Music Trade Review

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Y our
Prospects
Old
Customers
In an Interview with Charles N. Tunnell, G. M.
Pearson, Manager of the Maxfield Music Co., Tells
of the Manner in Which Constant and Courteous
Folloiving Up of Customers Has Brought New Sales.
Maxfield Music Co. Headquarters
{{F 1 I l H E best piano prospect is the man
I you have sold two years ago," says
I G. M. Pearson, manager of the Max-
- ^ field Music Co., Lubbock, Texas.
Pearson continues: "Although we have been
located in Lubbock but one and one-half years,
I have been with this company for twelve
years, and spent sixteen years selling pianos
in the same county. I long learned that the old
policy of high-pressure to sign a man on the
dotted line might close a sale, but in reality it
did actually close a sale and close all possibility
of a future sale.
"In our other stores where I have been con-
nected and now in our Lubbock store, we are
merchandising with a close thought to following
up with a sale of a larger piano or a better
quality piano. Even though we have been here
less than two years, we are already finding the
small diminutive to be our introduction into
many homes which we have already followed
up with grands or will do so in future months.
"Selling a large volume of pianos is no differ-
ent from selling anything else. If you believe
the piano business is dead then it is very, very
dead; but if you believe in your business and
talk your business, there is always a good de-
mand for pianos; it is only a matter of helping
the prospect to determine what particular piano
is best for his or her needs."
As the Lubbock trade territory is somewhat
new, Pearson believes that eighty per cent of
the homes in the city are actually owned by
loan companies, that is the big part of homes,
and that most farms are yet unpaid for; but he
finds these prospects are and can be safely sold
pianos. Although he has a credit manager, and
never allows the salesmen to interfere in the
handling of credits, he will employ only such
salesmen as could go back and collect his
accounts if necessary.
The Maxfield Music Co. sells just the right
piano to the right customer. The salesman that
drives up to a good appearing farm does not
immediately begin talking up a grand piano,
neither does he try to unload some used piano.
He takes time enough to get as close to the
customer as possible; then he finds out how
much land the farmer cultivates, his past crop
records, and other points that help to analyze
the prospect's needs. With this information,
the salesman then puts special emphasis on the
piano that the prospect should have. If the
prospect seems to think he might be interested
in a three hundred dollar used piano, the sales-
man does not hesitate to show him that he
should own a twelve hundred and fifty dollar
instrument, and that the pride in owning such a
piano is only another way of compelling com-
munity prestige. However, the salesman is just
as quick to show the prospect that a used piano
for two hundred dollars will enable his child
to begin music lessons and be well along in
training by the time the parent can actually
afford the six hundred dollar piano that he is
now interested in but not able to buy. Pearson
explains this point with "you can make a bad
customer out of a good man by overselling him.
Sell him what he needs; then follow up in two
years and resell him what he needs again in a
more expensive piano."
Although the Maxfield Music Co. does not
expect to resell the new customer until the
expiration of some two years, the salesman fol-
lows up every sale within two weeks' time,
never over one month at the longest. The cus-
tomer is reminded that he made a recent pur-
chase from this salesman and that the salesman
merely dropped by to see if everything is all
right. The customer appreciates this little
courtesy. Then when the salesman casually in-
quires: "And what do your neighbors think of
your new piano?" the customer is quick to in-
form him of all those that expressed interest
in purchasing a piano for their own homes.
Not only does the customer who has recently
purchased a piano tell the salesman who is call-
ing of the ones that have expressed interest in
owning such a piano, but the customer per-
sonally knows these neighbors and is able to
give the salesman a lot of personal informa-
tion along this line.
In this way, the sales-
man finds it easy to stress just the right piano
to the right prospect, as he already has an
authentic knowledge of what the prospect can
Lest afford.
Another advantage of a follow-up within some
two weeks of a sale is the fact that most of us
wish to do what the other fellow is doing,
according to Pearson. Two weeks usually
allows the majority of the people of the com-
munity to inspect the neighbor's new piano, and
within this time interest in music is at its
height. In many instances, the recent pur-
chaser of a piano is enthusiastic over his pur-
chase and even goes with the salesman to call
on some neighbor that he knows to be inter-
ested. And as this customer vouches for the
fact that he is more than pleased, the second
sale is made easier.
There is one point that Pearson especially
stresses to his salesmen, and that is that at no
time must they promise extension of notes in
order to influence a sale. Although this firm
does extend notes in some instances when the
customer is deserving; but it is found that a
13
promise of any one of the firm to extend a
note usually results in the customer taking
advantage of this promise the first time that an
instalment gets a little hard to pay, which is
usually more imaginary than real.
In working the rural trade, special concentra-
tion is devoted to farm trade during February,
March, April and May, as this dealer finds that
he is able to sell more pianos on anticipations
of a crop than he is after the crop has been
harvested. Not only is it easy for the farmer
with money to invest in automobiles or some
other competitive merchandise for his money,
but the average customer is harder to sell when
it comes to actually turning loose the cash.
These rural salesmen, six of them for this
firm, then concentrate more on the small towns
in the trade territory of a one-hundred-mile
radius around Lubbock during the other
months. Naturally, they are working the farm
trade all during this time, but more actual
emphasis is placed on the town trade during
one period of the year and more on farm trade
during other months.
In addition to the six rural section salesmen,
there are two salesmen of this firm that devote
their entire time to sales work in Lubbock.
The six outside men load in and out of Lub-
bock, but they spend practically all their time
out in the territory and make it a point to cash
iii on personal association instead of trying to
make it back into Lubbock to spend the night.
In the city of Lubbock, direct-mail letters and
catalogs are used to reach prospective piano
purchasers. But Pearson explains, "After all,
it's the personal contact that counts. Although
we do not work cold turkey calls so much, it
is largely a matter of seeing more people to
sell more pianos. We take a definite section of
the city to work. We work the most likely
prospects in this section, most times having our
select list compiled. But in working this sec*
tion, the salesmen make a record of every per-
son interviewed. Notation is made of the name,
address, date called, piano, talking machine or
other instrument that is owned and for trade;
what particular type of piano interested in, and
best time to call back.
While working a particular section of the city,
a complete canvass is made of the prospects
listed in this section before following up other
leads picked up from persons recently inter-
viewed. Then after finishing with one section
of the city, all tips are worked out before be-
ginning work on a new section.
Furnishing music teachers, schools, clubs,
studios, and other public institutions pianos
(Please turn to page 55)