Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONNECTICUT ASSOCIATION
By-Laws of Organization Amended to Admit Talking Machine Dealers to Membership—M. B.
Leichter Elected President—Rudolph Steinert, New Secretary, Plans Active Campaign—Inter-
esting Addresses by Guests at Annual Banquet of Association Following the Meeting
The tenth annual convention of the Connecti-
cut Piano Dealers' Association was held on
Thursday, April 27, at the Hotel Bond, Hart-
ford, Conn., but apparently the significance of
the anniversary did not make the appeal it
should to the members of the association and
consequently the attendance both at the meet-
ing and banquet was rather meagre.
A most noticeable feature was the absence
of Pierson R. dimming, who had been secre-
tary of the association for a number of years,
and whose energies and efforts were largely
responsible for the activity of the organization.
Mr. dimming was confined to his home by ill-
ness and made the unwelcome request that he
be relieved of his secretarial duties by the as-
sociation. The spirit of the association in this
matter was indicated by the resolution pre-
sented by Rudolph Steinert and passed unani-
mously to the effect that a telegram of good
wishes and a floral tribute be sent by the asso-
ciation to Mr. dimming.
To Admit Talking Machine Men to Membership
The two topics uppermost at the meeting
were ways and means for increasing the asso-
ciation membership and also of increasing the
activities of those already members. In this
connection the by-laws of the association were
amended so that dealers in talking machines
were made eligible to membership in that body.
As one member remarked, "the tail of the dog,
meaning the talking machine business, had
grown so tremendously that it was really wag-
ging the dog, represented by the piano trade."
The opinion was also expressed that the com-
panionship of men who conducted business on
a strictly one-price basis were greatly to be de-
sired by the piano merchants.
At this juncture A. C. Andrews, of Willi-
mantic, presented a resolution to the effect that
the association endorse the Stevens' bill and any
other measure designed to provide for the main-
tenance of retail prices, and that the stand of
the association in this matter be made known
to the Senators and Congressmen of Connecti-
cut.
New Officers Elected
Xext came the election of officers, with
the following result: M. B. Leichter, New
Haven, president; A. P. McCoy, Waterbury,
vice-president; Wm. Beers, Hartford, treasurer,
and Rudolph Steinert, New Haven, secretary.
The Executive Board will consist of Alfred
Fox, Bridgeport; D. J. Stevens, Danbury; F.
E. Watkins, Hartford; Jas. F. Gill, Meriden;
A. C. Andrews, Willimantic; Lyman Payne,
Middletown, and H. W. Clinton, New Haven.
The nominating and membership committee will
include L. A Wheeler, Hartford; J. H. Thomp-
son, Bridgeport, and G. K. Morehouse, New
Haven.
New Secretary Plans Active Campaign
In accepting the office of secretary Mr. Stein-
ert stated that he would make every effort to
swell the membership of the association and
to increase the interest in its workings. He
emphasized what had been accomplished since
the organization was formed ten years ago.
especially in the matter of heading off inimic-
al legislation, and suggested that to better
carry on his work a committee of four or five
members be appointed as assistants to the sec-
retary, and to make personal appeals to the
piano men of the State not already on the as-
sociation list.
Before adjournment it was
decided to hold the next annual convention,
that of 1917. in New Haven.
The Annual Banquet
The annual banquet was held on the evening
following the meeting and succeeded in attract-
ing a goodly number of piano men from various
sections of the State and also from New York
and Boston. F. E. Watkins, the retired presi-
dent, acted as toastmaster, and introduced as
the first speaker, Mayor Frank A. Hagarty, of
Hartford, who in a short speech welcomed the
visiting piano men and extended to them the
freedom of the city.
E. P. Hamilton Talks on Trade-in Problem
The next speaker was E. Paul Hamilton,
manager of the piano department of Frederick
Loeser & Co., Brooklyn, who spoke at some
length on the trade-in problem of the piano
men. Mr. Hamilton outlined the policy that had
proven thoroughly successful in his department
and declared that the chief trouble with the
average piano man was making excessive al-
11
Undoubtedly, there is a great temptation to
indulge in size. A page or half page does look
mighty impressive. But the determining factor,
in my judgment, is the fact that the public is
forgetful. It has too many other things to
attract its attention. It is for this reason that
I believe the ideal for the piano dealer is small
copy well written and displayed, attractively
illustrated, and appearing often.
