Presto

10
PRESTO
WAY TO SALES
A LEISURELY ONE
In Support of Belief, N. L. Barber, a Roadman,
Cites Convincing Instances in the Ex-
periences of a Converted Speed
Maniac.
Perhaps it may be said that the piano traveler is
more interested in the human document than the
written one but his interest in a manuscript is
keen where it concerns the study of a man. This
fact was plain from the manner of N. L. Barber
in the commercial room of the Otsego Hotel in
Jackson, Mich., one day last week. Mr. Barber is
a well known roadman who formerly represented
pianos but now talks phonographs generally and
the Mandel make in particular to dealers in his
territory. Perhaps that is how J. A. Geiger and
F. T. Hopfhauer, the Jackson talking machine deal-
ers, happened to be among Mr. Barber's interested
listeners.
Mr. Barber produced a letter from his pocket-
book which he said created a scheme of philosophy
in a certain traveler.he did not name but whose
identity he left to be ""-inferred. This philosophy
might be summed up in the ejaculation: "What's
your hurry?"
A Dandy Boy.
This traveler was a trim and alert model of the
piano drummer—in his own estimation—when the
house sent him out on a trip into new territory.
Ho abhorred the hookworm of ease and delays, and
adjournments made him fume and fret. So he hur-
ried through three and sometimes four towns a
day when his hop, step and jump for trains, inter-
urbans and boats served and he thought he was the
grandest little accomplisher who ever scuttled along
the commercial pike.
It appears this hero of Mr. Barber had been do-
ing a steady course of reading about victorious ral-
lies in the Argonne Forest of piano sales and he
had all the axioms of the literature of sales success
at his tongue's tip. He had swallowed all the
"dope" of the special writers on achievement and
everything he read was gospel to him. His route
to results was a charted one, brilliant with the
arc-lights of wisdom hung by the dopesters who
philandered with Fortune on paper.
Like a Blue Streak.
This sanguine youngster firmly believed he ought
to be able to approach Brown in Bingtown in the
dewy morning, give him the high sign, sell him a
carload; get to Bungtown about noon, slap Jones
on the back and land him for a juicy booking; beat
it for Whangtown, arrive 2:37 p. m., have convinc-
ing powwow with Robinson, with results, then jump
for a passing bus for the depot, grab a fossil sand-
wich and a slab of celluloid pie and—well you know
what Mr. Barber wished to convey. His hero was
the original bully boy with the keen eye for Oppor-
tunity and the grand little commander of psycho-
logical moments.
The appraisement was only natural when the
hopeful one got the bulk of his guidance from books
and sales magazines. The near literary guys who
had told him he could rope opportunity and give
the swift side-swipe to old dolce far niente had put
him in wrong. He had pictured Mr. Pianoman as
a devil for business, a dynamo who joyed in ac-
tivity, but who would give careful attention for a
few minutes if the salesman didn't waste any valu-
able time or clutter the conversation with words not
pertinent to the question in hand—to wit pianos.
Then Pipe Went Out.
But he was to sit down and have a good human
laugh at himself later. He discovered that while
his methods made time they didn't make orders
worth a cent. It was really pointed out to him
about the tenth day out when he received a letter
from the president. He was the real manager and
his note was kindly. Mr. Barber carefully unfolded
the prized letter in handwriting—the Presto man
considered—strangely like the characteristic fist of
George P. Bent. Concealing the signature he read:
My dear
. From reports I judge you are
"working" too hard. Don't do it. This strange
advice from me needs explaining.
Don't travel so fast. Take more time with your
man.
If you see he has any spare time loaf with
him.
Play with him. Today many a good order
is won with a driver, a niblick or a brassie. You
must use your own discretion and note what is per-
missible in the big town and the little one. Men in
smaller towns where we hope for new customers
will want to talk to you. They really are not more
sociable than the men in the cities but they have
more time and will appreciate an opportunity to ex-
change ideas with you. Not necessarily on pianos
alone but on subjects that interest them. .Every
man has his hobby; every locality its interesting
subject.
Don't hurry. Remember, it is not a time record
you are after. The real aim of this trip of yours
is to make friends. The real aim of future trips will
be to keep them. You cannot make friends at a
gallop like a cowboy picking up a handkerchief. Go
slow and make acquaintances and friends. The
sales will follow because the goods are right and I
know you have it in you to sell them.
"He soon saw the wisdom of the Old Man," said
Mr. Barber, carefully putting the precious letter
away. "He even sold quite a few pianos on the
trip. The amount surprised himself and justified
the boss's faith in him. But the big thing he dis-
covered was that the road to orders was not a rac-
ing track; that the American piano dealer was de-
lightfully human instead of being a machine that
clicked out orders in the way the fool books
described."
WAREROOM WARBLES
(A New One Every Week.) .
By The Presto Poick.
THE BELL-PUSHER'S PROGRESS.
We used to go in single file,
On shank's mare or on bike,
And all alone we'd scout meanwhile
For prospects we might strike;
We'd push the button, pull the bell,
Or hammer on the door,
Until some dame would start to yell
Or man thing 'gin to roar!
And then the neighbors all came out
To see wherefore the row,
Which seemed to say, without a doubt,
The time to go was now;
And so we'd walk—we could not ride
Because we had no steed,
So nothing else would do beside
But run, did we lack speed.
