PRESTO
August 4, 1923
CHRISTMAN
SELLING PLAYERS
BY HORSE SENSE
Long Talk Nullifies Plea and Instinct Should
Prompt Use of Word Muffler at Crucial
Moment in the Sales
Events.
Grand
The gift of conversation, the ability to talk well
and profusely on a given subject is a wonderful aid
to success in any line. The adman is a good talker
on paper; the successful piano salesman is usually
one blessed with the power of using words with
meaning. But the successful piano salesman knows
that the fine art of talking lays as much in knowing
when to put on the muffler as in the ability to voice
your thoughts. The rule applies to the piano plea
just as well as to the general line of talk. Almost as
many piano sales have been lost through too much
talking as through lack of ability to think or talk.
when embodied with
Has The Appeal That
WINS THE BEST TRADE
The Summer Season is Made
Profitable to Dealers who
Sell this Remarkable Instru-
ment, for it has many Points
that no Other can claim.
YOU ARE LOSING SALES
Every day you are without
the influence of the
CHRISTMAN
Studio Grand
A WONDERFUL SMALL GRAND
cnly five feet long which embodies all
the advantages of the larger grands
and possessing a tone volume and
renge of expression surprisingly broad.
Musicians quickly recognize the
characteristic tone qualities of the
CHRISTMAN GRAND
SEEING IS BELIEVING
"The First Touch
Tells"
Re*. U S. Pat Off.
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St.
New York
When to Shut Up.
The gift of talk is a valuable one. But the gift
ungoverned by the when-to-stop sense is really an
unfortunate possession.
There are piano salesmen
who are blessed with persuasive eloquence.
They
can, in a charming way, convince a customer of the
merits of an instrument—and then keep on talking
until the prospect yawns, then doubts. Pooh! The
sale is killed, temporarily, at least.
The knowledge of the proper time to close the
argument is an important one with the lawyer who
addresses a jury. He marshals his arguments, effects
his climax and then shuts up. The rule is good in
talking to piano prospects.
You take the man who tackles a playerpiano cus-
tomer. In particular instances the personal equation
is important. But there is a general route to the
consummation and this the wise ones follow. The
wise chap keeps in mind the fact that he is selling a
playerpiano, not lecturing on the science of player
construction or the art of playing. He knows it is
possible to demonstrate too well.
The Sufficiency.
Give one of the expert salesmen three rolls and
with these and a convincing running talk and in gen-
eral he leads the customer like a lamb to the cashier's
desk. Of course, the rolls are selected with a view
to display the possibilities of the instrument to inter-
pret all kinds of music. With three rolls and his
just-sufficient talk and the finale comes before the
prospect becomes distracted. Try to put the seal
of finality on the deal before the prospect loses inter-
est.
The customer who listens to a playerpiano demon-
strated by a salesman for an hour, with the accom-
panying drone of the spiel, becomes somewhat tired.
The attention is too easily distracted and the force of
the delayed climax to the piano plea is lost.
Noting the Mood.
The prospect should be made convinced of the
playerpiano's value while he or she is in the mood to
hear the music. That is why three, or at most four,
rolls should be the limit. Of course it is hard to put
a meter on the salesman's w r ords. Warnings are of
little avail if he hasn't the sense to emulate the lowly
clam and shut up when the bell of instinct rings.
It is unfortunately true that many salesmen have
the ability to get their prospects into a mood of
interest and then spoil all by the long unnecessary
plea that so often kills the strong desire to buy. The
occasion doesn't call for a free concert. A sample to
whet the appetite given as an illustration of the
words that describe the instrument is enough.
HENRY G. JOHNSON & SONS
PIANO MFG. CO. PLANS
Organization Approved for New Ottumwa Industry
by State Executive Council.
The plan of organization and procedure of the
Johnson & Sons Piano Manufacturing Company of
Ottumwa, la., was approved in a special session of
the state executive council called in Des Moines re-
cently by Governor Kendall.
The company will begin operations in the old Bell
Truck factory property at Madison avenue and Mary
street. H. G. Johnson intends to move to Ottumwa
within a short time and devote his entire attention
to the local plant.
