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THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
B. BKITTAIN WILSON,
A. J. NICKXIN,
CARLETON CHACK,
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
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REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
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dealt with, will be found in another section o this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information cone rning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Player-
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Exposition Honors Won by The Review
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NEW
YORK,
OCTOBER
16, 1915
EDITORIAL
RADE conditions in the music trade field, as well as in all
lines of industry, continue to show rapid improvement, and
there is widespread strengthening of confidence in the future.
This feeling has been intensified by the Government reports on
crop conditions just issued, which tell the inspiring story that
for the first time in the history of the United States the wheat
crop yield will be over a billion bushels, while bumper crops of
the cereal "Big. 3"—wheat, corn and oats—are predicted. The
cotton crop will greatly exceed 3,000,000,000 bushels, and 1,500-
oco.ooo bushels of oats is estimated. This is certainly a showing
which tells of prosperity with a capital P ; and means that a good-
ly share of the profits in the farmers' pockets should wend their
way into the music trade industry. In the South there is also a
distinct improvement, for that section has raised a grain crop more
profitable than the most valuable cotton crop ever picked, some-
thing never before imagined.
In every line of business there is a distinct quickening, all
pointing to a new era of prosperity. Financial reviews this week
are all couched in the most optimistic strain. In this connection
Dun's says:
"Current trade reports reflect the best conditions and pros-
pects in many weeks, few obstacles to progress now being in evi-
dence. Removal of important restraining influences imparts need-
ed stimulus to new enterprise and launching of many deferred
undertakings attests the confidence in the future.
"Broadly considered, the mercantile situation is steadily ap-
proaching a state of normal activity, while boom times have re-
turned in iron and steel, and other industries, with few exceptions,
are participating in the general expansion. The present outlook
affords a striking contrast to that of a year ago, when economic
depression was worldwide, and the demonstrated ability of this
country to meet and overcome the most perplexing problems has
had much to do with creating the optimistic sentiment that is now
everywhere manifest."
It is now up to the piano manufacturers and dealers to arouse
themselves to a full realization of the conditions that confront them
and get busy by bringing their products to the attention of the pub'
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lie in a manner that will stimulate a fair measure of that activity
which has been too long absent in this industry.
O
F late we have observed in a number of papers advertisements
which give rise to the belief that the coupon-guessing
scheme is again coming to the front in some localities.
We have before us a check for $195 which a Western piano
company has given to one of the "successful contestants'' in a
guessing contest. This is good to apply on thj piano purchased.
We might say in passing that the cash dividend in this case
amounted to eight cents.
Naturally, when nearly $200 is given away for the successful
solution of some puzzle which might possibly disturb the brain of a
five-year-old boy to solve, the logical question is how much was the
price of the piano elongated to meet with this condition.
How can any piano merchant lower his price $195 on a single
piano in a manner like this and hope to have the people respect his
methods of doing business?
Can the people in localities where such methods are in vogue
be blamed for looking upon the piano business with grave suspicion?
There is another concern that is traveling around the country
appearing in various sections offering new pianos at absurdly re-
duced rates.
This company purchases a large amount of space in the various
towns where it opens up and exploits piano illustrations showing
enormous reductions down to as low as $37. In the cuts are shown
leading makes on th? "was-is" plan so that the readers would be
tempted to swallow some of the alluring bait offered.
It seems as if there is a pretty good opportunity for the
National Association of Piano Merchants to make some investiga-
tion regarding advertising methods.
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T is estimated by William Woodhead, of the Advertising Clubs
of the World, that over $600,000,000 was invested in adver-
tising of various kinds in this country last year. This is absolute
and final proof, not only of its marvelous growth, but of the won-
derful results achieved.
Gerald Stanley Lee, author of that very remarkable and worth-
while book, "Crowds," says: "Success in business in the last
analysis turns upon touching th: imagination of crowds. The rea-
son why preachers in this present generation are less successful in
getting people to want goodness than business men are in getting
them to want motor cars, hats and Pianolas, is that business men
as a class are closer and more desperate students of human nature,
and have bowed down harder to the art of touching the imagination
of crowds." That is what advertising does—it touches the imagi-
nation of crowds, and that is why successful advertising is de-
pendent on a knowledge of human nature.
The time has passed for giving serious consideration to the
man who does not believe in advertising, aptly remarks Mr. Wood-
head. Advertising is as much a part of to-day's life as the tele-
phone, the trolley car or the automobile. There is nothing magical
or mysterious about it, and the greatest advertising successes have
been due to the plain use of common sense applied with a knowl-
edge of human nature, with the resulting creation of desire—the
art of touching the imagination of crowds.
Why is it that advertising has become such a powerful factor
in the business life of to-day? Why is it that it stands on a much
higher plane than it did a few years ago? Because in its early
days advertising was unworthily used in the promotion of many
sorts of fraud, and people looked askance upon things that were
advertised. But nowadays it has acquired a new dignity and new
strength, and the better publishers and better agencies are all con-
centrating their efforts in the direction that means more power and
more credit to advertising. American business is facing a better
day; the national conscience has been quickened, with the result
that sincerity and honesty pay bigger dividends than ever before.
And so it has come about that advertising men are the apostles of
business.
H I N K often of the things you do well in your business and
by some subtle alchemy the things you do not do well will
be transmitted into things of the first class. And this is even pos-
sible in the piano business.
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