Music Trade Review

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52
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
OCTOBER 11,
1924
THE TALKING MACHINE TRADE
Making the Advertising Appropriation
Bring in the Greatest Returns in Sales
Neighborhood Dealer Must Use Mediums Which Have Greatest Circulation in His Particular
Locality—Bulletins and Organs of Clubs and Churches Worth While as Ad Mediums
' I *O the talking machine dealer who has but a
limited advertising appropriation the ques-
tion of the mediums which he should employ is
an important one. He must put forth his message
in that which will bring it before the greatest
number of people who are in a position to be-
come future customers. This does not neces-
sarily mean that the paper with the largest cir-
culation is the logical one for the dealer to
utilize. Ofttimes the paper with a smaller cir-
culation, but with one that is widely read in the
dealer's locality, will have a pulling power many
times more powerful than that with a large city-
wide circulation. In the larger cities this prob-
lem has been solved to a certain extent by the
issuance of neighborhood papers which treat
chiefly of the problems of that one locality and
carry advertisements of the merchants and en-
terprises of that section. In New York this
idea has been carried even further, for certain
of the metropolitan dailies issue supplements
which are given over entirely to the advertising
and news matter of an individual district or
section. If two or more papers appeal to the
dealer as being suitable as mediums, a study of
their make-up, the circulation statements or an
advertisement carried in each, with a check-up
on the results, will soon determine which one
he should use to obtain the best results.
Advertising in Bulletins of Clubs and Churches
Another class of medium which may be used
by the dealer with even better results and at
less expense are the bulletins or organs issued
by institutions, clubs or churches in his locality.
A good instance of this is the advertising car-
ried by James Egan's Music House, 630 Colum-
bus avenue, New York. Mr. Egan is an accred-
ited Columbia and Vocalion dealer and does a
brisk business in machines and records. He is
situated in a cosmopolitan neighborhood, with
a large percentage of the residents being of
Irish birth or extraction, and it is to this class
of trade that he makes his appeal. By dint of
a little extra sales effort and by carrying at all
times a complete stock of the Irish recordings
of all the companies he has built up a large
Irish following and his sales of Irish records
assume large proportions.
And the Congregations Buy
His advertising is in line with this policy.
There are three Catholic churches in the vicin-
ity and a majority of the congregations are
Irish or of Irish extraction. Each of them
issues a monthly bulletin which contains the
news of the past month and a schedule of its
activities for the coming month. These are dis-
tributed free to all attendants at the churches
and so run up, in each instance, to a circulation
of several thousands. As they contain infor-
mation which is useful to those who possess
them in their homes, they are usually retained
for a much longer period than is the general
publication. Mr. Egan advertises in each of
these bulletins, having a full-page, back-cover
position on one and a half-page advertisement
in each of the others. The total cost each
month is exactly $25 and the return, in his esti-
mation, is many times that amount. All issues
of the bulletins carry the request that the read-
ers patronize the advertisers and occasionally
on the Sunday that the papers are issued it is
explained verbally that they are made possible
by the advertisers and the congregations are
requested to give their patronage to those mer-
chants.
That the choice of these mediums in the case
of the Egan Music House is more profitable
than advertising in daily papers cannot be
doubted, for they circulate in the immediate
vicinity of the store, which is situated at Co-
lumbus avenue, between Ninetieth and Ninety-
first streets, and the territory which they cover
extends from Seventy-eighth street to One hun-
dredth street, from the Hudson river to Central
Park.
Whether a similar advertising campaign on
the part of dealers situated differently would be
as fruitful of results is problematical, yet the
small expense allows every dealer to experiment
and a check-up of the results could decide
whether or not such advertising should be made
a permanent feature of his publicity. The me-
diums selected need not be those issued by a
church—clubs, fraternal organizations and other
institutions issue such organs and any would
serve a similar purpose. The success attained
by the Egan Music House would make it seem
worth while for any talking machine dealer to
proceed along similar lines.
New Store in Pratt, Kans.
