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SKITEMHEU 27,
1924
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
How Grosvenor Sells the Reproducer
Head of the Grosvenor Music Co., Chicago, 111., States That Developing the Home Atmosphere in Display-
ing This Instrument is Fundamental in its Merchandising—Gaining Entry to the New Home—
Sources of Prospects—The Salesman as a Part of the Collection Force
T is generally recognized that the repro-
ducing piano cannot be handled successfully
along the same lines as those followed in
selling the ordinary types of pianos and players,
but is an instrument in a class by itself and re-
quires careful and intelligent attention. There
are some retailers who have been able to get
the proper slant on the reproducing piano and
built up that department of their business to a
fine point, and there are others who still insist
on handling the reproducer just as they have
handled pianos for years and wonder why their
department does not bring in profits commen-
surate with the amount of money involved in
stock and in sales.
When piano merchants generally look on the
reproducing piano as does William F. Grosve-
nor, head of the Grosvenor Music Co., Chicago,
they are likely to meet with the success that
has followed his strong and earnest exploitation
of that type of instrument.
Mr. Grosvenor deals with the reproducing
piano, not as an expensive commodity, but as
one of the most artistic, useful and beneficial
inventions that the world has ever known. Not
only, says he, has the reproducing piano the
qualities of utility and beneficence, but it pos-
sesses them in the highest state of musical per-
fection. It gives interpretations of the world's
greatest pianists, not transiently or as a by-
product of a set performance going on else-
where, but whenever wanted. It preserves for-
ever in its rolls these interpretations, and is
ready to reproduce them at any moment of the
day or night. It is therefore one of the great-
est of music means, not only in bringing before
its owners exacting music and giving them a
library of great performances always instantly
available, but in assisting those owners who
care to call upon it for accompaniments and for
the study of the art.
This is the picture that Mr. Grosvenor pre-
sents in selling the reproducing piano, but his
activities in displaying it, in securing prospects,
in rendering service, in training his salesmen, in
handling his accounts are equally essential to a
large business of this type. Of these latter
points he speaks as follows:
Developing the Home Atmosphere
. "We believe in displaying the reproducing
piano as it appears in the average living room,
or in the music room of the larger and more
artistic dwellings, and have fitted up our repro-
ducing rooms accordingly. We now have two
such rooms and are adding three more. We
also display the instrument in the show window
in a good setting, and this display, together with
a little stunt that we have of attracting people
into the store, gives us a good many prospects.
"In displaying the instrument in the window
during the busy part of the day or in the eve-
ning we start it playing a song accompaniment,
and then I go upstairs into the balcony and sing
through a large megaphone. Passers-by are at-
tracted to the window, and many come into the
store to find out where the voice comes from,
whether it is a new invention, and to ask ques-
tions regarding the instrument. I have found
that these people are not mere idlers, as they
are sometimes thought to be 'round any dis-
play, but are usually interested in music. After
a sufficient crowd has gathered in the store
and around the display, I come downstairs and
explain to them how it was done and how any
of them can use the reproducing piano as an
accompaniment instrument. I also point out
how the instrument can be used for an evening's
entertainment or to provide entertainment at all
times if desired. As this is the first impression,
I
or perhaps I should say knowledge, many of
them have regarding the instrument, I govern
my talk so that it will awaken an interest in
or a desire for such a piano; or, in other words,
picture it in their home, and it is surprising to
learn how little most of the people know about
it. From a simple explanation of the qualities
of the instrument, I impress upon them the
wealth of musical pleasure it brings with it.
Gaining Entry Into the New Home
"Another method I have of securing prospects
is to start out the first thing in the morning in
my car for a drive through a certain section of
the more exclusive part of the city, or through
one of the nearby suburbs, looking for new
dwellings. When I see one I note its location
and if it is not completed I make a note to call
back at a certain time; whereas if the party
has already moved in, I go in and introduce my-
self as an admirer of art with a desire to see
the house now that it is finished. In practically
every instance the lady of the house is more
than willing to show you through her new
home, and is really pleased that you called, as
there is no one so enthused over anything as
the owner of a new home. During the conver-
sation or in looking through the living room or
music room I will suggest how well a beautiful
piano would fit into the new surroundings, and
then I invite her to a recital to be given in our
showrooms on a certain date.
