Don’t Miss the Hot Deals In Hot-Lanta

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            House-Hasson is America’s largest independent regional hardware distributor, and we are getting ready to host the biggest event in the company’s 105-year history. Our Summer 2011 “Hot Deals in Hot-Lanta” Dealer Market takes place Thursday, June 23rd through Saturday, June 25th at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.

            This is the first time we have brought our show to Atlanta, and we’re really rolling out the red carpet for dealers. There is so much to see and do you may want to come in a day early or extend your stay for a day or two. The Cobb Galleria Centre is conveniently located to all the major attractions and is just 20 minutes from the airport.

            We invite you to join us for the hardware industry’s premier 2011 buying event. Allen Winn and his team of buyers have been working hard on the “Hot Deals in Hot-Lanta” for months, making sure you have access to the most unbelievable deals you have grown to expect from House-Hasson. If you are going to take the time to attend one of our markets, then we want to make sure we’ve done everything we can to make it worthwhile and productive. If you are looking for additional margin opportunities and deep discounted specials to use in promotions, then “Hot-Lanta” is the place to be this June.

            “The convention facility is very nice and it’s in a very safe area, with all the hotels right close by,” says Mike Woolf, vice president-sales. “We think our dealers are going to love seeing what Atlanta has to offer.”

            The summer market is one of three markets House-Hasson holds annually. Not just another buying show, this event can help ensure your store’s standing as a premier retailer:

            Use this event to buy right through:

·        Bonus Buy specials on commodity items and merchandisers

·        Expanded pallet area with buys on “A” items  

·        Seasonal buy-ins

·        Booth specials from every exhibitor

·        Drop-ship specials

·        Coupon specials on key items

·        LBM specials

      You can see what’s so special about this market—there are specials galore. Network with manufacturers and get early, direct information about new products; trends in their product categories; and other ways you can let consumers know you are the expert in what’s happening in the hardware and home improvement arenas. Carry the product mix needed for your region.

            The market will introduce scores of new manufacturers and products.  It’s the perfect opportunity to analyze your current product mix and consider new additions. This can help you attract new customers, increase your ticket size with existing customers and let shoppers know they can one-stop shop at your store.

Bonus Buy Savings

            The biggest highlight of a House-Hasson market is always the Bonus Buy Breakfasts on Friday and Saturday mornings. The Bonus Buy merchandisers will again be featured on Friday, but we are changing things up for Saturday. In Hot-Lanta the Bonus Buy items will be on display in a special area of the market on both days. This way everyone can take advantage of these deep discounted specials.

            At House-Hasson we don’t just believe in selling an item for less than regular price—anyone can do that. We believe in selling items at such unbelievably reduced prices that the auditors are wondering whether we should have our heads examined. We are talking about some serious rock-bottom prices.

            The savings spectacular starts with a Hot-Lanta complimentary breakfast at 7:30 on Friday morning in Ballroom A-G, with breakfast catered by some of the finest chefs in Atlanta. You can look forward to eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, hash browns, homemade biscuits, all done southern style.

            Then beginning at 8 a.m. Allen Winn will present the fantastic Bonus Buy merchandisers. Most of the assortments we feature are less than $500 with a 50 percent cash spiff. All merchandisers offer great-selling products and some are designed for House-Hasson dealers only. To top that off, we stock all of these products in the warehouse.

            The Bonus Buy item specials will be located in booths 1247-1251 and 1346-1350 all day Friday and Saturday. Each item will be displayed with special prices and plenty of staff will be on hand to help you with ordering. “We wanted to change things up a little for the open-stock buys,” Winn says, adding that dealers must place these orders during the show. “Don’t wait and don’t forget about it or you’ll miss the opportunity.”

            Dealers and their family members will still be able to enjoy a continental breakfast on Saturday morning in Ballroom A-G from 7:30-8 a.m. to get everyone fueled up and ready to work the busy show floor.

Hardware in Paradise

            When the market closes on Friday the fun is just beginning. Experience the fun and excitement of a true party put on House-Hasson style. Put on your shorts and tropical shirts and plan on enjoying a relaxing evening. “We’re trying something different that we think our dealers will have a lot of fun with,” Woolf says. “Everyone can wear shorts and Hawaiian shirts.”

            The festivities start with a special cocktail reception at 6 p.m. in Ballroom A-G. Join your fellow dealers, vendors and House-Hasson staff members in a casual atmosphere. This private party is exclusively for you.

            Chefs will be working all day to prepare a true “Cheeseburger in Paradise” experience you will not forget. There will be plenty of food, fun and entertainment. Jeff Pike and A1A Band will be performing and they are the official and original Jimmy Buffett Tribute Show—sanctioned by Jimmy Buffett himself. And what would a summer beach party be without Buffett music? This is music that everyone can sing along with.

