Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
at cut rate prices simply to turn their stock into cash when there
was particularly strong financial pressure upon them. This, how-
ever, they were unable to do, and while there has been naturally a
diminished demand for talking machines there has been no de-
preciation in stock values and there has been no demoralization of
the settled conditions in that industry.
We question if any industry is safeguarded in so many ways
as is the talking machine trade against price slaughtering and con-
sequent unsettling of trade conditions. Restricted prices are cer-
tainly great peace producers in the internal affairs of any industry.
REVIEW
IN LIGHTER VEIN
It never pays to lose your temper.
Ignorance of values is like ignorance of location.
Be careful whom you choose for shining examples.
Patience is to salesmanship what oil is to an axle.
There is no substitute for honesty—nothing "just as good."
O
NE of the most important economic moves of the day about
which the general public has learned little is the concerted
action of the owners of timber in the various parts of the country
in the organization of an association to protect their holdings from
fire.
One well-known lumber merchant—an authority—stated that
fires in this country have destroyed more timber than the lumber
men have cut. When timber was abundant the waste passed almost
unnoticed, but now that we are threatened by a scarcity amounting
to an actual wood famine the owners of forest lands are waking up
and taking action to save what is left. With the enormous con-
sumption of lumber in all lines it is estimated that within a very
short time we will be face to face with an actual timber famine, and
as the scarcity of lumber grows naturally its price will continue on
an upward trend. In time it will naturally affect the cost of pianos.
T
H E R E are some men who are overfond of saying that the
world owes them a living. Isn't it a peculiar statement to
•make when you come to analyze it? To think that success is any-
one's by divine right without effort to produce success. Success
comes by hard work and nothing can be achieved without hard
work. The world owes no man anything in excess of the exact
equivalent of the service which he performs. When you hear a
man say that the world owes him a living it" is pretty safe to say
that that man has failed to size up the situation rightly. It requires
eternal hustle to achieve success, more now than ever before, and
if we meet our obligations to the world the world will be good
enough to cancel any debt which it owes us.
E
VERY piano salesman should acquaint himself with not only
the advertising policy of his house, but with the statements
made in advertisements which are daily and weekly put forth. It
is a fact that some salesmen to-day persist in regarding advertising
as encroaching on their domain. They do not realize its helpful
power and some of the few unprogressive salesmen look upon pub-
licity with jealousy.
One advertising manager for a big piano concern recently
stated that several men on the sales force were not aware of the
tremendous work put forth for the development of business. Such
salesmen should remember that not less than a hundred millions of
dollars was spent in general and mail order advertising last year
and fully sixty per cent, of this business was placed by advertisers
who have been running campaigns for years with results that have
been greater every year. It is safe to say that if advertising on the
whole did not pay it would never have attained its present develop-
ment. Advertising is nothing if not a form of salesmanship and a
refusal to admit it is to forever remain ignorant of a vast fund of
information, a knowledge of which would materially help the sales-
man in his work.
N
OWADAYS one must not overlook any force which may be
helpful in securing trade, and a man who does not realize
the strength of publicity in a business campaign shoots over the
mark.
In piano selling there is much to learn, for it is a science, and
an experienced piano salesman has a keen and thorough knowledge
of his business. He knows precisely on what grounds his competi-
tor bases his claim that his pianos are better than his own. The
up-to-date salesman posts himself as to the merits of particular
instruments and strong talking points come under his personal
observation. The best posted salesman is familiar with the piano
which he sells, and with such knowledge he can impress a customer
in a more convincing manner than if he possesses a purely super-
ficial knowledge of the instrument.
No detail is too small to be inconsequential in salesmanship.
The best sales are sometimes won or lost by some trivial Incident.
The only way you can get a reputation for honesty is by being honest.
The public has confidence in the man who has confidence in himself.
If you are not enthusiastic about work, how can you expect to suc-
ceed at it?
A salesman should never approach a customer with his breath smell-
ing of liquor.
Don't attempt to build up a reputation by telling what you are going
to do. Let your deeds speak for themselves.
Be mighty careful how you joke with a customer. It is difficult to
tell always which people are lacking in a sense of humor.
Mrs. Bronson—Your husband kissed your cook.
Mrs. Woodson—I told him to. The cook thinks she is getting ahead
of me, and will never leave.
Little girl of four (standing entranced before the window of a toy
shop)—Oh, mother, if you was my little girl, wouldn't I take you in
and buy you some of these lovely things.
Auctioneer—Going! Going! Gone! Here, sir, it's yours. Great bar-
gain, sir. The frame alone is worth the price.
Connoisseur (ripping out the picture)—The frame was what I wanted.
Nervous Old Lady (on seventh floor of hotel)—Do you know what
precautions the proprietor of the hotel has taken against fire?
Porter—Yes, mum; he has the place inshoored for twice wot it's
worth.
Employe—I promptly cast aside all business cares when I leave the
factory at six o'clock.
Employer—That's all right, but I wish you could cast them on as
promptly in the morning.
Patient—Why, doctor, if I take an ice-cold bath with this cold I'd
surely get pneumonia.
Dr. Killum Wright—I know; and that's my great disease. I've never
lost a patient yet who had pneumonia.
Lady Gushington (to great tenor)—You sang that last song beauti-
fully. I was in the supper room, but I heard every word. You have
improved; you have, really.
The Great Tenor—But—I have not sung; I am next!
Bridget and Pat were sitting in an armchair, reading an article on
The Law of Compensation. "Accordin' to this, whin a mon loses wan uv
his sinses another gits more developed; for instance, a bloind man gits
more sinse uv hearin', touch, an
"
"Sure, an' it's quite true," exclaimed Pat. "O'ive noticed it myself.
Whin a mon has wan leg shorter than the other, begorra the other's
longer."
The burglar was cautiously descending the stairs toward the door
with his spoil when an electric globe flashed into light and the master of
the house suddenly confronted him.
But his amazement at the unexpected vision was as nothing com-
pared with his surprise at what he heard.
"Don't be alarmed," said the householder; "just oblige me by posting
this letter. It's the claim which I'm sending to the burglary insurance
company."
Wife—Have you any secrets you keep from me, dearest?
Husband—None, darling.
Wife—Then I am determined I will have none from you, either.
Husband—Have you secrets, then?
Wife—Only one, and I am resolved to make a clean breast of it.
Husband (hoarsely)—Go on!
Wife—For several days I have had a secret—a secret longing for a
new dress, with hat to match, for my birthday.
That fetched him.