PRATT, KAN., October 6.—A new music store,
carrying Kimball pianos and talking machines,
has just been opened here in the south half of
the Williamson Building, 314 South Main street,
by Carl Miltner and W. W. Cunningham. Both
men were previously identified with the Ever-
hardt-Hays Music Co., of Wichita, and have
sold musical instruments in the vicinity of Pratt
for many years. The proprietors have an-
nounced their intention of adding a line of small
goods and accessories in the near future.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
Making the Record Department a Profit
Producer Through Intelligent Selling
A Competent Sales Organization With a Comprehensive Knowledge of the Record Catalog Essen-
tial—Making the Most of Individual Sales Opportunities—Follow-ups and Tie-ups
(The following is an address by Irving J. Westphal, of
the Southern California Music Co., delivered at the recent
Western Music Trades Convention, one of the many inter-
esting talks on vital business topics made by leading mem-
bers of the trade.—The Editor.)
<*I17"HY don't we get more record sales?" is
* * the cry from every phonograph dealer.
My personal opinion is that most dealers do not
give the proper amount of time and attention
to their record sales department. Many of us
have used the alibi—radio is killing the phono-
graph business. The result is that the record
department has begun to drift instead of to
thrive. But we must wake up and be more
alert and alive than ever before.
Knowledge of Catalog Essential
First of all, it is necessary to have a compe-
tent sales force, one that knows the record cata-
log from cover to cover. In order to do this
the dealer should have the lady in charge of the
record department select at least five standard
selections every morning and play each one, at
the same time explaining something of interest
which will help the sale of each record. This,
undoubtedly, will make the sales force more
efficient and also increase the sale of better
records. It is necessary to remember the cus-
tomers' names when they enter your store, as
well as to greet them with a smile of welcome.
Boosting Individual Sales
Your record sale is not complete until you
have suggested, to the customer the Opera
Book, What We Hear in Music, needles and
other accessories. Every record wrapped should
contain the proper catalogs as well as a sug-
gested list of standard music. Don't forget to
see that the customer's name is on your mail-
ing list. The record saleslady should keep a
personal record of good customers before her
at all times and call them on the phone, invit-
ing them to the store to hear the new releases
as they come out.
The record shelves should be well indexed, as
we find that the ready reference label is of great
assistance to the sales person and also helps to
give better service.
The record demonstrating rooms should be
comfortable, properly ventilated and equipped
with all catalogs, late supplements and hangers;
a dozen or more standard selections. Above all
things, the phonograph should be in good play-
ing condition.
To maintain an active record mailing list we
find it necessary to keep the dates when record
purchases are made and from time to time send
out follow-up letters to those who have not
bought for some time. Prepare newspaper copy
in advance for new record releases and see that
your hangers are displayed in your window the
day the records go on sale. The new records
should be played at the front door of your store
on the day they are released. In this way you
tie up with the general publicity of the record
manufacturer.
Order season tickets for opera and symphony
concerts and have your record salespeople at-
tend. This will keep them posted and, conse-
quently, they can talk to customers more intelli-
gently on these different records. Newspaper
copy should be run in advance of all artists
appearing in your city. This also applies to
band concerts as well as dance orchestras who
have made records. Arrange to have artists
appear and orchestras play at your store as a
special attraction.
We have had several orchestras play at our
store. Just recently, in fact last Friday, we had
the Biltmore Orchestra play from 1 to 2 p. m.
Our store was literally packed with people. A
large number of records were sold and many
new friends and customers and prospects were
made for our house.
Get After School Business
To secure more school business you should
keep the principal and music supervisor in-
formed at all times of the new record releases
especially for school work. Tie up with Music
Memory Contests and' see that plenty of educa-
tional literature is supplied. A letter should be
sent inviting the teachers to use your specially
equipped educational room and meet the one in
charge. These are a few of the many ways to
help your record sales increase.
I am firmly convinced that the record busi-
ness is not only coming back, but that it is
already back, and I urge every music merchant
to get behind his record department and let's
make these departments show a real, honest-to-
goodness profit.