Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MARCH 10,
1923
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
39
A GOOD MEANS OF OBTAINING BUSINESS A N D PUBLICITY
LIVEWIRE VOCALION DISTRIBUTORS
Methods of Intensive Sales Promotion Work Carried on by Mrs. O. E. Roe, of the A. Gressett
Music House, Meridian, Miss., Develop Interest in Machines and Records in Schools
V. T. Stevens, Manager of Vocalion Record
Distribution of Stone Piano Co., Proves Value
of Intensive Sales Promotion Work
The following article, the work of Mrs. O.
K. Roe, of the A. Gressett Music House, Meri-
dian, Miss., in which she outlines a novel meth-
od of intensive sales work for the dealer,
is considered valuable as showing what can be
accomplished by sales promotion work directed
toward schools in outlying districts. Mrs. Roe's
article follows:
"I have been traveling saleswoman for the
A. Gressett Music House, Meridian, Miss., for
the past five years, and would like to give my
tested experience in getting new talking ma-
chine business, as well as selling records. In
November, I was out for two weeks with the
supervisor of schools in one district, with a
No. 50 Victor talking machine and a selection
of educational records, as well as the Victor
Physical Culture set of records. My time was
limited in most schools to thirty minutes, and
often twenty minutes. In this district I made
eight schools and also met with the teachers
in a general meeting.
"In January I was with the county demon-
strator and made thirty schools; I found most
of the schools trying to buy libraries and other
essential things, not including a Victrola, but
when one sees the eager little faces before you,
drinking in every word and sound from the Vic-
trola, one feels they must do something, so
I suggested a 'Hen Day. 1 Each family repre-
sented in the school was to give a nice hen to be
sold, and the proceeds given towards the pur-
chase of a Victrola for the school. I sold, in
all calls, only seven machines. I got a wonder-
ful list of prospects, not only for the school
but outside as well, and through this work
sold two large machines to individuals as well
as getting a number of record orders, and I
believe SO per cent of the calls made will buy
at least a small Victor talking machine for the
opening of the next school session.
"The A. Gressett Music House, the house I
represent, put this work on as an advertising
proposition. I expect to rework this territory
intensively by the time of the opening of the
next session. We have the county superin-
tendent and county demonstrator, both white
and colored, enthusiastically boosting for us.
They each take a Victor No. 50 and records
on each visit to the schools.
"The superintendent of education has educa-
tional pictures that he shows in the evenings
to the different schools and uses the Victor
and a selection of good records for the music
at these shows. These machines and records
were purchased from us. Don't you think this
a very good manner of both advertising and
getting business?"
NEW VICTOR SYMPHONIC RECORDS
R. A. FORBES WITH WANAMAKER
Series of Orchestral Records of Special Value
in the Teaching of Music Appreciation in the
Schools Just Issued by Victor Co.
Former Manager of James McCreery & Co.
Department in Similar Post With Wanamaker
The groat forward steps made in the develop-
ment of music appreciation in the public schools
and other educational institutions of the coun-
try, largely through the medium of the talking
machine and talking machine records, has
brought with it a demand for recordings of
music of the symphonic type. It is largely in
response to this definite demand that the Victor
Talking Machine Co. has recently issued a new
series of orchestral records by orchestras of
recognized competence and under the direction
of conductors of reputation. These latest re-
leases include Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in
A Major, first two movements, consisting of
two double face records, made under the baton
of Albert Coates; overture to Wagner's "Meis-
tersinger," in two parts, symphony orchestra
conducted by Albert Coates; second and third
movements from Ravel's "Mother Goose" suite,
two parts, under the same conductor; "Forest
Murmurs," from Wagner's "Siegfried," sym-
phony orchestra conducted by Percy Pitts, and
under the same conductor a double face record
of "Siegfried's Rhine Journey" from "The Dusk
of the Gods"; and Dukas' "Sorcerer's Appren-
tice," in two parts, conducted by Landon
Ronald. Along the same lines are the Grieg
A Minor piano concerto, in four parts, and the
Saint-Saens Concerto No. 2. The new records
are of a character that will make them of un-
usual value in school work.
IMPORTANT MOVEMN MINNEAPOLIS
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., March 6.—The Consoli-
dated Talking Machine Co., of Chicago, has
taken over the stock and distribution of the
Minneapolis Drug Co. for Okeh and Odeon
tecords in this city, and has opened a branch
store at 1121 Nicolett avenue, in the heart of
the retail district, to do a wholesale business
only. B. C. Eggars, formerly with the Minne-
apolis Drug Co., has been appointed to look-
after the local branch, which will also carry a
complete line of talking machine accessories
and repair parts.
