Music Trade Review

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THE
DOES ADVERTISING PAY?
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
9
thing looks better and more conspicuous stand-
NEWS FROM THE NORTHWEST.
ing apart and alone.
Does advertising pay?
S. A. Woodruff, Advertising Manager of the
Scandinavian Singers to Chicago—Business
History records dozens of cases where the sal-
Jesse French Piano & Organ Co., St. Louis,
Not Affected by Heat—Twin Cities Census
Answers Eloquently in the Affirmative in a vation of a business has depended upon the suc-
Record—Hoping for Better Crop Reports—
cess of a last plunge into publicity, purchased
Contribution to "The Modern View."
New Music Temples—Bird's Publicity.
with the last vestige of credit possessed by the
Let me say that the existence of every news- firms, and every dollar they could beg or borrow,
(Special to The Review.)
paper and magazine publication now running is with the result that the tide of public attention
Minneapolis
and St. Paul, July 24, 1905.
irrefutable evidence that advertising does pay. lifted them high and dry upon a solid foundation.
Musical circles have been torn up during the
Another evidence is that the concerns doing the
Do not say you cannot afford to advertise. The
heaviest and most judicious advertising also do very reason you think so is because you are past week over the exodus of the Scandinavian
singing societies to Chicago, where they went to
the largest business.
suffering for the want of it, and don't know it.
join
with the singers from all parts of the coun-
You will notice I said judicious advertising,
Above all, keep at it. It is the constant drip-
The rates made by the railroads, a s
for it is a fact that where you find a man who ping of the water that wears away the stone, and try.
low
as
$4 for the round trip to Chicago, sent all
doubts the efficiency of newspaper publicity you it is the never-ceasing exploitation of your busi-
the musical people who could get away, out of
will also find one who possesses not the key to ness that drives business into your store. If
success, inasmuch as he is living in ignorance times get a little tight with you occasionally, for town, and a quiet for the last half of the week
of the ethics of modern advertising.
goodness sake don't shut off the steam that runs was the result. Three roads sent special trains
The word judicious with relation to advertis- your engine by robbing your advertising fund. in more than one section, and it was one of the
ing ethics, covers a wide latitude. It covers the If you must reduce your expenses, discharge the biggest trips of musical people ever taken from
choice of media, the preparation of matter, the janitor and do your own sweeping, but keep up h ere.
The heated term which was felt so badly in the
size of space for varied purposes, and the rela- your advertising, even if you have to cut into
tion of the ad. to proper backing by facts.
your own salary to do it, for printer's ink is the East affected the Twin Cities only a trifle, two
days being rather uncomfortable, and for those
The man who considers the mere presence of keynote to your business success.
two days business was rather quiet, but cool days
his business card in the daily publication a test
came with Thursday and Friday, and then busi-
of the value of advertising, works but an injury
WILL BUILD CLUB HOUSE.
ness picked up enough to make up for the falling
to the art and to himself, while the man who
off, so that July will round up as a good month,
The
Foster-Armstrong
Co.
Donate
Valuable
puts his brain into the science of modern com-
according to all reports. Both cities seem to be
Gift to the Foster-Armstrong Mutual Benefit
mrrcialism is the man who is succeeding.
having the benefit of the good sales alike, and the
Association—Officers
Elected.
To begin with, you have something to dispose
same optimistic utterances are heard from the
of for which there is a popular demand. You
(Special to The Review.)
merchants
of each city, not one any more than
will concede that the more people possessing that
Rochester, N. Y., July 24, 1905.
knowledge, the greater will be your chances in
The Foster-Armstrong Mutual Benefit Associa- the other.
The taking of the census for the State has just
the field. So far, so good.
tion, at its meeting held in this city last week,
You have done some advertising, possibly in an decided to incorporate the organization. The been concluded, and there has been considerable
indifferent way, without satisfactory results, and officers elected for the ensuing year were as fol- excitement in the Twin Cities, especially among
immediately jump to the conclusion that people lows: President, G. G. Foster; vice-president, business men, for upon the population the value
do not read advertisements, that the medium W. B. Armstrong; second vice-president, W. W. of any trade line is based, and piano row in each
used was not a good one, and you taboo the ad. Powers; secretary, F. C. Sours; treasurer, J. H. city has been as anxious as the rest to see how
man, while in the meantime the up-to-date fellow Shale; directors (two being selected from each the two cities sum up. Minneapolis reached the
across the street is getting all the business.
auxiliary company), Haines Bros., T. A. Bridson. mark with 261,974, and St. Paul, while not offi-
That there is something wrong there can be no and W. Murdock; Armstrong Co., William Pow- cially corrected, will reach, if it does not pass,
doubt. The question is, where does the fault lay? ers and F. Konowitz; Brewster Co., F. Winter- 190,000. This makes the business men of both
With the newspaper, with the reading public, or botham and M. Goddard; Foster & Co., P. Pol- cities quite jubilant, and makes the piano in-
with yourself?
lock and W. Weis; Marshall & Wendell, E. Hus- dustry feel as if it was not overdone even with
Let us see.
tleby and R. Kaufman; Case Shop, Department B, the many houses in both cities.