            Jeff Pike and A1A Band bring to life a highly energetic, colorful, family-friendly Jimmy Buffett Tribute Show. When attending one of their performances you can expect to hear all of your Buffett favorites such as “Cheeseburgers in Paradise,” “Margaritaville” and “Come Monday.” You will also be treated to some classic Reggae as well as some original A1A rock music.

            Jeff Pike has performed with Jimmy Buffett in concert and was a featured performer on Jimmy’s “Barometer Soup Radio Special CD.” A1A’s first CD, “A1A-Live,” was produced by Buffett’s bass player. A1A performs as a six-piece musical ensemble that promises to provide House-Hasson dealers and guests with a truly unforgettable “Hardware in Paradise” experience.

Travel Rewards Program

            House-Hasson can help keep your travel costs down. If you haven’t already, be sure to join our Travel Rewards and Room Reimbursement programs in time for the June Market. More and more dealers are discovering it’s a no-brainer to participate in these cost-saving programs. Both will save you money on the cost of traveling to the June market, which like our other markets is centrally located to reduce your traveling expenses.

            For every $8,000 in purchases made at the June market, a dealer is reimbursed for one room night (maximum of three nights) at the House-Hasson Hardware special rate, plus tax, at one of the three host hotels: Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel, Sheraton Suites Galleria-Atlanta or Embassy Suites Atlanta-Galleria. Both stock and factory orders count toward the purchase totals. To receive reimbursement you must submit your room receipt no later than July 18, 2011.   

            Each participating dealer will receive 5 percent of their May warehouse purchases, at their regular buying plan price, to be applied toward their travel expense for our Atlanta market. You will be reimbursed at 40 cents per mile, round-trip, from your store to your host hotel.

            If you choose to fly, the incentive can be applied to the cost of up to two coach airline tickets booked by May 15, 2011. To be eligible for the travel rewards reimbursement you must:

·        Reserve your room in the House-Hasson room block at any of our three host hotels.

·        Purchase a minimum of $8,000 at the market.

·        Sign up for the Rewards program online or on the invitation registration form.

Keep in mind that the travel rewards will not exceed the price of the plane tickets and

mileage for one vehicle. The incentive is good for the June market only and cannot be carried over to the next market.

            Make your travel plans today!

           

Three Host Hotels

            The Cobb Galleria Centre’s on-site specialty mall and the Cumberland Mall, directly across the street and accessible by pedestrian bridge, make shopping convenient. The three host hotels are all conveniently located to the convention center so there is no need to get in your car and drive to the show each day.

The Cobb Galleria Centre connects directly to the 521-room Renaissance Waverly Hotel (2450 Galleria Parkway), which offers sophisticated accommodations including a dramatic 14-story atrium. This AAA 4-Diamond hotel is the crown jewel of the Galleria shopping and office complex. House-Hasson’s special rate is $119 plus tax. For reservations call 1-770-953-4500 and use code HHHA.

Guests enjoy the exclusive boutique shops of Vinings Jubilee and the Cumberland Mall located across the street. Dining options include the Atrium Café for breakfast, Starbucks for coffee drinks and Medici, which features Tuscan-inspired grilled favorites including handmade pastas, fresh seafood and prime meats. After the show is over you can relax and unwind at the trendy Tosca Blu Bar or at the circular sunken Atrium Bar.

            The Sheraton Suites Galleria-Atlanta (2844 Cobb Parkway S.E.) has been redesigned with deluxe, two-room suites and refreshed décor, new bathrooms with sleek granite, flat-screen TVs and the sumptuous Sheraton Sweet Sleeper™ Bed featuring a pillow-top mattress, ultra-soft duvet and crisp white sheets.  

            Just across from the Cobb Galleria Centre and adjacent to the Cumberland Mall, the Sheraton is a great choice for your stay. Surf the web for free at the Sheraton’s new connectivity hub, enjoy a swim in the hotel pool or get a workout in the updated fitness center. Complimentary shuttle service is available within a three-mile radius of the hotel. House-Hasson’s special rate is $105 plus tax. Call 1-888-627-7047 or make reservations online at www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/househasson.com.

            The Embassy Suites Atlanta-Galleria (2815 Akers Mill Road) is also located across the street from the Cobb Galleria Convention Centre. The hotel’s suites are luxurious and relaxing. Each two-room suite offers a fantastic range of amenities, with guests enjoying the pleasures of two televisions; a refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker; high-speed Internet access; and two telephones with data ports.

