Music Trade Review

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JANUARY 10, 1925
THE
MUSIC TRADE
35
REVIEW
THE TALKING MACHINE TRADE
Landau's Stages Some Unusual Window
Displays and Record Demand Is Stimulated
Live Music Dealer Operating a Chain of Stores in Pennsylvania Cities Has Built Up a Large
Business Among the Foreign-born Through Intelligent Sales Promotion Methods
it pay to go after foreign-record busi-
D OES
ness? It does, according to Landau's, live
or deliberately neglected by many retailers.
Every manufacturing town has a fair share of
people of foreign birth who can be turned into
customers for machines and foreign records, as
well as the current standard and jazz music.
Experience of dealers proves that these people
make the best type of customers if they are
handled properly. They are inclined to dicker
and haggle over the prices before purchasing
Victor draler, operating stores in Hazleton and
other Pennsylvania cities. This concern carries
a complete stock of Victor foreign records in
the following languages: Polish, Slovak, Hun-
garian, Russian, German, Lithuanian, Ukrainian,
as well as records in other foreign languages.
There are many foreigners in the section of
the State in which
the Landau firm
operates stores and
from which it draws
its business, and the
methods used in
going after this for-
eign-record business
are typical of the
policies which have
made this one of the
most successful re-
tail houses in the
entire .Slate.
T h e illustration
herewith >hows a
recent Landau win-
dow display of for-
eign records. As
may be seen, the
center of the dis-
play is a huge map
of Europe flanked
on both sides with
records in the va-
rious l a n g u a g e s .
The Landau Foreign Record Display Which Created Sales
Ribbons lead from the records to the countries machines, but the dealer who maintains his
represented by the records. At the head of the price and never succumbs to the temptation to
map is a placard which bears the following in- drop a few dollars from the price or throw in a
spiring message to the foreign-born: "You can few records or other accessories in order to
hear the music of your homeland right in your close the sale will win their respect and trade.
own home if you own a Victrola." At the foot On the other hand, the dealer who lets a for-
of the map a placard announces: "We have a eigner talk him into making price and other
complete stock of Victor records in Polish, concessions will regret it, because the word
Slovak, Ukrainian, Hungarian, German, Russian, quickly will be passed along and the trouble will
Lithuanian and other European records. Come begin. The dealer who remains firm and shows
in and hear your native music." On the right .by his actions that he is fair in his dealing will
of the display is an upright Victrola with a win the everlasting friendship of his foreign-
placard emphasizing the fact that a small down born customers, and he will not only secure
their business but they will be the means of
payment will secure an instrument.
This is a concrete example of how a far- bringing his store to the attention of their
sighted talking machine dealer is actually cash- friends. This is- publicity and good-will of the
ing in on potential business which is overlooked most profitable character.
Doubles Record Sales
by Consistent Campaign
The J. R. Reed Music Co., of Austin, Tex., Has
Built Up a Paying Record Trade Through the
Several Simple Methods Described Here
January 1.—The J. R. Reed
Music Co., of this city, which in addition to
handling general musical merchandise operates
a large and successful talking machine depart-
ment, has doubled its record business during the
past year. This very satisfactory achievement
was accomplished in several ways, according to
J. R. Reed, who heads the business. First, the
company makes it a point to tie up with the
record advertising of the manufacturers. Sec-
ond, independent record advertising is utilized
to supplement the manufacturer's publicity, and
in addition to that the company has a list of all
AUSTIN,
TEX.,
.the persons to whom a machine has been sold
since it has been in business. These customers
are circularized regularly and have proved the
best prospects for new business. Some time ago
the company made a canvass of the entire city,
and the owners of talking machines throughout
the territory are now being circularized as a
result. Also, to one of the sales girls has been
given the task of calling on the telephone some
of the best customers of the firm when records
are received that will interest them.
This, briefly, is the plan of record sales pro-
motion in effect at the J. R. Reed Music Co.,
and the fact that record business has been
doubled in the last year indicates its worth.
The record department should be a real profit
producer, and where this is not the case the
dealer must analyze the situation, and if he
finds that he is losing out in this branch of
business due to lack of intelligent promotion,
the remedy rests with himself.
Edward Strauss in Charge of
Brunswick Vocalion Division
Vice-President of New York Division of Bruns-
wick-Balke-Collender Co. to Look After the
Distribution of Vocalion Records
Edward Strauss, vice-president of the New
York division of the Brunswick-Balke-Collcnder
Co. and well known in trade and musical circles,
particularly in the East, has been appointed gen-
eral manager of the Vocalion record division of
that company. Mr. Strauss will have full charge
of the distribution of Vocalion records through-
out the country under Brunswick Co. auspices,
following the taking over of those records from
the Aeolian Co. some time ago.
Mr. Strauss has been with the Brunswick Co.
for over twenty years, and recently has been
in charge of the Eastern headquarters of the
company with supervision over the distribution
of phonographs and records, as well as the
other Brunswick products.
How the Gardner-White Co.
Makes Its Windows Pay
Successful Detroit Firm Finds It Worth While
to Pay Careful Attention to Its Windows—
Record Department Location Hint
DETROIT, MICH., January 2.—The Garrliicr-
White Co., one of the leading concerns in this
city, which operates a very successful talking
machine, department, has developed the sales
possibilities of its windows to a high degree by
paying attention to apparently trifling details
to make the completed display an effective link
in its sales promotion plan.
In displaying phonographs the firm always
tries to place one of each model in the window,
elevating the back rows so that all of the
instruments can plainly be seen by all pedes-
trians, according to O. II. MacLean, manager.
Alongside of each instrument is placed printed
matter showing and explaining the merits of the
machine. Usually the floor is carpeted with
records, both classical and popular, so that the
names can be read without difficulty. No prices
are quoted in the window, but circulars are dis-
tributed throughout the city which give all de-
tails. This method has proved effective in
bringing people into the store and in creating
sales.
Another interesting feature of this establish-
ment in connection with its record department is
that it is located in the rear of the store. This
compels record customers to walk through the
entire department before they reach the record
service counter, giving them an opportunity to
observe the other merchandise carried and re-
sults in many extra sales.
New Al Jolson Releases
A special sales letter in the form of a tele-
gram has just been mailed to dealers by the
Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., Chicago, for
the purpose of calling attention to the new
Brunswick record release of two Al Jolson
songs. This exclusive Brunswick recording star
opened January 7 in his new show, "Big Boy,"
at the Winter Garden, New York. The Bruns-
wick Tel-U-Gram points out to the dealer the
opportunity of tying up his record sales with
the reappearance of Al Jolson on the New York
stage. The new songs are "Big Boy" and
"Hello, 'Tucky," both hits from the show "Biy
Boy."