Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SEPTEMBER 6,
1924
THE
MUSIC TRADE
13
REVIEW
Tested Plans That Make Radio Sales
A "Teaser" Direct-by-Mail Drive That Brought Good Results to the Merchant Who Used It—Style Expositions
as Applied to the Radio Department With the Estey Co.'s Experience—Exploiting the Con-
sole Type Receiving Set—Moving Back Stock and Direct Current Sales
HE music merchant's mailing list offers
one of the best means of keeping his
store before the buying public both in the
matter of music and radio. Up to the present
time the average music merchant has been very
lax in linking up his mailing list with his radio
department. The means of attracting and hold-
ing the interest of radio customers has not been
thoroughly studied. Most of the merchants
are wise enough to know that simply placing
a radio folder in the envelope containing the
current list of records is not successful to any
great extent. The trick is to capture the in-
terest of these prospects, arouse their curiosity
and maintain it.
A "Teaser" Campaign
A very interesting and profitable little idea
was recently unfolded by a progressive mer-
chant who had tried all manner of ideas along
this line with but little success. But finally
in a corner of a bulletin devoted to mail cam-
paign advertising he struck an idea that un-
folded vast possibilities. In advertising circles
it is known as a "teaser." The way that this
merchant worked the idea out was to design a
single page folder of white paper, with a large
question mark in red on one side, and a little
cartoon down in one corner showing a man
and his wife presumably wondering what it was
all about. The art work cost but a few cents
and the cost of the necessary cuts was negli-
gible. On the reverse side of this he had
printed a riddle, with a large "What Is It"
in bold-faced type at the top, and in orderly
rows underneath the following questions:
(1) That brings the world to your feet.
(2 That reveals each moment new wonders of
this busy world. (3) That needs but little at-
tention, but is your, willing slave. (4) That
makes the blind" see"and transports the crippled
to unthought-of places through the universe.
(5) That each moment endears itself more firmly
in your homes. (6) That has made this world
a better place to live in.
This was followed by a row of question marks
and an announcement that further information
would be forthcoming next week, or that the
party could solve the riddle by coming around
to his store. It was placed in the envelope
with the music circular and mailed in the usual
form. He was surprised, indeed, at the number
of people, especially the women, who mentioned
it in one way or another when purchasing a
package of needles, a music roll or just drop-
ping around. Quite a few men also inquired
or commented on the folder, although they were
not as ready to show their curiosity as the
women. Since that time the merchant has
evolved several other similar ideas along that
line, both in window "teasers," mailing cards
and straight mail solicitation. This is the type
of promotion that is necessary at the present
time, and it should be pursued intelligently and
unceasingly. In other words, make the pros-
pects associate radio with your store, so that
every time the word radio is mentioned or
thought of they will unconsciously think of
"The White Music Store, . 1313 Thirteenth
Street."
Many ideas of a similar nature are open to
use by the music merchant, for, due to the
clo-se association and community nature of the
business the average music merchant attracts,
he can even become more intimate in this sales
promotion than otherwise.
Another idea along the same lines is to en-
close in the regular envelope a circular telling
about your radio department. This is sent out
to your list of time-payment customers around
T
the time they expect their statements. Imagine
their surprise when they find that it is not a
statement, but rather a cordial invitation to in-
spect your radio department and open a radio
account. It is this type of sales promotion that
will help build your sales during the coming
months.
Even the telephone may be used for this
promotion of sales. Call up ten or twelve of
your regular customers every day, and person-
ally invite them to drop in and see your new
radio merchandise. This should preferably be
done around the hours when you know they
are home, and although it calls for the spending
of a few dollars a week, if, by this method,
three additional customers each week buy re-
ceivers you are more than well paid. In other
words, remember that the music merchant can-
not sit back in his office and expect the cus-
tomers to come into his store whenever they
think of radio, unless they are made to remem-
ber that such a department exists in the store.
Style Expositions
For years large New York merchandisers,
such as B. Altman & Co., have sent out cards
to their customers in regard to showings of
new styles and inviting their customers to at-
tend these showings. The same idea can be
used by the music merchants and little exposi-
tions arranged, to last a week. The radio sales-
man can be the demonstrator and take up one
model or type of machine each day or twice a
day until the entire line is shown. In doing
this the merchant will have to arrange definite
times for such showings. In other words, run
the department during this time on a schedule,
devoting a half hour to the explanation of the
receivers, and the rest of the time talking to
the customers on the selling angle.
