Music Trade Review

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Gulbransen Go. Sales Meetin
Held in Chicago
Middle Western Gulbransen Dealers Hear Plans of Company for
Present Year Including February Salon Campaign—Gul-
bransen's Analysis of Selling Conditions
HICAGO, 111., January 28.—It was the consensus of opinion of some fourscore piano mer-
chants who attended the regional sales meeting conducted by the Gulbransen Co. here on
Wednesday and Thursday, of this week, that the public, when properly approached, will
buy pianos, but various factors must be considered in making that approach. It was conceded
that prospects must be created, and that the dealer cannot depend upon the visits of those al-
ready in the market for a piano; that the style trend has an influence on business; that close con-
centration on the part of sales people is essential —
•
and that at the present time the retail piano because it is undermanned. Salesmen have been
business is undermanned, which in itself has an attracted away from piano business to other
effect on sales volume.
lines or to other divisions of the music business.
The officials of the Gulbransen Co. gave to The retailer has not fully realized that piano
the dealers their analysis of the piano situation selling is a specialty, and that if a man is to be
and the need for many more salesmen. It was successful at it, he must put his undivided
also recommended that dealers get together energy into this field alone.
"In too many cases piano men are inclined
with their fellow-piano merchants in the drive
C
Gulbransen Dealers and Representatives Gathered Before the Gulbransen Co.
Factory in Chicago
for business, and that they use their endeavors to to sell pianos on the wrong side of the rail-
bring manufacturers generally into line with road tracks. They are concentrating their at-
a view to modernizing and standardizing piano tention on the poor districts, overlooking the
sales systems.
appeal that the new, modern and splendid-ap-
The principal address at the meeting was pearing pianos hold for the person of means.
made by A. G. Gulbransen, president of the
"The public has been educated to a point
company, who said:
where it rejects all obsolete merchandise except
"The public properly approached will buy the piano. Piano relics are still the rule in
pianos. There is too much evidence of the too many homes. Public consciousness has not
public's acceptance of the piano wherever an in- been aroused to the fact that tremendous de-
telligent effort has been .made to create piano velopments have been made in modernizing the
sales for there to be any question about that. piano to make it fit in with other modern home
The piano business is fighting for lost position furnishings."
The sales meetings were in charge of John
S. Gorman, sales manager of the company, who
made a strong plea for the proper use of man
power in piano selling, and particularly for the
national pricing of instruments with a view to
establishing public confidence. "The fight is
from without rather than from within," said
Mr. Gorman. "Practice concentration in your
piano departments and adopt modern practices
in the handling of trade-ins, in charging for
accessories and in service." Mr. Gorman also
outlined the selling plans of the company for
the year, and called attention to the fact that
during the past eighteen months fifteen new
models of Gulbransen pianos have been de-
veloped in order to establish a complete line of
recognized quality and modern character, which
has been the ambition of Mr. Gulbransen.
Another speaker was L. W. Petersen, credit
manager, who emphasized the point that every
dealer is a credit man and should never relax
vigilance in the matter of sales and collections.
He particularly stressed the fact that the dealer
should hold down the size of the stock with
which he does business and concentrate on
quick-moving merchandise bought on short time
and sold on as short time as possible.
Walter Kiehn, advertising manager, brought
to the dealers a complete outline of two new
developments in the company's 1928 plan; the
February Nation-Wide Salon campaign and the
use of "Artistic Interiors," an authoritative new
book on home decoration, bearing particularly
on the piano.
The February Salon will be a nation-wide ex-
hibit of special Gulbransen models by the deal-
ers. Having its start in Gulbransen national ad-
vertising in the February magazines, the salon
has further tie-up in the dealers' retail advertis-
ing, in store window, store display and in his
mailing.
In hundreds of cases special art merchandise
will be displayed by Gulbransen dealers, such
as the art model Minuet, period grand, fancy
walnut grands, the remarkable new combination
registering and reproducing piano and other of
the latest types of Gulbransen instruments.
"Artistic Interiors" is an outstanding piece of
literature. In its compilation and illustration
the services of authorities in the matter of
period designs have been put to use. The book
in every sense is a de luxe volume—in its make-
up, picturization and text matter. It deals par-
ticularly with the part of the piano in the very
finest furnished homes, and gives examples of
correctly equipped Spanish, early American, Em-
pire, French Eighteenth Century and Italian
homes. In the first three months of 1928 this
book is being advertised in a group of maga-
zines having circulation in excess of 11,000,000
copies, including Literary Digest, Better Homes
and Gardens, Household Magazine, Delineator,
Woman's World, People's Popular Monthly and
Christian Herald.
Another novelty shown to the visiting dealers
was a completely decorated and lighted show
window in the company's showroom. This, Mr.
(Continued on page 19)