            The Embassy Suites provides tasty dining options from a complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast to mouthwatering meals served in the Skylight Bar and Grill. The hotel hosts a nightly Manager’s Reception with a complementary beverage for guests. House-Hasson’s special room rate is $104 plus tax. For reservations call 1-770-984-9300.

            When you attend a House-Hasson market you will be treated like a premier dealer. Our staff is focused on providing you with hospitality and helping you succeed now and in the future.   

For more information, please contact Mike Woolf at mwoolf@househasson.com or call 800-333-0520, ext. 212. We hope to see you in Atlanta!

Two Information-Packed Seminars on Tap

            We have simplified our seminar program for this market to ensure even more dealers have a chance to take advantage of this learning opportunity. Two excellent seminars are scheduled for Thursday, June 23, the day before the show opens.

Using Social Media to Increase Your Business—2 p.m., Meeting Room 104

            If you’re not on Facebook, Twitter or other social media sites, you’re missing a tremendous opportunity to increase your business. Even if you’re already using social media, House-Hasson can work with you to make it perform even better.

            Take advantage of this new technology before your competition beats you to it. House-Hasson’s Taylor Hasson and Ron Yatteau have a wealth of information to share to help you promote your business.

            We’ve incorporated social media into House-Hasson’s 2011 advertising program. Included is an on-demand flier you can generate and blast to your consumers in just minutes. If your local news predicts a snowstorm, send a color flier to your customers telling them about your snow-preparation products such as snow shovels, ice melt, sleds and more. It’s an immediate way to communicate.

            Ron and Taylor’s seminar includes information on creating your store website and in-store website promotions, Internet search engine optimization (so your website is found fast), email marketing and social media marketing on Facebook and Twitter.

            In today’s expanding communications world, your choice is to be a leader or be left behind. Use this new and exciting technology to grow your customer base and sales figures.

More Effective Marketing—3 p.m., Meeting Room 104

            Philip Mitchell, author of “Discovery-Based Retail—Unlock Your Store’s Potential,” will host one of the most informative seminars you’ll ever enjoy. Philip’s book is a great tool for dealers willing to embrace change or who decide it’s time to do something different.

            Branding, marketing and advertising can become confusing. This seminar will give you a better understanding of how these three elements fit into your retailing efforts to create success.

            We’ll take a short historic look at traditional advertising and examine what’s happening today. With social media and digital advertising quickly taking prominence over print and radio, it’s important to understand how you can take advantage of new techniques and tactics. We’ll review data and give you suggestions to more effectively use your advertising dollars.

            You won’t want to miss this seminar.

Market Preview—4-6 p.m., Exhibit Halls A-D

            When the seminars end all dealers are invited to a special market preview from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in exhibit halls A, B, C and D. The preview gives you an early opportunity to see the market layouts, specials and to visit with vendors. Our House-Hasson staff, salesmen, buyers and regional managers will be there to meet and talk with you. We look forward to seeing you at the preview.

           

Schedule of Events:

Thursday, June 23 Seminars: 2:00 p.m. Using Social Media To Improve Your Business 3:00 p.m. More Effective Marketing To Unlock Your Store's Potential 4-6:00 p.m. Market Preview - Exhibit Hall Friday, June 24 Time Activity Location 7:30 a.m. Bonus Buy Breakfast Ballroom A-G 8:30 p.m. Market Opens Exhibit Hall A&B 12:00 p.m. Lunch Ballroom A-G 5:30 p.m. Market Closes Exhibit Hall A&B 6:00 p.m. Dealer Reception Ballroom A-G 6:30 p.m. Dinner Ballroom A-G Saturday, June 25 Time Activity Location 7:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast Ballroom A-G 8:00 a.m. Market Opens Exhibit Hall A&B 12:00 p.m. Lunch Ballroom A-G 4:00 p.m. Market Closes Exhibit Hall A&B

House-Hasson Adds New Members to Leadership Team

The retirements of two longtime House Hasson Wholesale Hardware Hardware department heads forced the company to undergo leadership changes in its Knoxville, Tenn., corporate headquarters’ information systems and operations divisions.

“Our company is truly fortunate in that we’ve had professionals in leadership positions who have been with us for decades,” Don Hasson, company president, in a statement. “Now we have outstanding people ready to step in to continue House Hasson Wholesale Hardware’s momentum and growth.”

The retiring department heads and years with House Hasson Wholesale Hardware are:

§              Tim Lawson, vice president of operations,  30 years

§              Larry Fennell, information systems director, 26 years

 The new department heads are:

§              Operations: Don Phillips, who has worked in logistics and management for several corporations

§              Information Systems: Dennis Quilliams, who has nearly 30 years’ experience in computers and information technology

Lawson started at House Hasson Wholesale Hardware as a credit analysis reviewer. In 1987 he was made warehouse manager and subsequently operations manager. Ten years ago he was promoted to operations vice president.  

