Presto

PRESTO
ATTRACTIVE NAME
FOR STRAUBE STYLE
New Titles Adopted by Straube Piano Com-
pany, Hammond, Ind., in Conforming With
Progressive Advertising and Merchandis-
ing Policies Announced This Week.
E. R. JACOBSON'S MESSAGE
President of Big Indiana Industry in Interview Points
Out That Urgent Problem of Manufacturer Is
to Help Dealer to Effect Turnover.
November 10, 1923
it as an additional service to the Straube dealer. We
have tested it out to the point where we know that
these sales innovations will assist greatly in overcom-
ing sales resistance; and everything that we can do
to help our dealers is good business for us."
Approximately one hundred new dealers have been
added to the enviable Straube Piano Company since
last spring; and other dealers are being added every
day. As evidence that the Straube principles of
merchandising are appreciated, it might be stated
that the company received seventy-five inquiries from
dealers during a recent week.
W. P. HAINES & COMPANY
ANOTHER MUSIC TRADE
ADVERTISING CONTEST
Three Generations of Piano Makers
All Styles—Ready Sellers
Attractive Prices
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce Approves
Plan to Repeat Event Next Year.
At a meeting of the board of directors of the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce this week the re-
port of the Special Committee on the 1923 Retail Ad-
vertising Contest, consisting of Thomas H. Fletcher,
chairman, C. E. Byrne, H. E. Lawrence, Philip
Wyman, A. F. Price, B. H. Jefferson, A. L. Walsh,
and Thomas Greene, was submitted. The report rec-
ommended the reproduction of the winning advertis-
ing in portfolio form for distribution to members, and
also recommended a repetition of the contest in 1924
as a means of raising advertising standards for the
trade.
The board of directors gave their formal approval
to the holding of a second contest next year, and
authorized the offering of prizes similar to those
given to the winners of this year's contest. Rules
governing the retail advertising contest and a list of
the prizes to be offered will be issued shortly by the
Chamber's Trade Service Bureau,
In line with its progressive advertising and mer-
chandising policies, the Straube Piano Company,
Hammond, Ind., announces on another page in this
issue of Presto that henceforth all Straube instru-
ments will be sold on a national retail price basis.
The Straube player models have been given fitting
names, and these names, together with the national
price, will be featured in all future Straube advertis-
ing.
In an intensely interesting two-page letter which
went to Straube dealers last week, the reason for
these merchandising innovations are clearly set forth.
It is pointed out in the letter that giving the players
names, instead of designating the various styles by
letter or number, will serve to individualize the in-
struments and give them character.
Value of Good Name.
"A good name," the letter continues, "can be very
instrumental in making a sale. Designating a par-
ticular style by a letter doesn't mean much to your
prospective customer; but a name that your customer
can recall in years to come, can mean a great deal in
closing a sale. Your customers will be proud to re-
late to their friends that they "bought the 'Colonial
Model,' the 'Arcadian Model,' the 'Imperial Model,'
or the 'Puritan Model,' as the case may be. More- R. A. Burke, of Story & Clark Piano Co., Reports
Most Promising Trade Conditions
over, the best prospects in your community, those
with the greatest potential buying power, will have
General traveler R. A. Burke, of the Story & Clark
these names before them all the while, on the pages Piano
Chicago, has returned from a very ex-
of the country's foremost advertising mediums and tensive Co.,
trip
in
the middle west and south. In a talk
in the direct mail literature sent out by the Straube with a Presto representative,
Mr. Burke spoke as fol-
Piano Company."
lows :
A great deal of the letter is devoted to the subject
"Having just returned from a ten day trip through
of national pricing for retail selling and continues:
Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Indiana,
Nationally Advertised Prices.
and I must say that I feel very much encouraged over
"There is nothing that fosters confidence in a prod- the continued improvement throughout these sections,
uct like a nationally-advertised price," the letter as well as the prospects everywhere for a big fall
reads. "The public is satisfied that an advertised business.
price is a fair one; otherwise the manufacturer and
"Our shipments for August, September and Octo-
his merchants would be afraid to advertise it."
