Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
Established 1879
Vol. 112 -Mo. 4
The Jfusic jftade
REVIEW
THE PIONEER PUBLICATION OF THE MUSIC
April, 1953
2,877th Issue
INDUSTRY
The Four P's of Piano Selling, Presentation,
Power of Suggestion, Persuasion, Perseverence
By VAUGHAIS VAN CLEVE
A N old saying goes, "If you want to
^*- make Indian pudding, t h e first
thing to do is to get your Indian'
and so if we want to sell a piano, the
first thing we must do is to get our
piano, which for the purpose of this
article, we will presume we have. We
will also presume that it is in selling
condition, that is in good tune, well
cleaned and polished and most im-
portant that there are a couple of easy
chairs placed near it where you can
seat your customer with comfort. Note
—if you do not make your customers
comfortable and at ease, you will find
that they are restless and will not give
you sufficient time to present and sell
your piano. Many sales are lost right
here. Assuming that these important
tilings have been done, let us then pro-
ceed with our selling and first of all
I shall put,
this, "Yes tfwtt piano does have a good
buyer's viewpoint), convincing him
tone".
that to buy is the wise thing to do and
not to buy is unwise. In short, the whole
Other Factor to Consider
of your presentation must be a work
of art if it is to make a sale for you.
That is all you need and if you
It should be as carefully worked out
played for a month, you cannot do
as a politician works out his campaign
any more than to get your buyer to
speech to his voters. If you do not say that that is so. Why then waste time
have a good and I mean good, pre-
playing as you have a lot of other
sentation to give your buyer, then your
things to sell of equal importance to
chances of a sale are slim and your
the tonal qualities of the piano. Case
competitor will have reason to smile
design, eye appeal, size, wood and color
and be very happy for his chances are
are all of great importance as if any
very much better, than yours. If you of them are left unsold the answer is
are going to play the piano during
—no deal, and above all don't forget
your demonstration, then you should
the terms trade-in allowance, price, all
know just what and how much, or
of the greatest importance. I personal-
rather how little to play. On this sub-
ly think right or wrong, that eye ap-
ject let me say that while I have no
peal is more important to nine out of
objections to a short simple piece of
ten buyers than tone as very few buyers
music played, that is if you play well.
know anything about tone, while all of
There are few of the best piano men
them think that they do, but everybody
that I know who play at all. Even if
knows what they like in design, wood,
Presentation
they do they usually only play a few color, etc. It is claimed that about 90%
chords when selling a piano. The writer
of all automobile sales are influenced
By presentation. I mean a lot more
plays the piano reasonably well but
by body design, with women in partic-
than merely showing your piano. In-
never when selling the piano, using
ular design and eye appeal are of the
deed it is the whole foundation on
only a few soft chords in the middle
most importance. In your presentation,
which your sale must rest. It must be
of the piano. The psychology of it all
you can say that your piano has a case,
positive proof that your particular pi-
is this, if you play and your customer
action, ivory keys, but the chances are
ano, is the one for your customer to
likes the particular piece that you play
that so can all of your competitors
buy, it should and must answer any
and likes your touch and style of play-
say the same.
and all objections, if such exist against
your own piano, your house and any ing—fine. But if it does not appeal to
It is up to you to glamourize them
the buyer, then he is not going to
reluctance that your buyer may have
and to make your piano stand out as
real or fancied against buying at the like your particular piano. While he
something beyond competition, differ-
will not tell you this, he may say ent, better and a thing of beauty and
present time. It should also create an
"I do not like the tone of that piano
intense desire for your buyer to own
joy forever, which it is, all, depending
as well as the one we now have. He
your particular piano and make him
on how you present it. Right here is a
or she will not tell you that they do
or her want to own it now. It should
test of your ability as a salesman.
not like the selection that you played
be so presented that it is an interesting,
Instead of just saying that your piano
or that they do not admire your style
informative story, based on facts and
has ivory keys, why not tell the story
knowledge as to why to buy the pi- or touch, but that they do not like the
of ivory, how it comes from the ele-
tone of your piano. If, however, you
ano is the logical thing to do from
phant, how it is cut and matched and
have only played a few chords, then
your buyer's standpoint. It should be
bleached. Read up on it or write to
you will probably hear something like
filled with arguments, (all from the
some key manufacturer about it, it's
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 1953