“It has been a great run,” Lawson said. “I owe a lot to this company, and I know I’ve given it my best.” Warehouse technology leads the list of all the changes he’s seen in the three decades. “When I started it was 100 percent paper,” he said. “The speed and efficiency of what we can do now would have been science fiction not too many years ago.”

Don Phillips takes Lawson’s place as supervisor of 210 employees in House Hasson Wholesale Hardware’s Knoxville and Prichard, W.V. warehouses. Phillips worked with FedEx, a NCR, and a national trucking services firm. For weeks he’s been training with Lawson and working with all House Hasson Wholesale Hardware’s departments.

“This company has a stellar reputation,” he said. “At a time when many companies are struggling, House Hasson Wholesale Hardware in the last two years has expanded both its Tennessee and West Virginia warehouses. I’m delighted to be part of this team.”

Larry Fennell has held two jobs in his 43-year career, the last 26 of them with House Hasson Wholesale Hardware.

“I went to college as music major,” he said, “but then I went into computer programming and it fascinated me.” His department does all in-house programming and anything that relates to the company’s IBM mainframe computer.

“When I came here there were five computer terminals in the entire business,” he said. “Today we have 85 hand-held computers just in the warehouse. Technology drives every facet of the business.”

Dennis Quilliams has worked with several major East Tennessee corporations and joined House Hasson Wholesale Hardware in February. His education in House Hasson Wholesale Hardware processes has been intense.

“We’ve been going over systems,” Quilliams said. “There are probably a hundred programs involved in processing systems. It’s a full day’s work, every day. I am also glad each day to be able to come to work at a true leader in an important industry.”

“We owe a debt of gratitude to Tim and Larry. They are quality people who mean a great deal to House Hasson Wholesale Hardware,” Hasson said. “We’re delighted to welcome Don and Dennis. They each are determined to ensure we’re taking exceptional care of our customers, every day.”

House Hasson Wholesale Hardware is America’s largest independent regional hardware distributor. The company serves 17 states and the Caribbean region. Its annual sales top $200 million.

Hardware Stores use Social Media to Promote Business to Customers

Using Social Media to Promote Your Store to Customers

More and more hardware retailers are using social media such as Facebook and Twitter to promote their stores and connect with customers on a more meaningful level. Start taking baby steps and you just might stumble onto a new, cost-effective way to build store traffic while developing a loyal group of followers.

The smartphone is changing everything. How we shop, how we organize our lives, how we spend our time and how we connect with people is all undergoing a dramatic transformation. Within the next five years, 80 to 90 percent of U.S. consumers will carry a smartphone.
Facebook has applications that allow cell phone and social media to be tied in, and House Hasson Wholesale Hardware can help dealers thrive in this new arena. House Hasson Wholesale Hardware can also help you develop and execute a targeted email marketing campaign to grow sales in your store.

“Social media is where things are headed in the future,” says Taylor Hasson. “It’s a good way to advertise new products and connect with customers. We’re here to help dealers with it.”

Start Experimenting

It’s not that traditional methods of advertising such as newspaper ads and circulars don’t work; the reality is that retailers need to do more to engage customers and build top-of-mind awareness with an increasingly distracted group of consumers.

Most young people (those under 30) spend a large part of each day immersed in a fast-paced social environment of their own design, bouncing back and forth between texting on their cell phones, posting updates on their Facebook site and tweeting their Twitter followers.

When they are in a store and see a great deal, they tell all their friends about it—right then! They won’t see your circular inserted in the Sunday newspaper, because they get all their news online from non-traditional sources. They may not be your customer today, but they definitely won’t be your customer in the future unless you take steps to communicate with them on their terms. When that next generation of customers gets their first home in three to seven years, social media may be the only way to reach these potential customers.

One retailer needed to get rid of 30 shrubs quickly. So he posted an incredible deal to his Facebook and Twitter sites: buy one shrub, get three free. He had seven or eight people come in and take advantage and got rid of his shrubs right away. Some of the customers had been told about the deal from someone else on Twitter.

You can promote upcoming events, post photos of past events, publicize seasonal closeouts and community involvement, tell customers about new product categories or niches you’ve added to your store or share home improvement project tips. Post coupons and provide links to your sales fliers and circulars—whatever you think customers should know about your business that’s relevant and timely.

Location-based services such as Foursquare are growing in popularity. Foursquare allows customers to “check in” when they arrive at your store, earning points or virtual badges that can be used toward special offers. They can even have coupons sent to their mobile device while they’re in an area.