The output of the local factory will be baby grand
pianos. The Bell Truck building has 20 000 square
feet of space. It is the company's early intention to
build a large dry kiln as the first unit of expansion.
After it is erected it will be possible for Mr. Johnson
to begin operating at once, as the remainder of the
building is easily adaptable for the use of the plant.
Mr. Johnson in Ottumwa last week expressed his be-
lief that the factory there can be turning out pianos
by Christmas.
The plan of procedure and organization was ap-
proved by the state executive council, completely, as
submitted, with no changes. The company, an Iowa
incorporated firm, has a capital stock of $500,000, all
common stock, $200,000 of which has been pur-
chased by Mr. Johnson. He is the owner of the
Henry G. Johnson Piano Manufacturing Company
of Bellevue, la.
GERMAN PIANO DEALERS 1
ASSOCIATION'S BIG GROWTH
Other Interesting Fact in Report Concerns the
Amazing Prices in Marks.
The German Union of Piano Dealers increased in
membership for the year closing the last report. The
organization grew from 799 to 1,020 in a year the
report alludes to as "troubled, stormy and dark."
Many new branches have been opened over the
country.
According to the report, the Union had been suc-
cessful in obtaining a more satisfactory complexion
for the luxury duties or taxes; but an effort to have
an allowance made for goods already stocked failed.
Success did not attend the efforts of the Union to
have the decree forbidding the export of second-hand
pianos mitigated.
The following statement on piano manufacturing
and retailing is interesting. In peace time the cheap-
est piano cost the dealer 300 marks; the price today
is 3,350,000 marks—an increase of 11,166 fold. A
good worker in the piano industry earned 50 pfenning
per hour in peace time; now he gets 1,900 marks—
increase 3,800 fold. In peace time the piano hire rent
was 7 marks a month, now it is 20,000 marks, an in-
crease of only 2,857 fold. That is an increase of
2,857 fold for hire, against 11.166 fold for cost price.
In peace time the piano hand had to work 14 hours
in order to earn a month's piano hire; today he need
only work 10 T /2 hours to attain the same end.
"GYP" DEALER WORRIES
BRITISH PIANO TRADE
Prominent Trade Journal Comments on Number of
Complaints About Evil.
The private house dealer, or, as he or she is called by
the trade here, the gyp dealer, is creating worry among
the British piano dealers. The Music Trades Review of
London says: "Complaints reach us from dealers
who are being badly hit by the man who, with little
or no expenses, in his spare time inserts wilfully
mis'eading advertisements, particularly in the provin-
cial press, from which the unwary public is led to
conclude that wonderful bargains in pianos are to
be had at prices which bona fide dealers are pre-
cluded from selling," and adds:
"We cannot too strongly reiterate the exhortations,
many times given in our columns, to dealers to get
together and by concerted action fight this curse of
the trade. Most of the reputable manufacturers to-
day, in their own interests, refuse to supply any but
those dealers whom they know to be legitimate
traders, and it is up to the dealers also, and if pos-
sible more strongly, to take uniform action and wipe
out the bogus dealer."
COMMENT BY W. L. BUSH.
In Dallas, Tex., last week W. L. Bush, president of
the Bush & Gerts Piano Co., commenting on his ap-
pointment as chairman of the committee for the ad-
vancement of music of the National Association of
Piano Manufacturers, said: "I consider the honor
which conies with such an office is one that comes to
the city of Dallas and not to myself, because it was
undoubtedly given to me in consideration of the
recognized activities of this community in music.
Nearly all the piano manufacturers are grouped fairly
close together in the east and it would be natural for
this chairmanship to go to one closer to the center of
things, were it not for the reputation Dallas has at-
tained nationally."
FINAL DIVIDEND DECLARED.
The following notice has been mailed to creditors
of the National Piano Co., Boston, under date of
July 24: "In the District Court of the United States
for the District of Massachusetts, in the matter of
N'ational Piano Co., bankrupt.
Notice is hereby
given that a final dividend of 8 l / 3 per cent has been
declared upon all claims proved and allowed against
the estate of the above named bankrupt payable after
ten days from date.—Arthur Black, Referee in Bank-
ruptcy."
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