Music Trade Review

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REV LW
THE
fflJJIC TIRADE
VOL. XXXIX. No. 11. Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at \ Madison Ave., New York t Sept, 10, 1904,
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION NEWS.
SALESMEN AND SALES.
SLOCUM ON TRADE OUTLOOK.
Something of the Man Who Sells the Goods—
What Is Necessary to Help Business When
Even the Best of Salesmen Go Over to a
Competitor—Publicity
the Prime Factor
which Places a House Above Its Employes.
Submits a Cheerful Report and Looks for No
Deterrent Influence from Campaign.
Some Items of Interest—Put-in-Bay Suggested
as the Next Meeting Place.
(Special to The Review.)
Now that the holiday season is over, it is
hoped that every member of tha National Asso-
ciation of Piano Dealers of America will put on
his "fighting armor" in earnest, not only for his
own personal benefit, but the benefit of the asso-
ciation at large.
It is important that the membership of the as-
sociation should be increased in every quarter
of the union, and this can be easily doubled or
tripled by each member adding one or two mem-
bers to the present enrollment.
B. B. Crew, member of the executive board
from Atlanta, Georgia, is very enthusiastic and
has already sent several applications for member-
ship from the South. In a recent letter to the
press committee Mr. Crew indicates his activity
and interest, not only by actual results in secur-
ing new members, but also in the fight which he
is leading for revised freight rates for the South-
ern Coast States. He says the dealers of the
South hope to get a reduction from Chicago at an
early date. They have been outrageously dis-
criminated against, but by united effort expect to
secure a revision.
With regard to a suitable meeting place for the
next annual convention, to be held in May, 1905,
there is a strong feeling throughout the Middle
West and beyond that the meeting should be held
at a place convenient to Western points, and the
Milwaukee representatives are still anxious the
convention should be held there. In this line it
might be wise for all the members from the West
who desire to strengthen their position to hustle
for new members who will vote in favor of the
Western city. This official vote will probably be
called early in October.
Another and new claimant for the convention
is Putin-Bay, Lake Erie, Ohio. This resort has
been suggested by W. H. Currier, of Toledo; F. B.
Hollenberg, of Little Rock, Ark., and other promi-
nent members. It is an undisputed fact that Sar-
atoga as a meeting place is entirely out of the
question, as the hotels could not accommodate
the convention until after the opening of the
regular season.
Put-in-Bay unquestionably offers many attrac-
tions and is doubtless an ideal location for such
a gathering. Many members are already signify-
ing this resort as their preference.
Secretary George E. Bradnack is receiving con-
stant application for salesmen and tuners. It
would be well if those who are out of employ-
ment would file their names, addresses and ref-
erences with Mr. Bradnack, who will doubtless
find them employment in short order, as good
men are constantly in demand. No fee is at-
tached to this employment feature of the asso-
ciation, and that it can be made universally help-
ful to both employer and employe goes without
saying.
When ordering new letterheads do not fail
to print across the top, "Member of the As-
sociation of Piano Dealers of America." It will
help you in various ways, aside from strengthen-
ing the importance of the association.
Any business man who stands in terror of his
salesmen because they "sell the goods" might
do well to wake up to the fact that it is his own
fault if salesmen, when they leave him, can
carry an appreciable amount of business to a
competitor.
A salesman may hold trade by courtesy and
favors, but an intelligent sales manager and a
wide-awake advertising department can create
such a favorable impression for the house that
customers in the remotest corners of the earth
may soon be made to feel personally acquainted
with the concern—can be made to feel that it
is the particular business of somebody to sit at a
table in the main office and attend to their indi-
vidual needs.
This is accomplished not only by prompt and
careful attention to inquiries and orders and by
systematically following them up, but also by
frequently sending special literature and an
occasional letter or mailing card.
When the individuality of a concern has
become impressed upon a customer who receives
good treatment, the call of a competitor's sales-
man will seldom carry away the order, especially
if a neat little reminder happened to drop out
of the morning's mail. And these same ties of
personal touch with the home office are what
will hold business when the best of salesmen
go over to a competitor.
Business should be built for the future, not
for the moment. The success of a house should
not rest upon the shoulders of one man, or of
any number of men. A proper organization lives
and grows beyond the coming and going of men.
The loyal salesman glories in the permanent
organization of his house. He is one with the
firm—may become a part of it some day; he is
working for the firm, not for himself. Both for
its effectiveness in establishing intimacy be-
tween the house and his customers, and for its
immeasurable help in keeping business moving
through his territory while he travels from point
to point, and because, as he goes, he can actually
see the good work go on, the traveling salesman
appreciates, perhaps more than aynone else, the
importance of direct methods in advertising and
of systematically "keeping at it."
It not only sells goods when he cannot be on
the spot, but the little pamphlets and other
special missives send the arguments on in ad-
vance, and a man will often read when he will
not listen. The result, as System aptly puts it,
is that the salesman has fewer obstacles to over-
come, is saved many an argument, makes more
sales and makes them easier, all because of the
kindly aid of systematic advertising—direct.
The Estey Organ Co,, of Brattleboro, Vt, are
now installing a magnificent organ in the Re-
formed Church at Altoona, Pa. It contains all the
individual Estey features which have won such
high commendation from organists.
Cleveland, O., Sept. 1, 1904.
In discussing trade conditions with The Re-
view, Milton R. Slocum, the entrrprising dealer
of this city, said: "It is almost universally con-
ceded that the business interests of the country
are materially affected during a year in which a
Presidential election occurs, and our locality is,
of course, no exception to the general rule. The
tidal wave passes over every fourth year, but
when it subsides most of us are found doing busi-
ness at the same old stand. And we are apt to
conclude that after all there was more smoke
than fire. The immortal Shakespeare said:
'There is nothing either good or bad, but think-
ing makes it so.'
"Thus far our business has suffered no re-
lapse. Sales for July and August of this year
exceed those of corresponding months of 1903 and
prospects for fall trade with us were never
brighter.
"Collections are slower from some classes, but
this is more to be attributed to the epidemic of
fear which seizes some people than to any real
cause. Surely, the Presidential campaign can af-
fect neither the weather nor the crops. Because
of the late spring the corn crop will be short in
this section, but wheat averages well with former
years, and oats never were heavier. 'Wisdom the
same yesterday, to-day and forever,' does not suf-
fer lack.
"I have had no other thought than placing or-
ders now for fall stock. So long as we can sell
pianos, and thus deplete our stock on hand we
are obliged to order more to take its place. Pres-
idential campaigns or other outside influences
notwithstanding.
DEATH OF WILLIAM O'SHEA.
The news of the death of William O'Shea,
which occurred at Lincoln, Neb., on Aug. 29, will
be received with great regret by a host of friends
in this city. The deceased, who was just in the
bloom of manhood—in his thirty-seventh year—
was vice-president and secretary of the Ross P.
Curtice Co. He was born in Manchester, Eng.,
but settled with his parents in Boston, Mass.,
when quite a young chap. He was richly talented
and possessed those admirable traits of charac-
ter which endeared him to all who knew him.
KIMBALL CO. TO RECONSTRUCT ORGAN.
The W. W. Kimball Co., of Chicago, have se-
cured the contract for the reconstruction of the
great organ in St. Paul's Cathedral at Pittsburg,
Pa. The instrument is to be entirely remodeled,
and is now being taken down and shipped to the
factory at Chicago. This organ is said to be one
of the largest in the country, and was the gift of
Andrew Carnegie to the church.
John W. Kinkle, secretary of the Knight-Locke
Piano Co., Denver, Col., has resigned. His future
plans have not yet been disclosed.