Each month, AskNELMA will include an article that will focus on a particular marketing tactic within NELMA’s 2014 Program that describes the activities planned for the year. This monthly spotlight feature is the result of a recommendation from NELMA’s Marketing Committee, seen as an excellent vehicle to expand communication with the Association’s membership in a broader reach regarding the attributes of the program and its perceived benefits.
This month’s focus is on the Advertising segment of the 2014 Program. Two types of advertising are set for this year, (1) Trade Press Magazine Advertising, and (2) Internet-based Advertising
Trade Press Advertising:
Print advertising is typically not an effective way to reach a target audience 
unless you have a heavy frequency present within a magazine over time or a very unique gimmick advertisement (remember NELMA’s Talking Head ads?). However, for an Association to add presence to supplements its member’s advertising in specific trade press, or support a trade magazine’s specific editorial opportunity, print advertising can be effective.
Trade Publications: Building Products Digest and The Softwood Lumber Buyer.
Target Audience: Lumber Wholesalers, Brokers, and Retailers.
Message: See the Stamp, Trust the Quality; Buy lumber products manufactured by NELMA’s members.
NELMA will maximize its low-frequency ad placement by targeting issues that feature special editorial, activities, and industry events.
Internet-based Advertising:
More than 5 years ago, NELMA’s Marketing Committee saw the benefits of adding presence on Google’s search return page, utilizing the right-hand page space that incorporates small ads that appear when specific words or phrases are searched. This form of advertising differs significantly from traditional forms as its pricing model relies on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis and search word popularity. NELMA sets a specific monthly budget and is not charged until someone clicks on the ad, which leads them to a specific area within NELMA’s websites dependent upon our message.
Internet Advertising Vehicle: Google Adwords
Target Audience: All
Messages: Various “campaigns” using multiple words and phrases that trigger our brief text ad to pop on the search page are currently in play.
NELMA’s CTR (Click-Through-Rate) has steadily been above the industry average every year.
Special Advertising Opportunities:
As a member of the Softwood Export Council, NELMA has access to marketing funds
through USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service and Market Access Programs. For the last four years, the Association has taken advantage of these supplemental dollars to extend our marketing message to current and potential overseas buyers of northeastern softwood lumber products.
Trade Publication: Forest Products Export Directory
Target Audience: Overseas Buyers
Message: See the Stamp, Trust the Quality; Buy lumber products manufactured by NELMA’s members.
This broadly-distributed annual Directory is designed to help the foreign buyer find reliable sources of lumber and wood products from North American manufacturers and includes a write-up on each species attributes including Eastern Spruce, Balsam Fir, and Eastern White Pine.
Advertising’s Percentage of the Total NELMA Marketing Program: 12%
