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SEPTEMBER 14,
1918
THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE KIND OF DEALER WHO WINS IN BATTLE FOR TRADE ^ =
An Illuminating Analysis of the Different Types of Dealers in Which It Is Shown How the Man
Open to Ideas and Suggestions, the Balanced Man, Achieves Trade Success
[H. C. Ernst, assistant to R. J. Keith, vice-president and
general manager of the New York Talking Machine Co.,
recently completed his first year's association with this
company. Prior to joining the staff of the New York
Talking Machine Co. Mr. Ernst was assistant to the presi-
dent of the National Cash Register Co. and also occupied
an executive position with the Stenotype Co. He is there-
fore a man of wide vision and unusual business acumen,
and the following article which gives a brief resume of his
ideas of the Victor business, after a year's connection with
the industry, is worthy of more than passing attention.—
Editor.]
As I see it there are four different kinds of
Victor dealers:
First, the m a n
w i t h vision a n d
ability.
Second, the man
with ability and no
vision.
Third, the m a n
with vision and no
ability.
Fourth, the man
with neither vision
nor ability.
The man in class
one has v i s i o n
enough to see the
value of proper ad-
vertising, compe-
H. C. Ernst
t e n t help, unex-
celled service, courteous treatment of customers,
drastic credit policy and, above all, absolute
belief in and loyalty to Victor products.
Class one man in most cases has a DEFI-
NITE working plan in operation. In other
words, he knows what percentage of his profits
he can spend for advertising each month—and
he does it. He knows what percentage he can
spend for his help, his deliveries and his over-
head—and he does it. He knows that cour-
tesy to his customers is a big asset—and he
practices courtesy and affability. He knows
that his mailing list is worth its weight in gold
if it's live. He therefore works with that
mailing list day in and day out, keeps on it
only the names of those people who in his esti-
mation are actually buyers. He studies con-
stantly the trend of affairs, nationally, and takes
advantage of every change in his community
which will increase his business and he adjusts
his mailing list accordingly. If he finds that
the working man in his community is making
more money than he ever did before, he plays
hard for the working man's business. If he finds
that a foreign element is creeping in, he puts
in foreign records. Furthermore, the class one
man actually SELLS his records and machines.
He knows his stock and knows the likes and
dislikes of his customers. He sells 16s and 17s
as well as the more expensive records because
he knows how to present them. He keeps his
shop neat, clean, and brings it up to the cultural
standard of the merchandise which he is han-
dling. He appreciates the value of window dis-
plays. In short, the class one man cannot
help but be successful because he overlooks no
opportunity whatever and he has the vision and
the courage to go ahead and do things instead
of waiting for some one else to show him the
way.
The man in class two is unfortunate in that
he can carry out what the man in class one does,
but he is the kind of dealer who cannot work
without direction and furthermore even with di-
rection he would be at a disadvantage because
he is fearful of results. It is this class of man
who will spend $80 on one ad and because he
gets no results will stop advertising, not be-
cause he cannot devise good advertising matter
but simply because he hasn't vision enough to
see the value of this sort of thing and the ne-
cessity of constantly driving at the public not
with one ad but with a succession of matter that
will bring the customers into HIS establish-
ment. It is this man who holds the dollar so
45
EQUIP THE WONDER-
FUL "RESURRECTONE"
on all makes of machines
and attachments tor Edisons. Improve their
lone and increase the value of records.
Send for OUT Special Proposition
HOFFAY TALKING MACHINE CO.. Inc.
3 West 29th St.
New York City
closely to his eye that he can see nothing else.
