Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
RE™
piano selling. Certainly there is a great need for live piano sales-
men just now, and the demand will increase as the necessity for
selling becomes more evident. \\ ith a live organization the income
of the good salesman is limited on.y by his own abiliiy to bring in
business. The work is clean and dignified, ami with the interest that
has been aroused in music generally throughout the country the
opportunities are unlimited. The thi. g to do is to find some mea:.s
of bringing the jobs and worthwhile men together.
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
J. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Aye., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Hill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A, Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH. Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorlal Stall
EDWAKD VAN HARLINGEN, V. D. WALSH, E. B. MUNCH, L. M. ROBINSON, C. A. LEONARD,
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, SCOTT KINGWILL, THUS. W. BRESNAHAN, A. J. NICKLIN.
WESTERN
DIVISION:
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Telephone, Wabash 5774.
Telephone, Main 6950.
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1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., D. C.
NEWS SERVICE I S SUPPLIED WEEKLY BY OUR
CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED I N T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT
AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered as second-class matter September 10, 1892, at the post office at New York, N. Y..
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
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ADVERTISEMENTS, $6.00 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
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REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions
of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
S u ' a t i n 8 a n d repairing of pianos and player-pianos
p
dealt
with, will be found in another section of
are
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Plovoi* PI an A anil
re
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix..
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma.. ..Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 190-1
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LONG
DISTANCE
Vol. LXXI
TELEPHONES—NUMBERS
5982—6983
Connecting: all Departments
Cable uddreHo: "iilbill. New York"
MADISON 8Q.
NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 13, 1920
No. 20
THE NEED FOR SALESMEN WHO CAN SELL
S the necessity for reverting to real old-time salesmanship in
order to move stocks of musical instruments, and particularly
pianos, becomes more apparent, there is commented upon with in-
creasing frequency the great lack of competent piano salesmen—
men trained in piano selling who are able to go out into the field and
do business without a lengthy course of coaching. Not that the
men already engaged in the field are not competent, but rather that
there are not enough of them.
In New York, Chicago and other large cities, managers of
piano warerooms and departments have been complaining for some
time of their inability to build up a sales organization because of
the fact that a surprising number of worthwhile salesmen have
deserted the piano trade for other fields, and successful men in
other branches of industry could not be induced to try piano selling.
A well-known piano man who recently returned from a trip
through the Middle West declared that he found erstwhile piano
salesmen selling bonds and stocks, automobiles and practically every-
thing but pianos. In fact, one of the clan was found behind the
counter in a haberdashery. "The average young salesman," de-
clared the piano man, "is evidently more impressed by the fact that
selling bonds and stocks, for instance, means easy work and a
good income than he is by the fact that in another line of business
he might look for permanence and advancement. Wildcat stocks
and bonds mean easy money when the public is flush, but when
there is depression there is no market for such securities, and the
salesman finds himself high and dry.
"Just now the retail piano field offers some real opportunities for
the energetic salesman. If he has any real ability he is practically
assured of an annual income of $5,000, or better, and can make for
himself a permanent position with his house and look forward to
advancement to the position of manager. I know of at least two
concerns who have canceled plans to open several branch stores
because they could not find competent and trained men inside or
outside of their own organizations to manage the branches."
There should be some plan devised for reviving interest in
A
NOVEMBER 13, 1920
THE MUSIC ROLL COMES INTO ITS OWN
T
HE player-piano has long been, and is, one of the most important
factors in the piano trade from the sales standpoint, and as
much of the. permanent success of the player depends upon the
character and general attractiveness of the music rolls which go
with it the various developments in the music roll field may be
accepted as being of prime importance to the music industry as a
whole.
Certainly the production of music rolls has grown to a volume
not dreamed of a few years ago, and at the same time many improve-
ments have been made in the music rolls themselves to provide for
a more accurate and altogether satisfactory reproduction. While
the ordinary music roll has developed rapidly, however, it might be
well for the trade to watch the reproducing roll, for that promises to
be the basis of some interesting trade moves in the near future.
There has just been reported the intention of one big company to
concentrate its roll manufacturing activities in the production of
reproducing rolls recorded by noted pianists, and there are other
things pending in that line that will work for the advancement of
the roll industry and of the trade as a whole.
The standardization of the ordinary music roll, and the fact
that all ordinary rolls can be played on all standard types of players,
has had much to do with the growth of that department of the
industry, and while standardization may never be completely effec-
tive in the case of reproducing rolls, owing to the special types of
instruments for which they are manufactured, there can be, and
for that matter soon will be, reproducing rolls that have been
standardized to the extent at least of providing for quantity pro-
duction and, therefore, economy in production.
Produced and sold in great quantities, music rolls cannot now
be neglected by piano merchants as was the case in many instances
in the past. Then they had the excuse that the music roll depart-
ment offered small returns for the money and effort spent on it.
Under present conditions the only limit to the returns is that fixed by
the merchant himself in the interest he gives and the energy he
devotes to the proper exploitation and sale of the roll.
THE PRESENT NEED FOR ADVERTISING
EPORTS come from Milwaukee to the effect that the Mil-
R
waukee Association of Music Industries is likely to abandon
the plan for carrying on a co-operative advertising campaign this
Fall owing to existing business conditions, though we can but hope
that the report is somewhat premature and that the association will
change its attitude.
For the past three years this co-operative advertising campaign
in Milwaukee has represented a noteworthy achievement. Prac-
tically all the representative houses have participated in presenting
to the public large and impressive advertisements that unquestion-
ably stimulated sales. During the past few years, however, the
demand for musical instruments has been far in excess of available
supplies, and the advertising was to be regarded as valuable chiefly
for promised cumulative effect. W T ith plenty of stock on hand and
the demand falling off this year, the logical move would be to enter
into a co-operative campaign with increased vigor not only for the
results that would be obtained from such a campaign, but for the
purpose of realizing upon the cumulative results of the advertising
run during the past seasons.
It would seem that the Milwaukee merchants have a wonderful
opportunity of presenting to the public through large advertisements
pertinent facts regarding the trade situation in order that the
prospective purchasers might understand the situation and do their
buying now rather than hold off in anticipation of price reductions.
Certainly this is the time to advertise more extensively than ever,
for more sales are needed and retailers are in a position to cash in
upon the direct results of such a campaign.