Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
VOL. LXV. No. 6
Published Every Saturday b y Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 3 7 3 4 t h A v e . , N e w York.
Aug. 1 1 , 1 9 1 7
s l n |
o l
£
£.wi»«
i
Piano Prospect
T
H E mainstay of the retail piano business is the prospect list, for it is a recognized fact that piano
warerooms have not the drawing power of dry goods or housefurnishing stores and cannot in any
sense depend upon the trade that comes into the store either unsolicited or through the influence of
advertising. The securing of a good prospect list and keeping it alive and up-to-date, therefore, is
one of the tests of the good piano man.
In the way of securing prospects the daily and weekly newspapers, especially those published in rural or
semi-rural communities where the personal equation is a big factor in the news printed, afford big trade
possibilities. The listing of engagement and marriage notices and similar data is of course too common to
require comment, but there is other news printed that to the wide-awake piano man provides the lead for
business.
If he is located in the center of a farming district, for instance, he has, or should have, a fairly accurate
idea of the standing of every farmer in that district, whether or not he has a piano or other musical
instrument. When the news is printed that a certain farmer has disposed of his crops, either in the field or
by shipping them to the market, it is evident that he has received money for them, and having received money
may possibly be in a position to buy a piano. If the farmer sells some timber land or is doing some hauling
for a neighbor, it is also quite evident that money is coming in and the piano man can lay his plans
accordingly.
It is a proven fact that even a well fixed farmer will between seasons often hesitate to spend the money for
a piano and yet will respond quickly if approached at the psychological moment when his crops have been
disposed of or he has realized upon his season's work in some other direction. Just at this time the farmer is
a mighty important personage and although, as is always the case, he is getting only a small proportion of the
amount being paid for his crops by the public, he is nevertheless securing unsurpassed returns for all his farm
produces.
In the small town or small city there is also the opportunity for developing prospect lists through the
medium of various organizations. There are frequently new Sunday schools being formed, new churches
established, new clubs and new lodges organized, all of which naturally offer fields for piano sales. In the
beginning, however, many of these organizations have not the financial resources to enable them to purchase
an instrument.
The piano dealer who has a real progressive spirit, however, will find it will do him no harm to place a
used piano or organ at the disposal of the organization until such time as it becomes financially able to buy
a new instrument.
Such an act will bring forth liberal and commendatory reading notices in the local paper and give the
piano man a standing with the organization and its members that he could not secure any other way, and which
often will prove very profitable.
He not only will stand an excellent chance of supplying a new piano to the Sunday school or club when
the time is ripe, but can add to his live prospect list the names of many of the members, who will be inclined
to give him preference in their personal purchases.
It will often happen that the granting of the free use of a piano will result in more actual profits on account
of new sales thus influenced than would any rental charge for a considerable period, and the piano merchant
who uses his foresight and judgment in allowing his instruments to be used free of charge under certain
conditions will profit thereby eventually. A little generosity in this direction is a form of investment which
is sure to pay good dividends, and often in a very unexpected manner.