Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE RELATION OF THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER.
strator to talk at length on the various aspects
of playing music with the player-piano, but it is
The Problems That Face the Dealer Handling Player-Pianos and How He May and Should Be quite another thing for a business man, for ex-
Assisted by the Manufacturer with Beneficial Results That Are Mutual—Technical In- ample, to sit down at the instrument and get
struction of the Dealer and His Assistants Absolutely Necessary for Success.
from it the nice effects which he has heard. The
fact is that a reference book of some sort is im-
In the player business, more perhaps than in any thunders out no clangorous volleys of notes,
peratively needed, whereby the customer can re-
other that comes to mind, the relations between neither disturbs nor annoys. It produces gentle
fresh his memory and find what he wants to know
manufacturer and dealer must necessarily be very music, gently and naturally played. And the faculty
al any time. A certain amount of practice and
for doing this sort of thing is the rarest of rare
intimate. Whereas, on the one hand, the re-
study is necessary if the player-piano is to be
tailer is essential to the distribution of player- possessions in the player trade.
used with satisfaction. " Although any one who
Naturally one feels that manufacturers them-
pianos, on the other hand, the nature of the prod-
has enough musical feeling to enjoy music has
selves would do a vast service to their trade and
uct is such that special knowledge of some sort
enough to learn the trick of coaxing fairly good
is necessary to make the process of distribution to the whole industry, if they would undertake
interpretations out of the player-piano, still, this
run smoothly. And this knowledge is of such a to interest retailers in sane methods of demon-
is a matter which requires some instruction, some
character that the manufacturer has no right to stration and sale. Somehow or other we must
practice, some patience. If it were possible to
have good selling methods, and the manufacturer
expect the retailer to possess it instinctively.
give every purchaser a few personal lessons at
Manufacurers are prone to complain that re- really is the man to start the ball rolling. A home, the problem would be solved. But this is
tailers, especially the smaller men, do not under- booklet on salesmanship would be a good invest- neither practicable nor possible. Here, then, the
take the player business aright. There is some ment.
manufacturer should again have recourse-to litera-
Just exactly what constitutes good salesman- ture, and supply the dealer with a short, well-
truth to the complaint. But it is not enough mere-
ly to complain. It is also necessary to remedy ship we shall not discuss in this place, since the vritten, accurate and attractive booklet, addressed
it if that be possible. The retailer himself com- scope of the present article does not call for it. to and written for the purchaser, and devoted to
But we belive that if the advertising department explaining interestingly how the latter may ob-
plains that the player-piann proposition saddles
en him the necessity for maintaining skilled of a player manufacturer were to put itself seri- tain from A he player-piano the musical satisfaction
special help, for doing special advertising and for ously to the task of producing a manual of sales- for which he craves.
giving special training to salesmen. Of course manship, the result would be more than worth the
So far, we have spoken chiefly of the way in
it might be answered that the increased profits trouble taken.
from player sales ought to offset all this. But
There is still another direction in which the which a manufacturer may and should assist his
the reply would probably be that there is not manufacturer may and rightly should take the dealer through the medium of literature. Printed
enough profit anyway. Obviously this is a prob- lead. That is in reference to the purchaser's in- matter, however valuable though it be, is not of
lem that needs looking into carefully.
terests. It is no longer enough to sell a player- itself enough. Tn addition, there must be the per-
sonal enthusiasm of the manufacturer himself
Ignoring all theoretical considerations, and get- piano, and let it go at that. The manufacturer
and of his wholesale representatives. An enthu-
vho
proposes
to
build
up
a
business
for
himself
ting down to brass tacks, it is up to the player
siastic organization, understanding the plan of
manufacturer to show the retail man how to sell which shall have some permanence must realize
campaign, and doing their best to carry it out, will
his goods. No matter whether the task be welcome that the satisfaction of each purchaser is as im-
win every time. The manufacturer's travelers
or not, all experience shows it to be necessary. portant to him as anything else; if indeed it be
ought
to be men who can set the good example
Tt becoms a question, then, of asking just what not the most important thing of all. Now, we are
in demonstration, in selling, in maintenance, to the
the manufacturer must do and how much trouble all beginning to find out that when we have
sold the retail purchaser we have really not com- retail trade. Let this be the case and all is well.
he must take.
The relations that must necessarily exist between
One big proposition that always faces the re- pleted the transaction by any means. Before we wholesale and retail trade in this business of ours
tailer is that of maintenance. However we look can say that, we must know that the purchaser is are indeed peculiar, but they are inevitable. The
at it, it is not the fault of the dealer that player- going to be thoroughly satisfied with what he has manufacturer certainly does have to butt into the
pianos need to be kept in order. Still less is it bought.
retail trade a whole lot. So long, however, as
As things are, the average retail purchaser does
his fault that the required skill and experience for
good results flow therefrom, why should any one
this work arc not to be found everywhere. Thus not get as much out of his player-piano as either complain ?
the manufacturer is faced with the necessity for he or we would like. It is easy for the demon-
cteating knowledge regarding his player product
then a single handclap breaks the spell and you
STRONG MANUALO CAMPAIGN.
among the tuners and repairmen of the dealer.
find yourself joining madly in the applause echo-
Not only so, but he must also do what can be
How the Baldwin Co. Features Its Popular ing from pit to gallery.
done to enlighten all tuners everywhere, because
" 'Magnificent,' you say to your friend as you
Player-Pianos in Its Announcements to the
his instruments go into many parts of the country
file out; 'our leader was never in better form.'
