Music Trade Review
Issue: 1926 Vol. 83 N. 26 - Page 8
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The Music Trade Review
DECEMBER 25, 1926
Boykin Outlines the Piano Promotion Drive Before Chicago Club
(Continued from page 5)
is a somewhat recent addition to the ranks.
Properly handled, the piano-playing contest can
become an institution in any number of cities,
although forcing such a thing, in my opinion,
will eventually force it out of existence. It
has to be done in such a manner that it will
carry on from year to year.
"How much of a stimulant to sales the play-
ing contest is I don't believe we are really
capable of telling yet. 'One swallow does not
make a Summer.' But beyond a doubt a play-
ing contest creates a far greater amount of
public interest in the piano than would other-
wise be developed."
Mr. Boykin at this point emphasized the fact
that the publicity used in connection with the
piano should be thoroughly high-class and that
there was no place in the program for cheap,
tricky, attention-getting methods.
"The logical last question for you to ask is,
'What will the sales-promotion plan accom-
plish?'" he said. "There is every reason to
believe that the sales-promotion plan will do
precisely the task for which it was designed—
increase the sale of pianos. No industry seek-
ing to widen its market has better equipment
than has the piano industry in undertaking this
crucial work.
"Let me make this clear also. If this sales-
promotion plan did no more than bring the
industry together in a united attack on its pos-
sible markets it will have served its purpose.
The pledges of those who have underwritten
the sales-promotion plan are on a three-year
basis. Three years were put in the pledge be-
cause thirty-six months seemed to be the time
it takes to have an industry secure the full
benefits of such a move.
"But, gentlemen, this thing should be made
permanent. It should not be for three years
or five years, but it should be regarded as a
fixture in your industry. My impression is
that the piano has been a little too modest in
presenting its claims, that it has more or less
felt that it should be precisely the opposite
of self-seeking. The law of averages always
works in favor of a man who asks a lot of
th'ngs. He gets a certain percentage of them.
In other words, your return is in a certain
proportion to the amount of asking. I do not
believe that the piano has done enough asking
for itself in the past few years of its mer-
chandising work.
"This sales-promotion plan is a job of good,
hard work. It gets bigger every day. You
will very soon have visual evidence of the fact
that it is functioning. I haven't discussed
everything that we are going to do, because
I don't believe that any man or any industry
should tell everything that it plans to do. I
have talked somewhat in generalities, I realize,
but I ask you to watch. I believe you will be
satisfied that your $200,000 a year is being spent
profitably."
Alfred Fox Piano Co. Opens Handsome
New Piano Warerooms in Bridgeport, Ct.
cellent Victrola and radio departments, its fine
Ampico studio and Ampico roll department
arc all arranged for the greatest convenience
of their large following of customers and for
the greatest efficiency in handling the business
of this well-known house. A beautiful color
scheme and fine furnishings make the ware-
rooms attractive, giving them an atmosphere
which proves a fine setting for the instruments
which they offer.
The Alfred Fox Piano Co. has been agent
for the Knabe and Fischer pianos for many
years. The company also handles the Franklin,
Foster, Armstrong and Brewster pianos as a
Foster-Armstrong line and the Ampico.
children, more people, to play the piano than
are now learning.
"It so happens that I am one of about twelve
people in the United States who do not own
an automobile of some kind. Two weeks ago
a salesman from one of the large automobile
manufacturers came to my home and urged me
to buy. I told him that I didn't even know
how to drive an automobile. He parried at
once with 'We'll teach you to drive, we'll give
you five lessons free.' That gave me an idea
which may or may not be worth a darn. Sup-
pose, in the United States, we had a piano
teacher attached to the sales force of every
piano dealer. Suppose we had a teacher-
salesman or saleswoman, who called on Mr.
Jones and not only offered to sell a piano but
offered to teach her little Anna to play in the
bargain.
"And so I come back to group instruction.
It is a big weapon. It isn't something that
can be tampered with. You have in your in-
dustry, or associated with it, several exponents
of group instruction systems that I understand
are first-class. These agencies must be har-
nessed to work for the piano industry."
