Presto
Issue: 1920 1776 - Page 25
August 7, 1920.
TALKIN
PHONOGRAPH PUBLICITY
Fully seven-tenths of the music house ad-
vertising in local newspapers at this time is
of phonographs. It is a remarkable display of
the activities of the latest acquisition to the
list of the music dealers' money-making possi-
bilities. In fact, there has never been as much
newspaper space devoted, at any one time, to
pianos as is now being given over to the pro-
motion of talking machines.
The significance is evident. It implies that
the talking machine is just now at the very
zenith of its selling popularity. In time the
trade will have become settled and the appli-
cation of salesmanship to the disposal of the
article will become as necessary as it is with
other, and older, articles of the semi-luxury
class. And for this reason the present is the
time for advertising, especially advertising of
the talking machines which expect to remain
as permanent adjuncts to the well-equipped
music house.
Another noticeable feature of the phono-
graph trade is that the so-called "Talking
Machine Shops" are gradually broadening out
into regular music stores. This will continue
until only the phonograph industries that
maintain their own retail branches will have
special stores. The talking machine as an all-
sufficient specialty, demanding a separate
store for its sale, can not expect to maintain
itself. As the public becomes supplied—'that
part of the public that can not wait a week
after a new attraction wins the desire—the
talking machine will take its place among the
staple articles of musical instrument trade. It
is already there to a large extent.
The general music store, or the piano store,
is the logical place for the phonograph. The
salesmen there understand what it means to
sell musical instruments. Still more, they
know how to sell quality in musical instru-
ments. That means that the cheap phono-
graphs will not live very long, and such as do
persist will be sold by the department stores,
novelty shops and toy departments.
Advertising is a good investment for perma-
nent things. It is the only way to perma-
nency and, to make it effective, quality must
be the back-bone of whatever is advertised.
That is why the present, and very liberal,
advertising of talking machines is so signifi-
cant. Of course pianos will always have the
attention of the skilled advertiser. It is an
article as fixed and immovable as anything
manufactured. And the quality-phonograph
will follow along in the same trail. But the
hysteria is about out of it, and only the better
class of talking machines can sustain the ad-
vtrtising investment of either the manufac-
turers or the retailer.
The talking machine salesman who sits
down to wait for the customers to happen
along of their own volition will have a hook-
wormy time of it until his toes are turned up
at a graceful angle by the undertaker, accord-
ing to the wareroom cynic. He says that as
a rule customers don't turn up until somebody
turns them up. And for plain and fancy
turning up he directs us to watch the chap
who does the persistent and consistent pub-
licity turn.
* * *
There is one kind of economy that does not
pay and that is cheeseparing methods applied
to advertising. The healthy view of economy
does not include niggard cutting down of ad-
vertising appropriations when conditions arise
that may distract people from the considera-
tion of talking machines and records. In such
conditions economy often means a larger ad-
vertising outlay than usual. There is a vast
difference between economy wisely admin-
istered and that which really pinches.
*
-f
#
Salesmanship is the sale of goods for profit.
That's a definition but it is incomplete. Bet-
ter say salesmanship is the use of science and
argument to change the desire to have into the
desire to buy. Even that's not quite right. A
man may decide to buy at an unprofitable fig-
ure to the one who would sell. Better say
salesmanship is persuasion and let it go at
that. It defines a theory and you can do your
own explaining.
* * *
Happily the average talking machine store
is a one-price place. The salesmen there do
not need a music memory contest as a con-
stant exercise. When customer Smith comes
in to buy style G on Tuesday they know what
his neighbor Jones paid for the same style on
Monday. In this way quotation complica-
tions, once a cause of great unpleasantness in
the piano trade, are automatically avoided.
* * *
An Arkansas preacher has quit the pulpit
for a position in a talking machine store in
Murfreesboro. Joined another division of
the Army of the Uplift, so to speak.
:;: :;: :|:
The straight printed word in advertisements
is the most powerful business factor today.
A VICTOR CONFERENCE.
The Victor Talking Machine Company has had
an educational conference at Sorosis Hall. San
Francisco. The conference dwelt at length on the
educational features of the talking machine and, in
addition, emphasized a few of the cardinal points
of selling. During the course of the meetings, as a
mid-week evening session, Sherman-Clay & Com-
pany, jobbers in that territory, entertained the en-
tire delegation at a dance in the Colonial ballroom.
ON YOUR OWN TERMS.
Fischer Co., 44 Vine street, Cincinnati, "distribu-
tors to the trade," is advertising the Pathe "on your
own terms (within reason)." The qualification is
o. k.