Discouraging reports have been coming in from
In the first place an ad. is an index to the H. Waddell and W. Armstrong; Case Shop, De-
character of the firm it exploits, and has a psy- partment B, F. J. Werner and C. Bwart. The the wheat fields, of black rust, the worst enemy
chological effect for weal or woe upon every superintendents and managers of the different of the wheat farmer. This is rather discourag-
reader of it. A first impression is the lasting one, companies are ex-officio members of the Board of ing, because if it spreads, collections will not be
above par the rest of the year, and both country
and an indifferent statement in an advertisement Directors.
will cause an indifferent effect upon its readers.
At the meeting it was also announced that the and city sales will suffer. No business feels the
An advertisement serves for the same introduc- Foster-Armstrong Co. had promised to donate a effect of bad crops as soon as the piano trade,
tion to the business energy and enterprise of a valuable piece of land, convenient to the new fac- and the hopes of local dealers are hanging upon
business house as does the window display to the tory at Despatch, N. Y., for the purpose of erect- the reports. Up to date country trade has been
good, and all prospects promising.
store interior.
ing a club house. This structure will be one of
St. Paul is going right ahead with its audi-
Some merchants are constantly putting the the most complete of its kind and will include
cart before the horse by watching religiously the a large social hall, suitable for entertainments of torium project, and the subscriptions are com-
personalities of their clerks, at the same time all kinds, as well as a dining-room, billiard and ing in fast. It almost looks now as if the big
treating with indifference or positive detriment card rooms, bowling alleys, and all other equip- affair was an assured thing, and that with its
to the end in view, the magic wand which waves ment necessary in a first-class club house. It is big population, St. Paul can afford the luxury.
material into their stores for these clerks to expected that this structure will be completed by Minneapolis already has a fine one. and with a
work upon.
November 1. The Foster-Armstrong Mutual big music temple in both cities, the Northwest
can have the best there is on the road. Possibly
An advertisement is an animate thing. It is Benefit Association, it is safe to say, is one of
the
new auditorium when built will house some
not a dummy. It talks, and in order to create the most successful in the country. The men
an impression it must talk eloquently, direct have taken a very active interest in it, have paid of the piano and music houses in St. Paul.
In Minneapolis a new music temple is already
from the shoulder, courteously, and above all, their dues promptly, and they have substantial
with a sincerity which carries conviction with it. funds in hand to meet all emergencies in the way assured. Aside from the Auditorium, which is
strictly a place for presenting events and with
How would you like a clerk, or any one, in of death benefits.
no music rooms or studios, a new music temple
fact, to say the same thing to you day in and day
is being arranged for in the shape of rebuilding
out, with no evidence of a possession of ideas,
F. BECHTEL SELLS
a handsome Nicollet avenue block. There is to
with no attempt at originality?
The day is past when the announcement in a His Small Goods and Sheet Music Departments be $10,000 invested in remodeling, and it is to
to R. & J. C. Volkwein.
house nothing but musical concerns, one piano
daily paper that "John Jones carries a full line
house, it is understood, a small goods outfit, aside
of boots and shoes" possesses any value as a
F. Bechtel, 516 Smithfield street, Pittsburg,
trade-getter. The buyer wants tangible evidence Pa., has decided to confine his business in future from studios and band practice rooms. The
walls are to be deadened absolutely, and every-
from which he can draw a logical deduction.
to the sale of pianos, and therefore this week he thing put into perfect shape.
It is because of this fact that billboard ad- disposed of his small goods and sheet music de-
Francis Bird has taken to street car advertis-
vertising does not possess a value commensurate partment to Rudolph and J. C. Volkwein, who
ing,
and has a unique display advertisement that
with its cost. In fact, in nine cases out of ten, will conduct this department under the firm name
the "standing" ad. of a local dealer has a detri- of Volkwein 'Bros. These gentlemen have been is attracting attention. He has not been in busi-
ness for himself long, but he is making his pres-
mental effect rather than a beneficial one unless connected with Mr. Bechtel lor a long period of
it receives forceful backing by other conspicuous years, and the sale of these departments to them ence felt. He is having good success with his
new line, the Henry & S. G. Lindeman, and re-
and active publicity. Don't sound the voice of
may be termed a reward of merit. Mr. Bechtel's ports two sales of baby grands.
your business unless you can say something.
line of pianos includes the Henry F. Miller,
Elmer Brooks, of the Brooks-Evans Co., has re-
It has been demonstrated beyond all question Estey and Blasius.
turned from a flying trip into the northern terri-
that an ad. increases in effectiveness ten times
S. E. Clark has been appointed general man- tory, and reports country business very good,
every time the space devoted to it is doubled.
Don't crowd your space; remember that "dis- ager of the business of Grinnell Bros., Detroit, especially in the better grades, notably the Ever-
ett, which is the firm's leader.
tance lends enchantment to the view," and that a Mich.