executive optimism and industry's challenge
TRANSCRIPT
« C A U N D ENGINEERING
JUNE 22, 1959 |^Ot |g^ | rN jD| |2S|
EXECUTIVE OPTIMISM AND INDUSTRY'S CHALLENGE
Business Prospecfs Encouraging, buf Alliance of Science, Education, and Sales Promotion Needed
A WO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TRADE ASSOCIATION MEETINGS o f t h e y e a r , those of the Manufacturing Chemists' Association and the National Plant Food Institute, have just ended. Their enthusiasm over the business outlook contrasts with last year's pessimism.
The two meetings are now held back-to-back because many chemical manufacturers have in recent years entered the plant food field and their executives are interested in the programs of both organizations.
Yet it is interesting to observe the different aims of these two efficient, well managed, and successful trade groups. MCA does not concern itself primarily with sales promotion. When needed this is done in specialized trade groups functioning outside the MCA structure. On the other hand, MCA gives effective and diversified services to the chemical industry. One of its programs which continues to create favorable comment deals with educational aids at the secondary and college levels, including recognition of outstanding teachers of college chemistry.
NPFI, on the other hand, faced with a quite different major challenge, devotes much of its budget and effort to sales promotion for the plant food industry. The potential already exists, but many farmers still do not use anywhere near the amount of fertilizer and lime they should for maximum financial return from their labor.
"Sales promotion" is much too narrow a term to describe NPFl's program. It is a complex mixture of fostering chemical and agricultural research and solicitation of cooperation from the key people in federal agricultural agencies, agricultural colleges, state experiment stations, and from county agents, editors of agricultural papers, country bankers, etc. The farmers trust and look to these groups for reliable information. Fertilizer consumption has risen appreciably through telling of new and revolutionary scientific achievements and what these can and should mean to the farmer financially.
The dealer seldom is a key man in any program aimed at expanding intelligent use of plant food. His function is to carry stock and extend credit; plant food and agricultural chemicals are only a part of his business. Also, agricultural chemicals are for him somewhat seasonal items. In many cases, profit margin for the dealer is low and he cannot be the backbone of a long-range plan to increase total volume of plant food sold. The relationship of the pharmaceutical and drug in-* dustry to the drug wholesaler is analogous: Promotion here is largely the manufacturer's job.
At the NPFI meeting a panel of regional directors dealt with how the facilities of agricultural schools and the scientific knowledge of their staffs and those of state experiment stations and of county agents are being utilized to show the farmer ( 1 ) how to use new and better agricultural chemicals developed by chemists and agronomists and produced by chemical engineers in large quantities in well engineered plants throughout the country, and (2) the greater profit possible through these products and techniques.
Here is a most convincing argument that modern sales promotion is most successful when it combines science and sound economics. In a particular example afforded by the plant food industry, it is obvious that producers sell more, farmers profit more, and consumers, through a higher standard of living, ultimately benefit more.
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