Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
VALUE OF SEPARATE ROOMS.
Many a Sale of Talking Machines Is Lost
Through Their Absence—Splendid Agents
for Displaying Machines in Suitable Environ-
ment—Customers Like Them.
Almost every week we read of some progress-
ive firm having their quarters redecorated and
in almost every instance the fact is mentioned
that separate rooms have been arranged and spe-
cially decorated for the purpose of displaying
the various lines handled.
The larger dealers everywhere are realizing
that best results are obtained when a machine
may be tested and its good points brought out to
much better advantage, while it is separate from
the general stock. "Where the customer is con-
fronted with only three or four Styles he or she,
as the case may be, is not confused, and a selec-
tion is more readily made because the mind is
concentrated upon the contents of the parlor
alone instead of an open wareroom, where other
customers are examining and testing instru-
ments. Of course, many dealers will remark
that there will be the increased cost of fitting up
the rooms attractively. Even so, it may be
safely said that of five sales that are lost on the
wareroom floor because the prospective customer
could not arrive at a decision, two will be saved
by the separate room where comfortably seated,
among attractive surroundings, the tendency to
find objections is reduced to a minimum and the
salesman finds a more fertile field for his argu-
ments.
And a word about'the decorative treatment of
these rooms. It is always best to consult a good
decorator even at increased c,ost, for the after-
results will warrant it. Then the style of decora-
tion is considered. Say one be in Empire, al-
ways effective and alluring for great originality
possibly in the application of its various forms.
Fit the second out in Flemish style, imposing,
but nevertheless suggesting comfort, and why not
an adoption of the German idea in the new art
lor the third room, a style beautiful for its broad-
ness?
After the walls are treated in a satisfactory
manner the furnishings should receive consid-
eration. No matter what style the other decora-
tions, an Oriental rug of good quality, not neces-
sarily an expensive antique, hardly ever looks
out of place, and always lends an air of rich-
ness to an apartment. Furniture, that is, chairs,
settees and small desks, should, of course, con-
form with the general treatment. When the en-
tire decorating and furnishing is completed a fine
talking machine placed in such an environment
has its effectiveness enhanced many fold.
The separate showroom is not a decided inno-
vation, merely an evolution following the grow-
ing tendency to place talker selling on a higher
plane rather than looking upon it as a purely
commercial proposition, and even rehearsing the
natter in a purely commercial light, the benefit
accruing from an adoption of the above system
for displaying talking machines will result in
more big sales and increased profits that will pay
the cost of the necessary alterations in a re-
markably short time.—Talking Machine World.
CLEVELAND ENTERTAINS WITH GRAPH-
OPHONE.
Hayward Cleveland, the manager of the retail
branch of Columbia Phonograph Co., at 853
Broadway, entertained the Jamaica Branch of the
L. I. R. R. T. M. C. A. last Thursday evening
with a graphophone concert at their rooms at
Jamaica, L. I. Mr. Cleveland is one of the noted
chess players of the country, and during the con-
cert entertained the guests with an exhibition of
scientific chess playing.
N. A. SPERRY IN OLD QUARTERS.
N. A. Sperry, talking machine dealer, of Hart-
ford, Conn., whose stock, as related in The Re-
view recently, was destroyed by fire, has re-
opened this week at his old stand, 85 Pratt
street, with a handsome stock.
. Every month all the purchasing people of
the United States see a full-page advertisement
of the Victor in the leading magazines.
Victor Talking Machines
and Records
These customers are looking to you to
supply their wants. It doesn't matter where
you are located, you can't get away from this
demand. There is just one way to meet it, if
you are wide-awake and business-like in any
sense of the word.
Show every Victor, from the Junior Gramo-
phone up to Victor VI. Show the Victrola and the
Aux-e-to-phone—they attract great attention and
help sell the whole line while they sell themselves.
Keep all the Records, especially all the
"New Records, every month and play them
freely for any person who comes near your store.
Above all, keep everybody talking about
you and the Victor; advertise in your local
paper; give your window display close attention,
and go out after trade with good circulars and
free concerts.
Then watch your sales grow.
Victor Talking Machine Company
Camden, N. J.
Better try this method, if you haven't bejjun already:
Place your standing monthly orders for the new records with
your distributer, and push this feature. (It keeps your customers
calling at least monthly—they look for them.)
Artistic monthly supplements furnished free for this purpose.
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