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Radio and Pianos
Don't Conflict
in Lang
ore
C
the desired results just as solicitation for any
OMMENTS to the effect that the piano
By ELTON J. NEALY
other commodity will. This personal effort is
dealer is following the lines of least
the mainstay of our promotional work and we
resistance by selling radio instead of de-
doubt if there is anything that can take its
veloping piano sales are not uncommon.
Perhaps this is true in some instances and con- years ago when we took on radio," says Mr. place although all the other work that is done
demnation is deserved, but certainly if there is Lang, "we agreed that I would devote all my is important and justified. In this department
we never forget for a moment that we are
a good profit to be made in merchandising the time to the piano department, giving this as
radio as well as the piano or any other instru- much attention as my brother would give to in the piano business and arc constantly alert
to every opportunity that will lead to a piano
ment used for home entertainment it is within the radio business.
the domain of the music merchant to sell the
"This plan was mutually satisfactory, for I sale.
various instruments or devices which are pro- am thoroughly sold on the possiblities of sell-
"While we devote a great deal of attention
duced for this purpose.
ing pianos and believe that I am doing everyone to solicitation, we do not overlook any other
With the tendency of modern merchandising a real service in making a piano sale. The in- medium of securing sales, and creating piano
to have a wide assortment of articles or serv- trinsic value of a piano and the benefits that prestige. For instance, last Spring we used
ices to take care of overhead and bring in are to accrue in the form of entertainment and about 400 inches of newspaper advertising dur-
ing a three weeks' campaign in offering free
larger profit, as, for instance, the modern drug self-expression during the life of the instrument
store, grocery store, automobile shop, not to are to me vitally important in devoting my music lessons on any instrument through two
local conservatories who enjoy a good reputa-
mention the cigar store, all of which are iden- time to selling pianos.
tified with the distribution of one particular
"On the other hand, my brother is just as en- tion in the community, the South Bend Con-
group of articles but at the same time slightly thusiastic about the field for radio sales. Our servatory and the Fine Arts Studios.
resemble the general store, it is logical for the general policy of securing business applied to
"These schools co-operated with us to the
piano dealer to become a general music dealer both departments and usually took the form of
fullest extent and offered their services gratis
or one engaged in selling various articles for advertising merchandise, not price, through the for sending prospective students for a series of
home entertainment.
ten lessons. The copy ex-
plained that ten l e s s o n s
Without going into the ob-
would be given gratis on any
vious benefits of this type of
instrument and asked the
merchandising, let us consider
student to come to the store
how various articles can be
to make arrangements. The
added without undermining the
plan worked out successfully
dealer's position as a piano
not only for us but also for
merchant or detracting from
the school. One conserva-
the sale of pianos.
tory which registered sixty-
It is true that a dealer tak-
seven pupils retained thirty-
ing on radio and devoting all
eight for the Fall term. On
his time and efforts to selling
the other hand, we could
this line is neglecting an op-
trace about five piano sales
portunity to sell pianos. To
the degree that he does this he ceases to be- various mediums of newspaper, direct mail, etc., and a number of sales for other musical instru-
ments to this plan."
come a piano merchant or even a general music as well as constant solicitation.
"With two men going after business in the
One of the noticeable features of this store
merchant, for he is specializing in his selling
piano department and six men in the radio de- is the lack of used trade-in instruments in both
efforts.
This policy does not necessarily mean that partment, the gross sales of the former were pianos and radios. The company makes an
the opportunity to sell pianos is not as great about ten per cent more than the gross busi- effort to take in as few used instruments as
as another article if as much enthusiasm, time, ness done in the radio department. Due to the possible and to get rid of those that are taken
effort, and other essentials are carried out. This fact that new lines have been added to the lat- in on sales. As evidence of this Mr. Lang
has been demonstrated by Lang Bros., of South ter department and a great deal of promotional pointed to one used upright piano in the store
and three battery sets, while there was a most
Bend, Ind., general music dealers, and the re- work was necessary, about eighty per cent of
sults attained in handling the problem are in- the publicity and advertising went to the radio complete stock of new instruments well dis-
played in the spacious warerooms, including
teresting, for during 1928 the gross piano sales department.
"In securing this amount of piano business we Steinway, Brambach, Lyon & Healy, Kimball,
were larger than the gross radio sales despite
the fact that the amount of effort to create make it a point to devote several hours can- Kohler & Campbell and Lester. The radio line
vassing every morning and when we do not consists of Zenith, Sparton, Majestic and Cros-
business favored radio.
There are three Lang brothers, each special- have appointments in the store in the after- ley.
Those who have for some years past observed
izing on a particular phase of the business. J. noon also to get out to see people about the
conditions in the retail music field have steadily
E. Lang is known as the piano man, for all his benefits of owning a piano. We are still point-
ing out to people that to own a piano is a privi-
maintained that when the same sales staff was
efforts are concentrated in selling pianos; A. C
utilized for selling pianos, radios and other
Lang is the radio man, and W. E. Lang takes lege and will give as much joy and happiness,
musical instruments, every department suffered
care of the office and collections. Each is re- if not more, than an automobile, radio, or any
through the division of sales effort. Dealers
sponsible fok Ais own department and only other product.
have been urged time and again to have sep-
"While we might be termed canvassers, we
when it is necessary and in instances of co-
arate sales forces for their different depart-
operation does one department enter the realm do not solicit just for names, but while we are
ments, if it means only one man in each, and
working give the prospect a good sales talk
of the other's operations.
J. E. Lang explains how this policy was de- and endeavor to get him to see the instrument the successful business being conducted by
Lang Bros, proves that there is sound logic in
termined upon when it was decided to add radio and go into the matter more thoroughly. If
and what the results have been. "About four this method is done scientifically it will bring this advice.
When each member of firm has direct charge
of one department with a separate sales force
the result is that each line must stand or
fall on its own sales merits — a plan that has
worked out successfully with many music houses
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