House Hasson Wholesale Hardware Leads the Way
House Hasson Wholesale Hardware has set up a social media marketing group on Facebook to help dealers share ideas related to advertising and social media and ways they are getting customers to follow them on Facebook, according to Ron Yatteau, e-commerce specialist. Check out the House Hasson Wholesale Hardware social media marketing group at www.facebook.com/househasson.
One of the newer technologies that individuals and companies alike are starting to explore and find practical uses for are QR codes, according to Yatteau. “You may have seen them on billboards or in print advertising, and it’s a type of barcode with an encoded Internet link (URL),” he says. “If you have a smart phone with a camera and Internet access, you should be able to use this technology—simply take a picture of the QR code and you’ll be connected to that specific content or URL. Retailers can put it on a sign in their store and link their customers to their online presence.”
Going to a House Hasson Wholesale Hardware market and networking with other store owners and suppliers is a lot like connecting with your customers online—you must engage them and get to know them. You will build loyalty and a following.
House Hasson Wholesale Hardware customer Richner Hardware in Twinsburg, Ohio, is on Facebook, although owner Dave Murch gives credit to his daughter. “She set us up on Facebook until we become familiar enough to take over. She posts hardware tips of the day and seasonal tips. She’s even promoted the benefits of our no-VOC paint line,” Murch says.  
On the back of coupons Murch encourage customers to “join us at our Facebook address.” So far the store has 170 fans. Check them out at www.Facebook.com/RichnerHardware
Beverly Perry, vice president of the Prichard division, points out that Slanesville Store in Slanesville, W. Va., had a huge increase in their business in 2010 and they have been on the "cutting edge" in the stuff they have been trying.

Slanesville Store offers hardware, appliances, hearth, grocery, deli/pizza, beauty shop, gas station and video rental, all under one roof. “The beauty shop and pizza counter have monitors that display ‘subliminal’ ads and messages about the appliances and hardware while clients are having their hair done or waiting on their pizza to come out of the oven,” Perry notes.

Owners Matt and Jodi Stotler decided to experiment with social media and they were pleasantly surprised by the result. They developed their own web site, which has a link to encourage customers to follow the store on Facebook—so far Slanesville Store has 840 followers.
“We decided to try some new marketing tools, because we saw all ages were getting into Facebook. We quickly discovered that people were very interested in it…and us,” says Jodi, who has been the one spearheading the effort. “There wasn’t enough public knowledge about all that our business had to offer. Why pay money to others to spread the word when we can spread the word ourselves for free?”
When they looked at the demographics of the store’s followers, they discovered the age group was 30-45. “We were really surprised by that. So far our customers are having fun with it,” says Jodi, who notes that people’s relationships are increasingly built on texting.
Jodi does all the social media posting with input from others and most of the time it’s marketing focused. As deer hunting season approached, she encouraged people to post their best “big buck” stories.
She is able to take adViewer and put a PDF of their sales flier on the store web site. “Then we go on Facebook and direct people to the site to see our flier. It’s just another way to constantly remind people we’re here,” says Jodi, who has also experimented with Twitter and found their customers aren’t into that as much.  
Jodi makes sure to respond to everyone on Facebook, whether they ask a question or post a comment. “No one cares who you are at the big box. This is a way to be personal with people,” she points out. “I would urge every retailer to jump on board with this. We go to the House Hasson Wholesale Hardware social media site for ideas.”

10 Ways to Increase Your Facebook Fans1. Ask all your staff to become fans and to suggest all of their friends "like" your page too.
2. Add a Facebook message to you and your employees’ e-mail signatures.
3. Put a Facebook link on your web site.
5. Put a Facebook logo and your web site URL on all your advertising.
6. Print little handouts that tell your customers you're on Facebook and give them out at the register. You can also do it on the back of coupons you hand out.
7. Go to www.facebook.com/username and claim a custom URL.
8. Post informative, interesting and compelling status updates. Don't feel that everything you post needs to be an ad. Facebook fans find that to be extremely annoying. Social media is not like regular advertising. It's a conversation and is good at engaging people.
9. Post regularly but not so much it becomes “spam,” since your fans have given you permission to stay in contact with them. Also, post at different times of the day.
10. As a final strategy, try using Facebook ads. You can select the demographic and area you want to target. You can also have the ads appear only to friends of current fans (with their friend's name included).

The Scoop on Facebook:
Facebook is an Internet-based social utility that facilitates real-world social connections with family, friends, coworkers and customers. Learn more about Facebook by going to: http://www.facebook.com

• Launched in 2004
• More than 500 million users worldwide
• More than 200 million active users currently access Facebook through their mobile devices.
• 50% of users log on in any given day
• Average user has 130 friends
• More than 1 million websites have integrated with Facebook Platform

The Scoop on Twitter:
Twitter lets you write and read public messages up to 140 characters to answer the basic question: what are you up to right now? Learn more about Twitter and its applications for business by going to the following link: http://business.twitter.com/twitter101

• Founded in 2006
• 175 million active users
• 95 million tweets are written every day

Callout: Check out the House Hasson Wholesale Hardware social media marketing group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/househasson.

