Presto

November 29, 1924.
RADIO AS A BUSINESS
In An Incredibly Short Time It Has Changed
From a Perplexing Game to a Real
Trade.
A great many dealers have added radio to their
music goods lines; a great many are considering a
like course and no doubt many are firmly resolved
to let radio alone—for the present. The reservation
makes them possible radio dealers at some future
time. Most of the music dealers who have adopted
radio appear to be busy and making money in the
new department. Some, apparently busy, deny the
soft impeachment of getting rich in the new field
which is palpitating with romance.
In the beginning the radio business was too much
of a hodge-podge. For a long time after its first
appearance as a commercial consideration, it was
so chaotic it made the heads of the dealers swim,
so to speak. As far as merchandising was concerned
it was a commercial monstrosity. The radio manu-
facturing field was crowded with striving units, some
of a featherweight kind backing impossible apparatus
and devices; every schoolboy could build a set for
himself and one for his neighbor for a trifling re-
ward. It was a most uncertain field but it lured.
Everyone was eager to get in; some slowly and
others keen to take a header while the excitement
was hot. It was not surprising that radio became
all messed up.
In time dealers in a more rational way began to
enthuse over radio because radio as a commercial
proposition was proving itself. It was a most won-
derful discovery. The public admitted it was every-
thing the scientific folk claimed for it, even if the
receiving sets were not always everything the manu-
facturers represented them to be. The radio busi-
ness was losing its character of uncertainty.
Today radio is a real business and getting more
staple every day. It has reached a state in which it
can be handled profitably by the careful dealer. Some
are entering it in a big way creating a separate radio
department, separate management, separate sales
force, separate advertising and separate sales plans.
It is up to the progressive dealer to investigate
rodio. It goes well with the phonograph, which will
never be a thing of the past.
Radio is undoubtedly a thing of genuine worth and
the business of retailing it is becoming more stabil-
ized every day. To the careful dealer there is no
longer the chance of having to play tag with ever-
changing radio equipment. Manufacturers are pre-
senting radio equipment of an understanding kind
so that the dealers know where they are at. Selling
radio is a real business instead of a guessing game.
music and songs. But only the most active houses
suggest the possibilities for making the days occa-
sions for voicing patriotism in song.
For Mother's Day a vast amount of music and
song is available. The day is growing in the extent
of its observation and the schools especially have
become good places for the sale of "mother songs."
The popularity of the mother theme may be gauged
by the great number of songs of that description
arranged as quartets.
REMICK SONG REVIVES WALTZ
"Bring Back That Old-Fashioned Waltz" a Phenom-
enal Seller in Many Places.
"Bring Back That Old Fashioned Waltz," one of
the recent hits of the Jerome H. Remick Publishing
Co., continues to be a hot favorite in many places.
In Buffalo the song continues to be a wonderful
seller. Three days after the song's release 1,100
copies were sold in this district, according to William
H. McDermott, the company's representative there,
and it has remained a good seller since that time.
A number of dancing teachers in Buffalo told Mr.
McDermott that the waltz had almost become extinct
in Buffalo, and the way the number has been used
there is reviving interest in the old steps.
"Bring Back That Old Fashioned Waltz" was com-
posed by Albert Hay Malotte, a Buffalo song writer
of unusual ability. It is a happy combination of good
time and pretty melody with well constructed ballad.
The song merits the warm reception Buffalo has
given it.
ADDS RADIO DEPARTMENT.
A new radio department has been added to the
Ludwig Piano Co. store, 1103 Chestnut street, Phila-
delphia. There is to be featured the Ware neutro-
dyne, the R. C. A. sets and the Atwater Kent, with
the newest addition in the De Forest outfits. The
De Forest equipment has been installed with the aid
of the engineers from that manufacturing company,
who have been in Philadelphia supervising and in-
structing the dealers and their workers in the promo-
tion of De Forest products and their operation.
TO OPEN RADIO DEPARTMENT.
The Widener's Music Store, Inc., at 869 Broad
street, Newark, N. ]., handles a small but well se-
lected stock of radio merchandise in conjunction with
its piano and talking machine departments. L. A.
Dexter, manager of the store, says the stock will be
increased and such alterations as are necessary for
this will be taken up in a short time, when the radio
department will be opened as one of the real depart-
ments of the business and conducted on that basis.
SONGS FOR SPECIAL "DAYS"
A Great Number of Occasions Come Every Year for
Sales Stimulation.
Interspersed throughout the year are a considerable
number of days specially set aside and devoted to
the commemoration of events. Some of these are
long established but comparatively many are recent
observances. And apart from the national ones there
are "days" observed locally in many places through-
out the country. Nearly all of the "days" are special
occasions for the sale of songs and other forms of
sheet music.
