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THE
MUSIC TRADE
advertisers that the public has become quite familiar with the old
baits, and in order to increase enthusiasm it is essential to have
something besides cheap priced instruments.
REVIEW
" 'Does it pay to advertise in my paper? You just bet it does,'
the editor replied. 'Look at Sands, the cash grocer, for instance.
Sands advertised for a boy last week, and the very next day Mrs.
Sands had twins—both boys.' "
F
FREQUENTLY the statement is made that the money in the
piano business is in the retail end of it. Retailers are con-
stant advertisers. A strange coincidence. A manufacturer who
advertises continuously and who is far beyond the reach of the
If you can't stand being called down, don't make mistakes.
financial "wolf" gave voice to the following recently: "If it is
business sense to run the factory only once in a while or to have
Success is the measure of a man's ability to do something well.
the traveling salesman look out for orders once in a while; for the
For helping things along there is nothing like a cheerful manner.
bookkeeper to send out bills only once in a while, then perhaps it
will serve to advertise only once in a while, but not till then."
He who is incapable of obedience will never be fitted to command.
When trade is quiet the advertising should be louder, longer
and more insistent than at other seasons. It used to be the fashion
If you are not good at resisting temptation, don't go where tempta-
many years ago for retail people to "subside" in the dull months,
tion is.
but we are growing out of that plan. Big concerns like the Aeolian
A man who drifts along on the Micawber plan will be turned out
Co. never cease in their campaigns of publicity. No matter how
before anything turns up.
hot the weather in the summer. It is safe to say that the Aeolian
A man's ability to ingratiate himself with a customer is the measure
Co. is still carrying big advertising space in the local publications.
of
his
success as a salesman.
Gradually the larger concerns are getting out of the fashion of
figuring that there is but one season to advertise.
Genius is all right. It may bring a man to the front like a flash, but
it is persistence that will keep him there.
W
E meet people who say, "wait until business starts up a little
and then we will advertise." The logical position for the
manufacturer to take would be to reverse it about and say, "trade
is so quiet I will have to advertise, but when it picks up I can do
without it." Manufacturers who want business should pull the
wires harder and stronger than when business is good. It is like
the little girl who said her prayers at night because she wanted to
be taken care of when it was dark—she could take care of herself
in the day time. Manufacturers in all lines need all the forceful
help that advertising can give in dull times even though they can
take care of themselves in good times. There is no reason why
there should be any slowing up in energy during the periods which
are usually dull. The largest concerns recognize the importance of
advertising and their plans for publicity are carefully made for
every month during the year. Humphrey O'Sullivan, the founder
of the rubber heel industry, and one of the country's big adver-
tisers, said recently that notwithstanding the generally dull times
he had, by the power of advertising, increased his business nearly
one-third over the corresponding months of 1907. Such a state-
ment, made by one of the leading business men of the country, is
well worth considering.
SUBSCRIBER asks: "Does your new book on piano player
mechanism grade the different players?" Most assuredly it
does not. In fact, in "A Technical Treatise on Piano Player
Mechanism" there has been a careful avoidance of criticism. The
work is not published for the purpose of exploiting any particular
player system, but to benefit the class of men who desire technical
information upon a subject which is exciting a good deal of interest
to-day in the music trade world. The book is educational, in-
structive and helpful in its influence. It is put forth with the intent
of supplying those who desire with valuable trade information con-
cerning piano players of to-day. It tells how to repair, play and
all about the mechanism. In fact, it is brimful of useful informa-
tion.
A
F
ORMER Governor Douglas, of Massachusetts, said recently in
an interview copyrighted by H. G. Pagani: "I am not a
believer in spasmodic advertising; my principle is, keep pounding
away at the reader all the time. When a season is dull, I increase
my advertising. That may seem odd. Many don't do it, but I do.
That, I think, is one of the secrets of success. Instead of hanging
back, waiting for a slack season to pass, I believe in advertising all
the more." Douglas is all right and he knows the value of pub-
licity.
T ILLIAN BRAYTHWAITE HILL, writer of humorous ad-
1 v vertisements, spoke at a business men's dinner in Chicago
on "Fun in the Ad." Miss Hill began in this way:
"Does it pay to advertise? Well, I should say so. A man
came to an editor in the town of Shelbyville one day and asked that
question.
" 'Does it pay/ said the man, 'to advertise in your paper ?'
Learn to be a good loser. A reverse of fortune dismays the wise
man no more than would a change of the moon.
Know the pianos you are selling. Know all about them.
are in a better position to impress the customer.
Then you
Don't talk generalities about the goods you are describing to a cus-
tomer. Get right down to facts and make plain every small point.
A man who is satisfied with himself is satisfied with mighty little as
a rule. No self-satisfied man ever gets to the top of the business ladder.
CHURCH—I see it is estimated that all the inhabitants of the world
could stand comfortably in the space of eighty square miles.
Gotham—And I'll bet there are a lot of railroad men in this town who
would like to see 'em do it.
CYNIC PHILOSOPHER—You should be careful to address all men in
honeyed speech.
Student—Why so?
Cynic Philosopher—Because then it will not be so hard on you when
you have to eat your words.
PREVENTED.—"Have you ever tried to convince the public that your
unselfish patriotism has cost you many pecuniary sacrifices?"
"No," answered Senator Sorghum, "you see, some of my most influen-
tial constituents are cool financiers who would have no faith in a man with
such unbusinesslike methods."
"He's a very witty chap, don't you think?"
"How so?"
"He calls his neighbor's lawn mower Macbeth, because it murder's
sleep."
"I thought that was what he called his neighbor's baby."
"You mean the other neighbor. Oh, the other neighbor was too much
for him."
"How was that?"
"He has twins and a phonograph."
At Sharon Springs a countryman stepped up to Mr. Roosevelt and
said: "Whar's the president?"
"Did you wish to see him for anything in particular," said Mr. Roose-
velt, scenting perhaps a joke and perhaps a compliment.
"I never seen but one president in my life, an' of course I would like
to see him on gin'ral principles," replied the countryman. "But what I
want to see this one fur mos' particular is to see if he's got them squirrel
teeth the papers say he has."
And then and there the president displayed his "squirrel teeth" In
the broadest of grins.
A charming young lady went into the principal stationer's shop in a
country town and asked to see some thin notepaper. After selecting what
she desired, she hesitated for a moment.
"Do you make any reduction to clergymen?" she asked softly.
"Certainly, madam," said the stationer, with great promptness. "Are
you a clergyman's wife?"
"N-no/' said the young lady.
"Ah, a clergyman's daughter then," said the shopman, as he began
to tie up the paper in a neat parcel.
"N-no," was the lady's hesitating reply. Then she leaned across the
counter and spoke in a confidential whisper: "But if nothing happens I
shall be engaged to a theological student as soon as he comes home from
college this term."