Music Trade Review
Issue: 1927 Vol. 85 N. 22 - Page 3
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
VOL. 85. No. 22
REVIEW
Published Weekly. Federated Business Publications, Inc., 420 Lexington Aye., New York, N. Y., Nov. 26,1927
""j^ffR?fl*—
Piano-Playing Contests
For the Small City Dealers
H. G. Pulfrey, Manager of the University Music House, Ann Arbor, Mich.,
Tells of the Success His City Is Having With Such an Event and De-
clares All Small City Dealers Can Profit Also by Staging a Similar Event
S the piano-playing contest a merchandising
method which the piano merchant in the
smaller cities and towns can use to his
advantage? With the advent of this selling
method in the retail piano trade, this question
has often been answered negatively, the entire
problem being considered too generally as one
which requires a large city for its success, and
one which is beyond the reach of merchants
in the smaller towns primarily because of the
expenditure involved. Actual experience, how-
ever, has shown that there is no real basis of
truth in this statement, and that the piano-
playing contest, as a means of arousing interest
in the piano itself and of increasing the volume
of sales of that instrument, is as available to
the merchants in the smaller towns and cities
as it is to those located in the larger centers.
One of those merchants who have proven
this in actual practice is the University Music
House, Ann Arbor, Mich., of which William
Wade Hinshaw, the well-known operatic im-
presario and writer on music topics, is the
head. This house, in conjunction with other
dealers in the city, has recently made the ex-
periment with such a contest, and according to
H. G. Pulfrey, manager of the store, it has
proven to be a success both from a propaganda
and from a sales standpoint. The results from
this event are best told in Mr. Pulfrey's own
words.
"The piano-playing tournament need not be
confined to the large cities," states Mr. Pulfrey.
"Dealers in smaller communities can have from
fifty to one hundred children in these piano-
playing contests. We know because we are
proving this fact. Children from one hundred
families are bound to spread a certain amount
of propaganda in any community, no matter
how small or how large it may be. I wish
that all piano merchants could know how sur-
prisingly simple it is to conduct a contest of
this kind. I find that a newspaper is just as
anxious to have its paper read in the homes
as music merchants are to have pianos active
in those same homes.
"As for general publicity, the Ann Arbor
Times-News has just featured the tournament
I
of the piano contest and its advantages, and
he has done that publicly. The piano hereto-
fore has not been taught in our public school
system, but it will be from now on, and all
because of the piano-playing contest.
"Music merchants will naturally want to
know if the piano-playing contest makes sales.
I can swear that it does. A neighbor of mine
HE success of the piano-playing con- whom I had been trying to interest in a piano
tests in the larger cities has been dis- for the sake of his children was sold a new
counted to a certain extent by piano mer- piano by a competitor. Thus was missionary
chants in smaller towns due to the fact that work on my part most beneficial to another
dealer. This competitor, who is interested in
they have considered such a method of the piano-playing tournament, later telephoned
propaganda beyond their reach. The suc- me that a certain school should be called on
cess which the University Music H
strongly that it decided it needed another
event shows directly that this view is a mis- piano for the work and I sold it one. That
taken one and that the dealers in the smaller made it fifty-fifty with the competitor. We
cities and towns can profit from the contest promoted business for each other, just what
as greatly as those located in the larger any piano-playing tournament will do for any
group of music merchants who promote one.
centers of population
If the music merchants will devote three
months of selling music to their communities
the other nine months will take care of them-
feel certain that we have received fifty columns selves with instrument sales.
of solid reading matter since announcing our
"Any salesman or merchant is all wet if he
figures that activities of this kind take time
plans.
"Of great value in connection with the pub- from his business, for they are simply making
licity for this event, of course, has been our his business and in the easiest manner. It
connection with William Wade Hinshaw, for- is the many contacts that count in selling the
merly baritone with the Metropolitan Opera piano. For instance, sponsoring our contest
House in New York and now actively engaged we have such prominent figures in education
as a music educator. Mr. Hinshaw acts as and music as Dr. Clarence Cook Little, presi-
music correspondent with the Times-News and dent of the University of Michigan; Earl V.
Moor, director of the University School of
we have from one to three columns each week
Music; Joseph H. Maddy, a man nationally
on the advantages of the piano in the home.
We are stressing the word 'piano' at all times; known for his work in promoting music in
we are promoting the actual playing and study- the public school systems of the country, as
ing the piano, and not trying to educate peo- well as a great many other locally prominent
ple to the advantages of tuning in on the radio people.
"I would like all music merchants to know
and so on.
"Our support from the music teachers has what a wonderfully fine thing this piano con-
also been remarkable. Why should it not be? test is and how small the cost of its operation.
It is a wonderful business builder for them. It may be interesting to know that our actual
The school authorities are also in line. Otto cash disbursements to date have not been $65,
...........
(Continued on page 4)
W. Haisley has given a strong endorsement
in a double-page spread, and I think that I
am safe in saying that this amount of publicity
is something that any city or trade association
can shoot at, and we are just starting it.
