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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
This is the solid truth. The business men of America neither
assert themselves in politics nor in the big movements for trade
advancement as they should. When the necessity of such action
is properly comprehended the business man will be the power he
should be in national affairs.
A
RE individual salesrooms preferable to a large exhibition
space? was the question asked of The Review the other day
by
an
out-of-town dealer who was visiting New York for the pur-
PUBLISHED BY THE ESTATE OF EDWARD LYMAN BILL
pose of getting ideas on the rearranging of his warerooms, with
I
(C. L. BILL, Executrix.)
i
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
the object of making them a more attractive and pleasing place for
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
visitors.
AUGUST J. TIMPE
Business Manager
There is no mistake that a large and tastefully arranged ware-
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
room
is at all times impressive. It suggests business strength and
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, CARLETON CHACE,
L. M. ROBINSON,
GLAD HENDERSON,
A. J. NICKLIN,
WM. B. WHITE,
shows
the customer at a glance a large line of instruments which
WILSON D. BUSH,
L. E. BOWERS.
BOSTON O F F I C E :
CHICAGO OFFICE:
presumably
can suit a variety of tastes and pocketbooks, and which
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Consumers' Building,
Telephone, Main 6950.
naturally serves to impress him with the prestige and importance
220 So. State Street. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
HENRY S. KINGWILL, Associate.
of the particular piano firm.
LONDON, ENGLAND: l Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
NEWS SERVICE IS SUPPLIED W E E K L Y BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
But in addition to the large wareroom every piano establish-
LOCATED IN T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
ment
which can afford it should have, at least, a number of private
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
exhibition rooms—for the individual room idea is steadily growing
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
in the matter of wareroom equipment.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
In support of this statement we might say that one of the main
Canada, $3.50; all other countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $3.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
factors which go toward making a sale is the ability of a salesman
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $uo.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to the Estate of
to secure the prospect's undivided attention. It is not enough
Edward Lyman Bill.
merely to get the attention of the would-be buyer, but he must be
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
Piann dUU
anil
• Plavoi*
lOJCl -riaUU
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
in a position where his mind will be at least free from outside in-
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
|
dealt with, will be found in another section of this
terruption. He must be in good susceptible form, and if the sales-
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
man is clever he will concentrate his efforts to win the man to his
way of thinking, temporarily at least.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Now, if he has a small showroom where he can sit down and
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal. . .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma. . • .Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
have a heart-to-heart talk with his customer, where, entirely free
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
from interference of other people who may be coming in inter-
LONQ DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—5983 MADXSOH SQ.
Connecting all Departments
rupting him for some trivial matter, he can focus his whole strength
Cable address: "Elbin, New York."
on the customer, he can develop a line of thought and argument
NEW Y O R K , M A R C H 1 8 , 1 9 1 6 .
calculated to convince the prospective buyer, that the time to buy is
now, and that the piano or player to purchase is the one before him.
In other words, when one has a customer alone and entirely free
EDITORIAL
from other influence, it is possible to exercise the full strength of
salesmanship.
XPORT trade opportunities for the American manufacturer
These sales conditions are at their best, in our opinion, in
form a constant subject of discussion at trade gatherings
small individual showrooms. Time and time again we have seen
as well as in the daily papers and magazines. Nevertheless, little
the attention of many a customer diverted in warerooms, where the
has actually been done in a constructive way, outside of one or individual room idea is not in vogue, by callers coming up to the
two industries, to take any definite advantage of the unusually
salesman and talking or joking with him about some trivial affair,
favorable conditions which now prevail for the American manu-
thus breaking up a splendid line of argument which the salesman
facturer who desires to enlarge his trade with South America and
had brought to bear upon his client to the point of having him
other countries. There has been much talk, but little action. In
almost convinced and the sale clinched. Owing to this interruption
this connection some recent comments of Frank A. Vanderlip,
he had to go back over the same ground again, take up the thread
president of the National City Bank of New York, are most timely:
and follow it up only to be broken in upon again.
"If we are to win true success in international trade," said Mr.
Now, this weakens the efforts of the best salesmen in the
Vanderlip, "we must obviously have seriousness of purpose on the world, and it seriously interferes with sales closing. Individual
part of business men. In a measure we have that. A clearer
salesrooms do away with the possibility of interruptions and in a
recognition of what international trade means to the life of the large degree enable a salesman to focus his strength upon his cus-
whole nation is all that is needed, I believe, to bring forth honestly
tomer when he has him where he can exert all his influence to effect
patriotic effort, and that will be intelligently and wisely aimed.
sales. The less the diverting influences the better the sales strength
can be utilized.
"We must have proper sympathy and co-operation from the
government, and whether or not we get that will depend upon the
force with which business men make themselves and their experi-
T is not often that nations or individuals have occasion to com-
ence felt in shaping our political course.
plain of too much business, especially when that business pays
as well as it has been paying in the United States the past year.
"My feeling is that business men are not directing the attention
This country has very nearly reached the point, however, where it
that they should toward seeing that the men to whom they delegate
the great responsibility of government are the right type of men. must be satisfied with what it has—although things could be more
brisk in the music trade industry. The railroads are tied up with
Whom of you would delegate to the average Congressman the con-
the congestion of freight. The steel industry is taxed to the limit
duct of a vital and complicated part of your business?
of capacity. Despatches from Pittsburgh state that that center has
"We have heard in recent years much criticism of business by
practically run out of steel and that contracts aggregating 500,000
Congress. I should like to see effective criticism of Congress by
tons of structural steel are going abegging. Two construction
business. We have seen men sent to Congress from both parties
companies in that region have refused the orders. All munition):
who are unfit to make the momentous decisions affecting the nation
plants, of course, are running at full capacity. All the metals
that they are entrusted to make.
output is taken eagerly. The problem of unemployment has be-
"I believe the fault lies with business men. They have failed
to make their knowledge and experience felt. They have not de- come a bugbear of the past- It is all good while it lasts, and the
problem for the farseeing man, however, is the readjustment that
manded the participation in the councils of government that they
must come with the return to more nearly normal conditions. But
are entitled to have and which the best interests of the country
why cross the bridge until we come to it ?
demand that they should have."
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