Presto

March 7, 1925.
PRESTO
PIANO SALESMAN
AND HIS SYSTEM
He Has Happy Choice of Building His Own
on the Fundamentals and Developing
Methods Never Dignified as Theories
or Set Down in Books.
SEEING PROSPECTS
Interviewing the Probable, Possible and Impossible
Ones Adds Largely to His Patience and
Knowledge of Human Nature.
By DOUGLAS McNAIR.
In selling their products all trades are governed by
a few fundamental rules, either tacitly understood or
set down in a formal way in printed instructions.
There are salesmanship books and booklets galore
and most of them are honored more in the breach
than in the observance! This is due to the sense of
initiative in the men and women who are directed to
use the books and booklets in their novitiate days.
A sales department may develop a system of great
theoretic value, which, however, only brings results
when reduced to practice. The really good, success-
ful salesman is a law unto himself.
The first rule of any system has to do with the
locating of the prospective customer. In the piano
house the prospect is identified as a person interested
in an upright piano, grand piano, playerpiano or re-
producing piano, and the importance of a proper
estimate of his desires is easily understood by every
salesman of experience. It means a saving or wasting
of a salesman's time. It often removes the possi-
bility of spoiling a sale.
The Prospect List.
In trying out a list of prospects the effort is to
make every case a closed incident in the shortest
possible space of time. The keen-minded salesman
can see the uselessness of a second call when the
conditions point that way. Hope does not spring
eternal in the breast of the hard-headed piano sales-
man. Time is money and he does not wish to lose
anything in hoping.
But this first call on a prospect is highly important
and on the salesman's judgment depends the profits
of a sale when things look hopeful and the obviating
of further loss of a salesman's time when it is con-
sidered the chances of a sale are nil. Very impor-
tant facts may be gathered in the first interview.
The First Call.
The first call is important also in the fact that the
first impression on the- good prospect is powerful in
the ultimate decision. Many pianos are as good as
sold at the first interview. It is a vital moment when
the fire of desire for a certain instrument may be
lighted. A good first impression makes possible a
later visit. A failure to properly impress at a first
interview makes later visits of doubtful value. But
in many instances the enthusiasm of the salesman
who finds a prospect in a receptive mood sweeps
away all hesitations.
There is where the good piano salesman proves his
mettle by closing the sale at the first successful visit.
A decision on the part of the customer may not be
complete. Other members of the family may have
to be consulted or there may be hesitation in the
choice of model or . finish, things not calculated to
hang the sale.
First Crisis.
Then arises the necessity of prompt action in ar-
ranging a second interview which should be set for
the same day if possible. The salesman remembers
the admonition to "strike while the iron is hot." If
other members of the family are to be consulted the
salesman should set a time when he is assured of
meeting those interested. It rather weakens his case
to call back when there is only a bare chance of see-
ing them.
At the first call the salesman should be able to
learn who is to do the actual buying and there is no
need to call back three or four times to learn that.
It is clear that there is no need to call the second
time to verify an "impossible" finding at the first
visit. Impossible people do not become possible
prospects overnight or in the course of one. or two
days.
What He Learns.
A good first interview may not necessarily end in
a prospect signing on the dotted line. It is a profit-
able visit when the salesman learns who is to do the
buying, in what kind of instrument the family is in-
terested, and discreetly finding out the ability to buy
this or that instrument of a more or less big price.
In a first interview the keen salesman can sense the
variety and strength of the buying resistance. At the
second visit the salesman is thus better prepared to
override the obstacles, should any be presented.
The Family Head.
Sometimes the nominal family head has not the
final sayso in the piano purchase. Dad may be only
a yesman to mother, and it often happens in this day
of emancipated youth that the old folks may only
have the privilege of putting up the first and succeed-
ing payments where the piano deal is in question. But
the observant salesman makes no breaks and does
not get mixed up in the intricacies of family politics
by thoughtless word or actions. In short, the sales-
man should have his eyes peeled and his ears open,
and the why and the wherefore he will never learn in
any book about selling pianos on the outside.
Every first visit is productive of information to the
outside salesman. It may make him wisely decide
to cross off the prospect from his list, thereby saving
his own or some other salesman's time and energies
in the future. In his first visit he may acquire the
kind of information that may make a subsequent visit
profitable. Much depends on his powers of observa-
tion and it is the extent of this faculty that makes
him a good, bad or indifferent salesman.
POPULAR MANUFACTURER
TELLS OF FOREIGN TRIP
A. Goldsmith Tells of the Delights of Travel
but Admits that Homecoming Will
Be Best.
Presto has received a letter from A. Goldsmith of
the Chicago piano industry which bears his name.
Mr. Goldsmith is on a Mediterranean tour and his
letter was written at Medierra Island, where he ar-
rived on February 6th.
