Music Trade Review
Issue: 1930 Vol. 89 N. 2 - Page 7
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
How
Houston Dealers
Club
Efforts
Profits
PIANO DEALERS OF
HOUSTON
and
feature, of tl., holiday
II. m m .
Ml SIC Will
HK HOME IN * IhJH 1
H
Houston, through Bperial arrange-
ment*, are prepared to Uke can* of
vour |>tirrlt»i« will* a Kinall payment
• limn ...ul tl.e balance »eetlv. .emi
.....iitl.l. ,„ ,,,.,,,,I,K.
If Santa ileli.er» a Piano
lo yo«r noine thit. i JirtMf.
ina,. „., twter nifl will
l>r.n- ,.,u -> miK-h jo)
thr ( r a n «J .oilie. The Pi^no
IfiB
tn
SI.HI. ('..dj. ^"l^l'eet'* " • ' " *
r4
^
fIM
Uit* 1 mud
tilK-liofi It) tlic earr.toiiy ptanntA m
[i>riur. h* \>-irl\ mo«ir **hf<*i> « i d
i g j The Terms
The Gift
«r».l liappinrrt.
O MATTER W H A T YOU
apwid on th« ( M » C you live
menu maket i
Piano.
for evrryoBB to own « Pwno.
ri«
hoin^ i*
w w i "
^
« hom^
"'
Brook Mays & Co.
Goodell Piano Company
R20 Tnrri. Si
F t 1308
W. L. Pai« Piano (iompany
1707 Hm.n Si.
N
unorganized organization that has
brought more than ordinary results
might well be used to describe the
^ Piano Dealers' Club of Houston, Tex.
There are no officials of this club—ior there is
no organization. It is merely a matter of
mutual understanding, five of the leading piano
dealers of the city working faithfully to accom-
plish the same purpose—to place pianos in more
Houston homes.
This club is composed of the W. L. Pace
Piano Co., Brooks Mays & Co., Thomas
Goggan & Bro., Goodell Piano Co. and the
J. W. Carter Music Co.
These five dealers have sponsored a co-opera-
tive advertising campaign during the Fall sea-
son of 1929 and early 1930 that is believed to
have been responsible for healthy condi-
tion in the Houston piano field. And several
of these dealers have expressed the opinion that
the advertising campaign is going to have last-
ing effects even months after its termination.
Twelve billboards featuring the "Piano, the
Gift Supreme" were used for two months prior
to Christmas by these dealers. These bill-
boards were located in twelve strategic loca-
tions of the city, each showing a piano, a child
A
By CHAS. JN. TLJNNELL
V*MI nutt^ to procure the beM in
piere of tywue f
Ir m «-di*«ii>fc i V ehiMr*» al-.nr
mttntfal li»w U H I Ctyuif* thrmt fnr
(W tain limip. in irfa. M o w «#n
not iwivpt a «I*H»H p -n*r atnd ou
rhU*. thould b« withw : a mii*tt*l
n m r wlikb will W mo r th»n w«t-
t|i|r(>- *itlii»it the i'lam..
H
»'iief» -':U.I
and carrying the national slogan, "The Richest
Child is Poor Without Musical Training."
There were no dealers' names on these bill-
boards, the advertising themes being entirely
institutional. These twelve billboards have been
maintained at a cost of sixty dollars per month
for each of the five dealers, or a total of six
hundred dollars for the two months' period.
Co-operative newspaper advertising has like-
wise been carried out during the Fall months
by this piano club. These newspaper advertise-
ments appeared weekly, ranging from one-third
to three-quarters of a page in size for the regular
Sunday advertisement, while Sunday, December
15, was the occasion for a full-page co-opera-
tive ad on the theme "Piano Dealers of Houston
Invite Your Inspection of a Home-Loving GIFT
—the PIANO." Pictures of the five piano
stores sponsoring this page, which appeared
in the pictorial gravure section, appeared as well
as inserts showing close-ups of the different
lines of pianos sold.
