13
PRESTO
February 17, 1923
NO SPECIAL RULES
IN SELLING ROLLS
But, According to Veteran Manager, Every
Incident in Sales Is an Opportunity
for the Display of the Selling
Sense.
Selling player music rolls is amenable to the rules
that ordinarily govern sales of other commodities.
But the selling of music rolls may be made a greater
success if the sales managers, salesmen and sales-
women consider the efforts governed by special rules.
Proficiency in selling music rolls follows a knowledge
of those rules which in reality are nothing more than
the course of action prompted by a knowledge of the
wants of the roll buyers and a shrewd anticipation of
what they will be looking for next week or next
month.
Of course, there are incidents in the presenting and
demonstration of rolls that influence the customer's
disposition to buy quickly and perhaps generously.
There are a lot of possibilities for good and bad in
the attitude of the salesman or saleswoman towards
the customer. A sympathetic feeling for the ex-
pressed music roll preferences of the customer is
something the expert roll salesman makes clear at
the earliest opportunity. He does not have to feel or
act like a trimmer. The big variety of music put up
in roll form permits a wide breadth of taste when it
comes to selection. The ability to discover and ap-
preciate the particular musical leaning of his roll cus-
tomers is the evidence of salesmanship science in the
salesman.
Knowing the Customer.
Lack of this ability makes for failure in the music
roll salesman. The inherent right of a customer is
to ask for what he likes whether his likes coincide
with or differ from those of the salesman. Too often
the customer imagines a tone of sarcasm in the com-
ments of the salesman upon his preferences. But it is
an old rule that the less of talking is done while the
customer is trying out the rolls the sooner he or she
will make a selection from the numbers demonstrated.
Rut it does not follow that the roll salesman must
be a mere machine. In a great many ways every
day he can show his resourcefulness, tact, knowledge
of the goods and enthusiasm that stimulates the cus-
tomer. One cannot be a good salesman without a
knowledge of the goods. Tact may be inherent in
the man but he must use his brain to acquire a knowl-
edge of the rolls. Acquaintance with all the facts re-
lating to the rolls implies study and the ambition to
master the means towards making the department
profitable and successful.
Kinds of Customers.
One of the most successful of music roll depart-
ment managers said recently that no rigid set of rules
can be applied to the treatment of the roll customer
who enters the store. Some come in with the pur-
pose of hearing a particular number in the current
bulletin. From experience with the particular cus-
tomer or from intuition the salesman or saleswoman
recognizes the urgency of quick action in this case.
The roll is produced, demonstrated, rejected or ac-
cepted as the case may be and the hurried customer
departs. It is a common luncheon hour incident and
in such instances the alert salesman recognizes the
futility of suggesting other numbers besides the one
asked for.
Up to Salesman.
This veteran manager also believes it is not a good
practice to always leave the customer to himself after
"shooting" a few rolls to the booth. Here again is
an opportunity for the salesman to show his selling
sense. Sometimes a customer will buy one roll if
left to himself, whereas by the use of thoughtful ser-
vice on the part of the salesman he or she would buy
several. For some customers the plain buying event
may be made a delightful function. The roll sales-
man or saleswoman who can accurately judge the re-
quirements in every case is invaluable to the roll
sales manager. Such a worker not only makes but
keeps customers and the roll department is successful
in equal ratio to the number of constant and satisfied
customers.
WHY MASTER PIANISTS
LIKE STEINWAY PIANO
Complimentary Fact Explained in Another Artistic
Advertisement of Steinway & Sons in Saturday
Evening Post.
Another artistic Steinway & Sons advertisement
graces the pages of the Saturday Evening Post of
February 10. It is made more interesting as usual
with an illustration showing the use of the famous
piano by artists of world-wide celebrity. This time
it is "Josef Hoffman at his Steinway, Carnegie Hall,
New York."
"All things considered," says the accompanying
matter, "the factors that must be considered in the
selection of a piano are different according to the
needs of different purchasers.
"The master pianist is the most exacting judge of
alj piano qualities. For in the expression of his art
he makes demands upon his instrument that test per-
fection to the utmost. A tone that is sonorous and
Greater Facilities for Growth Seen in New Quarters pure, a carrying power that makes practicable the
most delicate pianissimo, an action that combines
Campbell Theater Building.
power, lightness and elasticity—these are but a part
of all the qualities which the artist seeks.