Steady work is the basis always of steady
profits.
PHILADELPHIA, PA., March 5.—R. A. Forbes,
who takes rank as one of the best-known retail
talking machine executives in the East, arrived
here on Thursday to assume the position of
buyer and manager of the talking machine de-
partment of John Wanamaker. Mr. Forbes for
several years was manager of the talking ma-
chine department of James McCreery & Co.,
New York, where he attained exceptional suc-
cess. He has been identified with the talking
machine industry for more than ten years, hav-
ing been associated with Landay Bros, prior to
his appointment as the McCreery manager. He
is thoroughly versed in every detail of phono-
graph and record merchandising, and his ap-
pointment as manager of the Wanamaker de-
partment is a well-deserved tribute to his many
years of experience and knowledge.
EDISONS IN FAVORJN OKLAHOMA CITY
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA., March 6.—A sub-
stantial increase in business during the past
year and an even better business during the
next year, based on present indications, is the
optimistic report of C. P. Penrose, local man-
ager of the Phonograph Shops, Inc. This con-
cern handles the Edison line and operates up-
to-date establishments in a number of important
cities throughout the State.
H. C. Leitnaker, president and general man-
ager, recently estimated conditions in this State
as being 50 per cent better than they were a
year ago and he also declared that they expect
to increase their business during 1923 by one-
third over the volume secured in 1922. Records
are also in steadily growing demand, said Mr.
Leitnaker.
Frank Curry, for several years connected with
the Victor department of the Stewart Dry
Goods Co. and later with J. Bacon & Sons,
recently resigned from the latter concern to
become an automobile salesman. He is now
connected with the Monarch Auto Co.
The Edison business conducted in Magnolia,
Ark., by W. G. Eubanks was recently purchased
by E. G. Pettus, who will feature this line in
that city in the future.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., March 6.—The accom-
plishments of V. T. Stevens, manager of Vo-
calion record distribution for the Stone Piano
Co., this city, and Mr. Schaefer, his assistant,
show what can be done in gaining distribu-
V. T. Stevens
tion for a product when intensive methods
and intelligent service are used. These two
Vocalion representatives are considered among
the livest record men in the Northwest and that
this title is justified may be gathered from the
fact that they have been largely instrumental in
securing over fifty new Vocalion accounts in
Minneapolis and St. Paul. Live Tips on Vo-
calion Red Records, a weekly bulletin pre-
pared by Mr. Stevens, has been of valuable as-
sistance to dealers and has resulted in keeping
the enthusiasm in Vocalion records at top
notch.
C. JEWTRAW RECEIVES SONORA
International Skating Champion Presented With
Machine After Tournament—Mayor of Lake
Placid Makes Interesting Comments
One of the most outstanding events connected
with the winning of the recent International
Amateur Outdoor Skating Championship at St.
John, New Brunswick, was the presentation of
a Sonora portable to the winner.
St. John, New Brunswick, the Winter port of
Canada and the home of Canada's Queen (Miss
W. C. I. Blair), has just completed its carnival
week, the outstanding feature of the week being
the International Amateur Outdoor Speed Skating
championships, in which all the ice speed kings
of the United States defended their titles against
Charles Gorman, Canada's skating ace, and
Willie Logan, Canadian sixteen-year-old boy
wonder, both of St. John. In all, 132 skaters
competed in the three meets. It is estimated
that over 55,000 people witnessed these several
events.
After the final event on Saturday afternoon
Charles Jewtraw, of Lake Placid, New York, the
winner, was presented with a Sonora portable
phonograph by Miss Canada on behalf of the
Sonora Phonograph, Ltd., of Toronto, and the
Phonograph Salon, Ltd., of St. John, N. B.
Mr. Jewtraw, in a short speech, acknowledged
this splendid gift and said he appreciated greatly
the sporting spirit of the two above-mentioned
concerns and the wonderful reception accorded
him by the citizens of St. John.
Commenting on the gift, Mayor Hennessey,
of Lake Placid, N. Y., said that it was the most
valuable and useful gift received at any of the
meets, including the larger cities where skating
events have taken place. The presentation was
filmed by the Pathe News and Fox Films.