February 28, 1925.
17
P R E S T O
ments are offered on price only. The marked-down
price is the frank allurement and justified in the lead-
ing line. But the dealer, ambitious to build up a
character for real piano worth, not piano bargains, is
careful about too frequently appealing to the super-
thrifty in the piano buying public.
Some quality in the piano may, for general pur-
Headline Phrases Should Not Only Attract poses, be a better theme for a headline than the name
of the instrument, no matter how famous it may be.
the Eye but Also Suggest Qualities That
One successful piano adman whose work for a cer-
Distinguish the Instrument from
tain fine instrument is admired by his fellow profes-
sionals, as a rule does not feature the name of the
Others.
instrument in the headlines. He believes that famil-
iarity with the name breeds indifference in the minds
of the public. The name of the instrument identifies
it to the prospects who have made up their minds to
Only Excuse for Price as Headline Is When Appeal buy that particular piano. But frequent observation
of the name by others may have bred a degree of
Is to the Economical Instincts in
indifference to it that causes them to balk at reading
Prospect.
the text that follows.
Of course there are piano names that are a page-
By HULBERT T. JONES.
ful of arguments and inducements by themselves.
The same fundamental laws govern the ethical They are synonymous with high artistic quality and
character of piano advertising and advertising of absolute worth. A name of that kind is more than
other kinds, and there is no escaping the responsibili- an eye-catcher. Even without additional words it
ties they create. So that where it is so easy to shape suggests all the cardinal virtues of the best piano.
an idea in the minds of the readers of advertisements
Curiosity As Motive.
in newspapers and magazines extreme care should be
Curiosity
to
know
what it's all about is the most
bestowed in the choice of words and phrases for the
leading lines. But allowing that a piano house ad powerful of all human motives. The adman who
man has the desired ethical sense there are a few studies human nature knows this. Most often his
main purpose is to create curiosity by the wording
other things to be considered in the writing of head- of his headlines. And if the leading line of the piano
lines.
ad does not excite inquisitiveness there is little hope
The importance of a good, featured line is obvious. of creating acquisitiveness in the reader.
It is the strikingly-phrased statement which attracts
After all the character of the leading phrase de-
the readers' eye to a particular ad among many pends on the standing and musical character of the
others. Much good piano advertising loses its effec- prospects the adman is endeavoring to interest. The
tiveness by the weakness of the leading line or lines best one, of course, is one that makes the readers
in the displays. High art in the piano adman is evi- visualize something; that suggests desirable merits
denced in his ability to write good headlines.
detailed in the words to follow. There is no reason
A Technical Observance.
why the leading line of a piano ad should not be
The price of the advertised piano is limited in its timely and the ad writer can make it so without en-
influence as a headline, a fact which ambitious piano dangering the dignity of even the best pianos.
dealers have discovered long ago. Among the pro-
fessional advertising men it is now understood as a
technical observance that the price as a leading line
in a piano ad is poor judgment. The price when
used at all is invariably a bargain one and repels
instead of attracts desirable customers. Advantageous
prices may be suggested or even mentioned down in Dealers and Others Connected with Radio Industry
the body of the advertisement but featured in a head-
Formally Condemn Proposed Figures.
line it proves a deterrent to a further study of the
ad content by the most desirable class of trade.
Fifty representatives of manufacturers, jobbers and
The Lone Excuse.
dealers in radio sets and accessories of San Fran-
There is only one excuse for using the price for a cisco attended a meeting recently of business inter-
headline in a piano display. That is when the instru- ests to voice protest against the proposed freight rate
increase of 50 per cent on sets and equipment.
The protest stated that the proposed increase
would be harmful to a comparatively new industry
and prevent its proper development on the Pacific
Coast. The discriminatory character of the proposed
increase was pointed out. The rate, the protest said,
should be no higher than that on electrical goods in
general. The present rate has been in effect for two
Graceful lines, rugged construc-
and a half years and the disturbance would be too
tion, moderately priced. It's the
great on an industry built so far on that rate.
very best commercial piano from
Frank E. Bates, traffic manager for Sherman, Clay
& Co., has accepted the appointment as a member of
every standpoint.
a transportation committee of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce of America, and has been as-
signed to the territory west of the Rocky Mountains.