"Am having a very pleasant trip," the piano man-
ufacturer wrote. "We had rough weather crossing,
but the trip has already done me good. The com-
pany was very congenial, and there was good music
aboard—as indeed everywhere in this enlightened
day.
"We will stay briefly at Seville, Cadiz, Grenada
and will follow the cruise through Egypt, Palestine,
Turkey. We expect to leave Naples late in March,
and then tour Europe, visiting all of the principal
cities. I may be able" to make a rapid sketch of
piano conditions in some of the larger centers and,
if so, hope to send something to Presto which may
prove entertaining.
About May 9th I expect to be ready to start back
for the good old U. S. A., and I am sure that, with
most Americans who get away from their happy
homes under Old Glory, the most enjoyable part of
this agreeable change will be to see again the Statue
of Liberty at the entrance of New York harbor.
For we all agree with the old-time American song
writer and statesman that there is "no place like
home." Hope Presto will hand out my regards to
all in the trade, near and far.''
FLOCK OF PIANO TRAVELERS
A SURE SEASONAL GAUGE
When Albert Lea, Minn., Sees the Phenomenon
Early in March, City Is Happy.
The people of Albert Lea. Minn., scout the belief
in the absence of the ground hog's shadow as indi-
cating the arrival of springlike weather and they
laugh to scorn the goosebone seasonal auguries of the
ancient pioneers. When Spiffin's Almanack says
February will be a cold month everybody looks up
lighter underwear and one Albert Lea editor reck-
lessly dons his summer collar button. The almanac's
prognostications are read as reverse English.
But there is a sign that no Albert Lea citizen ig-
nores and that is when the flock of piano travelers
steps off the 9:45 in the first week in March and in
the gregariously happy way of the breed, waves away
the taxis and busses and walks downtown. That is
among the unerring phenomena of prophetic import.
So when one day this week the citizenry encountered
E. N. Prinz of the M. Schulz Co., L. Barnett of the
Straube Piano Co., and George M. Slawson of The
Cable Co., niftily stepping from the station to the
hotel they sent up gladsome cries of "Spring is
here!" "The vernal equinox has beaten its sched-
uled date! Rah! Rah! Rah!" and other exclamations
to that effect.
The piano dealers along the way, hearing the joy-
ous tumult, sat down to seriously figure on a big
order for the piano traveler who would gladhand
him in a short time. The sign was unerring. They
knew spring weather had arrived and the time had
come to tune up the gaswagons for the prairie piano
prospect quest.
AIDS MUSIC MEMORY CONTEST.
The annual music memory contest for schools in
Charles City, la., takes place this month and the
Anderson Music House and the Sheldon Music House
are co-operating with the women's clubs of the city
in making the contest as successful as in previous
years. The two music houses will give weekly con-
certs of music memory contest selections during the
next few weeks. Membership enrollment blanks are
distributed by the firms.
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WALTER A. LUND TRANSFERRED
TO PACIFIC COAST FIELD
T E
" SHardman
Leaves Chicago Office of the Kohler Industries for
Washington, Oregon, Service.
Walter A. Lund has been transferred from the Chi-
cago office of Kohler & Campbell, Inc., New York,
to the San Francisco branch. He will have charge
of the Northwestern territory under the management
of Kohler & Campbell's San Francisco office. Mr.
Lund has been with the Kohler Industries since 1915
and has an enviable record during his work with the
Chicago office. He is an accomplished pianist and
has proved invaluable in assisting salesmen in closing
retail business.
Mr. Lund's headquarters will be in either Portland
or Seattle and his mailing address is Kohler Indus-
tries, 458 Phelan Building, San Francisco. This move
of the Kohler Industries in placing a veteran sales-
man in the Northwestern territory is thoroughly in
line with the dealer co-operative policy of the com-
pany, and is also in line with the policy of promotion
within the ranks.
Besides his experiences # and ability Mr. Lund has a
charming personality and will undoubtedly be of great
assistance to the trade in this fast-growing part of the
United States.
The ^Hardman £ine
is a complete line
It comprises a range of artisti-
cally worthy instruments to
please practically every purse:
The Hardman, official piano of
the Metropolitan Opera House;
the Harrington and the Hensel
Pianos in which is found that in-
builtdurabilitythatcharacterizes
all Hardman-made instruments;
the wonderful Hardman Repro-
ducing Piano; the Hardman
Autotone (the perfect player-
piano); and the popular Playo-
tone.
JUDGE LYLE WILL SPEAK.
The speaker and honored guest for the next meet-
ing of the Piano Club of Chicago will be Judge
John H. Lyle. The meeting will begin promptly at
12:15 and close at 1:30. The place of the meeting is
the Illinois Athletic Club and the date March 9th.
Membership is growing each week and all are urged
to bring a new member. This is most important
club work.
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