Music Trade Review

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Making
of the Musica
rectly interested in the promotion of concerts,"
recitals and such affairs. This friendship and
confidence can only be secured when the music
merchant himself contributes his share to-
wards its promotion. It is not a voluntary gift
but must be earned through the display of a
willingness to co-operate in the promotion of
Constant and real service to
the musical interests of the
city is the Watkin Go. method
Robert N. Watkin
WIL.L. A. WATKIN (COMPANY
UCCESS in any line of merchandising lies
in determining upon the field in which
products can be sold, analyzing all possi-
bilities of that field, and then putting
forth every effort to capitalize upon those pos-
sibilities to the utmost. This rule applies with
equal strength whether the products being sold
are rubber boots or musical instruments. It is
not sufficient to offer the article for sale and
then wait for the customers to drift in and buy,
but the field must be worked intensively, and
advantage taken of every factor that is likely
to promote new business.
It is significant that in this music trade of
ours the retail concerns that are outstanding
successes are noteworthy for the manner in
which they tie up with every musical activity
in their particular territory. They are engaged
in the selling of musical instruments, and it is
logical to assume that the field for sales lies
principally with those most directly interested
in music and its development. It is not suffi-
cient just simply to know who these musical
people are and to send them letters occa-
sionally. The music merchant who seeks to
get the full benefit of the interest of the musi-
cal element must co-operate with them whole-
heartedly, lead them when necessary, and make
the effort to have this particular store recog-
nized as a real musical center, not simply for
the sale of musical instruments, but for the pro-
motion of various musical activities.
We have heard merchants who have declared
that this can be overdone. That too active a
participation in musical activities proves over-
expensive in that it takes time from sales work,
costs real money and does not bring propor-
tionate returns. The answer to this is that the
system followed has been a wrong one, for
there are too many outstanding examples of
success to permit of it being said that the idea
itself is not basically sound.
Those who are in close touch with the trade
throughout the country will be quick to recog-
nize the names of those concerns that have in-
creased their business and maintained it on a
profitable plane through participation in the
musical activities of their community. Such
concerns as Sherman, Clay & Co., San Fran-
cisco; Grinnell Bros., Detroit; Philpitt, in Flor-
ida; Shackleton, of Louisville; Watkin of
Dallas; Werlein of New Orleans, and scores
of others, have found that the sales of the
present and the future lie not in the waryooms
but in the outside contact.
These concerns encourage the friendship and
confidence of the music teacher, of the student,
of the parent in search of support and informa-
tion, of the professional musician, and those
various groups, professional and amateur, di-
S
DALLAS
To Our Teacher friends:
Permit us to enumerate some of the servloes we
offer Dallas Teachers so you may take advantage of thea
when tae oocaslon arises.
1.
The free use of the Watkin Muslo Salon (seating
up to two hundred) for pupils' reoitals. (Ho
oharge for Hall, Pianos and fifty ohalrs).
2.
A Tree Fraotioe R O O D 1* offered with two pianos.
3
The loan of a Concert Orand for the larger «u-
sloal affairs (the teaoher pays only the aotual
oartage expense).
4.
The bringing of Artists,to Dallas, (oompll»entary
"to teaohera).
6.
Dallas teachers going to Hew York, Ghloago, Bos-
ton, or to London, England, are given letter*
of introduction to Piano headquarters In these
various oltles.
6.
Prominent Dallas Artists'are given lew York
appearanoes.
7.
While In lew York, Dallas pianists oooaslon-
ally make permanent Atnploo recordings.
6.
The playing of £60 famous pianists are available
to you and your students at our store (on the
Aapioo).
When any of the above can be used by you, ple»*e
feel free to oall upon us.
Bespeotfully,
ntinr
By B. BRITTAII
1*XL. 9, 1989.
Beoretary,
•ILL A. WATKIV COOAIT.
P.B. The world's most oelebrated standard makes are now
available at Watkin'*.
those things in which the musical element is
interested.
As an example, let us take the experiences
of the Will A. Watkin Co., of Dallas, as a case
in point. Here is a concern established forty-
seven years ago, when Dallas had a population
of only 10,000, as compared with the population
of approximately 300,000 registered to-day. The
business has kept growing with the city, not
because it happened to be there, but because
Will A. Watkin, the founder, and later Robert
N. Watkin, his son and the active factor to-day,
made it a point to render real musical service
not alone in supplying musical instruments, but
in co-operating with those concerned in the
musical development of the city.
Consider some of the things that the House
of Watkin has done and is doing, and therein
will be found the story of the company's prog-
ress. For a number of years there has been
maintained at the Watkin headquarters a com-
modious recital hall or music salon, the use of
which is offered freely to the music teachers
of the city for the holding of pupil recitals and
other affairs of like nature. In fact, to hold a
student recital at the Watkin salon is consid-
ered by the majority of those in Dallas as a
matter of course, and every facility is offered
by the company to make the feature a success.
In many cases programs are furnished, and if
the importance of the event warrants it, the
company sponsors the advertising. These re-
citals are also advertised by the teacher and
receive considerable publicity both in the social
and musical columns of the local newspapers.
.But this is not all. The Will A. Watkin Co.
offers the use of its salon and gives its support
to many promising local artists who are seek-
ing an opportunity for displaying their talents.
For these artists they snpply instruments of
recognized quality and keep them in excellent
condition, the company's line including the
Mason & Hamlin, the Knabe and the Chicker-
ing.
When prominent artists are in the vicinity
of Dallas, it is no unusual thing for the Watkin
Co. to engage their services for a recital or
two in the company's salon, these recitals being
complimentary to the music teachers of the
city or to certain groups of prospects most
likely to be interested in the appearance of
that particular artist. This applies particularly
to those artists who record for the Ampico,
and the response of Ampico owners and pros-
pects to an invitation to hear the recording
artists in person generally means a hall filled
to capacity.
When various local artists leave Dallas for
Mme. Sturkow-Ryder