I often hear people confusing the terms “marketing” and “advertising.” Some consider advertising to be any activity that promotes their business. Others think marketing is interchangeable with sales, probably because the terms are often lumped together, as in “sales and marketing.”  Read More

From strategic insights on marketing and sales to practical advice on winter weather risks and sustainable building practices, these articles have sparked meaningful conversations among our readers. As we step into 2025, here are the top reads that have resonated the most, offering valuable lessons and innovative ideas for navigating the dynamic world of the […]

We hear from many LBM dealers, that they are struggling with Social Media if they are using it at all. Those that are using it are challenged to consistently produce engaging content. When I hear this, I usually ask where social media fits in their overall marketing plan. In a lot of cases the response […]

We hear all the time from LBM dealers that they struggle with marketing planning. For many, they just need some help in developing an actionable plan. For others, it appears the focus is on marketing tactics verses marketing strategy. Most successful marketers have a process to develop well-grounded strategies to make strategic decisions. I like […]

Photo Veterans 23V Recon   We have heard for some time how hard it is to attract young people to the LBM business. In today’s environment where unemployment is around 3.7%, this is adding to the challenge. So as NRLA members what can we do? In previous operations roles, one of the things we always […]

The announcement that all Amazon workers will earn no less than $15.00 per hour coupled with nationwide efforts to bump fast food workers and others to that level has created a new reason for employees in your business to feel underpaid. They are likely talking about it in the break room, saying that if someone […]

We engage with dealers all the time that are straight out, so busy that they can’t imagine spending any time on forward thinking, strategy, or anything else besides that day’s to- do list. They say: “I know I need to find time to address these things, but now is not the time, I’m too busy. […]

         Photo by Andrej Lišakov on Unsplash   For a long time, we have heard from dealers that they feel the “younger generation” is not interested in the LBM field, and they wonder how to change that? “Here’s one thing that works – Internships”! The peak of your season coincides fairly well […]

  For many years, we have heard frustrated dealers lament… young people don’t want to work at lumber yards. Where are our future leaders going to come from as we move into retirement? If you are one of those who find it difficult to hire young, energetic employees who are driven to grow and take […]