The Estey Piano Co., of Philadelphia,"' held
such an exposition during the early part of this
year and had very wonderful results from it.
The radio department at this time was enlarged
and dressed up in a very attractive fashion,
with a display of receivers of every conceivable
kind, period models, straight receivers, and
combination receivers and machines. Extra men
were put to work during this exposition, and
every effort was made to put it over with a
"smash." It was heralded by local newspaper
advertising, bulletins and announcements, and
great crowds attended the show. The same
idea can be put into action at the present time
and the radio department started off with a
bang for the coming season.
The Console
Quite a few of the manufacturers this season
are turning their forces toward the manufacture
of console model radio sets. This gives the live
music merchant a chance to capitalize on the
Work of the manufacturers. Emphasize to the
customers the fact that at last radio has been
put on a basis where it is a necessary part of
the furnishing of a home. Just as no home is
complete without a piano or musical instrument
of some sort, neither is it complete without
a radio receiver. In order to keep up with the
trend of the times it is necessary for every
family to have a receiver of some type, be it a
$550 hand-carved cabinet or a $100 table ma-
chine. Then, too, the wonderful advances made
in the manufacture of the receiver allow the
merchant to dwell at length upon the wonder-
ful truetiess of reproduction of certain com-
binations;:
It would be a very good plan for the music
merchants carefully to look over the offerings
of the radio manufacturers this year and see
which manufacturer is making changes. Then
if it so happens that there is in stock some of
the last year's models, place all your energy
into the disposal of these goods before going
after the business with the new models.
Moving Back Stock
A Boston merchant, whose follow-up files are
most complete, recently went over them and
found that he had several inquiries last Spring
for certain apparatus, some of which he still
had in stock. This stock, of course, was negli-
gibly small, but at the same time he wished to
dispose of it so that he might concentrate this
season's business on the new apparatus. He,
therefore, personally called on his salesman to
solicit these people at their homes, talk radio
and introduce the fact that there were a few
of the good models left and that he had remem-
bered that the party inquired for such last
Spring, and, therefore, before putting them on
the open counter for the season, he wished to
let the people know that it still might be ob-
tained at his store. Emphasize the fact at this
point that the particular receiver the customer
asked for was and still is well known and
popular. In this way the merchant can dispose
of the few sets that are left over and have his
"desk cleaned" for the new business that
comes in.
Direct Current Sets
The music merchant will do well to consider
this season the various lines of receivers and
apparatus which work directly from the light-
ing current. There are sets being made at the
present time and apparatus being manufactured
which can be attached to any standard receiver
which operate both the filament and plate of
the tubes from the commercial house lighting
circuits. This is a most natural outcome of
years of experimentation, and such apparatus
has been so perfected that it is easily sold, and
once sold it stays sold. It requires little service
and is ideal for the music merchant's business
where such receivers and adapters may be used.
Before stocking such receivers and adapters,
however, inquire carefully into their working
and make positive that they will work on the
current with which your city or town is being
supplied.
Music merchants as a whole have a very fair
hold on the radio business, and as their prob-
lems in this field are solving themselves through
the information given them by the manufac-
turers and also through their growing fund of
knowledge of the apparatus, it is not too much
to say that this year will show the live mer-
chant that radio can mean as much to him as
a money getter as any particular branch of his
business. Remember, however, that in order
to do a good radio business, sales promotion
must be utilized. It is a poor concern that can-
not afford to utilize the publicity stunts of the
manufacturers and its own as well to keep
its name before its clients. The 'dollar pul-
lers" are what count in the end, and something
that will cause your customer to think of your
music store as he is sipping his morning coffee,
and connect it with the fact that he really needs
a radio set, is going to repay you before he
leaves the house, in that he is going either to
open an additional account or purchase a set
outright.
Stephenson Go. Chartered
RALEIGH, N. C, August 30.—The C H. Stephen-
son Music Co., of this city, has recently filed
papers of incorporation and will have an author-
ized capital of $50,000.