But now how changed! we go in pairs—
My partner and myself—
And when we go the public stares
To see such signs of pelf;
For now we flivver to and fro,
In style that seems to tell
That two near-counts await below
The answer to the bell.
CABLE CO'S ELK SIGN.
The Cable Piano Company's Chicago store at
Wabash avenue and Jackson boulevard has a very
attractive sign in its window on Wabash avenue and
it is repeated in the Jackson boulevard window. It
shows a beautiful building pictured in a frame, with
the words: "The home of the Elks in Murphysboro,
111. (Cable-made pianos used). Owners of Cable-
made instruments know what real piano satisfaction
LYON & HEALY'S LOSE GAME.
The baseball game last Saturday at Winnemac
Park, 111., between the Lyon & Healy team and the
team of the American Sewer & Drainage Company
resulted in a score of 11 to 7 against the Lyon &
Healy's. But the piano makers are game; they
have lost none of their pep, and will play against
the Chicago Mill & Lumber Company today, Satur-
day.
July 17, 1920.
DEALERS SEEK PIANOS
IN CHICAGO MARKET
Many Merchants Call at Central Manufactur-
ing City and Place Orders for
Instruments.
J. M. Overell, of the J. M. Overell Furniture Com-
pany. Inc., Los Angeles, Cal., was a Chicago visitor
late last week. The company's place of business
is at 700-708 South Main street. Mr. Overell visited
the Bay Company in Chicago.
C. F. Willey, of Baraboo, Wis., was in Chicago
late last week ordering pianos and playerpianos.
Grant Pauley, of the Frederickson-Kroh Music
Company, Muskogee, Okla., was in Chicago last
week. He ordered a good many instruments.
O. P. Greer, piano dealer of Bourbon, Ind., was
in Chicago on Wednesday of this week, inquiring at
some of the manufacturing companies' offices about
the possibilities of getting supplies of pianos for his
fall and winter trade.
C. I. Tully, of Claypool, Ind., attended the Edi-
son dealers' convention in Chicago this week. Mr.
Tully, in addition to dealing in Edison phonographs,
sells the Packard and Baldwin pianos and Autopiano
player piano.
E. H. Tubbs and wife, of Clinton, Wis., attended
the Edison phon<%J?aph dealers' convention in Chi-
cago this week. Mr. Tubbs is in the furniture and
undertaking business and sells musical instruments
of all kinds.
J. E. York, of the York Music Company, Okmul-
gee, Okla., was in Chicago on Monday of this week
ordering pianos and playerpianos.
Morris Berger, Jr., of Morris Berger, Jr., & Son,
Jonesboro, Ark., was in Chicago on Wednesday of
this week looking for pianos.
Fred Kuhlma, of Barthel & Deusenberg, St. Louis,
Mo.; C. A. Hueter, of Greenville, 111., and Mr. Har-
rison, a salesman for Mr. Hueter, accompanied by
Henry P. Veatch, Chicago manager of the Packard
Piano Company, went to Fort Wayne, Ind., on
Thursday of this week to choose pianos at the
Packard factory.
Z. A. Po'.itka, musical instrument dealer of Reese-
ville. Wis., was in Chicago this week attending the
Edison dealers' convention.
Mr. Scott, piano deater of Evansville, Ind., was in
Chicago picking out goods on Thursday of this
week.
The Rev. F. O. Hultman, of Albert City, Iowa,
who recommends Newman Bros, pianos, was in Chi-
cago on Thursday of this week. Several members of
his congregation own Newman Bros, instruments,
and they are also favorite instruments of the pastor.
Edward Leinhart, of Wakarusa, Ind., was in Chi-
cago last week choosing a new stock of instruments
for his trade.
Ernest Otto, piano and playerpiano dealer of
Davenport, Iowa, was in Chicago within the week.
He called at Newman Bros. Company's headquarters,
A CLOSE GOLF GAME.
A. E. Johnson of the Haddorff Piano Co., Rock-
ford, 111., has had a challenge out for two years
against E. P. Lapham, of Chicago, to determine
which is the better man at golf. This week the test
was made at Rockford. The result of the game was
practically a draw, Mr. Johnson beating Mr. Lapham
by one point in an 18-hole game.
Mr. Lapham
claims that the advantage was in favor of Mr. John-
son because he was on familiar ground, while the
course was new to Mr. Lapham. Mr. White, the
piano dealer of Fairbury, Neb., who played with
them, tied in the score with Mr. Lapham. Mr. White
is doing a wonderful playerpiano business at Fair-
bury. He sells as high as 250 playerpianos a year to
farmers.
MOTOR TRIP IN WISCONSIN.
H. E. Apperson, wholesale sales manager of the
P. A. Starck Piano Company, 210-212 South Wabash
avenue, Chicago, is on his summer vacation, which
he is spending in an ideal way by motoring through
Wisconsin. Freedom is what he sought and he is
getting it, for the roads of the Badger state were
never in better condition. The weather is ideal,
the woods and flowers are glorious, the fields are
whitening to harvest, the fish are biting and the
water is fine. So is the food at the Wisconsin
hotels and roadside eating places.
GEO. W. STIEFF TO WED.
Announcement was made in New York this week
of the engagement of Mrs. Marie Tower de Mar-
tinez-Zorilla to Geo. Waters Stieff, president of the
Stieff Piano Co., of Baltimore. Mr. Stieff is a son
of the late Frederick P. Stieff who was prominent in
the National Piano Manufacturers' Association.
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