Public—Convincing
Copy
That
Tells
the
where a large repair shop cannot be maintained
Prospect Why the Manualo Is Worth While. But down deep in your heart is a little envy of
and where dealers, in consequence, are forced to
this man's work, a longing to have his thrill of
rely on the ministration of the local tuners. Schools
The Baldwin Co., Cincinnati, O., is pleased personally producing these inspiring selections
can do much, but they cannot supply knowledge with the rapid growth in popularity of its new just as you feel them.
to all the tuners in the country for obvious rea- player, the "Manualo," and orders for this instru-
"It is the fulfillment of this longing that makes
sons. Therefore it is the plain duty of the man- ment are being received from Baldwin dealers in
the 'Manualo' appeal so strongly to every music
ufacturer to supply the trade and the tuners all parts of the country. General commendation lover—that will make it appeal to you.
everywhere with well written, intelligible, instruc- of the "Manualo," both from the trade and public,
"The 'Manualo' is to its performer the com-
tion 'books, telling what to do, as well as what not has greatly encouraged the Baldwin Co. in its pletely accomplished and instantly responsive in-
to do, and, above all, providing plenty of illustra- campaign of national publicity, and the enthusiasm
strument that the perfectly trained orchestra is
tions.
of Baldwin representatives regarding the "Man- to the conductor. You play upon it just as he
But there is more than this. Just as the tuners ualo" is a matter of much gratification to the com- plays upon his men, asking what you will in tech-
nique and feeling and receiving all you ask.
and practical men need technical instruction, so pany.
"By 'completely accomplished' we mean that the
do the dealers and their salesmen need selling in-
Publicity in the national magazines is one of
'Manualo' plays the whole world of music litera-
struction. This of course includes the art of
the plans of the Baldwin Co. towards creating a
demonstration, which is so sadly neglected. The feeling of co-operation between itself and its ture—symphonies, operas, overtures—anything that
the conductor can play with his orchestra you can
statement may cause a smile, but player manu- agents, and some of the advertisements that appear
facturers who maintain their own salesroom and in the leading magazines over the signature of the play on the 'Manualo.' It gives you the brilliant
orchestral effects which no pianist can secure.
have their own retail corps, well know the enor- Baldwin Co. are most admirable.
"By 'instantly responsive'—and this is most im-
mous advantages of having a standard of demon-
The arguments used by the Baldwin Co. in pre-
portant—we mean that the 'Manualo' plays in
si ration and salesmanship. Selling players is not senting its "Manualo" to the general public are
like selling steak. It is not quite so simple a exemplified by a recent advertisement that ap- sympathy with your instinctive accents in pedaling
matter. Yet perhaps a majority of all dealers peared in the Saturday Evening Post under the just as the orchestra follows every movement of
the conductor's baton. For instance: Suppose
. and salesmen seem to think no particular knowledge heading, "The thrill of leading a great orchestra
or special line of appeal to be necessary.
in great music is yours when you own a Baldwin your interpretation of a certain selection calls for
The fact is that the large and successful player 'Manualo.' " The text of the advertisement was a gradually increasing volume of tone extending
manufacturer could do far worse than issue a interesting, informative and educational, and over several measures; instinctively you gradually
booklet, for distribution to salesmen, on the fine should prove of interest to Baldwin dealers as increase the force of your pedaling just as the
indicative of the "talks" advanced by the Baldwin conductor's movements would become more force-
points in selling that particular instrument. If
that booklet goes deeply into the matter of demon- Co. in the presentation of its player to the pur- ful. And, just as the orchestra would respond, so
stration, so much the better, for good demon- chasing public. The advertisement read in part as does the 'Manualo' satisfy your every wish, every
degree of strength in the pedaling bringing forth
follows:
stration is half the battle. When we say 'good
"A famous conductor is leading his men through a proportionate volume. And so it is with all
demonstration', we do not mean the high-falutin
other effects—soft, dreamy playing, crashing
sort of pseudo-recitalism in which some salesmen the finale of a brilliant composition. You sit
indulge, in making themselves supremely ridicu- almost breathless, watching his every movement, chords, rhythmic dance measures—no matter
drinking in the waves of tone as they rise and fall what, you control the 'Manualo' as the conductor
lous in the process. We mean the quiet effective
sort of work, which reveals the master. Good in perfect sympathy with his baton. At last the controls his men—instantly, absolutely, com-
demonstration leaves no sensation of great effort, final climax—the audience sits silent, enthralled^- pletely."