The largest independent regional hardware distributor in America. House Hasson Wholesale Hardware is a full service, exclusively wholesale, hardware distributor.

http://www.househasson.com

Carolina Wood Products opens a new hardware store with House Hasson Wholesale Hardware

Hitting the Ground Running
Brothers Give Community a New Hardware Store

Carolina Wood Products opens a new hardware store with House Hasson Wholesale Hardware

Ron and Randy Horne really hadn’t planned on opening a hardware store, but they just couldn’t say no to a community in need.
The two brothers’ main business is Carolina Wood Products, which was founded by their father in 1969 and sells wooden pallets and crates all across the South. They also own a number of rental properties.
“The people in the community said there was nowhere to go to buy hardware and that we’re the only ones who can do it,” Ron recalls. “It was an issue for us too, because we couldn’t find the products we needed to take care of our rental properties.”
  As luck would have it, House Hasson Wholesale Hardware territory manager Ralph Price and regional manager Jay Aldridge just happened to stop by the Carolina Wood Products plant and mentioned the only hardware store in town was closing. That got the ball rolling and it was a whirlwind of activity from there, starting with an RPM study to analyze the market.
They broke ground on the 8,000-square-foot store with detached lumberyard in January and opened up this past April. They’re still trying to catch their breath from all the activity.
“House Hasson Wholesale Hardware advised us every step of the way. They provided detailed information to give to our banker, helped us find fixtures, helped with the store set-up and they gave us very good terms,” Ron says. “More than anything, they gave us a good idea of what to expect throughout the whole process.”
The store has quickly gained a following in the community, and the Horne brothers keep discovering new products they need to add to the merchandise mix. “We offer camping gear, toys, sporting goods—a wide variety to get people looking around,” Ron says.

Randy adds that offering green goods in the spring was well-received. “We want to keep catering to the ladies, because they buy plants, paint, flags and other stuff,” he says, adding that their wives offer valuable insights into what products they should be carrying to attract female shoppers.

Since they’re new to retailing, they have been forced to lean heavily on House Hasson Wholesale Hardware’s expertise. “Ralph is here every Monday morning to look after us,” Ron says. “He helps us with ordering and if we have damaged products he makes sure it’s taken care of. You couldn’t ask for more.”
A grand opening was held in the spring, using the House Hasson Wholesale Hardware circular to promote the event. House Hasson Wholesale Hardware also helped them host a Customer Appreciation Day in the fall. “We plan to consult with them soon on setting up a website so we can have Internet sales,” says Ron.
Launching a new store in a short period of time is not without its challenges, and they ran into a few speed bumps trying to get their POS system set up with 30,000 SKUs. “We worked through it and the folks at J3 offered us good support and helped us with our grand opening,” Ron says. “The nice thing about the J3 POS system is we don’t have to be here and we can still see what’s being sold.”
Adds Randy, “Our POS system tells us what’s moving so we don’t run out of mulches and plants. We pay close attention to our inventory levels.”
The brothers may be new to retailing, but they understand the important principles that drive a successful retail operation. “All our customers get greeted and asked if they need help. We make sure our service stands out,” says Randy.

They have attended all the markets since they first started talking with House Hasson Wholesale Hardware about a new store, and they find them very beneficial. “You see what a well-run organization House Hasson Wholesale Hardware is and what a large selection of products they have to offer,” Ron says. “Our sales rep helps us find products and offers advice on how much to buy. It’s a learning process.”

The nearest big box is 22 miles away, but the RPM study helped them understand the level of competition they face and how to combat that. “We accepted their guidance. We had to listen to them because we didn’t know what to do otherwise,” Ron admits. Adds Randy, “Ralph and Jay both live close by—they’re local. They have no problem taking care of any request we have.”  

Nine months into their first year of operation, Ron and Randy both say the business has exceeded their expectations, especially when the economy is taken into account. “Plumbers and electricians come in here. If the economy starts looking better we plan to expand the lumberyard and add a lot more roofing products, block and other building materials,’ Ron says.
In addition, they plan to target pro painters with the Gray Seal line of paint once they figure out the right volume pricing discounts. They’ve already started catering to industrial/manufacturing companies in the area. “We tell them we’re right here and can be their stock room,” Ron says. “We’re already selling pallets to Quikrete down the road, so we might as well sell them other products too.”

