Music Trade Review

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8
The Music Trade Review
REVIEW
(Jut December 8
Monthly
Magazine Issue
of
REVIEW
The Market for the Reproducing
Piano
One of the leading piano executives, identified with a
pioneer house in the reproducing piano's development,
analyzes the future of that instrument, and the market
which exists for it.
How Is the Advertising of
Your Store?
An advertising manager of one of the leading general
music stores in the country, gives her (yes—it's a lady)
ideas on musical instrument retail advertising. They
are ideas that are making sales.
Departmentize Your Store and
Increase Your Sales
A leading Texas general music store has an outside sales
force for pianos and an outside sales force for radio
and talking machines. Since this new policy, sales in
both departments have increased.
No More Free Trials for Radio
in the Home
Dealers are finding that this policy is being abused and
that it has come to create sales resistance instead of
decreasing it. Two well known dealers tell of their suc-
cess with sales on trial instead of demonstrations on
trial.
The Musical Merchandise Section
of the Review
"What Do You Do with Your Trade-ins"—the trade-in
policy of a leading band instrument house told by a lead-
ing band instrument manufacturer; "Hitting the Bull's-
eye''tells how to make an asset of your mailing list ;"4 per
cent of Town's People Enrolled in Wildwood Band"—
a striking story of a retailer's band organization work
in a small town.
IN ADDITION
A number of other merchandising articles covering every
side of the music merchant's merchandising activities, and
The Monthly Piano Technical Department, an exclusive
feature of The Review.
Out December 8
DECEMBER 1, 1928
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
Published Every Saturday by
Federated Business Publications, Inc.
at 420 Lexington Avenue, New York
President, Raymond Bill; Vice-Presidents, J. B. Spillane, Randolph Brown; Secre-
tary and Treasurer, Edward Lyman Bill; Assistant Secretary, L. B. McDonald;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
W. H. MCCLEARY, Managing Editor
RAY BILL, Associate Editor
F. L. A VERY, Circulation Manager
E. B. MUNCH, Eastern Representative
WESTERN DIVISION:
FRANK W. K I K , Manager
E. J. NEALY
333 No. Michigan Avc, Chicago
Telephone: State 1266
BOSTON OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone: Main 6950
Telephone: Lexington 1760-71
Vol. 87
G
December 1, 1928
Cable: Elbill New York
No. 22
More Frankness Still Is Needed
EORGE URQUHART, president of the American
Piano Co., gave the thirty or more members of the
piano trade who attended the meeting of the New York
Piano Merchants' Association last week something definite to
think about regarding both the condition of their business and its
possibilities. It is unfortunate that more trade members, both
from New York and other sections of the country, were not privi-
leged to take part in the round-table discussion organized by Mr.
Urquhart and'hear at first hand his comments on the business as
he sees it. While it was evident that not all of those at the
dinner agreed completely with some of the business policies out-
lined by the speaker, there were none who did not appreciate his
refreshing frankness in analyzing the situation as it exists rather
than as some of the trade would like to believe it exists.
Mr. Urquhart has come into the piano business with the
viewpoint of the outside business executive. He is not cramped
by trade traditions, but regards the making and selling of pianos
in the same light that he would consider any other merchandise,
and believes that what have been proven to be sound business
practices in other industries apply with equal force to ours.
He stated frankly in his talk that there are too many piano
men who have assumed a hangdog beaten attitude which in it-
self makes it difficult to reorganize sales effort. He pointed out
that the answer to the problem did not lie in bemoaning the com-
petition for retail business that has developed so strongly out-
side of the piano trade, because that competition would become
stronger as the ingenuity of American inventors and manufac-
turers continued to develop. The answer was to recognize the
condition and set about meeting it by putting the retail house in
order.
Those of the old school who regard the piano trade somewhat
in the light of a big family with problems peculiar to itself are
inclined at times to resent comments and criticisms from those
who have come into the business from other industries. As a
matter of fact, however, the opinions of those who have had wide
and successful experiences in other lines should be welcome to
the piano man, for although he may not entirely agree with such
opinions, at least they encourage him to give thought to his own
business from a new angle. Success in any business depends upon
efficiency in manufacturing and distributing and there is no other
secret process to achieve the result.