This newspaper campaign cost each dealer
one hundred and seventy-five dollars for the
season. The Houston Post-Dispatch, the paper
carrying the newspaper campaign, likewise gave
free radio advertising for the Houston Piano
Dealers' Club. A thirty-minute period from
6.00 to 6.30 p. m. each Thursday was set aside
for the club. Different piano and music authori-
ties were obtained to conduct these programs;
an example is shown in that of the program of
December 19, which was conducted by Mrs.
Frank Cox, president of the Council of Parent-
Teacher Association. Mrs. Cox gave some very
concise and practical thoughts on the piano
music, made more forceful by the piano pro-
gram that followed.
The Piano Dealers' Club of Houston has like-
wise accomplished a worth-while achievement
in getting the Houston Post-Dispatch to carry
a regular music section each Sunday. One page
is devoted particularly to piano music, news of
teachers, composers and local dealers. This
page carries the national slogan at the top of
the page, while human interest stories have
brought much favorable comment.
Although it is an unorganized club, the Hous-
ton Piano Dealers' Club has done much towards
solving merchandising problems of the dealers.
One of these members explains it with, "There
is no attempt at price fixing. There are no
rules to make or break. We solve our prob-
lems by sharing our problems and showing each
other by concrete results where certain methods
and practices are more profitable. We do not
care to bring pressure to bear on anyone, each
member is liberal in giving personal experiences
and in showing how he has been able to hold
up his margin of mark-up, protect a better profit
etc.; so, in this way, we all share in better mer-
chandising ideas. We are in agreement that
organization and the adoption of laws, by-laws
and rules only tends to break up the organiza-
tion when someone violates a rule and gives
others a loophole to do likewise. Therefore, we
believe that we all practice more ethical
methods of selling pianos because we are able
to see from each other's experiences that it is
logical and profitable."
Members of the Houston Piano Dealers' Club
meet twice a month for luncheon, at which time
things of interest to the trade are discussed.
No regular meeting-place is used, but gener-
ally these meetings are at the Houston Club.
A better feeling of fellowship; better business
practices for all members; an exchange of ideas;
co-operative advertising and promotional effort
is the result of this unorganized piano dealers'
organization. And these factors have all con-
tributed to direct and indirect results from pub-
lic response to the furthering of the piano and.
musical education in Houston.
How
Houston Dealers
Club
Efforts
Profits
PIANO DEALERS OF
HOUSTON
and
feature, of tl., holiday
II. m m .
Ml SIC Will
HK HOME IN * IhJH 1
H
Houston, through Bperial arrange-
ment*, are prepared to Uke can* of
vour |>tirrlt»i« will* a Kinall payment
• limn ...ul tl.e balance »eetlv. .emi
.....iitl.l. ,„ ,,,.,,,,I,K.
If Santa ileli.er» a Piano
lo yo«r noine thit. i JirtMf.
ina,. „., twter nifl will
l>r.n- ,.,u -> miK-h jo)
thr ( r a n «J .oilie. The Pi^no
IfiB
tn
SI.HI. ('..dj. ^"l^l'eet'* " • ' " *
r4
^
fIM
Uit* 1 mud
tilK-liofi It) tlic earr.toiiy ptanntA m
[i>riur. h* \>-irl\ mo«ir **hf<*i> « i d
i g j The Terms
The Gift
«r».l liappinrrt.
O MATTER W H A T YOU
apwid on th« ( M » C you live
menu maket i
Piano.
for evrryoBB to own « Pwno.
ri«
hoin^ i*
w w i "
^
« hom^
"'
Brook Mays & Co.
Goodell Piano Company
R20 Tnrri. Si
F t 1308
W. L. Pai« Piano (iompany
1707 Hm.n Si.
N
unorganized organization that has
brought more than ordinary results
might well be used to describe the
^ Piano Dealers' Club of Houston, Tex.
There are no officials of this club—ior there is
no organization. It is merely a matter of
mutual understanding, five of the leading piano
dealers of the city working faithfully to accom-
plish the same purpose—to place pianos in more
Houston homes.
This club is composed of the W. L. Pace
Piano Co., Brooks Mays & Co., Thomas
Goggan & Bro., Goodell Piano Co. and the
J. W. Carter Music Co.
These five dealers have sponsored a co-opera-
tive advertising campaign during the Fall sea-
son of 1929 and early 1930 that is believed to
have been responsible for healthy condi-
tion in the Houston piano field. And several
of these dealers have expressed the opinion that
the advertising campaign is going to have last-
ing effects even months after its termination.