Bloomfield Hardware discovers a new partner House Hasson Wholesale Hardware

Growing the Business in New Ways
Bloomfield Hardware Discovers a New Partner

Derek and Mandy Rollison and their daughter, Taylor, operate Bloomfield Supply & Hardware in Bloomfield, Ind.

You might call Derek Rollison an accidental retailer. Working in the land management business, he didn’t have any particular aspirations to a life in retail. But he saw a need and an opportunity, and more than anything, it was a challenge he felt he could handle.
Bloomfield Supply & Hardware was located in a shopping center in Bloomfield, Ind., that had been started by Rollison’s grandfather 35 years ago. His grandfather’s sister and brother-in-law had operated the store for 13 years, then his grandmother’s sister and husband took it over and ran the business for the next 22 years.
“It was distressed. I didn’t want to see it go away, so I took over,” explains Rollison. He took control on February 8 and one of the first things he did was go with House Hasson Wholesale Hardware as his main supplier in place of Ace Hardware. “I had probably seen the House Hasson Wholesale Hardware rep, Chris Kirwer, ten times more often than I saw my Ace rep,” Rollison says. “I saw the difference between the two companies right away. With Ace we were on our own, while with House Hasson Wholesale Hardware I felt like we had a partner.”
He needed a lot of assistance from his new partner to whip the business into shape.
David Helfenberger helped him come up with a plan to reset the store. “House Hasson Wholesale Hardware had as many as four or five people here helping out for about a month. We had to change a lot of stuff around,” Rollison says.
A big section of the store was not being used, so 2,000 square feet of space was added right away to make the total salesfloor 8,000 square feet. “Our plumbing area was too small, but that meant we had to move the electrical department and so on. Overall, the conversion process went fine and everyone at House Hasson Wholesale Hardware was very helpful,” says Rollison, who is joined in the business by his wife, Mandy, with occasional help from their 10-year-old daughter Taylor. The couple also have a six-month-old son.
The service counter was the same way it had been for the past 35 years, so Rollison completely redid that while also installing new flooring. The renovation cleared room for even more space in the front of the store, which was used to make a showcase area for commercial mowers.
“We had space for outdoor power equipment, so we thought we might as well use it,” he explains. He added Dixie and Skag mowers and Echo outdoor power equipment and began promoting the availability of parts and accessories as well as a repair service. Rollison ended up selling 29 commercial mowers this past year, which is not bad in a town of 2,500 people.
Although he was new to retail, Rollison understood that retail success comes from finding ways to build customer traffic. First, he had to overcome the past history of the store, which was viewed as a last-resort, convenience stop with an underwhelming selection of products. “We have to make sure we have what people need,” he stresses. “Plumbing and electrical have turned into big departments, because now we are a go-to place for big plumbing and electrical projects.”
The same goes for the paint category. “The paint side had been weak, and we wanted to be in the paint business,” Rollison explains. So he went at it in an aggressive way. He bought a local Pratt & Lambert paint store and hired the old owner to run his newly enhanced paint department. Right now the store’s sales split is 50-50 with pro and consumer business, but he plans to start targeting paint contractors now that he has more to offer them.
Although the heavy remerchandising work is behind them now, Rollison knows he still needs to pay close attention to his assortment while recognizing and capitalizing on opportunities. “We have to figure out what to expand in and what to get out of or shrink,” he says. “If we decide to pursue something like wood furnaces we need to know if our customers will buy it from us.”
Rollison is discovering the various ways that House Hasson Wholesale Hardware can help him grow sales and profits. He signed up for the Benchmark pricing program and has been impressed with how functional and easy it is to use the CD Toolbox.
“We have to walk a fine line with our pricing. People compare us to the big boxes 25 miles away, so we have to stay sharp with our prices,” says Rollison, who hopes to use his POS system as a tool to make smarter decisions. “Keeping track of sales history will be key information to have and follow up on so we’re stocking the right items,” he adds.
He has been to two Dealer Markets so far and has found them to be productive and beneficial to his business. “You can find a lot of good buys. The best benefit was talking to all the factory reps,” he says.
As he approaches his first anniversary as a hardware store owner, Rollison is relieved to know he’s got a reliable partner to help him grow his business. “Everyone at House Hasson Wholesale Hardware is great to work with. And they get back to you if you have a question, which was not the case at Ace,” he says.

Local search and social networking merging

Social Search Results:
Google is merging search and social networking.  Google will show in their search results your social connection's post in results.  You can read about this in the official Google blog:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/update-to-google-social-search.html

This creates a great opportunity for local hardware stores, lumber yards, and home centers who are employing a local search marketing strategy and social media marketing strategy.

Here's what you need to do to succeed in this space:

1) Social Posting.  Have a wide social posting footprint.  Post daily.

