Music Trade Review
Issue: 1927 Vol. 84 N. 16 - Page 5
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
Sales and Salesmen
As Lehman Sees the Problem
St. Louis Piano Merchant, Head of the Lehman Piano Co., of that
City, States Main Question Before Industry today Is an Over-
abundance of Mediocre Salesmen and Lack of Real Selling Force
T. LOUIS, MO., April 12.—The present
lethargic state of the piano trade is -attribut-
able, in a great measure, to too great an
overhead and a dearth of real salesmen-pro-
ducers—according to Phil A. Lehman, president
of the Lehman Piano Co., here, distributor of
the Knabe and Anipico pianos.
His deductions, based upon years of experi-
ence in the piano trades, were given recently
in an exclusive interview with a representative
of The Review. He expressed the belief that
business conditions in the music trade should
be at least as good as last year, although it
will require the maximum of sales efforts, and
he particularly deprecated the tendency of
many dealers to indulge in pessimistic state-
ments.
"Years of experience have convinced me that
the piano trade at present is suffering from too
great an overhead and an over-abundance of
mediocre salesmen," declared Mr. Lehman.
"The dealer who is desirous of increasing his
sales should begin overhauling the mechanism
of his organization immediately, ferreting out
of his sales force men who are not producing,
eliminating the lost motion, and change his ad-
vertising tactics. These things are the funda-
mentals of 'overhead' and are some of the
greatest drones with which the music trades
are afflicted to-day.
"By eliminating salesmen who are what are
commonly called 'weak-sisters,' or low-salaried
men, from their sales organization, and replac-
ing them with high-class salesmen—not high-
pressure men, but men who are really producers
—dealers will have taken a great stride toward
better and more prosperous conditions. While
it is true a high-class salesman represents a
greater monetary investment, in the final
analysis it will be found that there has been
a great saving, that your organization is being
run more economically, smoothly and efficiently,
lhat your volume of sales has increased per-
ceptibly, and that conditions in general are
much more satisfactory.
"While it is true the lower-salaried man may
produce an occasional sale, he is not reliable,
and there is also present the possibility that a
really good prospect may be lost through some
oversight or inadvertence on his part. If you
wanted to build a house you certainly would
not hire an inexperienced carpenter, would you?
The same considerations apply in the case of
a salesman. The chances of losing a sale are
reduced materially when you have an experi-
S
ESTABLISHED 1862
enced and well-contented man on your payroll.
Pay your men a living wage and keep them
pepped up if you want your business to record
prosperity. In my organization I would rather
have one or two first-class men than a dozen
novices.
"When I speak of first-class men I don't
necessarily mean to imply that they must be
supermen. All that is essential is that they be
equipped with a decent amount of common
sense and be willing and anxious to work and
stay on the job. Endowed with these attributes,
a man can really be transformed within a short
time into a real asset to the firm.
"One of the things generally prevalent among
business men, I have found, is to indulge in
pessimism when speaking of their business af-
fairs. Although they may not know it, the
effect of this attitude is really injurious, not
alone to their own business, but others as well.
If you were to set out to build a bridge or
undertake some other project, you would never
talk about the likelihood of its not being com-
pleted. On the other hand, you would look
forward with an air of eagerness and proudness
to the time when it will be finished. The
same situation exists with reference to your
business affairs. Consequently, let's quit talk-
ing of bad conditions and look at the brighter
side of things. I don't believe that I can lay
too much stress on these things. People who
take a pessimistic view of things think along
the same vein, with the result that their busi-
nesses soon deteriorate. Think right, speak
right, and you will find yourself in a much
better mood and better equipped to meet the
needs of your business.
"When I speak of lost motion in business
I mean that the average business man has too
many peopJe who are not busy. This tendency
is characteristic among many of the piano and
other music houses. If every piano dealer
would make a survey of his organization I am
sure he would find' much of this lost motion
prevalent among the help. The quicker it is
eliminated the better it will be for his busi-
ness.
