Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
C-a-n-v-a-s-s-i-n-g
Spells Success for Trader
Leader in Individual Sales Contest of Weaver Piano Co., York,
Pa., Says the Sure Way of Making Piano Sales Is Old-Fashioned
Plan of Direct Canvassing—How Trader Uses This Plan to Sell
H. TRADER, manager of the piano de-
partment of the Holland Co., Cumber-
• land, Md., proves that he is a real sales-
man by holding first place in the sales contest
being conducted by the Weaver Piano Co.,
York, Pa., whose products are handled by the
Holland Co. Despite unfavorable conditions in
Cumberland, Mr. Trader, during the months of
February and March, sent in eighty-six pros-
pects through the Weaver direct-mail advertis-
ing department and to these prospects he has
already sold fifteen Weaver and York pianos.
Mr. Trader is a firm believer in the value of
canvassing in the building up of piano sales vol-
ume, and having qualified as salesman his opin-
ions along that line being practical are well
worthy of consideration. Regarding outside
celling Mr. Trader says:
"To gain quick, profitable results in piano
selling there is but one absolutely sure method
known. It is nearly as old as the piano busi-
ness itself, yet it beats a mile any other work-
ing plan ever tried. It is spelled
"C-a-n-v-a-s-s-i-n-g"
"If immediate development of piano sales are
desired from outlying territory, put the follow-
ing time-proven method into operation at once
and prove to your own satisfaction that good
customers can be quickly obtained to produce a
well-paying business in the shortest possible
time. This is the way to do it:
"First—engage two energetic and ambitious
young men about eighteen or twenty years of
age to learn the business of piano selling under
the guidance of an experienced salesman who
will constantly direct their efforts and train
them to become efficient junior salesmen. These
raw young recruits should be started at once
to learn how to canvass intelligently, and should
be kept at this for a year, or longer if neces-
sary, in order to fully develop the ability to turn
potential prospects into actual sales. I have been
able to find young men suitable for this work at
a salary of $12 a week with a 2 per cent com-
mission on sales that are closed to prospects.
Their traveling expense should be paid at all
times, in order that the salesman or manager
for whom they are working may have entire
control of their time and assume full responsi-
bility for their conduct while under his course
of training. This is essential because they
should always be on the job, and particularly at
night to listen to and observe every move on
the part of the salesman in actual work of de-
veloping and closing sales. In this manner they
gradually acquire the technique of piano sell-
H
ESTABLISHED 1862
ing, and at the same time visualize the im-
portance of developing a strong and engaging
personality. They will also thus learn from the
sales viewpoint, the value of the appeal of music
for the home and how convincing arguments
are made to parents to induce them to cultivate
the musical talents of their children.
"The method that I have found best in
handling these kind of young men to get the
most out of them, is to work right with them in
their canvassing from house to house. For in-
stance, take a certain block in the town and
have the young man canvass on either side of
the street. When the block is finished, get the
report of the names they have found and call
back on these the same day before they are
really considered prospects, and the good live
ciies found, immediately report to the sales pro-
motion and direct-mail advertising department
of the Weaver Piano Co. to be put on the mail-
ing list. Thus fictitious names or those not
really prospects are disposed of immediately and
only the good live prospects to whom pianos
can be sold immediately, or in the near future,
are entered on the prospect list. These pros-
pects are vigorously followed and the results of
the call sent in to the direct-mail advertising
department of the Weaver Piano Co. so they
will know how frequently to send out mailing
pieces—which is determined by how persistently
the salesman will work the prospect direct. The
copy of the letters received by us furnish splen-
did information for the young men to use as
arguments, in developing sales closing ability,
and furnishes the customer direct factory in-
formation and proof of quality.
"Second—With each two young men as can-
vassers, an energetic, hustling closer salesman
must work as above outlined.
"Select an allotted territory which has sev-
eral towns ranging in population from 2,000 to
20,000 (personally I prefer the small towns);
put into effect an intensive canvassing and sales
campaign of two or three weeks for each town,
or as much longer as a good volume of business
can be secured. For my work I usually rent a
vacant store that I can secure at a rate not to
exceed more than $15 a week ( I seldom pay
ever $10 weekly) and then order out three or
four pianos shipped direct to that town as a rep-
resentative stock. I also make arrangements
with a local drayman for a low flat rate of de-
livery to homes of all instruments sold. In front
of the store is stretched a large and heavy can-
vas banner sign announcing the special factory
sale, and these signs are so made that they can
be used in any town or throughout any district.
"All prospects as soon as they are found—
every day—are sent in to the Weaver direct-
mail advertising department so as to receive
their co-operative efforts to interest the cus-
tomers in the sale and establish confidence in
their minds as quickly as possible, because this
helps to get some sales closed that might other-
wise be postponed, and after leaving the town,
it is more expensive to make the back calls than
to close the sales while we are there.
"This plan makes unnecessary any costly
newspaper advertising, and the bargain hunting
nuisance is reduced to a minimum. Quick and
highly satisfactory results are assured by this
intensive working plan, which I have never
found to fail, regardless of conditions.
Knabe for Saenger
The new Saenger Theatre, of Mobile, Ala.,
which was opened recently in Mobile, Ala., has
been equipped with a Knabe piano. The interior
of the playhouse is attractively decorated and
embraces all the modern improvements in con-
struction and lighting. Don Philippini, director
of the orchestra in the Saenger Theatre, has
been particularly pleased with the piano and
has written to William Knabe & Co., New York:
"Our beautiful new Knabe piano used here in
the new Saenger Theatre is a source of daily
pleasure and satisfaction to me in our orchestra
and solo work. All who have heard the Knabe
are most enthusiastic over its merits. I have
found its superb sweetness and brilliancy of
tone, its lightness of action, and sympathetic re-
sponse, to be a constant inspiration."
Lutkins Alterations
Alterations have just been made in the J t>usi~
ness offices of T. L. Lutkins, Inc., 40 Spruce
street, New York, importers of tanned pneu-
matic leathers for the piano and organ trade.
The offices have been considerably enlarged and
the entire front part of the quarters have been
renovated with new walls and a metallic ceiline.
It is interesting to note that the Lutkins con-
cern has occupied the same building for more
than seventy years and since 1900 has been
trading practically exclusively with the piano
and organ industries.
Consult the Universal Want Directory cf
The Review.
L^UTER
ONE OF AMERICA'S
FINE
NEWARK. N. J.
PIANOS
UPRIGHTS
GRANDS
THE LAUTER-HUMANA