The Landau Music and Jewelry Store, located for
several years at 37 North Wyoming street, Hazelton,
"The fact that for the past fifty years nearly every
Pa., last week moved to new quarters at 25 West
pianist of the first rank has chosen the same piano,
Broad in the former Campbell Theater Building
seems conclusive. Since Henry Steinway made his
where the new store has won widespread attention
first instrument, four generations of his family have
because of the tastefulness in arrangement and the made its continual improvement their lifework. T o -
general convenience and accessibility of all goods.
day it is more truly a Steinway than at the time of
All departments have been extended, new display
Henry Steinway's first creation, for in its manufac-
cases having been added for the several musical in- ture are culminated the ideals and the artistry of four
strument departments, while the record department
generations of his descendants.
has been considerably enlarged. More sound proof
"There are users of the piano other than the mas-
demonstration booths have been provided while a spa- ters whose needs must be considered. In musical
cious portion in the rear of the new store has been
conservatories the lasting qualities of the piano are of
allotted to the piano department display.
extreme importance. Here, too, the Steinway is su-
With the larger and more improved quarters, Lan- preme. The director of a great conservatory has
dau's will be in a position to increase service to the said, "The Steinway, in addition to its singing quali-
community and thus add hundreds of new friends to ties, its unlimited power, and an action that is more
their ever increasing list of patrons.
than perfect, possesses an astonishing durability.
"In the homes of music lovers different require-
ments determine the ideal piano. Here, usually, space
OUR PLAYERS IN MEXICO.
About 25 per cent of the pianos and all of the does not permit the purchase of a concert grand—
playerpianos now in use in and around Tampico, but, the qualities of tone and action that delight the
masters are equally important to those who love im-
Mexico, are of American manufacture, says Consul
mortal music. Where there are children the tone of
James B. Stewart at Tampico. Owing to their past
reputation German pianos are once more threatening the piano exerts an undeniable influence in the de-
to outsell American pianos, but this is counterbal- velopment of musical, culture. It is for these rea-
anced by the fact that sales of playerpianos are be- sons that the Steinway is made in styles and sizes
ginning to outstrip sales of pianos of ordinary type. suitable for every type of home."
This change in taste is due to the vogue of using
playerpianos at dances instead of paid musicians.
LANDAU MUSIC CO. EXTENDS
BUSINESS IN HAZELTON, PA.
STERLING FACTORY RE-OPENS.
NEW INCORPORATIONS
IN MUSIC GOODS TRADE
The factory of the Sterling Piano Co., Shelton,
Conn., operated until the beginning of the war by the New and Old Concerns Secure Charters in Various
Huntington Piano Co., at which time the two plants
Places.
were combined, has been re-opened. Both the Hunt-
The
Melody
Music
Shoppe, Elyria, O., $10,000;
ington and Sterling plants will be maintained.
William F. Waldersen and Joseph Greenfield.
The Ritz Music Shop, New York City, $10,000;
M. Aronson, A. Fein and E. Friedman.
NEW GENERAL MUSIC STORE.
Robert A. Kinningham, proprietor of the new
West End Music Corp., Manhattan, $10,000; A.
music store recently opened at 210 North Vermilion
Levine, M. Postal. (Attorney, S. Levine, 1540 Broad-
street, Danville, 111., purposes to make his business way.)
a general music one. In addition to pianos and talk-
Harlem Music House, Manhattan, instruments,
ing machines he will carry a varied line of musical $10,000; I. and L. and R. Goldstein. (Attorney, S.
merchandise and sheet music.
Balicer, 299 Broadway.)
DEMONSTRATE YOUR PIANO: IT WILL SELL ITSELF
Let your prospects see the piano, hear it, examine it;.
They will become interested, Convinced, SOLD.
It's easy if you have a BOWEN LOADER.
Price, including set of relief springs and a special piano moving cover, $110.00.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER CO.,
Winston-Salem, N. C.
EXPORT OFFICES—130 WEST 42ND ST., NEW YORK CITY, U. S. A.
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