Presto

PRESTO-TIMES
August 13, 1927.
smile that is somewhat grim ; in the general mists of today are saying that wireless and
public it awakes little interest. The muscles motoring are doing the same. But they could
of its pulling power have relaxed. Week after take comfort from the experience related. The
The American Miuic Trade Weekly
week and month after month the bargains and piano and its music are not dead, and will not
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn sacrifices and slaughtered prices assail the die while the spirit of music is alive in the
human soul. Like the concert movement,
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
eyes of newspaper readers.
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT -
- Editors
But the continuous sale with excuse is not which in itself becomes one of the greatest
really hurtful to the occasional one with a factors in the development of music, wireless
Telephones. Local and Long Distance, Harrison 234
Private Phones to all Departments. Cable Address (Com.
legitimate
and plausible reason for its inaugu- and the gramophone will contribute to the ex-
merclal Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
ration.
The
ads provide most interesting pansion of the music-loving, music-making
Entered as second-c!aj?8 matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
news in the daily papers. The piano prospect public."
Subscription, $2 a year; 6 months, $1: Foreign, $4.
worth courting is a discriminative person who
Payable In advance. No extra charge in United States
possessions. Cuba and Mexico. Rates (or advertising on
readily
sees the difference between the plaus-
We would like to have every reader of
application.
ible reason for a piano sale and the reasonless Presto-Times refer this week to the Hobart
Items of news and other matter are solicited and if
of general interest to the music trade will be paid for reason. The wise piano house manager be-
M. Cable advertisement on the first inside
at space rates. Usually piano merchants or salesmen lieves in the intelligence of the piano-buying cover page. This advertisement is an an-
in the smaller cities are the best occasional corre-
public. He knows that the publicity methods nouncement of a special line of pianos, up-
spondents, and their assistance is invited.
of a house are creative of impressions. He rights and grands, which the Hobart M. Cable
Payment is not accepted for matter printed in the knows that the piano bargain sale played to
Company is offering to the trade.
editorial or news columns of Presto-Times.
Where half-tones are made the actual cost of pro- death is usually taken as an evidence of des-
The import of the story, the "moral of the
duction will be charged! if of commercial character, peration.
tale,"
we might say, is that there's a way of
or other than strictly news interest.
But
the
wise
piano
house
manager
knows
selling
pianos that sells them. It is this phase
When electrotypes are sent for publication it is
requested that their subjects and senders be carefully the value of a real opportunity to hold a sale.
of that advertisement that will interest every
indicated.
His wisdom, too, shows him the necessity of piano dealer; every seller of pianos and to
Forms close at noon every Thursday. News mat- first of all impressing the public with the
such, as well as prospective customers for
ter should be in not later than eleven o'clock on the plausibility of the reason for holding the sale.
The
Hobart M. Cable Company's instruments,
same day. Advertising copy should be in hand Before
Tuesday, five p. m., to insure preferred position. Full Usually the facts of store remodeling and re- we are calling attention and asking perusal
page display copy should be in hand by Monday noon moving to a new location are evident to the of the text of the page announcement re-
preceding publication day. Want advs. for current
ferred to. Evidently The Hobart M. Cable
week, to insure classification, must not be later than people of his city. A fire that damages pianos
Wednesday noon.
in a store is always well advertised in the Company has something worthwhile to offer
Address all communications for the editorial or business newspaper. In fact, his reason for holding th-e
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
and Presto-Times is just a little insistent that
Dearborn Street. Chicago, III.
sale is a talking point in every deal.
active, reputable dealers get in touch with the
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1927.
manufacturers of The Hobart M. Cable Blue
Ribbon line of pianos. Inquiry and investiga-
MR. GEORGE M. SLAWSON
The last form of Presto-Times goes to press
It would be interesting to compute the great tion may mean much to many who are now
at 11 a. m. Thursday. Any news transpiring number of people in the piano trade who pondering over a problem of What to Sell and
after that hour cannot be expected in the cur- mourn the death of Mr. George M. Slawson, How.