Mr. Boykin then described some of the plans
being developed in connection with group
piano instruction.
"There can be no doubt now as to the bene-
ficial influence of such a thing as the piano-
playing contest," he went on, "even though it
Left: Center aisle main floor
T. L. Lutkins, Jr., Reports
Contacts Made Abroad
Vice-President of Prominent Piano Leather
House Returns With Father From Extended
European Trip—Comments on Conditions
T. L. Lutkins, Jr., vice-president of T. L. Lut-
kins, Inc., New York, who returned recently
from Europe with his father on the S.S. "Paris,"
stated this week that they had a most successful
trip and established several new contacts in
England, France and Germany. This house,
which has been supplying the player-piano and
organ trades with pouch and bellows leathers
for more than half a century, has always im-
ported the greater part of its lamb skins from
England. Finding it impossible to obtain the
quantities of suitable skins there, the Lutkins
house will buy extensively from the Continent
in the future as well as in Great Britain.
Mr. Lutkins stated that business conditions
were not what they should be in England and
France, but that Germany seemed to be forging
ahead in an industrial way. He added that while
conditions abroad are forcing prices for leathers
of all kinds, it was not likely that it would be
necessary to advance prices to the consumer in
this country.
Above: Grand Display Room second
floor. Right: Piano Department,
rear of main floor
Fox Piano Co., one of the oldest
T HE and Alfred
best-known piano houses in Connecti-
cut, is being congratulated by its many friends
throughout the trade and in local merchandis-
ing circles on the opening of its fine new
Bridgeport building in the principal shopping
street and retail center of thai city.
Careful study of the problem of a well-
arranged piano store has resulted in one of the
best-equipped and most convenient establish-
ments of its kind. Special rooms for the
display of grand and upright pianos, its ex-
New quarters on South Adams street, Cam-
den, Ark., have been taken by Bensberg Music
Shop and will be formally opened in a few
weeks. The Camden store serves as headquar-
ters for three branches in this part of the State.
The Music Trade Review
DECEMBER 25, 1926
Boykin Outlines the Piano Promotion Drive Before Chicago Club
(Continued from page 5)
is a somewhat recent addition to the ranks.
Properly handled, the piano-playing contest can
become an institution in any number of cities,
although forcing such a thing, in my opinion,
will eventually force it out of existence. It
has to be done in such a manner that it will
carry on from year to year.
"How much of a stimulant to sales the play-
ing contest is I don't believe we are really
capable of telling yet. 'One swallow does not
make a Summer.' But beyond a doubt a play-
ing contest creates a far greater amount of
public interest in the piano than would other-
wise be developed."
Mr. Boykin at this point emphasized the fact
that the publicity used in connection with the
piano should be thoroughly high-class and that
there was no place in the program for cheap,
tricky, attention-getting methods.
"The logical last question for you to ask is,
'What will the sales-promotion plan accom-
plish?'" he said. "There is every reason to
believe that the sales-promotion plan will do
precisely the task for which it was designed—
increase the sale of pianos. No industry seek-
ing to widen its market has better equipment
than has the piano industry in undertaking this
crucial work.
"Let me make this clear also. If this sales-
promotion plan did no more than bring the
industry together in a united attack on its pos-
sible markets it will have served its purpose.
The pledges of those who have underwritten
the sales-promotion plan are on a three-year
basis. Three years were put in the pledge be-
cause thirty-six months seemed to be the time
it takes to have an industry secure the full
benefits of such a move.
"But, gentlemen, this thing should be made
permanent. It should not be for three years
or five years, but it should be regarded as a
fixture in your industry. My impression is
that the piano has been a little too modest in
presenting its claims, that it has more or less
felt that it should be precisely the opposite
of self-seeking. The law of averages always
works in favor of a man who asks a lot of
th'ngs. He gets a certain percentage of them.
In other words, your return is in a certain
proportion to the amount of asking. I do not
believe that the piano has done enough asking
for itself in the past few years of its mer-
chandising work.
