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THE MU3IC TRADE REVIEW
64
sentatives or leaves their selection to his general
agent, the question of their efficiency is one that
In the Development of Foreign Trade—The
directly concerns him. It is to him the question of
Traveling Man Is a Real Pioneer of Trade
chief importance. Under some circumstances it
and Everything Is Dependent Upon His
is perhaps possible to eliminate the general agent
Energies in Developing Business.
entirely. Under no circumstances is it possible
to dispense with the salesman.
(Special to The Review.)
"The manufacturer who is really in earnest in
Washington, D. C, June 21, 1905.
his efforts to secure foreign business should so
In the course of a very interesting report sub- organize his selling department abroad as to
mitted by H. W. Harris, United States Consul at avoid delays as much as possible. Failure on his
Manheim, Germany, he makes the following per- part or that of his general agent to answer corre-
tinent observations:
suondence or to forward goods promptly may
"A factor in foreign trade upon which too cripple the efforts of the best salesman. A foreign
much stress cannot easily be placed is the sales- business man ready for a desk or a typewriter, or
man. However excellent merchandise may be, a farmer with a harvest ready to cut, is likely to
and however reasonable the price, it is, after all, be more tolerant of delays than is the American
the seller who puts it upon the market. The customer.
traveling man with his sample case is the real
"The plan adopted by some large manufacturers
pioneer of trade. Well located general agencies, of meeting their salesmen in foreign fields seems
good advertising, willingness on the part of the to yield good results. If this cannot be done by
manufacturer to spend money in extending his the manufacturer himself, he can have his gen-
market, and an efficient consular service are all eral agent do so and report to him.
Important, but all may fail if the experienced,
"It would be an extraordinary general agent
energetic salesman is wanting. This may be ac-
who
from his desk in any one German city could
cepted as an axiom of trade which is universal in
keep
track of the development of German manu-
application, and of which the history of our own
facturing
in the past fifteen years, and know that
trade, domestic and foreign, furnishes abundant
his
salesmen
were accomplishing the best possi-
proof. In Germany, evidence is not wanting that
ble
results.
an agency at Hamburg or Berlin, however well
"The rapid extension of our avenues of trade
equipped, cannot hope to secure an important
trade in other parts of the Empire except through into foreign lands should stimulate a large body
capable salesmen who thoroughly canvass the ter- of our young men in the learning of additional
modern languages and in other preparation for a
ritory.
career in this branch of our trade. In no other
"It is no reflection on foreign salesmen to say field of endeavor is higher business talent re-
that, as a rule, American salesmen, or salesmen quired and in none other are the rewards more
thoroughly familiar with American methods, certain."
probably succeed best with American goods.
"A very capable man, for some time past gen-
AN "EXPERIENCE" MEETING.
eral agent for an American product sold in
Europe, and having under his control a large
number of salesmen and office employees, ex- Good Story Related by a Small Goods Man,
Which Proves That Appearances are Decep-
presses the opinion that properly fitted young
tive.
men from the United States are the most satis-
factory in his branch. Next to those he places
He had been a truckman—in fact, has never
the native young man taken direct from the
schools, without the bias of previous business ex- abandoned that vocation—but Mr. Jones, which is
perience, and trained in American office and sales not his name, but will answer just the same, also
methods. He believes the American salesman, went into the piano business, after he had a fall-
other things being equal, presents to better effect ing out with the local dealer about shipping some
the advantages of American goods, and is less goods. An acrimonious quarrel followed the
easily driven from the field than the foreign sales- break, and then Mr. Jones, in a spirit of revenge,
swore roundly he would open a piano store at
man selling the same goods.
once. He did, securing the Pease agency, and his
"On account of language, lesser expense, etc., first score was a sale of 75 instruments to a
the employment of foreign salesmen will in many young ladies' seminary. His success was pro-
branches always be deemed expedient. In this nounced from the start, for he was a clever busi-
case, however, the manufacturer should keep him- ness man, even if he lacked superficial polish and
self advised somewhat as to the class of men se- "musical tone."
lected, the instructions given them, the results at-
The small goods man was telling the story
tained by those who actually sell his goods, and
the volume of business done in certain localities. when The Review met the aforesaid party, add-
The mere fact that a man speaks the language ing his end as follows: "After a few months
of a foreign country by no means proves his fit- Mr. Jones—he had made a lot of money, is a
ness to sell goods in it, nor does the fact that he born money-maker we subsequently learned—
was born in the country and is familiar with its came to us and wanted to put in a stock of small
conditions. To sell goods abroad, as at home, he goods, about $100 worth, to open up. Honest,
must have a liberal share of those special quali- from his appearance, we didn't think he was
ties which go to make up the trader. Whether good for that much, not being in the rate books,
the American trader abroad selects his own repre- so we convinced him a bill for $50 was sufficient.
If we had been put wise the gent could have had
any quantity of stuff, for Mr. Jones is now good
with us for $4,000 or more, if he wants it. But
the best part of the joke is, that our telling him
to buy only $50 instead of the $100 he asked for,
he has always considered as advice given in his
best interests, and has never ceased to commend
us for the good turn shown him. Now, what do
HEN THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD
you think of that?" concluded the narrator, as he
will be of the greatest possible service
gazed aimlessly out of the window and possibly
to you. It Is the only journal published
In America, devoted exclusively to
had thoughts of what might have been.
SALESMEN GREAT FACTORS
HAVE YOU A
TALKING MACHINE DEPARTMENT?
T
the interests of the trade which Its name
indicates.
It is filled with news and
chatty items, contains a list of all month-
ly records issued by the various firms,
patents and technical articles of an in-
structive nature.
5 cents per copy
Fifty cents a year
EDWARD
LYMAN
BILL
NEW DITSON CATALOGUES.
Two new catalogues are about ready for mail-
ing by Chas. H. Ditson & Co., New York. Both
are gotten up in this well-known firm's best man-
ner, as to illustrations, arrangement and print-
ing. They are issued to promote the efficiency of
separate branches of the business.
PUBLISHER
1 MADISON AVENUE,
NEW YORK
Buegeleisen & Jacobson, New York, are prepar-
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If you desire anything in the
line of
SMALL GOODS
Something entirely up-to-date, it
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The Thiebes-Stierlin Musical
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ST.
LOUIS,
BLACK
MO.
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STRINGS
NEW
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Are the finest manu-
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National Musical String Co.
NEW
BRUNSWICK,
N. «J.
—THE-
WM. R. GRATZ IMPORT C0. 9
11 East 22nd St., New York City,
Sole Agents for
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Catalogs forwarded on request free of charge.
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