ber far exceeded the corresponding months in last
In commenting on these changes in selling policy, year
and, from what orders we have already booked,
E. R. Jacobson, president of the Straube Company we feel
that November and December will
and first vice-president of the National Piano Manu- show up confident
equally as well.
facturers' Association, pointed out to a representa-
were the praises I heard from our dealers
tive of Presto that service to the dealer is the order on "Many
our new player—the Story & Clark Repro-Phraso,
of the day.
which is attracting so much favorable comment
Mr. Jacobson Talks.
among the trade. One dealer said that every one
"Competition in retail selling is becoming keener they had sold had made a lasting friend, and another
all the while," Mr. Jacobson said. "In the first place, told me that they sold one to a man that had been
the volume of retail business done must necessarily considering players for nearly a year but would not
be greater now than formerly. It used to be that buy on account of all 'sounding so mechanical.' He
a man could 'get by' without great volume; rent, selected the Repro-Phraso, however, and later called
selling costs, overhead in general, were much less. in to tell them that he was so well pleased with it
But of late years a new element has entered into re- that he would not take $1,000.00 for the instrument,
tail selling in the piano industry. The man going for which he had paid only $650.00."
into the retail music business is amazed at the fixed
volume of business he is compelled to do in order to
ADDS STULTZ AND BAUER LINE.
break even. While the size of that volume varies,
Fairall's Music House, Fourth and Main streets,
of course, with--circumstances and "conditions, it is
large enough in every case to call for new merchan- Newark, O., has added the line of pianos and players
of Stultz & Bauer, New York. The space for the
dising principles. • . '
- -
,
new lines has been provided by alterations in the floor
Effect on Manufacturer.
"Now what effect has all this had on the manufac- space arrangement. The company now has twice the
turer who disposes of his output at wholesale?" Well, amount of wareroom space it had in the old location
the retailer has come to look for more than "just an at 4 North Fourth street.
instrument" when he is ready to replenish his piano
stock. He knows the problems that are confronting
MASON & HAMLIN IN PORTLAND.
him; he knows that he must have lines that will move
A
Mason & Hamlin piano was furnished through
and stay moved—and he is going to buy from the
manufacturer who will do the most for him in dis- the courtesy of the Wiley B. Allen Co. of Portland,
Ore., for the concert of Miss Dorothea Nash, pianist,
posing of the goods at retail.
"And that is the problem of the manufacturer, as who appeared in recital at the Women's club build-
we see it—helping the dealer to get turnover. Of ing October 26. The Mason & Hamlin is a great
' course, there are various ways to do this. First and favorite with Miss Nash, who is one of Portland's
foremost is the product; a good product, one that has most talented pianists.
individual characteristics. with the ability to please
the most discriminating, is absolutely essential. And
THE FARMER'S CONFIDENCE,
after that comes the manufacturer's service to the
Lou E. Holland, of Kansas City, president of the
dealer, which is individual and depends entirely on
Associated Advertising Clubs of the World, address-
the particular manufacturer.
ing the tenth district convention this week in Cor-
Another Service For Dealer.
sicana, Tex., said truthful advertising is one of the
"If I were to tell you in a sentence why we have best methods of maintaining the confidence of the
decided to name our instruments and give them a farmer, who represents the fundamental industry
national retail price, I would say that we have done of the country.
FOUND TRADE FINE IN
ALL SECTIONS VISITED
THE
PIANOS
THE PIANOS OF QUALITY
GRANDS
REPRODUCING GRANDS
UPRIGHTS and PLAYERS
AVAILABLE TERRITORY OPEN
W. P. HAINES & CO., Inc.
138th St. and Walton Ave.
New York City
WESER
Pianos and Players
Sell readily—Stay sold
Great profit possibilities
Style E (shown below) our latest 4 / 6' /
Order a sample to-day.
Liberal advertising and
cooperative arrangements
Write for catalogue
and price list
Weser Bros., Inc.
Manufacturers
520 to 528 West 43rd St.
New York
The Lyon & Healy
Reproducing Piano
A moderate priced reproducing piano,
beautiful in design and rich in tone.
Write for our new explanatory Chart,
the most complete and simple treat-
ment of the reproducing action.
Wabash at Jackson - - - Chicago
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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/