While I have not an absolute check on it, I
r
THE
VOL. 85. No. 22
REVIEW
Published Weekly. Federated Business Publications, Inc., 420 Lexington Aye., New York, N. Y., Nov. 26,1927
""j^ffR?fl*—
Piano-Playing Contests
For the Small City Dealers
H. G. Pulfrey, Manager of the University Music House, Ann Arbor, Mich.,
Tells of the Success His City Is Having With Such an Event and De-
clares All Small City Dealers Can Profit Also by Staging a Similar Event
S the piano-playing contest a merchandising
method which the piano merchant in the
smaller cities and towns can use to his
advantage? With the advent of this selling
method in the retail piano trade, this question
has often been answered negatively, the entire
problem being considered too generally as one
which requires a large city for its success, and
one which is beyond the reach of merchants
in the smaller towns primarily because of the
expenditure involved. Actual experience, how-
ever, has shown that there is no real basis of
truth in this statement, and that the piano-
playing contest, as a means of arousing interest
in the piano itself and of increasing the volume
of sales of that instrument, is as available to
the merchants in the smaller towns and cities
as it is to those located in the larger centers.
One of those merchants who have proven
this in actual practice is the University Music
House, Ann Arbor, Mich., of which William
Wade Hinshaw, the well-known operatic im-
presario and writer on music topics, is the
head. This house, in conjunction with other
dealers in the city, has recently made the ex-
periment with such a contest, and according to
H. G. Pulfrey, manager of the store, it has
proven to be a success both from a propaganda
and from a sales standpoint. The results from
this event are best told in Mr. Pulfrey's own
words.
"The piano-playing tournament need not be
confined to the large cities," states Mr. Pulfrey.
"Dealers in smaller communities can have from
fifty to one hundred children in these piano-
playing contests. We know because we are
proving this fact. Children from one hundred
families are bound to spread a certain amount
of propaganda in any community, no matter
how small or how large it may be. I wish
that all piano merchants could know how sur-
prisingly simple it is to conduct a contest of
this kind. I find that a newspaper is just as
anxious to have its paper read in the homes
as music merchants are to have pianos active
in those same homes.
"As for general publicity, the Ann Arbor
Times-News has just featured the tournament
I
of the piano contest and its advantages, and
he has done that publicly. The piano hereto-
fore has not been taught in our public school
system, but it will be from now on, and all
because of the piano-playing contest.
"Music merchants will naturally want to
know if the piano-playing contest makes sales.
I can swear that it does. A neighbor of mine
HE success of the piano-playing con- whom I had been trying to interest in a piano
tests in the larger cities has been dis- for the sake of his children was sold a new
counted to a certain extent by piano mer- piano by a competitor. Thus was missionary
chants in smaller towns due to the fact that work on my part most beneficial to another
dealer. This competitor, who is interested in
they have considered such a method of the piano-playing tournament, later telephoned
propaganda beyond their reach. The suc- me that a certain school should be called on
cess which the University Music H
strongly that it decided it needed another
event shows directly that this view is a mis- piano for the work and I sold it one. That
taken one and that the dealers in the smaller made it fifty-fifty with the competitor. We
cities and towns can profit from the contest promoted business for each other, just what
as greatly as those located in the larger any piano-playing tournament will do for any
group of music merchants who promote one.
centers of population
If the music merchants will devote three
months of selling music to their communities
the other nine months will take care of them-
feel certain that we have received fifty columns selves with instrument sales.
of solid reading matter since announcing our
"Any salesman or merchant is all wet if he
figures that activities of this kind take time
plans.
"Of great value in connection with the pub- from his business, for they are simply making
licity for this event, of course, has been our his business and in the easiest manner. It
connection with William Wade Hinshaw, for- is the many contacts that count in selling the
merly baritone with the Metropolitan Opera piano. For instance, sponsoring our contest
House in New York and now actively engaged we have such prominent figures in education
as a music educator. Mr. Hinshaw acts as and music as Dr. Clarence Cook Little, presi-
music correspondent with the Times-News and dent of the University of Michigan; Earl V.
Moor, director of the University School of
we have from one to three columns each week
Music; Joseph H. Maddy, a man nationally
on the advantages of the piano in the home.
We are stressing the word 'piano' at all times; known for his work in promoting music in
we are promoting the actual playing and study- the public school systems of the country, as
ing the piano, and not trying to educate peo- well as a great many other locally prominent
ple to the advantages of tuning in on the radio people.
"I would like all music merchants to know
and so on.
"Our support from the music teachers has what a wonderfully fine thing this piano con-
also been remarkable. Why should it not be? test is and how small the cost of its operation.
It is a wonderful business builder for them. It may be interesting to know that our actual
The school authorities are also in line. Otto cash disbursements to date have not been $65,
...........
(Continued on page 4)
W. Haisley has given a strong endorsement
in a double-page spread, and I think that I
am safe in saying that this amount of publicity
is something that any city or trade association
can shoot at, and we are just starting it.
While I have not an absolute check on it, I
r
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