He will not invest in proper window cards, win-
dow advertising, store fixtures, etc., because he
first wants to see results. He knows he should
PROMINENT VISITOR FROM INDIA
do these things, but again fear that the invest-
Valabhdas Runchordas, of the Talking Ma-
ment will not pay out holds him back.
chine & Indian Record Co., Bombay, at Pres-
The class three man—he who has plenty of
ent in the United States in Connection With
vision and no ability—is as badly off as the man
Establishment of a Record Plant in India
whose classifications are just reversed. Per-
haps he is worse off. Class three man has so
Valabhdas Runchordas, sole proprietor of the
much vision that he never stops to figure the
cost of things but allows enthusiasm to run Talking Machine & Indian Record Co., of Bom-
away with him to make any investments, adver- bay, India, and with branches in Calcutta and
tising, fixtures, etc., which cannot possibly pay Madras, was in San Francisco last week, and
out. They won't pay because after having plans an extensive tour of the United States
brought customers into the store this man is for the purpose of studying the record-making
unable to sell them. He is unable to impress situation and trade conditions generally, in the
them, probably. He has not studied his line. furtherance of the business plans of his house
He is not in a position to suggest to his trade for the future.
Mr. Runchordas was one of the founders and
what they should have. In short, he spends his
money along the right channels, but cannot is now sole proprietor of Valabhdas Runchordas
& Co., Bombay, the importing division of the
produce any actual sales.
The class four man is quite overcrowded. Talking Machine & Indian Record Co., being
The dealer who has neither vision nor ability among the pioneers in the phonograph import-
may have succeeded thus far, yet he has not ing field in that country. Before the war the
succeeded on account of what he has done but company had a practical monopoly of the prod-
rather in spite of what he has done. The Vic- ucts of the Beka Record Co., of Berlin, in In-
tor Co. has made it possible for such a man dia, Burma and Ceylon, and also featured
to exist, but in these abnormal, strenuous times Odeon records extensively.
It is the plan of the Talking Machine & Indian
and in the face of the very acute shortage of
goods this class four man must either pass out Record Co. to start a factory in India for the
or sell out. The class four man cares not for making of records, and Mr. Runchordas' pres-
the appearance of his establishment. He does ent tour is in the furtherance of that project.
not appreciate the value of a mailing list. He
knows his trade perhaps, but has not a good
IT'S NOW SERGEANT WALSH
suggestion in his make-up which would tend
to make up any one customer's given library. Former Edison Star Substitutes a Rifle for a
He sells a record only because it is asked for.
Stradivarius
He hasn't the slightest conception as to how
to present the higher-priced machines. He sel-
Arthur Walsh, violinist, composer and Edison
dom reads Victor advertising. He pays little tone test conductor, is now Sergeant Walsh,
or no attention to his mail. He does not be- and proud of it. Mr. Walsh's work during past
lieve in spending money for
advertising not because he
S^"
is fearful of results but sim-
.:
ply because things have not
/
come easy for him and he
•
consequently accepts h i s
^
profit with the least pos-
\
sible effort.
The class one dealer is a
man who is laying a founda-
tion for after the war which
will net him wonderful re-
turns. It is this class of
dealer who is open to ideas
and suggestions a n d who
has a strict accounting of
his stock and knows exact-
ly h o w his business h a s
been running.
This enables him to or-
der stock intelligently and
to keep his stock at the
highest points of efficiency
in the face of a shortage.
He does not buy in quan-
tities of one and two, but
rather buys for intervals of
six months or a year be-
cause his books show him
that he is justified in mak-
ing these purchases, a n d
naturally he need n e v e r
have qualms or fears as to
the salability of any of the
products which he has.
In other words, he is a
If He Can Fight Like He Can Play, Goodnight Germany!
high-class man, and will achieve success despite seasons in presenting the famous Edison tone
seemingly unsurmountable difficulties.
test throughout the country makes him well
known in the phonograph industry. He is now
The L. Meged & Sons Jewelry Co., of Rich- at the Marine training camp on Paris Island,
mond, Mo., which recently secured the agency South Carolina, and hopes to go "calling on the
for the Brunswick phonograph, reports an excel- Kaiser" very soon. Herewith he is shown prac-
ticing bayonet drill at the training camp.
lent business with that machine.