December 31, 1927
PRESTO-TIMES
BAND INSTRUMENTS
FOR THE YEAR 1927
C. D. Greenleaf, President of National Asso-
ciation of Band Instrument Manufacturers,
Considers Year Relatively Prosperous.
THINGS SAID O R SUGGESTED
THE SALES CLOSER
Salesman Henry was suave,
Bland, pleasant and polite.
In most uncommon ways with him,
Deportment was the height
Of graceful speech and movement;
With elegance was rife.
With him each act competitive
Was sweet denatured strife.
In marked contrast was our Bill,
Whose brusquerie was fierce;
Whose grating voice like auto honk
The wareroom's length did pierce.
Where Hen would sluice the warm spiel,
Bill's approach was frigid.
Where Hen met prospect with salaam
William's spine was rigid.
The polished way is, you'll admit,
A necessary aid
To closed deals in piano stores;
But Henry he just laid
The candied words too thickly on,
And smirked too bally free.
In fact he piped the honey stuff
Too blamed impartially.
For too much sweetish stuff will cloy;
'Tis argument appeals.
The salt of sanity's required
For closed piano deals.
Blarney's good in doses right,
To tightwad rolls uncoil.
The prospect too much sugar-cured
Is liable to spoil.
Fair prospects ent'ring at the door
Found Henry wrapt in smiles,
Who two-stepped airily the way
So courtly to the styles.
With bow and flourish he'd orate
In simp'ring loop-the-loop,
While taper ringers now and then
The barber chords would scoop.
But so it was while Henry's way
Was mostly nix cum rouse.
The fact was that his sweet flimflam
Was stood for by the house.
When Henry's candy guns were fired
And flattery would fail.
Most gen'rally 'twas brusque old Bill
Stepped in and closed the sale.
* * *
No matter how good the piano may be you've got
to advertise to put the world next to the fact.
* * *
A Camden County, Missouri, judge dismissed the
claim of a beekeeper who sued a piano dealer for
the return of money paid on an instrument bought
on installments. Evidently the beekeeper couldn't
prove he was stung.
* * *
HUBBY'S
SUGGESTION.
The M. J. Gummer Music Company, Oshkosh,
Wis., sold a piano to a customer in the neighborhood
of the town. The buyer was a lady of German birth
and famed for the scrupulous cleanliness of her house
and her vigorous use of mop, soap and scrubbing
brush. Monday was always a day of sudsy activi-
ties in her house.
The woman's husband paid for the piano. In the
matter of choosing it, though, or anything else in
the domestic menage, he admitted he was a cipher
minus the rim. On soapy Monday it was his pleasure
to completely remove himself. He, too, was a Ger-
man, naturally neat in his habits, but the peace-up-
setting rule of the scrubbing event palled on him.
The salesman, who was also a tuner, went along
to see the piano installed and to give it a few final
touches.
"Now, you want to be careful about the way you
dust and clean this piano,'' said the salesman, who
was aware of the suds-splashing fame of the lady.
"'Remember you are to put no wet cloths, sponges
or scrubbing brushes on it. Don't attempt to scrub
it down with water."
"You hear that mother?" spoke up the delighted
husband. "You gotta haf that biano dry gleaned."
* * *
Many a poor piano evokes respect from the un-
initiated by looking beautiful.
* * *
An Arkansas preacher had quit the pulpit for a
position in the piano store. Joined another division
in the Army of the Uplift, so to speak.
* * *
Success is the art of jollying others to do some-
thing for you.
* * *
The good-for-nothing pianos do not die young.
* * *
GERM
The year 1927 has been a relatively prosperous one
for the band instrument manufacturers, although no
previous records have been broken. The school band
contest showed greatly increased growth this year
and it is evident that school bands are constantly
becoming a more important factor in the musical
LETTERS
All "germ letters" are not like those of the Denver
blackmailing gang which threaten victims with
disease-infected missives. An agreeable germ letter
may read something like this:
Dear Mr. White Keyes—I believe Mr. and Mrs.
Jones have a serious idea of buying a piano this fall.
Of course you can count on me to say the proper
thing about your pianos at the right time. Get busy.
Sincerely yours, Kebecca Spankhard, Teacher.
*
•
*
'Tis really and truly a case of double dealing when
some men form a piano trade partnership.
*
*
•
One way to save trouble is not to borrow any.
C. D. GREENI.RAF.
life of the nation. The practice of giving school
credit for instrumental music, including both bands
and orchestras, is becoming more prevalent and this
is an indication of the growing interest in musical
instruction in the schools.
So far as 1928 is concerned, predictions are useless.
There seems to be no reason why general underlying
conditions should not continue favorable, and if this
proves to be the case, the music business for 1928
should be what the people in the industry are able to
make it. I see no reason why concerted and con-
structive efforts should not result in an increase in
business, but I do not think such an increase will
come without a sales effort which is comparable to
the effort which is put forth in competing industries.
C. D. GREENLEAF.
December 15, 1927.
/ have been engaged in piano manufacturing
for 38 years, but it is only 4 years since the B. K.
Settergren Company made its first grand piano.
Todax our instruments are not only known but
well knozvn by the entire industry; arc being sold
m 42 states and in foreign countries.—B. K. Set-
tergren, Bluffton, hid.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER HELPS SALESMEN
Outside Salesmen must be equipped so as to "shew the goods." The season for country piano selling is approaching. Help your sales-
men by furnishing them with the New Bowen Piano Loader, which serves as a wareroom far from the store. It is the only safe
delivery system for dealers, either in city or country. It costs little. Write for particulars.
BOWEN PIANO LOADER CO.,
Winston-Salem, N. C.
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