The bigger music houses whose stocks range
through all phases of music know the opportunities
for selling sacred music at Christmas and Easter. A
house with a clientele of organists and choir masters
will be made aware of numerous other occasions
whose coming is accompanied with orders for music
suitable to their observance.
In nearly every state "Arbor Day" is made a great
event in the schools. There are lectures and singing
programs during and preceding the tree planting by
the children. It is surprising how many good songs
may be made to serve for the purpose.
Flag Day, the Fourth and Memorial Day are a trio
that should be better made occasions for the sale of
25
PRESTO
Best Loved CHRISTMAS CAROLS w % du '.i acnd
Booklet 5x8 for Piano Manufacturers and Dealers.
Used in large editions every year. Order now.
Send for samples to
STATE REGISTER, Dept. A, Springfield, 111.
SONG ADVERTISING TIPS
Current Events, Movie Plays, Vaudeville and
Orchestras All Suggest Excellent Methods
of Window Featuring that Sells Songs.
Sheet music dealers will always sell their music
by means of window displays and the success of the
show windows is usually in equal ratio to the timeli-
ness of the music shown. In fact, current events
often provide opportunities for featuring certain num-
bers in the popular line. The use of "Charley My
Boy" for electioneering purposes is a case in point. Of
course the air only was used, the political committees
providing their own words, but anyway the song got
a great boost in sales.
The appearance in concert of John McCormack is
always a stimulation to the sales of the songs he
sings from his own desire or by request. In the
sheet music department of Grinncll Bros.' Toledo
store all the copies of "Somewhere in the World"
were sold the day following the McCormack concert
and in addition orders for close on two dozen copies
were taken.
Songs introduced into special arrangements for the
movies are successful sellers while the film dramas
are being shown in a city or even the smaller towns.
"June Night," the theme melody for Thomas Meig-
han's ''The Alaskan," is reported by dealers in many
places as a big seller.
Alert dealers like to tie up with the orchestras in
the motion picture houses and the regular theaters
by featuring the songs and other music played in
attractive shows in the windows.
A great amount of song selling stimulation can be
evoked by means of striking window displays. Even
figures are introduced to illustrate the title of a song.
The ten-cent stores and other chain stores have been
particularly active in presenting sheet music windows
of this character.
In some music houses the sheet music department
and the roll and record departments are made mutu-
ally helpful. Rolls and records of some of the most
sought populars are shown on the counter of the
sheet music department and the sales people intimate
to customers that the sheet music favorites may
also be had in roll and record form. The sales force
in the roll and record departments return the favor.
A "LOVE NEST" WEEK.
"Bungalow Love-Nest" is claimed by its publishers
to be a "waltz hit," and being broadcasted over radio
very extensively. Garrick Music Sales Co. is plan-
ning a Bungalow Love-Nest week in Chicago, at
which time several of the leading theaters will give
special presentations of this number, which will be in
addition to the regular radio campaign of the pub-
lishers.
GROWTH OF RADIO INDUSTRY.
More than 3,000 manufacturers are now busy mak-
ing and selling radio sets. Thirty radio magazines
are published, 20,000,000 listeners enjoy the programs
of 560 broadcasting stations, and 50,000 men and
women are making their livings out of this indus-
try that simply didn't exist five years ago.
ADVERTISING SONG BOOKS
Editor Presto: One of our customers inquires
about a collection of old-fashioned songs, suitable for
giving out to prospects and the general public. If
you can inform us where these are printed, you will
confer a great favor, and incidentally boost the piano
business, as it is a foregone conclusion that every-
one receiving a book will need a piano on which to
produce the accompaniments.—A Jobber.
Reply: About the best book of the kind within
our knowledge is put forth in quantities by the Illi-
nois State Register of Springfield, 111. We believe
if you write to that concern you will get a sample of
about what you want.—Presto.
Over 50 songs, words and music for 4 voices and piano,
Z'i p.p., 6x9, in editions with special illuminated cover
printed to order as wanted. Mention Presto.
REMICK SONG HITS
Mandalay
It Had to Be You
There's Yes, Yes in Your Eyes
Dreamer of Dreams
Follow the Swallow
New Kind of Man
My Best Girl
Me and the Boy Friend
Little Black Buddy
Until Tomorrow
Old Pal
Goodnight, Sleep Tight
Where the Lazy Daisies Grow
Bring Back the Old Fashioned Waltz
The Grass Is Always Greener (In the
Other Fellow's Yard)
J. H. REMICK & CO.
New York
Chicago
D«ti«it
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