PRESTO
MORE TYPES IN
THE SALES FORCE
The Mental Processes and Physical Efforts
Arising Therefrom of Three Additional
Members of the Sales Force Provide
Material for Another Article.
HOW THEY DO IT
Salesman Who Really Belongs to the Business and
One Who Lacks the Cohesiveness to Firmly
Attach Himself Are Described.
In a recent issue of Presto a few varieties of piano
salesmen were classified, but the statement was made
that the scientist's job of listing the psychological
types in the piano sales field would be a long and
steady one. There is a world of difference in the
mental processes of any two men commonly consid-
ered similar in type, but it is that feature that should
make the psychoanalyst's task a joyful one.
In the previous article there was Tom, the ex-furni-
ture salesman, who had no pride in his new associa-
tions, but who sold the goods in a way unfettered by
piano wareroom traditions. And Dick, an equally
successful outside man, who holds that all talk about
the tone and other artistic merits of "the pianos is im-
practical. And Harry, the lazy, who was not only
an inside man, but also a sitting down man, without
ambitions but with the uncanny gift of closing the
admittedly hopeless sales of others. The fourth type
briefly described was Albertus, the artistic, whose
esthetic mind is on the art character, scorning the
business side of the piano.
A Privilege to Know John.
John is a type left over from another day when the
retailing of pianos was done by men who joyed in
every sale and more than all took pride in making a
friend of the house and a personal friend of every
man or woman to whom he sold a piano. John even
retains the honored costume of the day that is past;
the frock coat, the wing collar, the decorous bow tie
and the well-pressed hair-stripe trousers. Men like
John would lose their morale without the character-
istic livery.
Personal friendships count considerably with John.
All through his life it was through the pianos he sold
and the friends he made that more sales were devel-
oped. From the methods of such men the beginning
of great fortunes have been made in the trade. To
them the most potent propaganda of advertising is
the recommendation by previous customers of the
house. Many men of John's type were formerly
musicians, teachers and, in some instances, piano
tuners, all basically well equipped when they came
into the business. That's why they sell music. John
is always John to his associates. Nobody would
dream of calling him Jack, Johnny or any undignified
diminutive of his name.
Jimmy Is Different.
Jimmy is the antithesis of John. He was always
Jimmy in name and never James in his estimate of
himself. After a moment's talk you will realize that
Jimmy's, work will always be a job, never a profes-
sion like John's calling. Jimmy's job is an experi-
ence of life, something that has no permanency for
QUALITY
in Name and in Fact
TONE, MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION,
WORKMANSHIP, DESIGN—all in ac-
cord with the broadest experience—are
the elements which give character to
Bush & Lane Products.
BUSH & LANE PIANOS
BUSH & LANE CECILIAN PLAYER PIANOS
take high place, therefore, in any com-
parison of high grade pianos because of
the individuality of character which dis=
tinguishes them in all essentials of merit
and value.
BUSH & LANE PIANO CO.
Holland, Mich.
him. fie is no clock watcher, however, although he
is a salary man. He works steadily within the hours
and takes all the pains possible with his abilities.
If you value the correct meaning of words you
would never say that Jimmy is connected with the
piano trade. He is not adhesive enough. He is tem-
porarily attached to a piano store and liable to drop
off with the same suddenness that he flopped six
months ago from the furniture store up the street.
He has no thrills in the present selling pianos; no
joyous hopes for the future associated with the house
or the trade. A sale once made is a finished busi-
ness proposition as far as Jimmy is concerned.
"Gr-r-r-r," Says Jedhro.
The great wonder with many who know Jedhro is
that he ever makes a sale. He seems to radiate hos-
tility. He is on the floor only when he has an ap-
pointment with prospects and when they are not
ahead of time he walks nervously up and down mut-
tering irreverent things about them and hissing
maledictions.
And when the prospective customers linally appear
Jedhro reproaches them for their failure to keep his
split-second engagement. Without a sign of geniality
he begins his grim business of showing the goods.
