Music Trade Review
Issue: 1946 Vol. 105 N. 5 - Page 19
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Importance of
GI. Veterans
Sales Training
Part II
By STEPHEN L. CARROLL
Salesmaitager, Clark Music Co., Syracuse, N. Y.
3 have just purchased a home and really have enjoyed a fine volume
and furniture.
of business. You have gone out for
3 just married and purchased business organizing bands, drum
furniture.
corps, fretted groups and orchestras.
4 undecided because of condi- You have operated a school and intro-
tions and prices.
duced to the store thousands of new
What does a survey of this kind show customers. You have worked, and if
us? It proves that our competition is the Sales Manager is giving credit
not in the musical instrument field, where credit is due, you have sold
but in other lines. Make a survey of many pianos, radios, etc., for him
your prospects or just go out and can-
through the efforts of your depart-
vas, your results will be quite a dis-
appointment. There will be the new ment.
car, refrigerator, stove, furniture, va-
The Value of Going After Business
cation, etc., and apparently all thought
Yes. all was well, then came a war.
of the piano has been dismissed for No merchandise was available and all
the present. Radios they will buy, but factories were on "war work". No
where? From you or from the gen- preparations had been made in advance
eral store—the jewelry store or the big to meet this problem, although we all
advertiser. Will they come to you?
knew it was coming. What did you
Look about you and find how many
do? Did you draw into your shell and
new radio stores have sprung up. Go
cut
every corner? Did you cut travel-
visit the big stores and see what they
ing,
cut promotion, advertising and
are doing. Watch their advertising and
everything
possible to hang on to what
then figure what percentage of the
business you will receive. If you are you had? Or did you refuse to ac-
willing to be honest with yourself just cept the challenge and do everything
sharpen your pencil and you will find possible to stay in business. Really it
One Way to Loose Customers
was not so hard. Why, I can well
Just recently I made a survey of that your percentage is running low.
What about Band and Orchestra remember all kinds of merchandise
prospects in the musical instrument
available, but the cry then was the
field. All of these were regarded as Instruments?
good prospects and to my amazement.
Possibly this department has been depression. What did we do? Stay in
I found that we had actually lost these classed as somewhat an orphan in your our shells and wait until it was over?
sales to competitors. Lost to another store and you have been satisfied to No, we went out after business and did
music dealer! No! Lost to real com- take just what drops in and let it go better than usual. Did we do the same
petition. Out of fifty-two calls made at that. If so, you no doubt will go during and after this War? No, we
along in the same manner and continue practically folded up everything that
en this survey what did I find—
14 will purchase a new car first. to loose a very valuable piece of busi- we could and felt secure to sit it out.
23 will purchase a refrigerator or ness. On the other hand, possibly you Many could not sit that long. Since
are the dealer who has recognized the many would not sit and be licked, they
new furniture.
big
possibilities in this department, immediately set out to find merchan-
5 have just purchased a home.
Last month I endeavored to sell the
importance of training salesmen at
this time, and to take advantage of the
on-the-job-training-program. This pro-
gram is a part of the Veterans Bill of
Rights, and if given a trial, I am cer-
tain it will prove highly satisfactory
as a "training program".
One of the hardest problems of life
is to admit old age. Nevertheless, we
cannot deny the fact that we cannot
travel and carry on as we did a few
years back. We try to kid ourselves
along and make every effort to handle
the job as usual, but we must be build-
ing young people in our organiza-
tion if it is to live. Age has it's
rightful place in guiding, advising and
managing youth, and any organzation
that will continue to be successful will
recognize these facts and plan accord-
ingly. We must look to the future
with a young, energetic Sales Depart-
ment.
What are your plans for the future?
Are you going out of business or going
for business?
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1946
19
The Importance of
GI. Veterans
Sales Training
Part II
By STEPHEN L. CARROLL
Salesmaitager, Clark Music Co., Syracuse, N. Y.
3 have just purchased a home and really have enjoyed a fine volume
and furniture.
of business. You have gone out for
3 just married and purchased business organizing bands, drum
furniture.
corps, fretted groups and orchestras.
4 undecided because of condi- You have operated a school and intro-
tions and prices.
duced to the store thousands of new
What does a survey of this kind show customers. You have worked, and if
us? It proves that our competition is the Sales Manager is giving credit
not in the musical instrument field, where credit is due, you have sold
but in other lines. Make a survey of many pianos, radios, etc., for him
your prospects or just go out and can-
through the efforts of your depart-
vas, your results will be quite a dis-
appointment. There will be the new ment.
car, refrigerator, stove, furniture, va-
The Value of Going After Business
cation, etc., and apparently all thought
Yes. all was well, then came a war.
of the piano has been dismissed for No merchandise was available and all
the present. Radios they will buy, but factories were on "war work". No
where? From you or from the gen- preparations had been made in advance
eral store—the jewelry store or the big to meet this problem, although we all
advertiser. Will they come to you?
knew it was coming. What did you
Look about you and find how many
do? Did you draw into your shell and
new radio stores have sprung up. Go
cut
every corner? Did you cut travel-
visit the big stores and see what they
ing,
cut promotion, advertising and
are doing. Watch their advertising and
everything
possible to hang on to what
then figure what percentage of the
business you will receive. If you are you had? Or did you refuse to ac-
willing to be honest with yourself just cept the challenge and do everything
sharpen your pencil and you will find possible to stay in business. Really it
One Way to Loose Customers
was not so hard. Why, I can well
Just recently I made a survey of that your percentage is running low.
What about Band and Orchestra remember all kinds of merchandise
prospects in the musical instrument
available, but the cry then was the
field. All of these were regarded as Instruments?
good prospects and to my amazement.
Possibly this department has been depression. What did we do? Stay in
I found that we had actually lost these classed as somewhat an orphan in your our shells and wait until it was over?
sales to competitors. Lost to another store and you have been satisfied to No, we went out after business and did
music dealer! No! Lost to real com- take just what drops in and let it go better than usual. Did we do the same
petition. Out of fifty-two calls made at that. If so, you no doubt will go during and after this War? No, we
along in the same manner and continue practically folded up everything that
en this survey what did I find—
14 will purchase a new car first. to loose a very valuable piece of busi- we could and felt secure to sit it out.
23 will purchase a refrigerator or ness. On the other hand, possibly you Many could not sit that long. Since
are the dealer who has recognized the many would not sit and be licked, they
new furniture.
big
possibilities in this department, immediately set out to find merchan-
5 have just purchased a home.
Last month I endeavored to sell the
importance of training salesmen at
this time, and to take advantage of the
on-the-job-training-program. This pro-
gram is a part of the Veterans Bill of
Rights, and if given a trial, I am cer-
tain it will prove highly satisfactory
as a "training program".
One of the hardest problems of life
is to admit old age. Nevertheless, we
cannot deny the fact that we cannot
travel and carry on as we did a few
years back. We try to kid ourselves
along and make every effort to handle
the job as usual, but we must be build-
ing young people in our organiza-
tion if it is to live. Age has it's
rightful place in guiding, advising and
managing youth, and any organzation
that will continue to be successful will
recognize these facts and plan accord-
ingly. We must look to the future
with a young, energetic Sales Depart-
ment.
What are your plans for the future?
Are you going out of business or going
for business?
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1946
19
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