"For example: The average newspaper page
contains seven columns of space each twenty
inches deep or a total of 140 inches to the page.
"Now the question arises: Is it better to use
this space, say in two half pages on two days
of a month and have no copy the other twenty-
eight, or is it best to divide this space into
smaller ads of twelve inches each—that is to say
Banquet of the Connecticut Piano Dealers' Association, Hartford, April 27
lowances on old instruments. This he declared ads of six inches deep and two columns wide,
not only cut down the profit of the new sale, thus enabling your ad to appear in the paper
but tied up the dealer's capital on old pianos twelve days out of thirty, instead of only two
for which he would never be able to get the as would be the case with the larger copy.
amount he allowed. Mr. Hamilton's address
"I said the question arises, but so far as I am
was thoroughly practical and was delivered in concerned, there is no question at all. I believe
his usual forceful style.
in frequent appearances of copy.
H. B. Cheney Talks on Stevens Bill
"There is so much to distract the public, and
Another speaker was H. B. Cheney, of the so many advertisers of various merchandise,
prominent silk house of Cheney Bros., South seeking their attention, that one must be con-
Manchester, Conn., and a member of the stantly before them to avoid being forgotten.
American Fair Trade League, who dwelt at
"Another point. People do not make up
length upon the Stevens' Bill for the mainte- their minds hurriedly to purchase a piano. We
nance of prices on trade-marked goods, and all know that the average person must
what it meant to every branch of trade includ- be worked for a long time after we once get
ing the piano and talking machine dealers. Mr. them as a prospect. In most cases there was a
Cheney outlined the case of the Victor Talk- long period of formative interest before they
ing Machine Co., vs. R. H. Macy & Co., and became even a potential prospect.
emphasized the fact that price maintenance by
"Now it is the function of advertising to de-
law would really prove the salvation of the velop this interest, to promote and further in
small merchant.
the prospect's mind the idea of purchasing a
Alex McDonald on Advertising
piano. Consequently, it is necessary that well-
One of the really valuable talks of the even- written, convincing ads shall appear at frequent
ing was that delivered by Alexander McDonald, intervals, rather than a big flash at rare in-
director of publicity for Sohmer & Co., on "Sec- tervals, which is soon forgotten.
ond Thoughts on Advertising." He said:
Supplying Ad Copy to Dealers
"When I appeared before you at your last
"In my experience in supplying copy to
annual dinner, it was in the capacity of a trade dealers, I have reached the conclusion that
paper editor. I now come before you as one perhaps we expect too much from advertising.
active in the piano advertising field. What That we expect it to perform miracles in the
was then put forth from theory based on pre- way of selling merchandise.
vious experience, is now told from experience
"Last December I sent to our dealers a spe-
built upon theory.
cial Christmas ad on the Sohmer piano. In
"This fact, together with the further fact, ordering electros or mats of this ad quite a
that the subject matter is an unexhaustible one, number of dealers expressed the hope that it
is my excuse for appearing before you the would result in the sale of a large number of
second time. Your genial secretary was so in- pianos. One dealer spoke of the large amount
sistent in his urgings that I amplify my talk he would have to spend to run the copy—
of last year that 1 yielded to the seducements $13.75—and", therefore, that there should be a
of his persuasions.
goodly number of sales.
"Now, gentlemen, there are a good many
"One of the problems which confronts the
piano merchant is the question of big copy vs. dealers who take this view of advertising. They
run an occasional ad which very often contains
of his persuasions.
"Of course, if one has an unlimited adver- talk of doubtful sales value, and are disap-
tising appropriation, he can attain what might pointed if some one does not come forth and
lie termed the advertising ideal—big copy at buy a piano for $450.
"If it was that easy; if all a person had to
frequent intervals. But since most advertising
appropriations are all too limited at best, the do was to spend $13.75 in advertising to sell a
merchants must determine whether he shall piano, everybody would be in business. There
advertise often in a small way or in frequent would be no value in an old-established busi-
intervals with large copy.
(Contittucd on page 13)