Music Trade Review

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6
THE
Music
TRADE: REVIEW
absurdities and crudities which characterize many piano adver-
tisements.
I
EDWARD LYMAN
Editor and Proprietor.
J. B. SP1LLANE. Man**inrf Editor.
EXECVTIVE STAFF:
CAMPBILL-COFSLAND,
EMILIS
Gxo. B. K u x n ,
TBOS.
W . MURDOCH LlND,
CHICAGO OFFICE:
BOSTON OFFICE:
EMUI
L. WAITT, 856 Washington St.
PHILADELPHIA OFFICE:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
FRANCES BAUER,
GEO. W. QUEEIPEL.
A. J. NICKLIK,
E. P. VAN HARLINCSN, SO La Salle S t
MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL:
R. J. LKFSBVRE.
SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE:
5 T . LOUIS OFFICE :
CHAS. N. VAN BUEEX.
ALFRED METZOBE, 426-487 Front St.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Nadison Avenue, New York.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SVBSCRIPT1ON (including postage), United States, Mexico and Canada, $2.00 per
year; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $50.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
On the first Saturday of each month The Review contains in its
THE ARTISTS' "Artists' Department" all the current musical news. This is effected
without in any way trespassing on the size or service of the trade
DEPARTMENT section of the paper. It has a special circulation, and therefore aug-
ments materially the value of The Review to advertisers.
DIRECTORY at PIANfi > ^' ie directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
M*ii»fV/r.»»
found on another page will be of great value, as a reference for
MANVrACTUR.ER.S
dealers and others.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE-NVMBER 1745 GRAMERCY.
NEW YORK, NOV. 26. 1904.
EDITORIAL
W
E are in receipt of numerous communications from manufac-
turers and dealers praising last week's issue of The Review.
It is true that viewed from any standpoint it was a remarkable
number. In the size of the publication, and in the variety and influ-
ence of its contents, it was indeed a record smasher. It was a notable
victory from the newspaper standpoint, and was certainly a greai
credit to our printing establishment, when one considers that the
entire paper, comprising one hundred and forty-two pages, was
gotten out inside of a week. The edition was a very large one, and
it will be seen that the physical accomplishment of producing such
a publication is worth commenting upon at least. It required cer-
tainly a good newspaper organization to complete such a gigantic
work within such a limited time. It was treated as an ordinary
number, and not, as what is colloquially termed, a special in any sense,
and we think that the arrangement and completion of such an enter-
prise emphasizes one thing above all others, and that is that the organ-
ization and general equipment of The Review is of such size and
character that we are enabled to toss off with comparative ease the
largest kind of a trade paper proposition. Such an organization
commands support because it merits it.
"W
T is pretty hard when a man has to work his intellect overtime in
order to produce some brand new, never heard of, brilliant
method, for attracting holiday piano buyers. While in the throes
of this strenuous task, he may come across a scheme, perhaps by
accident, which if worked out to the full satisfaction of the originator,
may mean success. Novelties in any line surely count, but we
should say to our western friend, that the first essential to secure his
share of the holiday trade, would be to have a clean, attractive store.
Dress it up in holiday attire. It costs but little. Potted plants and
some holiday novelties in the way of decorative effects add immensely
to the drawing power of the piano wareroom, too many of which
have a funereal aspect rather than a holiday garb.
HAT s ^ a ^ w e c ^° t o ^ e t OUr s n a r e °f t n e holiday trade?"
writes a dealer from a western town.
Well that problem has made many a good piano man hollow-
cheeked and sunken-eyed. For weeks before the season of good
cheer and good will, he had racked his brain to devise means to attract
buyers. He has gotten up new kinds of sales and has striven in
many ways to interest the public in his particular brand of pianos.
The striving for the new, the race after novelty has become a
shibboleth with most of us, and in our haste for ultra effects we get
tired, fagged out and weary.
Occasionally it is well to consider whether the profit underly-
ing the older devices tested and proven could not be applied to-day.
Pianos were sold years ago on the quality basis, and those selling
them succeeded fairly well. Why not emphasize the quality stand-
ard in pianos to-day, and clothe the idea, if you will, in a new garb,
give it a fashionable printers' raiment, omitting, of course, the
AKE the store attractive. Next see that a good, fresh, bright
stock is installed therein. Keep it attractive. Don't let dust
rest on the pianos until it actually fornis a coating, but keep the
pianos bright, spic and span, so that one does not have a sense of
depression when entering the store, and wondering whether only
second hand goods are sold. Then after making the store bright
and inviting, the stock clean *and attractive, the next thing is
publicity.
M
N
OW publicity to-day costs money for the newspapers are not
run on purely a philanthropic basis. No one is going to boom a
business enterprise or any other kind unless they receive money for it.
The World's Fair people learned that to their sorrow. Get up some
attractive musical entertainments. Bring in the piano players for
publicity, show them up, and get the local papers if you are in small
towns to write up the affairs in detail. The papers will not do it with-
out pay, because they are not noted for their unselfish benevolence,
but they will tell their readers all about your musical entertainments,
if you will spend a little money. Get in with the reporters. If you
are clever you will find a way to work in some little features of your
entertainment in the papers in an interesting way. But don't attempt
to work the papers, pay them for what you get the same as you pay
for merchandise.
R
UNNING a paper is like any other business enterprise. It is
not a charity undertaking, but if properly patronized it is the
most forceful adjunct to every business in the world. The advertis-
ing force was strong enough to land Douglas in the Governor's
chair of Massachusetts with such a thud that the sacred cod fish on
the dome of the State capitol dropped a few scales.
"What shall I do to get my share of the holiday trade?"
Why, Lord bless you, do things. Be strenuous. Have a
bright store, bright stock. Have some lovely flowers here and there.
Geo. P. Bent has the only retail establishment in America that *
we have ever seen decorated on the outside with flowers, but the
versatile Geo. P. understands a thing or two about business, and he
adorned the windows of his building on Wabash avenue with beau-
tiful potted plants during the summer so that any one on the street,
and on the elevated road could see those lovely pinks and geraniums
trailing from his windows.
ORT of inviting, don't you know. It gave one an idea that
inside was refinement, taste, good music, good pianos, and
surely whenever you enter the Bent warerooms you will be sure to
find all of these attractive accessories. You will find a well-kept stock,
and a most inviting place in which to tarry. Clever salesmen are
there, too, to show you attractively environed instruments. We
would say to our friend, who asked what he shall do to get his share
of the holiday trade, don't employ poor salesmen. They are dear
at any price. Good men are not at all times easy to get, but they pay.
An investment in a good salesman brings good returns.
S
EVER mind the suicidal competition ot a dollar a week and
nothing down, let the fellows who desire that kind of busi-
ness go on with the dance. Let their joy be unconfined; unless they
have a mighty long bank account they will be tired of that business
some day. In the meanwhile stick to quality, stick to price; have it
the right price, and above all, advertise. Let the other fellows race
to see who can offer a piano for the least down and the smallest
possible payment, but keep in mind that opportunity for profit and
permanent business lies in emphasizing quality rather than price.
N