Twitter.com, Facebook.com, youtube.com, flickr.com.

Why: These sites that have "Social Authority"

2) Comment.  Look up current topics your customers will be looking up and comment on them.  Be sure that you sign your comments with your Twitter, Facebook account names, website, and store name

Why: This creates social links between you and searched topics.

3) Keep it focused.  Focus on your customers.  Comment on local events,  topics related what people are going to be shopping for in the coming months.

Why:  The more post you make related to a given topic will make you a "Social Authority" and move you up on the social search results.

The Results:
Joe customer is trying to start his lawn mower for the first time this year.  It's not starting.  He decides to look up Lawn mower reviews on line.  A video you posted comes up because you posted it on youtube, shared it on your facebook account, tweeted about it, shared a link to your video in a comment on a blog about lawn moyer reviews, and you are connected to Joe customer on your local connections on twitter.  You follow local twitter accounts and he does too.

Want help with this?  House Hasson can help.  If you would like more information about local search marketing & Social media marketing of hardware stores, home centers, or lumber yards contact House Hasson Hardware at househasson.com.

Ron Yatteau
House Hasson Hardware

Follow us on Facebook:http://facebook.com/househasson


House-Hasson' Social Media Group is focused on social media,.email, and local search marketing of hardware stores,  home centers, and lumber yards.

The Facebook Viral Promotion for Hardware stores, Lumber Yards, and Home Centers

A Viral promotion a way to expand your followers.. The goal of the promotion is to encourages your followers to recommend your page to their friends for a free gift.  Here are the steps to conduct this promotion.
.
1. You want to make your wall look informative and appealing to newcomers.  
Review your current wall first few pages.  Make sure the post are informative and active.  You might want to find a few videos to post. Write a blog to post.  Find some good content.  What does your profile picture look like? Is all your company information complete?  Make sure you have at least 50-100 followers before you do this promotion. Look at your wall as a newcomer will see it.

2.  Create a landing page for your promotion.
The landing page should have a picture of your company, your main logo, and a call to action to press the "Like" button.

3. You need a great gift to give out that people will like and will motivate them to share your company page with their friends.

Here is  a product I found that would targets people who are smart phone savvy upscale home improvement customers.  Since It's a Mac App they are less price sensitive, quality over price.



The handy man app..

  It’s a home improvement planner designed to assist you in renovating your home by providing the information you need to complete a new project. Need to find out how much paint, flooring or trim you need? Enter in your room measurements and let Handy Man do the math.

http://wowzersoftware.com/Wowzer_Software/Home.html

Runs on the I touch, I pad, I phone and It cost: $2.95 each

4. Define the terms of the promotion:
Example: Fifty customers who share your facebook page with all their friends gets the app for free.  A drawing will be held on X date at the store. you can only win one app.  1 entry for each share a user makes to your page

5.  Plan your post for the promotion.

Link:
http://wowzersoftware.com/Wowzer_Software/Home.html

Text to go with the link:
Have you ever been working on a project only to realize you forgot something you needed for a project and you have to return back to the store to buy what you missed?  Well here is a neat app that solves that problem and I’m going to give 50 away in a drawing. All you have to do is suggesting your friends should "like" our page. Entering is easy. Just go to our www.facebook.com/yourpagename  page, click the blue "suggest to friends" link below my profile picture, highlight your friends and click the blue "send invitations" button. Don't forget to post the number of friends you suggested on our wall because that's how many entries you get in the contest.  Then On X date we are going to Draw 50 Winners in the store.

6. Managing the promotion:

1)    After each person post on you site.  Thank them as a comment to the post w a comment like:
-Your gona love this app.
-Good luck hope you win.
-Be sure to tell all your friends to enter the contest as well.
(Others will see your comments and enter the contest as well.)
2)    Build a list of each person’s name and the number of entries in a spreed sheet.
3)    Be sure to re mention the promotion every week leading up the final drawing.
4)    On the day of the contest.  Send a facebook message telling them their ticket numbers.  Basically you are allocating numbers based on the number of friends they forwarded.

Example:

Name         Number of Friends Shared      Start #                       End#

Missy H               125                                1                           125
John Morgan       325                                126                       451
Fred Fisher         225                                452                      676
ect...

7. To select the winner use a random number generator at random.org .
If someone wins twice re run the random number generator until you have 50 winners.  Post the winners online and send out a personal message to each one.  To send the gift you will need to get their email and go to the itunes.com and send a gift tome.  Be sure to enter their email into your email marketing system.

8. Post the winning ticket numbers on your facebook page.

Follow us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/househasson


House-Hasson' Social Media Group is focused on social media,.email, and local search marketing of hardware stores,  home centers, and lumber yards.