STRATFORD STIRS 'EM UP
Phonographs from Ashland, Ohio, Will Quickly
Win Attention by Its Aggressive Promotion.
President F. K. Amreihn, of the Stratford Phono-
graph Company, Ashland, Ohio, was in Chicago
early this week arranging for the campaign through-
out the Northwest, which territory will be taken care
of by Special Representative Chas. F. Thompson,
who has offices in 1231 Kimball Hall Building, on
Wabash avenue.
The "Shakespeare of Phonographs' 'is making a
distinct impression upon all who see and hear it. The
cabinet designs displayed at the Sherman House, for
three weeks past, are remarkably handsome and the
reproducing effects could not be better. Mr. Thomp-
son will be glad to have dealers visiting Chicago call
at his office in Kimhall Hall Building.
IOWA DEALERS MEET.
The Iowa Victor Dealers' Association met in Des
Moines on Monday of this week. The date as orig-
inally arranged was Tuesday, August 3, but it was
changed to better accommodate the program. John
Gregg Paine of the legal department of the Victor
Co., addressed the convention.
DETERLING
Talking Machines
Challenge Comparison in
every point from cabinets to
tonal results.
Prices attractive for
goods. Write us.
fine
Deterling Mfg. Co., Inc.
TIPTON, IND.
THE WONDERFUL
"FAIRY" Phonograph Lamp
Truly a Work of Art. Scientifically Conmtraeted
Satet Unprecedented. Secure Agency Now.
JS.
The
greatest
practical
oov-
elty offered to
the Phonograph
trade—
The
"FAIRY"
Phonograph
Lamp
"looks" and
" s p e a k s " for
Itself. In ap-
pearance luxur-
ious, it achieves
its g r e a t e s t
triumph in its
tone.
A newly pat-
ented s o u n d
amplifying
chamber, radi-
cally differing
from the con-
ventional
de-
signs, gives a
true m e l l o w
tone of volume
equalling that
of most ex-
pensive Instru-
ments.
Electrically operated and equipped with a specially
designed Invisible switch, regulator and tone modifier.
Let us tell how sales of the "FAIRY" have re-
quired our maximum output ever since Its appear-
ance in 1918.
ENDLESS-GRAPH MANUFACTURING COMPANY
4200-02 West Adams Street
CHICAGO, ILL.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
TALKIN
PHONOGRAPH PUBLICITY
Fully seven-tenths of the music house ad-
vertising in local newspapers at this time is
of phonographs. It is a remarkable display of
the activities of the latest acquisition to the
list of the music dealers' money-making possi-
bilities. In fact, there has never been as much
newspaper space devoted, at any one time, to
pianos as is now being given over to the pro-
motion of talking machines.
The significance is evident. It implies that
the talking machine is just now at the very
zenith of its selling popularity. In time the
trade will have become settled and the appli-
cation of salesmanship to the disposal of the
article will become as necessary as it is with
other, and older, articles of the semi-luxury
class. And for this reason the present is the
time for advertising, especially advertising of
the talking machines which expect to remain
as permanent adjuncts to the well-equipped
music house.
Another noticeable feature of the phono-
graph trade is that the so-called "Talking
Machine Shops" are gradually broadening out
into regular music stores. This will continue
until only the phonograph industries that
maintain their own retail branches will have
special stores. The talking machine as an all-
sufficient specialty, demanding a separate
store for its sale, can not expect to maintain
itself. As the public becomes supplied—'that
part of the public that can not wait a week
after a new attraction wins the desire—the
talking machine will take its place among the
staple articles of musical instrument trade. It
is already there to a large extent.
The general music store, or the piano store,
is the logical place for the phonograph. The
salesmen there understand what it means to
sell musical instruments. Still more, they
know how to sell quality in musical instru-
ments. That means that the cheap phono-
graphs will not live very long, and such as do
persist will be sold by the department stores,
novelty shops and toy departments.
Advertising is a good investment for perma-
nent things. It is the only way to perma-
nency and, to make it effective, quality must
be the back-bone of whatever is advertised.
That is why the present, and very liberal,
advertising of talking machines is so signifi-
cant. Of course pianos will always have the
attention of the skilled advertiser. It is an
article as fixed and immovable as anything
manufactured. And the quality-phonograph
will follow along in the same trail. But the
hysteria is about out of it, and only the better
class of talking machines can sustain the ad-
vtrtising investment of either the manufac-
turers or the retailer.