It is a chilly, perfunctory proceeding. The other
salesmen often wonder what Jedhro would rasp out
if one of his meek customers wanted to know what
he was expected to pay his money for. Jedhro cer-
tainly would consider the question the limit in nerve.
Isobel, the cashier, is confident Jedhro's customers
are not the usual free type. Nobody independent in
thought and action would stand for his compelling
ways, thinks Isobel, who also believes that Jedhro's
sales are only the paying of blackmail. But if you
judge by results in sales with big first payments and
the biggest monthly instalments possible Jedhro is a
successful member of the sales staff. The succes-
sion of prospects is continuous. He meets them in
his grim way and quickly closes the deals by methods
that are curt and sometimes abusive.
February 9, 1924.
Cincinnati Factories of The Baldwin Piano Company
SUCCESS
is assured the dealer who takes advantage of
THE BALDWIN CO-OPERATION PLAN
which offers every opportunity to represent
under the most favorable conditions a com-
plete line of high grade pianos, players and
reproducers.
For information wrllt
Palbtoin $tano Company
Incorporated
CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS
LOU18V1LL1
CHICAGO
8T. L O U I S
DALLAS
N B W YORK
DENVEB
S A N FRANCISCO
ANNUAL MEETING OF
WEAVER PIANO CO., INC.
Board of Directors and All Officers of York, Pa.,
Industry Re-elected.
The annual meeting of the Weaver Piano Co., Inc.,
York, Pa., was held at the office of the company, on
Thursday, January 31, at 3 p. m.
The reports of the officers showed a very satisfac-
tory year for 1923. More Weaver and York pianos
were sold in 1923, both in units and in dollars, than
in any previous year in the history of the company.
The sale of Livingston, Mercer and other pianos,
was also greater than ever before in the history of
the company.
The board of directors was re-elected for the en-
suing year. This board consists of: W. S. Bond,
C. F. Baer, P. G. Mundorf, R. A. Paules, Walter L.
Bond.
At the close of the stockholders' meeting the board
of directors met and organized by re-electing the
following officers: President, W. S. Bond; vice-pres-
ident, C. F. Baer, secretary, P. G. Mundorf, treas-
urer, Walter L. Bond; factory superintendent, assist-
ant secretary and assistant treasurer, C. D. Bond.
The 72nd semi-annual dividend of the company
was then declared. This establishes an unbroken
record of semi-annual cash dividends beginning with
January 1st, 1890. Prior to that date there were
some dividends at irregular intervals, but since 1890
the company has been paying regular semi-annual
dividends in cash. This is some indication of the
stability of the Weaver Piano Co., Inc.
The Heppe, Marcellus and Edouard Jules Piano
manufactured by the
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are the only pianos In the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
Patented in the United States, Great Britain,
France, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agents only*
Main Office, 1117 Chestnut St.
PHILADELPHIA. PA.
•
1 testers
j Grand Piano
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One of the old, reli- \
able m a k e s . For \
terms and territory §
write.
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Lester Piano Co.
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1306 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia
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A HOPEFUL SIGN.
The increasing number of inquiries being received
by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce
regarding foreign advertising campaigns, methods,
and media is a gratifying indication of the growing
tendency on the part of American exporters to de-
velop their foreign trade intensively and carefully.
With the return of keen competition between the
manufacturing nations for the supplying of importing
markets, it is particularly essential that American for-
eign trade be built upon the careful testing of each
market and the convincing of individual foreign buy-
ers that American concerns offer superior quality and
service.
BUSINESS AS USUAL.
"Don't let the alterations now in progress keep you
away—come in and see us. We will be pleased to
serve you and will thank you for your patronage,"
is the advice of the Jefferson City, Mo., branch of the
Martin Bros. Piano Co., printed this week. The
branch was recently opened at 213 East High street,
where a fine line of pianos, talking machines, rolls
and records is carried,
When in doubt refer to
PRESTO BUYERS GUIDE
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