"This sales-promotion plan is a job of good,
hard work. It gets bigger every day. You
will very soon have visual evidence of the fact
that it is functioning. I haven't discussed
everything that we are going to do, because
I don't believe that any man or any industry
should tell everything that it plans to do. I
have talked somewhat in generalities, I realize,
but I ask you to watch. I believe you will be
satisfied that your $200,000 a year is being spent
profitably."
Alfred Fox Piano Co. Opens Handsome
New Piano Warerooms in Bridgeport, Ct.
cellent Victrola and radio departments, its fine
Ampico studio and Ampico roll department
arc all arranged for the greatest convenience
of their large following of customers and for
the greatest efficiency in handling the business
of this well-known house. A beautiful color
scheme and fine furnishings make the ware-
rooms attractive, giving them an atmosphere
which proves a fine setting for the instruments
which they offer.
The Alfred Fox Piano Co. has been agent
for the Knabe and Fischer pianos for many
years. The company also handles the Franklin,
Foster, Armstrong and Brewster pianos as a
Foster-Armstrong line and the Ampico.
children, more people, to play the piano than
are now learning.
"It so happens that I am one of about twelve
people in the United States who do not own
an automobile of some kind. Two weeks ago
a salesman from one of the large automobile
manufacturers came to my home and urged me
to buy. I told him that I didn't even know
how to drive an automobile. He parried at
once with 'We'll teach you to drive, we'll give
you five lessons free.' That gave me an idea
which may or may not be worth a darn. Sup-
pose, in the United States, we had a piano
teacher attached to the sales force of every
piano dealer. Suppose we had a teacher-
salesman or saleswoman, who called on Mr.
Jones and not only offered to sell a piano but
offered to teach her little Anna to play in the
bargain.
"And so I come back to group instruction.
It is a big weapon. It isn't something that
can be tampered with. You have in your in-
dustry, or associated with it, several exponents
of group instruction systems that I understand
are first-class. These agencies must be har-
nessed to work for the piano industry."
Mr. Boykin then described some of the plans
being developed in connection with group
piano instruction.
"There can be no doubt now as to the bene-
ficial influence of such a thing as the piano-
playing contest," he went on, "even though it
Left: Center aisle main floor
T. L. Lutkins, Jr., Reports
Contacts Made Abroad
Vice-President of Prominent Piano Leather
House Returns With Father From Extended
European Trip—Comments on Conditions
T. L. Lutkins, Jr., vice-president of T. L. Lut-
kins, Inc., New York, who returned recently
from Europe with his father on the S.S. "Paris,"
stated this week that they had a most successful
trip and established several new contacts in
England, France and Germany. This house,
which has been supplying the player-piano and
organ trades with pouch and bellows leathers
for more than half a century, has always im-
ported the greater part of its lamb skins from
England. Finding it impossible to obtain the
quantities of suitable skins there, the Lutkins
house will buy extensively from the Continent
in the future as well as in Great Britain.
Mr. Lutkins stated that business conditions
were not what they should be in England and
France, but that Germany seemed to be forging
ahead in an industrial way. He added that while
conditions abroad are forcing prices for leathers
of all kinds, it was not likely that it would be
necessary to advance prices to the consumer in
this country.
Above: Grand Display Room second
floor. Right: Piano Department,
rear of main floor
Fox Piano Co., one of the oldest
T HE and Alfred
best-known piano houses in Connecti-
cut, is being congratulated by its many friends
throughout the trade and in local merchandis-
ing circles on the opening of its fine new
Bridgeport building in the principal shopping
street and retail center of thai city.
Careful study of the problem of a well-
arranged piano store has resulted in one of the
best-equipped and most convenient establish-
ments of its kind. Special rooms for the
display of grand and upright pianos, its ex-
New quarters on South Adams street, Cam-
den, Ark., have been taken by Bensberg Music
Shop and will be formally opened in a few
weeks. The Camden store serves as headquar-
ters for three branches in this part of the State.
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