"In like manner I invite other prospects and
their friends and secure some well-known singer
or pianist, and hold the concert on the ap-
pointed afternoon. However, just a few days
before the recital I send personal letters re-
minding each party of the affair and telling of
the program arranged. These concerts are held
about once a week and usually result in closing
one or more sales. Of course, I also make
use of other selling propaganda, such as a large
book showing pictures of some of the most
beautiful homes in Chicago equipped with our
instruments, together with the testimonials of
the owners, who are usually prominent and well
known to the prospective purchaser. In thus
finding prospects our business is not limited to
the territory around our location, but we do
business all over the city, in the nearby sub-
urbs, and in new subdivisions where there is a
great deal of building activity going on.
Other Sources of Prospects
"We also have other ways of securing pros-
pects through membership in various clubs and
civic organizations and taking part in local mu-
sical activities. I am chairman of the entertain-
ment committee of the Uptown Chicago exhib-
itors, belong to the Lions Club and the Uptown
Chicago Chamber of Commerce, and participate
in promoting the entertainments for these and
other organizations. We also secure prospects
from our customers among the latters' friends
through our system of rendering service after
the sale is made.
"We pursue a policy of rendering service to
all our customers and have a system of calling
each customer every three months on the tele-
phone, inquiring ab6ut the instrument, advising
a new selection of rolls, or telling about a new
style talking machine or piano that has just
been received and asking the party to come in
and see it. In many instances after the sale is
made we arrange a special recital in the cus-
tomer's home to be given at an afternoon tea
or an evening gathering.
"Daily Dozen" for Sales Staff
"To carry out our selling campaign success-
fully we also train our salesmen physically as
well as mentally. Every morning a short time.
before opening the store the men meet and we
go through a course of gymnastics, so that the
men feel physically fit to do a full and hard
day's work. We also talk over various selling
incidents and arguments, and the men are all
schooled thoroughly not to make any conces-
sions or to deviate from our proposition. We
have a one-price system and the salesman knows
what to do in closing a sale. He does not have
to come to me, or to make sales otherwise than
I should make them, for I will not tell or expect
any salesman to do anything that I should not
do myself and we all work under the same con-
ditions. I do not believe in canvassers, but in
thoroughly trained and high-grade men who can
close sales. We demand a cash payment of at
least 20 per cent and impress the buyers with
the fact that monthly payments must be made
on the due date.
Salesmen Do the Collecting
"Our salesmen are equally valuable in making
collections. In addition to keeping in personal
touch and rendering service, each man does the
collecting if necessary. If the customer has not
paid by the thirteenth of the month and the
account is due the fifteenth, the salesman will
call the party on the telephone. If remittance
has not been received by the eighteenth, a state-
ment will be sent with these words "Your ac-
count overdue, please," and if the party has
not paid by the twenty-first of the month I will
call personally on the telephone. You can ex-
amine the books and find that no account is
thirty days past due. There is another reason
why I prefer a few high-grade men to a crew
of canvassers. Never since we have been in
business have we had a repossession on a grand
or reproducing instrument. In going after the
reproducing business we seek out the wealthiest
and most prominent people in the city. That is
one reason why we have no repossessions, and
another reason is that we try to be fair with the
party. When making a sale we find that the
customer cannot afford a high-priced instru-
ment, we are frank and try to give him a lower-
priced instrument within his means, explaining
that he can trade this in for a reproducing in-
strument when he can see his way clear to
pay for it."
Sowerby Using Ghickering
on Return to America
Prominent Young American Composer to Ap-
pear in Concert and Recital Here After Spend-
ing Three Years Abroad at American Academy
Leo Sowerby, the young American composer
who returned to this country recently after
spending nearly three years at the American
Academy in Rome, during which period he re-
leased a number of compositions that have been
played by such organizations as the Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra, made his first appear-
ance at the annual Berkshire Festival, where he
played with orchestra his new suite, "From the
Northland," using a Chickering piano for his
own performance.
In honor of Sowerby's return, one of the
open week concerts at the new Chickering Hall,
New York, to be held early in October, will be
devoted to the works of this noted young
American composer, he, himself, with Hans
Kindler and Eva Gautier appearang as soloists.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
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