Members of the Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association (SCMA), promotion sponsors, and guests, recently gathered in Atlanta for the SCMA’s 2022 Mid-Year Meeting. The event was held at the Georgia World Congress Center in conjunction with the International Woodworking Fair.
Attendees received updates on the SCMA’s promotion campaign, reviewed projects in progress, previewed activities for the rest of 2022 and early 2023, and networked with industry colleagues and friends. Here’s a quick recap of past, present, and future projects.
Inspiring Homeowners
When a consumer is looking for inspiration for their next home improvement project, furniture purchase, or home décor upgrade, they turn to traditional print, online, and social media.
To aid homeowners and renovators in their quest for ideas, the SCMA places an emphasis on producing written content for newspapers, online news outlets, and its website and social platforms. And the SCMA’s latest editorial features—Create a Space for Chillin’ and Grillin’ and Stylish Furniture Finds for Your Home —do just that by covering how home builders are using Cypress to create outdoor living spaces that are specifically designed for entertaining, as well as why furniture makers are choosing to work with Cypress for their custom pieces.
Together, the articles received 4,953 placements, reached more than 346.5 million potential readers, and produced $3 million in advertising value. That’s serious bang for our marketing buck.
Kicking Off Game Day with a Giveaway
In late August, the SCMA teamed up with woodworking duo Siroh & Ivy, Butler, Pennsylvania, to host a giveaway on Instagram to tag along with the start of the NCAA Football and NFL seasons. The game plan was designed to promote Cypress as part of tailgating and fall gatherings with family and friends.
The SCMA supplied Cypress and Siroh & Ivy crafted drink flight trays with cutouts for eight drinks (glassware included), chalkboard strips for writing messages, and the SCMA logo engraved on the bottom. Over the course of a week, our team produced photo and video content for Instagram to document the process of creating the trays, highlight the handmade aspect of woodworking, and interact with our audiences.
The goal was to boost our following and engagement, and we came away with a win! Looking at the stats, the giveaway post generated 20,565 impressions, 417 profile visits, 290 content interactions, and 75 new followers.
Networking with the Industry
This month, the SCMA will exhibit at the North American Wholesale Lumber Association’s 2022 Traders Market at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona, November 9–11. The multi-day event will provide an excellent opportunity to network with lumber dealers and wholesalers, and create exposure for Cypress products—especially in the Western market where Cypress has potential to fill a void as an alternative to Western red cedar.
Get a Seat at the Table
Is your company engaged in the manufacture, processing, or distribution of Cypress products? Then consider joining the SCMA and supporting Cypress promotion. Learn more by visiting www.CypressInfo.org or sending an email to member-services@cypressinfo.org. And be sure to follow the SCMA on Instagram and Twitter at @cypress_info, and on Facebook at @southerncypress.
And mark your calendars for the SCMA’s 2023 Annual Meeting, which will take place March 21–22, at the JW Marriott Nashville. The two-day event will coincide with the Hardwood Manufacturers Association’s 2023 National Conference and Expo. If you’re interested in attending, please email member-services@cypressinfo.org.
