Hope everyone had a fine Labor Day! Lot’s of things going on here at the store and today I want to talk about growth. Old man Webster say’s growth is “development from a lower or simpler to a higher complex form.” I agree with him and I also believe with a business you are either growing or your shrinking. I strive to grow our business in lots of different ways and forms. We want to provide everything to everyone, from that one quart of paint to that kitchen faucet. We appreciate any and all of our customers everyday!
The bulk of our business comes from contractors and builders, you know the ones that purchase goods day in and day out. It’s what they do and their livelihood. They depend on us to have what they need, when they need it and I believe we do a pretty darn good job tending to their needs!
So good that I get very bothered when I take a short drive and see a house being built right under our nose. Have they not heard of us…Do they not know that building is what we do…Do they just think that we are a small mom and pop store with nothing to offer? Maybe it’s one of these things or maybe it’s all of the above. One thing is the perception that the larger stores offer more bang for the buck. Absolutely 100 percent not true! Everyday I hear “man ya’ll are a lot cheaper than Lowe’s or you really can deliver that in a few hours”, Of course we can it’s what we do!
One of our customers that is a quality, green minded home builder (Ron Ricci) told me at one of the home builder association meetings he took some ridicule because we were his main supplier and not one other “bigger” building supplys. All I could respond with was…For Real!!!….Have them give us a try…I think they will change their minds very quickly! He agreed and we had a good laugh!
Recently I was talking to Mark at Atlantic Outdoors in Stokesdale about growth and advertising. We were discussing how “Stokesdale was blowing up”, “growing!!!… With new houses being built all over the place”. He was having his personal house built while we were talking. “Do you sell lumber he asked??…Cabinets??…Windows??…Paint??? Absolutely to all the above and once again I was shocked that he operated a business roughly 7 miles away and never knew what we could do! Mark seemed to be a fine fellow and being a local company (yes Stokesdale is local) his establishment will get some of my business!
Yep, growing a business is a tough thing to do and I don’t think there is any absolute answer to the lingering questions of how. So we will keep pushing along trying new products, services and advertising ideas, doing what we love and keeping our families fed with a bed!
But Remember!!!!! Any new builder in the area….You owe it to yourself, your sub’s and your customers to give us a yell and let us provide you with quality, priced-right materials and service that can’t be beat!!!
From the first shovel to the last nail we have you covered!!!
Until next time….Peace!!
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