"In the matter of advertising, I am one of
the foremost believers in a dignified, high type
of advertising; not the large, flashy type, but
small and conservative ads. I firmly believe
that the smaller appeal used more often, will
be more efficacious than one large ad run
periodically. This will tend to keep your name
before the public and will do much to stimulate
business."
Arthur Hahn Elected Vice-
Landay Bros. Now
President of Krakauer Bros.
Handling Columbia Line
As a reward of twenty years of efficient and
faithful service in the manufacturing and sales
organization of Krakauer Bros., New York,
Arthur Hahn has been elected first vice-presi-
dent of the company, in addition to being
appointed general sales manager of the busi-
ness. Mr. Hahn, who has already assumed his
duties, is eminently fitted for the position
through his wide experience in all branches of
the piano manufacturing business.
Viva-Tonal Phonographs and New Process
Records to Be Handled in All Eleven Stores
of Chain
A deal consummated last week between the
Columbia Phonograph Co., Inc., and Landay
Bros., Inc., New York, puts the complete line
of Viva-Tonal phonographs and New Process
Columbia records into the Landay Bros, chain
of eleven retail music stores in the metropolitan
territory. This includes several New York
stores and stores in Jamaica, L. I.; Newark, N.
J.; Hartford and Bridgeport, Conn.; Yonkers
Miss Ruth Laird, a pupil of Alexis Kosloff, and Mt. Vernon, N. Y.
has just opened a dancing studio of her own at
A strong advertising campaign will feature
Live Oak, Tex. The accompaniments for Miss Columbia products in Landay stores and this
Laird's pupils are to be supplied by a Marshall campaign is already under way. Officials of
& Wendell Ampico furnished her by the Will the Landay Bros, stores report that there have
A. Watkin Co., Dallas, Tex. Miss Laird first been many Columbia inquiries at the Landay
learned the value of the Ampico for dance work stores, and as the Landay chain prides itself
through association with it in the Kosloff on its service to its customers, it was decided
to add the Columbia line.
Studios, New York.
Ampico for Dancing Studio
L3VUTEIL
NEWARK. N. J.
MANUFACTURERS OF PIANOS OF QUALITY
UPRIGHTS
GRANDS
THE LAUTER-HUMANA
Sales and Salesmen
As Lehman Sees the Problem
St. Louis Piano Merchant, Head of the Lehman Piano Co., of that
City, States Main Question Before Industry today Is an Over-
abundance of Mediocre Salesmen and Lack of Real Selling Force
T. LOUIS, MO., April 12.—The present
lethargic state of the piano trade is -attribut-
able, in a great measure, to too great an
overhead and a dearth of real salesmen-pro-
ducers—according to Phil A. Lehman, president
of the Lehman Piano Co., here, distributor of
the Knabe and Anipico pianos.
His deductions, based upon years of experi-
ence in the piano trades, were given recently
in an exclusive interview with a representative
of The Review. He expressed the belief that
business conditions in the music trade should
be at least as good as last year, although it
will require the maximum of sales efforts, and
he particularly deprecated the tendency of
many dealers to indulge in pessimistic state-
ments.
"Years of experience have convinced me that
the piano trade at present is suffering from too
great an overhead and an over-abundance of
mediocre salesmen," declared Mr. Lehman.
"The dealer who is desirous of increasing his
sales should begin overhauling the mechanism
of his organization immediately, ferreting out
of his sales force men who are not producing,
eliminating the lost motion, and change his ad-
vertising tactics. These things are the funda-
mentals of 'overhead' and are some of the
greatest drones with which the music trades
are afflicted to-day.
"By eliminating salesmen who are what are
commonly called 'weak-sisters,' or low-salaried
men, from their sales organization, and replac-
ing them with high-class salesmen—not high-
pressure men, but men who are really producers
—dealers will have taken a great stride toward
better and more prosperous conditions. While
it is true a high-class salesman represents a
greater monetary investment, in the final
analysis it will be found that there has been
a great saving, that your organization is being
run more economically, smoothly and efficiently,
lhat your volume of sales has increased per-
ceptibly, and that conditions in general are
much more satisfactory.
