



In the cities and large towns where the consumption of lum- 

 ber is governed largely by the architect, engineer or builders, I 

 would suggest that the salesmen organize with the retail dealers 

 and call a general meeting of all architects, large contractors, en- 

 gineers and builders in that particular section; invite them to 

 dinner some Saturday evening, and arrange for a speaker from 

 the Association to address them relative to our product. And be 

 sure the speaker is requested to give strong emphasis to those 

 points which are considered most important to be driven home. 

 Get acquainted with the master mechanic or master car builder in Consumer 

 charge of any car shops in your territory ; investigate, and make to Ch ose 

 sure that they know all you do about Yellow Pine in so far as it 

 affects their line of work. Keep in touch with every kind of con- 

 struction contemplated in your territory ; go to the architect, en- 

 gineer or builder with your customer and try to get as much Yel- 

 low Pine used in* the construction work throughout the building 

 as the merit of the wood will justify. You will find that if the 

 architects and engineers are properly approached, they will be more 

 than willing to give consideration to most anything you have to 

 present. It goes without saying, however, that all technical men 

 of this nature are very difficult of approach and are more or less 

 prejudiced in their views, and unless the proper diplomacy is used 

 your efforts will not meet with success. 



Every salesman should be familiar with the building code o 

 every city in his territory, and if there is anything in the code that 

 is detrimental to the interest of the lumbermen, the salesmen lo- 

 cated in that section should get together and organize for the pur- 

 pose of seeing that the discrimination is corrected at once. If they 

 should encounter any problems which they cannot handle, they 

 should call on the Association, through their general offices, for 

 help. We are losing out in many territories to substitutes because 

 these promoters are organized and working along more intelligent 



