August 22, 1925.
11
PRESTO
KURTZMANN
Grands—Players
MUSIC DEALERS'
LOCAL PUBLICITY
Manufactured by
Close Range Advertising to Influence the Com-
munity a Matter of Great Importance Too
Often Regrettably Neglected and Its
Potency Ignored.
C. KURTZMANN & CO.
THE LOCAL PUBLISHER
Factories and General Offices
526-536 Niagara Street
BUFFALO, N. Y.
STRICH & ZEIDLER, b e
GRAND, UPRIGHT and PLAYER
AND
HOMER PIANOS
740-742 East 136th Street
NEW YORK
BRINKERHOFF
Grands
- Reproducing Grands
Player-Pianos
and Pianos
The Line That Sells Easily
and Satisfies Always
BRINKERHOFF PIANO CO.
OFFICES, REPUBLIC BLDG,
209 State Street
CHICAGO
the Heppe, Marcellus and Edouard Jules Plaoo
manufactured by the
HEPPE PJANO COMPANY
are the only pianos In the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
/Patented In the United States, Great Brltai&s
France, Germany and Canada.
LiberaJ arrangements to responsible agents only.
Main Office. 1117 Chestnut Sfc,
PHILADELPHIA,, FA.
Obviously a Functionary of Considerable Importance
But Whose Responsibility in Retail Matters in
His Town Is Often Disregarded.
The splendid exhibit of advertising in the music
trade which was such an instructive feature of the
recent annual convention of the national music trade
association at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, invited at-
tention to conditions in the retail music trade. It
disclosed the use of high grade music publicity and
recalled the fact that, in the face of opportunities, a
great number of music dealers are notoriously poor
advertisers.
But perhaps the poor advertisers in the music trade
present no bigger percentage of the whole than the
retailers in any other trade. Just now the national
associations of all the trades as well as the music
trade, are paying particular attention to the retailer's
advertising activities. Vigilant bureaus in the trade
associations and the local, state and national organ-
izations of advertising men, direct the dealers in the
straight and narrow path of advertising rectitude;
alert manufacturers and wholesalers provide the
means for manufacturer-dealer co-operation and the
trade press carries matter filled with instruction and
suggestion for the wide-awake dealer.
Presto's Part.
To print articles stimulating the music dealer's in-
terest in every phase of his business has always been
the policy of Presto. And the most highly valued
commendations of the paper by old and constant
readers are the letters acknowledging the worth and
practical value of the articles on advertising, sales-
manship, credits, store efficiency, window dressing
and other topics. Notably effective have been the
advices of Presto to the music dealer to use the local
newspaper constantly to the fullest extent. Keen
editors of country newspapers have recognized their
own opportunity in the necessity of the retailer to
advertise, as pointed out by Presto. Many live coun-
try newspapers are now subscribing to advertising
art service for the use of retailers.
Of course the advertising of many of the larger
music houses is a credit to the trade and it must
have a beneficial influence on the ambitions of the
smaller houses. But all the same the music dealers in
many places are the limit in advertising inactivity.
In too many cases the advertising efforts to sell the
pianos and other music goods is perfunctory and
without a direct purpose. The jokes about the
advertisements in country newspapers that are
changes only when the type wears out, have a basis
in fact in the music trade.
The Excuse.
Perhaps another fact may form something of an
excuse for the music dealer. That is the notorious
one that the one man in the rural community who
should know most about advertising—the country
publisher—often knows less about it than anyone else
in town.
In the campaign for better business methods in the
music trade of the smaller places, the man who is in
the best position for service is the country publisher.
It is service that will pay him and the music dealer
he may serve. The right kind of newspaper pub-
lisher can truly make over the retailing in his town
by a proper study and practice of co-operation.
Co-operation Days.
There never was a time when manufacturers of all
kinds did more advertising for the benefit of their
retail distribution. National advertising has stirred
the waters of merchandising until it has created a
current that flows in the direction the retailer must
take to succeed. Not only must the dealer link his
ADAM SCHAAF, Inc.
^P?™™
0
GRANDS AND UPRIGHTS
Established Reputation
FACTORY
1020 So. Central Park Ave.,
p
P ^o?
and Quality Since 1873
OFFICES AND SALESROOMS
319-321 So. Wabash Ave.,
Corner Fillmore Street
CHICAGO, ILL.
own business with the national advertiser and make
his advertising co-operate with that of the progres-
sive manufacturer, but he must strengthen his efforts
by giving his own store a local distinction by con-
tinuous publicity in his local newspapers.
What Is Advertising?
Fundamentally there is no difference between the
advertising of the great city retailer and the small
dealer in the country town. Advertising is simply
sending out word to your public about your standard
lines and your special offerings. It is the true
motive power of any store anywhere and has no com-
petitor.
But the trouble is that too often the advertising of
the music dealer has no life to it. It lacks news
value. This fault in the advertising of many is in
regrettable contrast to the bright efforts of the few.
These active-minded dealers know that advertising
news necessarily is not about bargains. The dealer
who knows his line of pianos and appreciates it can
tell real news about it even without mentioning
prices. Advertising is efficient salesmanship in print.
It must have the selling quality.
CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP OF
ESTABLISHED MUSIC STORE
Manager A. L. Huber Buys Branch of Meskill Music
Co., and Rechristens with His Own Name.
A. L. Huber, who for the past nineteen years has
been a music dealer in Muncie, Ind., has bought the
store at 109 West Jackson street from the Meskill
Music Company of Indianapolis, for whom he has
managed the store for the past two years. The store
will be known as the Huber Music Company. It will
continue in the present location.
"The business of the store in the past two years
has been remarkable. There has been a larger vol-
ume of business this year so far than there was dur-
ing the whole year of 1924," Mr. Huber said.
Mr. Huber will sell Edison phonographs and rec-
ords, one hundred and sixty Edison phonographs
having been placed in Muncie homes through the
local agency. Kimball pianos will continue to be
sold by the company.
Mr. Huber recently was offered the position of in-
structor to all Edison dealers all over the country,
but declined. The Huber Music Company will con-
tinue independent of the Meskill Company with Mr.
Huber as sole owner.
The cheap music box should not be allowed to
keep a family out of a good piano; one that must be
played by hand in the good, old-fashioned, Pader-
ewski way, if you please. Why establish a society
which mistakes comfort for civilization?
Builders 01 Incomparable
[[PIANOS, PLAYERS^REPRODUCING PIANOS
THE BALDWIN
CO-OPERATIVE
PLAN
will increase your sales and
solve your financing problems.
Write to the nearest office
for prices.
CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS
LOUISVILLE
RADLE TONE
INCORPORATED
CHICAGO
DALLAS
ST. LOCIS
DENVER
NEW YORK
SAN FRANCISCO
The Musician's Delight
Whenever you hear the name RADLE you immediately
think of a wonderful tone quality, durabili y and design.
Musicians insist on RADLE
New Adam Schaaf BuIIdintf,
F. RADLE, Inc. EiL 1850.
609-11 W. 36th St., New York City
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/