LEADING LINES IN
PIANO DISPLAYS
PRICE LINE TABOO
PACIFIC COAST DEALERS
PROTEST INCREASED FREIGHT
The Best Yet
BAYONNE STORE CLOSED.
The music store of the late E. G. Brown, Inc., at
723 Broadway, Bayonne, N. J., has been discontinued.
Mr. Brown died in September last. He was a hust-
ling music dealer who made a specialty of the phono-
graph end of his business.
PROTESTED CHECKS
AND THEIR CAUSE
Often They Come from Optimistic Retailers
Who Neglect to Notify the Drawees of
the State of Affairs.
An organization of business men in New York City
has lately been handling a number of cases of pro-
tested checks from retailers that have been turned
over to them by manufacturers represented in its
membership. Many of those retailers whose checks
are not honored give them in good faith, according
to Executive Chairman M. Mosessohn, but without
sufficient knowledge of the dangers they incur.
"These protested checks are usually dated ahead by
the optimistic retailer, who honestly believes that by
the time the check is nut through the New York bank
of the manufacturer he (the retailer) will have had
time to make good the amount," caid Mr. Mosessohn
recently. "Such a retailer gives himself the narrow-
est possible margin of time in which to make cash
sales and deposit money enough to cover his out-
standing checks. By this method he endangers his
financial standing and puts the manufacturer to con-
siderable trouble. Often this is greater than the sums
involved.
"At this season of the year we generally have more
protested checks to take care of than when a season's
business is in full swing. At the end of one season
and just as a new one is opening the retailers are apt
to be misled by a spirit of optimism that, in some in-
stances, is not justified. There are all sorts of con-
ditions that should be taken into consideration that
the too optimistic business man overlooks.
"When a retailer is sailing so close to the wind
that he gives checks dated ahead he can easily be
hurt, for instance, by a period of bad weather. A
late Easter is another factor in spring business that
should always be taken into consideration.
"It is such instances of unintentional fraud that the
Adjustment Bureau of the League is able to give
service to its members and also to the retailer who
gets himself involved through carelessness or misfor-
tune, rather than dishonesty. The courts take care of
fraud, but our organization is often able to extricate
a retailer from his own lack of foresight."
Dating ahead is not an advisable habit with bank
checks, but if it is done the absolute facts should also
be stated. It is necessary that the credit of the re-
tailer be maintained, not only on the creditor's part,
but equally with his local bank. There is not much
of the protested check kind in the piano trade, but
of course there is some of it. Within a month sev-
eral little $2 subscription checks have been returned
to the publishers with the "no funds" mark of dis-
honor upon them. Such things are needless and
spell only annoyance and trouble.
W. D. Wood is head of the pipe organ department
of Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco.
For a
Bigger and Better
Business
There is nothing to compare
with the complete line of
A SMALL FAILURE.
Style 32—4 ft. 4 in.
Leaders Music Store, Inc., 63 South Main Street,
Liberty, N. Y., was last week petitioned into bank-
ruptcy, by Perlberg & Halpin for $149; Gilbert-
Keater Corporation, $308; McPhilbin Radio Corpora-
tion, $100.
WESER
Pianos and Players
WEBSTER PIANOS
Sell Readily—Stay Sold
Noted for Their Musical Beauty
of Tone and Artistic Style
Send to-day for catalogue, prices and
details of our liberal financing plan
Weser Bros., Inc.
520 to 528 W. 43rd St., New York
ATTRACTIVE
Factory
Leominttar,
Mau.
PRICES
Executir* Office*
138th St. and Walton Ave.
New York
Division W. P. HAINES & CO, Inc.
M. SCHULZ CO.
The Players are RIGHT in
everything t h a t means
money to the dealers and
satisfaction to the public
You will never do anything better
than when you get in touch with
M. SCHULZ CO.
711 Milwaukee Avenue
CHICAGO
OUTHRRW BRANCH: 730 Gandhr Bid*, ATLANTA, GA
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