Music Trade Review

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Musical Merchandise
Published by The Music Trade Review, 383 Madison Avenue, New York
Wyoming Playgrounds' Association Band, Wyoming Valley, Pa.
Here Are Two Sales That Meant $3,500
•
Snyder Music Co., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Sells 142 Band Instruments
Valued at More Than 3,500 Dollars, to Two Boys 9 Band Organi-
zations, Formed at the Initiative of This Progressive Merchant
SIXTY-NINE-PIECE band and a sev-
enty-three-piece band means 142 musical
instruments in all. If you were to go
out and organize two bands of that size in your
town and then sell them the instruments you
would make 142 sales.
And if the instruments averaged
a retail price of $25 each, and this
is only a fair figure, it would mean
a piece of business worth $3,550.
Or two sales of $1,775 each?
Pretty good business, you say?
That's just what one dealer sold not
so long ago. The Snyder Music
Co., 18 East Market street, Wilkes-
Barre, Pa., is the dealer whose bank
balance jumped up more than 3,500
good American dollars as the re-
sult of organizing and outfitting
the two new bands you see on this
page.
Don't make the mistake of think-
ing that this business came in and
presented itself to Snyder. No, in-
deed; the Snyder firm went out
and dug it up, just as you can do
if you are willing to pursue similar methods.
The Snyder Music Co. employs a musical di-
rector by the name of Thompson H. Rowley,
who is a capable musician and who is a spe-
cialist in the business of organizing, teaching,
training and last, but not least, equipping bands.
Mr. Rowley makes a business of following up
every possible source where bands can be or-
ganized and then organizes them and directs
the new-made customers to the Snyder store.
These particular bands are not even in Wilkes-
Barre. One is the Wyoming Playgrounds As-
sociation Boys' Band, of Wyoming Valley, and
the other is the Boys' Band, of Nanticoke, Pa.
So, you see, Snyder does not stay in and wait
for business—he goes out of town after it, if
need be.
The Wyoming Playgrounds Band numbers
A
sixty-nine members and the Nanticoke band
has seventy-three. Just consider the fact that
these are all growing boys, boys who are later
to become regular musicians and as such they
will be steady patrons of the Snyder and other
Boys' Band of Nanticoke, Pa.
inusic stores. Why, it would almost be worth
while to give these instruments to the boys for
nothing in the interest of future sales!
The Snyder way is the successful way in or-
ganizing bands. The method is simple. They
first decide what field offers the opportunity for
the organization of a band. Some nearby vil-
lage has plenty of boys, but no boys' band.
Nanticoke, for example.
Mr. Rowley notes the fact and begins to lay
his plans. He stirs up musical interest in the
town. He finds out what influential persons in
the town are interested in boys and gets them
thinking about a band. He finds a few musically
inclined boys and begins giving them music
lessons to form a nucleus for the band.
At the proper time he holds a meeting. The
newspapers come forth with publicity co-opera-
tion. Interest grows and grows and Mr. Row-
ley and the Snyder representatives see to it
that it does not lag. Things shape up and follow
a natural course and eventually terminate in the
organization of the band and the sale of the
instruments.
It is hard to outline the meth-
ods and set forth their full signifi-
cance on paper. But the expe-
erienced dealer knows how they
work. He is a student of crowd
and individual psychology and he
knows how to take advantage of
the natural desire of human beings
and the common wish of small
boys to play in a band.
Most of this is just plain com-
mon sense. The whole answer to
it is that the desire for bands is
there, but the ability to form them
is lacking. All that is needed is
some one to take the action—to di-
rect things. The music dealer is
the man for this job, not only
because he knows more about mu-
sic, but because he sells instru-
ments and has the direct contact.
Both Mr. Snyder and Mr. Rowley believe that
the big secret of success for the music dealer
who wants to organize bands lies in getting
the public of his community to look upon him
as a guide in musical matters. When he has
brought about this condition he can go out
and stir up interest in a band and the pro-
moters will take the natural step of looking to
him for advice and counsel.
The purchasing of the instruments in his
store then comes in the natural sequence of
events. So remember, make the public realize
that a band is needed and that your store is
the place to equip it.
Big sales in band instruments are made
through the organization of bands, something
every dealer can do.