Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Stall:
GKO. B. KBLLBI,
B. BHITTAIN WILSON,
W. H. DTKES,
A. J. NICKLIN,
R. W. SIMMONS,
ACGCST J. TIMPB.
L. E. Row»B,
WM. B. WHITE.
CHICAGO OFFICE:
BOSTON OFFICE:
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 156 Wabash Ave.
G. W. HENDERSON, ITK Tremont St.
Room 806,
Room 12.
Telephone, Central 414.
Telephone, Oxford m i l .
PHILADELPHIA:
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
R. W. KACFFMAN,
ADOLF EDSTEN,
CHAS. N. VAN BTJREN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 88 First Street.
CINCINNATI. O.:
BALTIMORE. MD.:
LONDON. ENGLAND:
JACOB W. WALTERS.
A. ROBERT FRENCH.
G9 Basinghall St., E. C.
W. LIONEL STURDY, Manager.
REVIEW
He keeps on going for a while and usually insists that he is
doing a fair business.
He knows in his heart, however, that something is wrong, but
he still adheres to old-fashioned methods in the conduct of his busi-
ness and will not take up with new and progressive ideas.
If we cannot make up our minds to do things as the interests
of to-day demand and shape our methods according to the particular
requirements of the present we will sooner or later find that we are
being left in the race for business.
The man who goes to bed with a clear conscience considers
that he has fixed his business properly for the problems which he has
contended with during the day, but he wakes up the next morning
with some,new series or set of troubles confronting him that de-
mand other treatment.
Ignoring or passing them over will not rid his business of the
annoyances and because he did not have them to contend with a
few years ago he fools himself in an expensive way if he attempts
to let them go unnoticed and therefore unconquered.
It does not make any difference how we did business some
other day. Certain methods may have been all right twenty years
ago, but they may not fit harmoniously into our present system.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION. (Including postage). United States and Mexico, $12.00 per year;
Canada. $3.50; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS. $2.00 per Inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount la allowed. Advertising Pages, $60.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
L.vman Bill.
Music Section.
An important feature of this publication is a complete sec-
tion devoted to the interests of music publishers and dealers.
PlaVP
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Departments conducted by an expert.wherein all qnes-
• lajv
ailU
tions of a technical nature relating- to the tuning,
ToohnifxA
Tionartmontc
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
l e i l l l l l l d l I f c p d l ( I l i e i l l S . .„.,. ( |,..,i, W j t n , will be found in another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Orand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal.Charleston Exposition, 1901'
Diploma..Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal.. .St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal
Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 4677 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting a l l Departments.
Cable a d d r e s s : "Elblll, New York."
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER
S, 1910
EDITORIAL
S
OMEHOW or other, the belief seems to have obtained in trade
circles that the fall is not going to be one in which great free-
dom will be manifest in the buying and selling markets.
Presumably men will not show a desire to rush in and overstock
in any line.
The experience of the past few years has taught the danger of
that.
But pianos and player-pianos will be bought and sold in large
numbers and the men who are in a state of preparedness to meet
promptly the demands of their trade are the ones who will show
good business judgment.
Q
UITE naturally trade in the retail department of the music
trade industry has been rather quiet during the summer
months, but special reports from some localities indicate fair activity
for this season.
It is certain that the dealers who have adopted progressive
methods in their business affairs have profited correspondingly.
It is the day when business in all lines must be conducted by
up-to-date rules, else good opportunities will be lost.
We know concerns whose record is not up to that of a year ago
and the fault lies wholly in the lack of individual effort rather than
poor business conditions.
Effort is necessary to win success in all lines and there is no
use of anyone holding back.
There are plenty of business problems confronting us all the
time and the man who puts up the plea that he does business a cer-
tain way and sees no reason why he should modify or change his
plans is usually the one who is slipping backward all the time.
T
HE man who is up-to-date is constantly changing his methods
to conform with the changing times and to claim that the
old methods were all right is just as reasonable as to claim that the
instruments of years ago were good enough for to-day.
The inventive mind realized that they were not and there has
been no halting in the development of the piano and player-piano.
The forces behind are moving on steadily—ever advancing—
and the business methods of the men who display special products
at retail should conform with the progressiveness evidenced in the
development of the specialized product in which they are directly
interested.
The leading magazines in the summer contain the advertise-
ments of the great producing companies, and it is this persistent
advertising in season and out which has caused the players to be
in demand.
It should encourage the dealers generally to go ahead and push
their lines with zeal.
There is plenty of good undeveloped territory closely adjacent
to every music trade establishment in this country.
All it needs is systematic working.
DEALER has asked us to say something more about adver-
tising.
We should say, every advertisement should be written so that
the writer always has in mind holding the confidence of the public.
To create confidence is just as much the function of advertising
as to sell goods.
Now, the greater the public confidence in the merchandise
offered, the more business will come to the dealer.
Statements made in advertisements, while not lacking in force,
should, nevertheless, be conservative to the extent of being readily
backed up by facts.
To create the impression that you are giving something for
nothing makes the readers wonder whether you are a very poor
business man or a plain every day liar, and in either case they are
not over-anxious to trust you.
It is steady hammering that makes an impression in advertising.
If the first advertisement does not bring expected results keep
at it and force the public to read about what you have to offer.
Thousands of successful money-making concerns owe their ad-
vance entirely to intelligent, persistent advertising, but there is yet
to be heard of one who won success from a single advertisement.
A single drop of water falling on a stone spatters off and leaves
no impression, but constant dripping on the same stone will even-
tually wear a hole in the solid granite.
Then, again, in advertising, talk something besides price.
Explain the wonderful powers of the stock which you have on
hand.
Show up your pianos in an interesting way.
In the piano business the price question should not be every-
thing.
Trade that is always looking for bargains that can only be
secured by means of sales will not form a permanent foundation for
A