THE
60
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
SEPTEMBER
29, 1923
, INf1fJ:WOiijlfO~~@ ]
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH
IMPORTANT PART THE WINDOW PLAYS IN MERCHANDISING
SONGS THAT SELL
Figures Compiled by Expert Say National Expenditure Annually for Win-dow Display Alone
Is Over $20,OOO,OOO-How the Music Dealer Can Make It Work for Him
·\n advertisin g expert recently compiled fig
urFS showing the amount of money spent in
advertising in the U nited States each year and
dividing these so as to cover the various
mediums and the amount spent annually for
I ecognized advertising purposes.
Of importance
to the music dealer are the figures covering
expenditure~ for demonstrations and also for
window displays.
It has been e
were spent in window displays each year and
$24,000,000 in demonstrations, the latter natur
ally including the salaries of those engaged.
These are imposing figures when compared with
the estimated $150,000,000 spent for ad~ertising
in general magazines. This latter involves in
dustries and companies engaged in the exploita
tion of products on a national scale, while the
former figures, to a great extent, involve ap
propriations from local organizations.
Any dealer who has tried to buy electric or
painted signs in his city, situated in spots where
there is a large circulation of people, knows that
this method of advertising involves no little
cost. '.fhe figures, then, for national advertising
by electric and painted signs, which are said
to amount to $30,000,000, are worth while eom
paring with those of window displays, $24,000,
QOO, and should impress the retailer with the
value of the front of his store. This value, of
course, is governed by the number of people
which pass his establishment, but that the win
dow is valuable space and space that should
receive as much attention as the interior is not
to be disputed.
The sheet music trade has been very fortunate
during the past few years through the fact that
the majority of dealers have given unusual at
tention to their windows. This has involved a
considerable expenditure on the part of the re
tailers and it has marked the greater use of mate
rial supplied by publishers. The great number
of reproductions of exceptionally attractive win
dows which have created sales and which have
been reproduced in The Rcviev. has been one
recognition of this attention.
Not only does the well-arranged window add
to the attractiveness of the store and carry an
invitation to the passerhy to enter, but the win
dow showing itself absolutely creates sales, as
has been proven on many occasions. Regard
less of this, the fact that customers are lured
into the store makes it possible to place before
prospective purchasers other goods as well.
Merchandising Versus Salesmanship
Speaking of attractive windows, the luring of
customers into a store and making the maxi
mum of sales to such prospects after they enter
brings to mind the o[t repeated charge made
by some popular publishers that the sheet music
dealer does not give enough attention to mer
chand ising. There is, of course, a decided dif
ference between merchandising and salesman
ship.
On standard numbers merchandising is prac
tically impossible. This type of goods requires
salesmanship and salesmanship of a high order.
It requires service and attention and often a
personal knowledge of the customer's needs and
of his or her eccentricities. .\ dealer who, for
a decade or two, has given minute attention to
serving such a clientele, a clientele devoted
solely to the interest and to the cause of good
music, or, in the case of teachers, the develop
ment of the musical taste and minds of children,
can hardly carry out merchandising ideas in
the same store, unless he makes his popular
department a s<'parate section or adjunct of
the storc.
Merchandising's Base
Merchandising consists, to a great extent, of
catering to drop-ins, or to transients. In other
cases, it consists of special sales, announcements
in papers of such and the rapid caring for cus
tomers who are induced to come to the store
through such sales. In other instances it COll
sists of the display of merchandise, a display
in a manner so that it can be handled, fingered
over or at least attract the eye.
Probably the greatest merchandisers in the
country are the syndicate-) s t.ores, where all
goods are placed upon flat counters and where
Do"'ll Among the Sleepy Hills 01
Teo-Teo-Tennessee
Indiana Moon
That Old Gang 01 Mine
When You Walked Out
Someone Else Walked Right In
Love
(My Heart Is Calling You)
You Tell Her-I Stutter
-
You Know You Belong
to Somebody Else
(So Why Don't You Leave Me Alone 7)
Dearest
(You're the Nearest to My Heart)
-
Nobody Can Love Me Uke
My Old Tomato Can
-
-
I
Sittin' in a Corner
II I Cant Get the
Sweetie I Want
You
Sail Your Sugar
Three Thousand Years Ago
Shultle Along
Bit by Bit You're
Breaking My Heart
_I Some Day
. I
I Wish I Had Someone to
Cry Over Me
IRVING BERLIN, Inc.
1607 Broadway, New York
Featured by
New York
RAY MILLER'S ORCHESTRA
A. J. STASNY MUSIC CO., Inc.
London
the purchaser practically sells himself. Indeed,
in such establishments, the customer practically
carries out all moves of the sale with the ex
ception of wrapping the goods and ringing the
register.
The department store, with greater volume of
stock which is not so portable, is also among
the great merchandisers. .\11 of its goods can
not be placed upon the counters, but such "lock
as it has been decided to move is given the
conspicuous position. Aisle counters and attrac
tive corners lure the customer to <;uch points
where he is made to sec "values" that under
another method would not receive his attention.
A walk through any department store will show
that the main avenues of the interior have dis
plays on every hand. These displays create
sales and le<;sen the amount of salesmanship
necessary to move the goods.
It is not possible for a sheet music d~alcr
to carry out all of the modern merchandising
ideas, but where popular music is conc('[n~d a
counter rack showing the titles advantageously
and the use of cards, hangers, cut-outs and other
advertising material placed in conSp!CUOl!S places