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THE
VOL. LXXX. No. 7
RLVIEW
Piblithed Every Satirday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y. Feb. 14,1925
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%l 0c0 °$™ i° ea c r ent *
How Forbes & Wallace Link Artist,
Instrument and the Store
Handsome Window Display Featuring the Appearance of Rosa Ponselle, the Famous Dramatic Soprano,
With the Knabe Piano, in Springfield, Proves a Remarkable Selling Asset—Dealers'
Co-operation in Concert Exploitation a Most Valuable Sales Plan *
N the exploitation of the high-grade piano
upon the concert stage, generally recognized
as the backbone of the sales campaign be-
hind this type of instrument, since no other
method brings the prestige as does a piano's
use by the great artists before the public, the
I
appreciate immediately the appearance of the
piano they handle in conjunction with that of a
famous musician, and who, as a result of this
appreciation, succeeded by various methods in
closely identifying their own stores with both
the prestige of the artist and of the piano. For
city. Miss Ponselle uses the Knable piano in
all her concert work and this instrument is ear-
ried in Springfield by the Forbes & Wallace
house as its leader.
The handsome display window which is
shown with this article was used by Forbes &
Forbes & Wallace Window Display Featuring Rosa Ponselle and the Knabe
weakest link has always been a certain lack ol the most valuable asset any retail music store Wallace immediately before and after the con-
co-operatio.n on the part of the retail piano mer- may have is primarily recognition on the part cert appearance of Miss Ponselle and, according
chant in utilizing the selling factors which such of the music public of its city or locality, for to all reports, it attracted wide attention from
a presentation entails.' The opportunity which these are the people who constitute its most the people of the city.
the appearance of such a piano in concert or re- valuable clientele, the type of prospect which
"The window, in conjunction with our news-
cital presents is considered usually as too much a presents the least sales resistance, for they buy paper advertising featuring the concert," said
matter of course and is taken advantage of per- to fill a real and fundamental need.
Mr. Larkin, manager of the department, "gave
functorily and in casual routine. In doing this
An example of such identification, one us one of the best pieces of publicity that we
the merchant injures first himself in failing to which could hardly be bettered, was recently have ever had, and I think it would be of ad-
drive home the name value of the instrument given by the music department of Forbes & vantage to every dealer to understand how the
which is his leader, and secondly the manufac- Wallace, Springfield, Mass., which is under the exploitation of a high-grade piano such as the
turer whose investment in concert work is not management of William F. Larkin. On the Knabe can be made worth while by getting be-
made to yield the returns it should, both in evening of January 27 Rosa Ponselle, the well- hind and supporting the appearances in concert;
prestige and direct sales in that locality.
known dramatic soprano of the Metropolitan or recital of the artists who use the instrument.-
This, of course, is not true of all retail piano Opera Company, New York, appeared in recital
"The window attracted thousands of admirers,
merchants. There are many among them who at the Springfield Municipal Auditorium in that
(Continued on page 6)