Music Trade Review

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Putting a Punch
In the Sheet Music Section
Miss Marie Morris, the Manager of the Sheet Music Department of
the W. T. Grant Co., San Antonio, Tex., Describes the Methods
Which Have Built Up a Large Volume of Sales in That Department
By A. W. REBER
T
OO often in the merchandising of sheet
music, not enough attention is given to
the buying and selling of this product, so
that in many instances stores find their shelves
stocked with sheet music that has lost its popu-
larity and is a dead issue. In fact, it is so com-
mon to find this condition in music stores, that
many retail merchants refuse to stock this item,
believing that it is an unprofitable line.
In San Antonio, Texas, the sheet music de-
partment of the W. T. Grant Co. has proven
a profitable unit from the start and much of its
success is due to the initiative and ability of its
manager, Miss Marie Morris. It was my good
fortune to get an interview with Miss Morris
recently and have her tell me of some of the
successful methods she has used in promoting
the sale of sheet music in her department.
"Much of the success in the merchandising
of sheet music," Miss Morris declared, "lies in a
knowledge of the merchandise, together with
means of getting it across to the public. A
piece may be the best kind of a hit, but unless it
is placed out where the public will see it and
know what it is it will never sell very good.
"One of the best plans that we use in putting
over big hits in this department is to tie up
with the programs of the local motion picture
houses. Each week we get the programs from
these theatres and use the musical part as an
incentive for selling more music. We have a
set of stock cards, one for each theatre, and
pin a copy of the hit being used that week to
this card.
"For example, we will have a card which
reads: 'Have you heard this at the Aztec this
week?' A square space, just the size of a sheet
of music is blocked off and in this square we pin
the hit that is being featured at that time. An-
other card will read: 'A feature at the Texas
this week.' To this card we will pin a sheet of
music such as is being played at the theatre
at the time.
"This plan tics up with local events of timely
interest and has a strong sales incentive which
cannot be easily overlooked. The people who at-
tend the theatres regularly are almost invari-
ably music lovers. They hear the new hits at
the theatres as played by the orchestras, they
like them and by our having them on display
when they come in, they are reminded and buy.
"We use this same plan with great success,
featuring well-known musical artists in prefer-
ence to the theatres. A large card bearing a
portrait of the artist is used to illustrate one of
his late hits and this has never failed to in-
crease the sales.
"I have found it an excellent practice to keep
a very close check of the number of pieces that
are sold of each hit that is published. This
proves of untold value in ordering efficiently
and eliminates the bad practice of having to re-
order. From observation it is possible to de-
termine approximately how many new hits will
be brought out and at the time of the year
when they will appear. It is also possible to
determine, from past records, approximately
the number of copies that may be sold.
"With this information at hand, I am then
able to order music on a much sounder basis
than otherwise. If, from previous records, I find buying in small quantities. More sales are lost
that a new song is good for 300 or 400 copies, 1 by waiting on records than there are copies
can place my order at one time and not be left on hand after a craze has died down.
"As soon as new music is brought into the
troubled with reorders. I find that conserva-
{Continued on page 64)
tive ordering of this kind is more profitable than
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May Be Most Rightly Gauged by the
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DOMENICO SAVINO
FERDE GROFE
RUDY WIEDOEFT
WILLIAM AXT
HUGO FREY
MILTON CHARLES
WILLARD ROBISON
FRANK TRUMBAUER
MIKE PINGITORE
"RED"
NICHOLS
JOE VENUTI
MIFF MOLE
These Composers Are Under
Exclusive Contract to
IBS
799 Seventh Ave.
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usic Corporation
New York, N. Y.
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63