Twelve billboards featuring the "Piano, the
Gift Supreme" were used for two months prior
to Christmas by these dealers. These bill-
boards were located in twelve strategic loca-
tions of the city, each showing a piano, a child
A
By CHAS. JN. TLJNNELL
V*MI nutt^ to procure the beM in
piere of tywue f
Ir m «-di*«ii>fc i V ehiMr*» al-.nr
mttntfal li»w U H I Ctyuif* thrmt fnr
(W tain limip. in irfa. M o w «#n
not iwivpt a «I*H»H p -n*r atnd ou
rhU*. thould b« withw : a mii*tt*l
n m r wlikb will W mo r th»n w«t-
t|i|r(>- *itlii»it the i'lam..
H
»'iief» -':U.I
and carrying the national slogan, "The Richest
Child is Poor Without Musical Training."
There were no dealers' names on these bill-
boards, the advertising themes being entirely
institutional. These twelve billboards have been
maintained at a cost of sixty dollars per month
for each of the five dealers, or a total of six
hundred dollars for the two months' period.
Co-operative newspaper advertising has like-
wise been carried out during the Fall months
by this piano club. These newspaper advertise-
ments appeared weekly, ranging from one-third
to three-quarters of a page in size for the regular
Sunday advertisement, while Sunday, December
15, was the occasion for a full-page co-opera-
tive ad on the theme "Piano Dealers of Houston
Invite Your Inspection of a Home-Loving GIFT
—the PIANO." Pictures of the five piano
stores sponsoring this page, which appeared
in the pictorial gravure section, appeared as well
as inserts showing close-ups of the different
lines of pianos sold.
This newspaper campaign cost each dealer
one hundred and seventy-five dollars for the
season. The Houston Post-Dispatch, the paper
carrying the newspaper campaign, likewise gave
free radio advertising for the Houston Piano
Dealers' Club. A thirty-minute period from
6.00 to 6.30 p. m. each Thursday was set aside
for the club. Different piano and music authori-
ties were obtained to conduct these programs;
an example is shown in that of the program of
December 19, which was conducted by Mrs.
Frank Cox, president of the Council of Parent-
Teacher Association. Mrs. Cox gave some very
concise and practical thoughts on the piano
music, made more forceful by the piano pro-
gram that followed.
The Piano Dealers' Club of Houston has like-
wise accomplished a worth-while achievement
in getting the Houston Post-Dispatch to carry
a regular music section each Sunday. One page
is devoted particularly to piano music, news of
teachers, composers and local dealers. This
page carries the national slogan at the top of
the page, while human interest stories have
brought much favorable comment.
Although it is an unorganized club, the Hous-
ton Piano Dealers' Club has done much towards
solving merchandising problems of the dealers.
One of these members explains it with, "There
is no attempt at price fixing. There are no
rules to make or break. We solve our prob-
lems by sharing our problems and showing each
other by concrete results where certain methods
and practices are more profitable. We do not
care to bring pressure to bear on anyone, each
member is liberal in giving personal experiences
and in showing how he has been able to hold
up his margin of mark-up, protect a better profit
etc.; so, in this way, we all share in better mer-
chandising ideas. We are in agreement that
organization and the adoption of laws, by-laws
and rules only tends to break up the organiza-
tion when someone violates a rule and gives
others a loophole to do likewise. Therefore, we
believe that we all practice more ethical
methods of selling pianos because we are able
to see from each other's experiences that it is
logical and profitable."
Members of the Houston Piano Dealers' Club
meet twice a month for luncheon, at which time
things of interest to the trade are discussed.
No regular meeting-place is used, but gener-
ally these meetings are at the Houston Club.
A better feeling of fellowship; better business
practices for all members; an exchange of ideas;
co-operative advertising and promotional effort
is the result of this unorganized piano dealers'
organization. And these factors have all con-
tributed to direct and indirect results from pub-
lic response to the furthering of the piano and.
musical education in Houston.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).