Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
REVIEW
fflJJIC TIRADE
VOL LXXI. No. 20
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Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York. Nov. 13, 1920
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v| Practical Publicity That Brings Results
H E average music dealer is no stranger to advertising even though he himself may not be a large
advertiser in his own locality. Everywhere he turns he sees the advertising of this or that concern—
ofttimes his competitor's—and cannot but be impressed with the fact that publicity is a recognized force
in modern business. A music merchant is sometimes found, however, who, w 7 hile admitting that adver-
tising is a mighty good thing—in fact essential—explains that his advertising is limited because he cannot
afford to use big space in the newspapers. The trouble with such a man is that he imagines that newspaper
copy covers the whole range of advertising. He overlooks the fact—if he has ever learned it—that some
mighty good advertising can be done without making a big splurge in newspaper pages.
Some of the most successful advertisers in the retail trade are those who combine with their newspaper
advertising other avenues of publicity; who seek to make their stores the musical headquarters of their re-
spective cities; who take an interest in local music and civic affairs, and by identifying themselves with every
progressive movement call attention directly to their businesses. There is one Western dealer, for instance,
who, when a prominent artist appears in his city, arranges an excursion for the benefit of the suburban music
lovers. The house looks after all the details, charters interurban cars and underwrites the whole affair. The
transportation is sold at cost, and the music house realizes its profit in the advertising that naturally accrues.
Several other music merchants have gone into the managing end of the music game to bring support
to their businesses and to attract attention. One dealer in the South, for instance, has for several years under-
written a regular concert series, bringing to his city a dozen artists of national and international fame. In
his work he has enlisted the support of the music clubs, the school authorities and the public-spirited citizens of
the city, and by conducting the concerts under his own name he hooks up most emphatically with the musical
life in his locality. The retailer who does not keep in touch with the musical affairs of his city and with the
doings of the musical clubs is missing a direct opportunity for advertising his business.
Make a list of a dozen of the large or small town music dealers in the United States, and it will be found
that the head of the house in almost every instance is, and has been, closely identified with the musical events
in his home city. He has taken an active interest in these events and lent his support in a way that is bound to
command attention, and the result is always favorable. The more friends the retailer can cultivate among the
musical people of his city the stronger will become his grasp upon their business, for it is human nature to buy
from a friend when possible.
Newspaper advertising may be considered an essential, but it is not by any means the whole thing. It
may be regarded as the visiting card that introduces the retailer to the people in his community, and whether
or not they become more intimately acquainted with him depends upon his own efforts. Looking after the de-
tails of the musical program for this or that organization, furnishing announcements for concerts, helping
in the selection of the program, encouraging the younger element to form orchestras and take more interest in
things musical, all come within the province of the piano man. It represents the personal application of the
principle of encouraging music advancement. Stimulating activity in musical interests is the most direct method
for stimulating the sales of musical instruments, and it is advertising of the right sort.
The retailer who can develop the friendship of the music lovers in his locality to the point where they
naturally come to him for advice and assistance in the conduct of local musical affairs has little cause to worry
about the growth of his business, and retailers who have reached that point are far from being uncommon.
The idea back of the whole movement is that the retailing of musical instruments is not in itself a sepa-
rate thing, but is part and parcel of the musical life of the community, affording as it does the means for creat-
ing music. When the retailer understands this angle of his business properly he is in possession of one of the
important secrets of business development.
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