The talking machine salesman who sits
down to wait for the customers to happen
along of their own volition will have a hook-
wormy time of it until his toes are turned up
at a graceful angle by the undertaker, accord-
ing to the wareroom cynic. He says that as
a rule customers don't turn up until somebody
turns them up. And for plain and fancy
turning up he directs us to watch the chap
who does the persistent and consistent pub-
licity turn.
* * *
There is one kind of economy that does not
pay and that is cheeseparing methods applied
to advertising. The healthy view of economy
does not include niggard cutting down of ad-
vertising appropriations when conditions arise
that may distract people from the considera-
tion of talking machines and records. In such
conditions economy often means a larger ad-
vertising outlay than usual. There is a vast
difference between economy wisely admin-
istered and that which really pinches.
*
-f
#
Salesmanship is the sale of goods for profit.
That's a definition but it is incomplete. Bet-
ter say salesmanship is the use of science and
argument to change the desire to have into the
desire to buy. Even that's not quite right. A
man may decide to buy at an unprofitable fig-
ure to the one who would sell. Better say
salesmanship is persuasion and let it go at
that. It defines a theory and you can do your
own explaining.
* * *
Happily the average talking machine store
is a one-price place. The salesmen there do
not need a music memory contest as a con-
stant exercise. When customer Smith comes
in to buy style G on Tuesday they know what
his neighbor Jones paid for the same style on
Monday. In this way quotation complica-
tions, once a cause of great unpleasantness in
the piano trade, are automatically avoided.
* * *
An Arkansas preacher has quit the pulpit
for a position in a talking machine store in
Murfreesboro. Joined another division of
the Army of the Uplift, so to speak.
:;: :;: :|:
The straight printed word in advertisements
is the most powerful business factor today.
A VICTOR CONFERENCE.
The Victor Talking Machine Company has had
an educational conference at Sorosis Hall. San
Francisco. The conference dwelt at length on the
educational features of the talking machine and, in
addition, emphasized a few of the cardinal points
of selling. During the course of the meetings, as a
mid-week evening session, Sherman-Clay & Com-
pany, jobbers in that territory, entertained the en-
tire delegation at a dance in the Colonial ballroom.
ON YOUR OWN TERMS.
Fischer Co., 44 Vine street, Cincinnati, "distribu-
tors to the trade," is advertising the Pathe "on your
own terms (within reason)." The qualification is
o. k.
STRATFORD STIRS 'EM UP
Phonographs from Ashland, Ohio, Will Quickly
Win Attention by Its Aggressive Promotion.
President F. K. Amreihn, of the Stratford Phono-
graph Company, Ashland, Ohio, was in Chicago
early this week arranging for the campaign through-
out the Northwest, which territory will be taken care
of by Special Representative Chas. F. Thompson,
who has offices in 1231 Kimball Hall Building, on
Wabash avenue.
The "Shakespeare of Phonographs' 'is making a
distinct impression upon all who see and hear it. The
cabinet designs displayed at the Sherman House, for
three weeks past, are remarkably handsome and the
reproducing effects could not be better. Mr. Thomp-
son will be glad to have dealers visiting Chicago call
at his office in Kimhall Hall Building.
IOWA DEALERS MEET.
The Iowa Victor Dealers' Association met in Des
Moines on Monday of this week. The date as orig-
inally arranged was Tuesday, August 3, but it was
changed to better accommodate the program. John
Gregg Paine of the legal department of the Victor
Co., addressed the convention.
DETERLING
Talking Machines
Challenge Comparison in
every point from cabinets to
tonal results.
Prices attractive for
goods. Write us.
fine
Deterling Mfg. Co., Inc.
TIPTON, IND.
THE WONDERFUL
"FAIRY" Phonograph Lamp
Truly a Work of Art. Scientifically Conmtraeted
Satet Unprecedented. Secure Agency Now.
JS.
The
greatest
practical
oov-
elty offered to
the Phonograph
trade—
The
"FAIRY"
Phonograph
Lamp
"looks" and
" s p e a k s " for
Itself. In ap-
pearance luxur-
ious, it achieves
its g r e a t e s t
triumph in its
tone.
A newly pat-
ented s o u n d
amplifying
chamber, radi-
cally differing
from the con-
ventional
de-
signs, gives a
true m e l l o w
tone of volume
equalling that
of most ex-
pensive Instru-
ments.
Electrically operated and equipped with a specially
designed Invisible switch, regulator and tone modifier.
Let us tell how sales of the "FAIRY" have re-
quired our maximum output ever since Its appear-
ance in 1918.
ENDLESS-GRAPH MANUFACTURING COMPANY
4200-02 West Adams Street
CHICAGO, ILL.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).