rent issue. Nothing received at the office that
* * *
is not strictly news of importance can have dean of the traveling force of The Cable Com-
At the big Joint Radio banquet to be given
attention after 9 a. m. on Thursday. If they pany, Chicago, who passed away last week
concern the interests of manufacturers or after a prolonged illness. Many who had no at the Hotel Astor, New York, Wednesday
dealers such items will appear the week follow- intimation of a fatal illness were shocked at night, September 21, "our own" Paul Klugh
ing. Copy for advertising designed for the the news. They had known him through a will preside as general chairman of the ban-
current issue must reach the office not later lifetime of activity as a man who radiated vi- quet. Uniting of the various radio interests
than Wednesday noon of each week.
tality and performed big things continuously. similar to the Music Industries Chamber pre-
Mr. Slawson was a link between an older vails in that industry just now as is mani-
SALES THAT SELL
day and the new one in the piano industry. fested in the twenty-two radio trade organi-
The "clearance sale" for cause has the best He was one of those quietly forceful contacts zations that are to come together on this
chances for success in sales. That is to say, between the piano makers and the piano re- occasion as sponsors for the gathering, which
the given reason for the sale should be an ob- tailers that caused the business of each to run is known as the fourth radio industries ban-
vious thing. Every week in every city the an- the smoother. How The Cable Company es- quet. The twenty-two affiliated organizations
nouncements of sales occupy the newspapers. teemed him is a matter of record; how the and trade groups constitute the largest "get-
But in many cases the excuse for their appear- dealers he knew so intimately loved and hon- together" meeting in the history of the radio
ance there is very slim.
ored him is expressed in thousands of mes- trade to this time and the eastern papers
The announcement of a "remodeling sale" sages to his family and to the house he loy- speak of the occasion as a glowing tribute to
the efficient work being done by the commit-
when the ealciminers are about to tint the ally served so long.
wareroom walls in the general spring clean-
The passing of the veteran piano traveler tee, headed by Mr. Klugh.
fest is one of the season's jokes that evokes no seems like the closing of an era in the trade
* * *
laugh. The "bargains" may be honest enough. in which the pleasant personality of men were
An optimistic survey of prospective busi-
The public, which sees no evidence of any re- forces for accomplishment. Mr. Slawson did ness conditions was made public yesterday by
modeling, is not so easily convinced of the big things in piano selling and did them with the Chicago Association of Credit Men. "Busi-
reality of the bargains.
a smile that was regarded by his customers ness is looking up," the report said. The re-
To be effective, the sale must have a plaus- as a seal of valued friendship.
port is a compilation and summarization of
ible reason for taking place. Real remodeling
the replies to a questionnaire sent to repre-
of the store, moving to new quarters, a fire
sentative concerns in twenty-two lines. Al-
THE USEFUL REMINISCENCE
and an annual cleanup belong to that category.
though
the survey finds that in general pros-
Reminiscences are more interesting if they
Evident facts as reasons are given to the pub- usefully point a comparison that heartens us pects are good, some lines of business reported
lic. In them there are a sufficiency of "talking today. The pessimist doing his raven croak unfavorable as well as favorable conditions.
points" to interest the public in the oppor- about dull times in music goods sales may be
tunity. The quoted bargain prices are power- effectually squelched by recalling parallel con-
A radio course in piano lessons, potent in
ful to do the rest, with the prospect convinced ditions and courses at a previous time. That
results, was concluded this week by WGN, the
that the reason for holding the sale is a real is what Mr. Paul M. Booth, president of the
Chicago Tribune station. The extent of the
one.
British Federation of the Music Trade, did at effects of the lessons by Edward Barry can
The practice of holding bargain sales with- the recent convention :
only be surmised, but from the tremendous
out apparent excuse is like the drug habit. The
"Forty years ago many piano factories of public response, piano men are assured of good
longer you are a victim, the greater the dose that day had to close their doors and remain present and future results in piano sales. In
you require and the shorter the intervening closed for months. It was the beginning of addition to the elementary course, Mr. Barry
intervals. In many cities are found stores in the concert era. Opinion at that time had it will broadcast a course for advanced pupils
which the "bargain sale" is a blatant serial. that the concert platform had killed the piano which, in itself, is a feature promising more
To the conservative trade the thins: evokes a trade and the sheet music trade. The pessi- prospective piano buyers.
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