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HOW PIANO POLISH
BROUGHT TO LIGHT
PIANO PROSPECTS
W
a polish formula found satisfac-
HEN Auble Bros.,
tory in the manufacturer's own
music dealers of
work. When the formula came
Ord, Neb., decided
from the factory it did not prove
to make a musical
entirely up to expectations, but
survey of their territory, they did
through careful experimenting the
not follow the generally accepted
piano dealers evolved a new for-
plan of straight door-to-door can-
mula which produced the desired
vass, asking a lot of more or less
results. It was not long before
personal questions 1 , but instead
more than fifty local piano own-
sent out representatives with a
ers were using the polish regu-
tested and efficient piano polish
larly not only on their pianos but
as a means for getting into the
on their furniture and floors, and
homes of piano owners. The
the idea of spreading the gospel
piano men did not go off on a
over a wider territory developed.
wild goose chase, but started the
In towns outside of Auble
campaign with a series of letters
Bros, territory the polishing job
urging piano owners to have
is done as per agreement, but no
their instruments polished at a
polish is sold, the customer be-
nominal fee, with the work guar-
ing referred to the local music
anteed. The fact that the com-
AUBLE BROS., OF ORD, NEB.
s t o r e for f u r t h e r supplies.
pany's representatives were able
to get into ninety per cent of the homes to which letters had Through explaining the survey system to the local dealer,
been sent reflects either the work of an excellent letter writer Auble Bros, have built up some excellent outlets for the polish
or the widespread desire of piano owners to have their instru- and have encouraged the dealers generally to carry out the
polishing plan in making musical surveys to get new pros-
ments looking well, at least.
At first Auble Bros, sent letters only to those registered as pects. The demand for the polish has reached the point where
piano owners, but later on found it advisable to send letters it is necessary to mix it in barrel lots and as a result of the
also to homes that should have a piano but were lacking in plan the company not only realized a fair profit on the polish
but had the additional advantage of securing new piano and
that respect, thus widening the field for prospects.
The success of this type of survey, which the sponsors term musical instrument prospects without cost. In fact every
a "depression survey," may be judged from the fact that prospect first brings in a profit before he is listed. The cam-
within a few weeks after the campaign was 1 launched the com- paign has had the effect of making people give more careful
pany had secured fifteen tuning jobs, prospects for three new- consideration to their pianos, not only in having them cleaned
grand pianos, two prospects for small uprights and one trade- and polished, but in having them tuned. This in itself has
in for a small piano. In addition one radio was sold and warranted any expense involved in launching the campaign,
an expense already covered through the profit on the polish
several radio prospects listed.
and polishing work.
Of the first sixty pianos cleaned by the company's men,
Auble Bros, report that surveys have already been made in
only sixteen had ever been cleaned before with any kind of
more than a dozen towns in Nebraska
polish, and it turned out that with the
case of the piano assuming a fresh ap- T . . T T •> T . .
and always with satisfying results in the
actual
sale of polish and tuning service
pearance, more than one owner was in-
How Auble Bros., in Ne-
and particularly in the securing of pros-
clined to give consideration to replacing
pects for the sale of pianos, radios and
the instrument with one of a later make
braska, used piano polish in
other musical instruments. A. J. Auble,
or in better condition.
a survey to get tuning busi-
who directs the music department of the
Auble Bros 1 , hit upon the polish plan
business, states that the survey should
more or less by accident. They were
ness and musical instrument
be conducted by, or in cooperation with,
not satisfied with the polish they had
prospects. A novel plan for
a piano tuner, in order to get the best
been using in the store and finally wrote
results.
to a prominent piano manufacturer for
overcoming depression
THE M U S I C TRADE
REVIEW, April, 1932