"While it is true the lower-salaried man may
produce an occasional sale, he is not reliable,
and there is also present the possibility that a
really good prospect may be lost through some
oversight or inadvertence on his part. If you
wanted to build a house you certainly would
not hire an inexperienced carpenter, would you?
The same considerations apply in the case of
a salesman. The chances of losing a sale are
reduced materially when you have an experi-
S
ESTABLISHED 1862
enced and well-contented man on your payroll.
Pay your men a living wage and keep them
pepped up if you want your business to record
prosperity. In my organization I would rather
have one or two first-class men than a dozen
novices.
"When I speak of first-class men I don't
necessarily mean to imply that they must be
supermen. All that is essential is that they be
equipped with a decent amount of common
sense and be willing and anxious to work and
stay on the job. Endowed with these attributes,
a man can really be transformed within a short
time into a real asset to the firm.
"One of the things generally prevalent among
business men, I have found, is to indulge in
pessimism when speaking of their business af-
fairs. Although they may not know it, the
effect of this attitude is really injurious, not
alone to their own business, but others as well.
If you were to set out to build a bridge or
undertake some other project, you would never
talk about the likelihood of its not being com-
pleted. On the other hand, you would look
forward with an air of eagerness and proudness
to the time when it will be finished. The
same situation exists with reference to your
business affairs. Consequently, let's quit talk-
ing of bad conditions and look at the brighter
side of things. I don't believe that I can lay
too much stress on these things. People who
take a pessimistic view of things think along
the same vein, with the result that their busi-
nesses soon deteriorate. Think right, speak
right, and you will find yourself in a much
better mood and better equipped to meet the
needs of your business.
"When I speak of lost motion in business
I mean that the average business man has too
many peopJe who are not busy. This tendency
is characteristic among many of the piano and
other music houses. If every piano dealer
would make a survey of his organization I am
sure he would find' much of this lost motion
prevalent among the help. The quicker it is
eliminated the better it will be for his busi-
ness.
"In the matter of advertising, I am one of
the foremost believers in a dignified, high type
of advertising; not the large, flashy type, but
small and conservative ads. I firmly believe
that the smaller appeal used more often, will
be more efficacious than one large ad run
periodically. This will tend to keep your name
before the public and will do much to stimulate
business."
Arthur Hahn Elected Vice-
Landay Bros. Now
President of Krakauer Bros.
Handling Columbia Line
As a reward of twenty years of efficient and
faithful service in the manufacturing and sales
organization of Krakauer Bros., New York,
Arthur Hahn has been elected first vice-presi-
dent of the company, in addition to being
appointed general sales manager of the busi-
ness. Mr. Hahn, who has already assumed his
duties, is eminently fitted for the position
through his wide experience in all branches of
the piano manufacturing business.
Viva-Tonal Phonographs and New Process
Records to Be Handled in All Eleven Stores
of Chain
A deal consummated last week between the
Columbia Phonograph Co., Inc., and Landay
Bros., Inc., New York, puts the complete line
of Viva-Tonal phonographs and New Process
Columbia records into the Landay Bros, chain
of eleven retail music stores in the metropolitan
territory. This includes several New York
stores and stores in Jamaica, L. I.; Newark, N.
J.; Hartford and Bridgeport, Conn.; Yonkers
Miss Ruth Laird, a pupil of Alexis Kosloff, and Mt. Vernon, N. Y.
has just opened a dancing studio of her own at
A strong advertising campaign will feature
Live Oak, Tex. The accompaniments for Miss Columbia products in Landay stores and this
Laird's pupils are to be supplied by a Marshall campaign is already under way. Officials of
& Wendell Ampico furnished her by the Will the Landay Bros, stores report that there have
A. Watkin Co., Dallas, Tex. Miss Laird first been many Columbia inquiries at the Landay
learned the value of the Ampico for dance work stores, and as the Landay chain prides itself
through association with it in the Kosloff on its service to its customers, it was decided
to add the Columbia line.
Studios, New York.
Ampico for Dancing Studio
L3VUTEIL
NEWARK. N. J.
MANUFACTURERS OF PIANOS OF QUALITY
UPRIGHTS
GRANDS
THE LAUTER-HUMANA
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).