Music Trade Review
Issue: 1924 Vol. 79 N. 1 - Page 3
LIBRARY from namm.org
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized PUBLIC
with support
188595A
TIJLDftN
REVEW
THE
VOL. LLXIX. No. 1
Published Every Saturday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. July 5, 1924
Single Copies 10 Cents
«2.00 Per Year
S111W1IIWII1KM
Summer Sales Efforts Bringing Results
iiKiiimiiS
L
AST year during the Summer months the volume of retail music business handled throughout the country
broke all previous records. The various sales organizations kept right on working through the recog-
nized vacation season without a let-up of energy and with results that fully justified the effort. In fact,
the Summer business for 1923 might be said to have broken trade precedent, for it proved that either the
so-called Summer slump w r as simply a state of mind or that if it really did exist it could be controlled and over-
come by earnest work.
From a survey of the trade throughout the country at the present time, it appears as though the lessons
learned last Summer have left a deep impression on the minds of dealers, or at least a majority of them, and
that unusual sales efforts are being put forth this season to keep business moving along serenely and profitably
regardless of the wanderings of prospects through vacationland, or the efforts of the mercury to break through
the top of the thermometer.
What the next month or two will bring forth is problematical, but the fact remains that thus far retail
advertising has been maintained on a high plane as to volume, which in itself is an excellent indication of the
attitude of dealers. More particularly important, however, is the fact that retailers have turned to canvassing
on a more elaborate scale than for some years past in an effort to maintain contact with prospects.
The significant thing is that in many sections, and even in the larger cities, canvassing crews properly
directed are getting good results. Not only are the direct results satisfying to the retailers, but there is being
built up an excellent list of prospective customers, many of whom it would be impossible to list as a result of
other forms of appeal, and who can be depended upon to provide sales for the Fall and Winter months. This
work of prospect-building during the Summer is well worth while, for it leaves the Fall and Winter months
free to work on those prospects and to build up actual sales volume.
The Review has already told of the manner in which one Western music house has developed a can-
vassing plan that insures entry for its representatives into the great majority of the homes visited, and in the
case of canvassing the ability to secure entry for or by the canvasser represents at least 50 per cent of the
work so far as the success is concerned.
In supplementing the work of its regular canvassing force, Philip Werlein, Ltd., New Orleans, has
enlisted the aid of the local public in gathering names of prospects, a plan which, while not original, is well
worthy of consideration provided it is not worked too often. The Werlein house, through newspaper adver-
tisements, solicits the names of prospective customers of pianos and player-pianos and offers a flat bonus of
$10 per instrument on all sales made to those whose names are turned in by private individuals.
In order to further stimulate public interest, the New Orleans concern has also arranged for a series
of capital awards to be given at the end of the season, set as September 1, to those prospect-getters who, by
turning in names, have made possible the greatest number of sales, these awards ranging from $150 for the
highest score as determined by points—100 points for a piano—200 for a player, and 400 for a grand—to $20
for those whose standing in the list is from sixth to tenth inclusive.
In addition to operating canvassing crews, it appears that an unusually large number of concerns have
opened, or are preparing to open, temporary branches, most of them located in or adjacent to recognized Sum-
mer resorts in order to develop the sale of both new and used instruments for Summer homes. Properly
handled, the branch may be operated on an economical basis and made to produce results which, although per-
haps not startling, supplement most acceptably the volume, of business handled at the main store.
Whatever the method used, the main thing is that Summer sales effort will produce surprisingly good
results. That is no longer a theory, for it was proven last year and promises to be proven again this year
even though the sales volume may not break any records.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized PUBLIC
with support
188595A
TIJLDftN
REVEW
THE
VOL. LLXIX. No. 1
Published Every Saturday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. July 5, 1924
Single Copies 10 Cents
«2.00 Per Year
S111W1IIWII1KM
Summer Sales Efforts Bringing Results
iiKiiimiiS
L
AST year during the Summer months the volume of retail music business handled throughout the country
broke all previous records. The various sales organizations kept right on working through the recog-
nized vacation season without a let-up of energy and with results that fully justified the effort. In fact,
the Summer business for 1923 might be said to have broken trade precedent, for it proved that either the
so-called Summer slump w r as simply a state of mind or that if it really did exist it could be controlled and over-
come by earnest work.
From a survey of the trade throughout the country at the present time, it appears as though the lessons
learned last Summer have left a deep impression on the minds of dealers, or at least a majority of them, and
that unusual sales efforts are being put forth this season to keep business moving along serenely and profitably
regardless of the wanderings of prospects through vacationland, or the efforts of the mercury to break through
the top of the thermometer.
What the next month or two will bring forth is problematical, but the fact remains that thus far retail
advertising has been maintained on a high plane as to volume, which in itself is an excellent indication of the
attitude of dealers. More particularly important, however, is the fact that retailers have turned to canvassing
on a more elaborate scale than for some years past in an effort to maintain contact with prospects.
The significant thing is that in many sections, and even in the larger cities, canvassing crews properly
directed are getting good results. Not only are the direct results satisfying to the retailers, but there is being
built up an excellent list of prospective customers, many of whom it would be impossible to list as a result of
other forms of appeal, and who can be depended upon to provide sales for the Fall and Winter months. This
work of prospect-building during the Summer is well worth while, for it leaves the Fall and Winter months
free to work on those prospects and to build up actual sales volume.
The Review has already told of the manner in which one Western music house has developed a can-
vassing plan that insures entry for its representatives into the great majority of the homes visited, and in the
case of canvassing the ability to secure entry for or by the canvasser represents at least 50 per cent of the
work so far as the success is concerned.
In supplementing the work of its regular canvassing force, Philip Werlein, Ltd., New Orleans, has
enlisted the aid of the local public in gathering names of prospects, a plan which, while not original, is well
worthy of consideration provided it is not worked too often. The Werlein house, through newspaper adver-
tisements, solicits the names of prospective customers of pianos and player-pianos and offers a flat bonus of
$10 per instrument on all sales made to those whose names are turned in by private individuals.
In order to further stimulate public interest, the New Orleans concern has also arranged for a series
of capital awards to be given at the end of the season, set as September 1, to those prospect-getters who, by
turning in names, have made possible the greatest number of sales, these awards ranging from $150 for the
highest score as determined by points—100 points for a piano—200 for a player, and 400 for a grand—to $20
for those whose standing in the list is from sixth to tenth inclusive.
In addition to operating canvassing crews, it appears that an unusually large number of concerns have
opened, or are preparing to open, temporary branches, most of them located in or adjacent to recognized Sum-
mer resorts in order to develop the sale of both new and used instruments for Summer homes. Properly
handled, the branch may be operated on an economical basis and made to produce results which, although per-
haps not startling, supplement most acceptably the volume, of business handled at the main store.
Whatever the method used, the main thing is that Summer sales effort will produce surprisingly good
results. That is no longer a theory, for it was proven last year and promises to be proven again this year
even though the sales volume may not break any records.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).