Business screen magazine (1938)

HOW TO USE MOTION PICTURES IN THE DEPARTMENT STORE through Field's curtain factory in Zion, Illinois ... in comfortable seats where sales resistance is greatly lessened. Similarly, women prospects are shown the care and accuracy of manufacturing Field's dresses — presented in some of the various dress sections of the store. As in the great majority of departmentstore-films — all Field's films are of the 16mm. safety type. Some of the subjects are presented with continuous projectors, which, of course, require no attention during the day. Sales Training at Field's For the initial training of sales-people, "Making Good", and "12 Principles of Selling" are in use. These films were made in the store — were handled by professional directors, with professional actors. Sales employees also appear in "background" bits. Both films — shown every week to new employees in training — were designed to demonstrate proper conduct of sales persons; courtesy in dealing with the public is brought out forcefully; the need of accuracy convincingly portrayed.* In order to train extra packing clerks and inspectors taken on during the Christmas rush, films on packing and inspection were made in the store, and were used with signal success during the past several seasons. "How to Sell and How Not To Sell", made in 1935, is a 300-foot comedy designed to humorously convey the advantages of "right" selling and the disadvantages of an unsalesmanlike behavior. Marshal Field officials, alert to the advantages of manufacturing and association films, utilize innumerable product films in the training of sales employees. Teaching their sales-people the fine points of merchandising, and of the various lines handled has had a tangible effect upon salesability. Among films recently shown, in the several departments involved, are technical, descriptive, and salesexpository subjects such as Rayon, Rugs, Coty's perfvmies, Pyrex glassware, Wedgewood, and CopelandSpode chinaware. The films are presented in special sectional meetings, either on projectors owned and operated by the store, itself, or through arrangements with the various manufacturers, who, in many cases, supply both sound-projectors and operators for store showings. Summing up his opinions on department store motion picture pro * When these lilms were shown al a recent meeting of the National Hetail Dry Goods Association, hundreds of letters were received by the store, requesting use of the pictures. grams, a high official of Marshall Field and Company stated: "Whether used in teaching salespeople or telling the public about the products we handle, motion pictures put the message across in a manner which we believe could not be as effectively handled in any other way. A good picture combines the merits of the printed word with those of a visual demonstration and a spoken lecture. All this interests the audiences, enabling them to absorb important information with redoubled thoroughness." Mandel Brothers Favor Films * Mandel Brothers, unlike Field's or Carson, Pirie Scott, have not as yet utilized store-made films. All their films are secured from outside sources. This organization has, however, had strikingly effective success with movies in both consumer-showings and sales-training ventures. Motion pictures are consistently used in the Woman's Club Bureau. Quarters provided within the store for various women's club meetings encourage an intimate and social atmosphere. Movies are frequently run in these headquarters, illustrating various items and accessories — furnished by manufacturers and associations. Direct sales have been traced to these motion picture presentations. Mandel's Travel Bureau, operated as a concession, also makes frequent and telling use of numerous travel film subjects which are sent by railroads, steamship, and airlines. The Sales-Training Department of Mandel Brothers extensively employs expertly-produced films of numerous manufacturers, such as the Lux and Ivory Soap films, and Coca Cola's recent "Along Main Street". Movies at The Fair Store * The Fair Store's Travel Bureau, with a setup similar to those cited above, offers travel subjects every Friday morning. This it has done "for the past three years, without having to repeat any picture, and with good results in the sale of trips." Announcement of the free travel showings, according to the Fair Store department heads, has obtained much valuable newspaper publicity for the store. In addition, it has aided in building up a regular Friday morning clientele — audiences averaging 600 persons. Increased business has been observed not only with respects to trips, but in innumerable miscellaneous purchases made throughout the store by the attenders. The Fair also uses a number of manufacturers' films for sales-training in various store departments. Goldblatts Active Users ■k A signally successful Cooking School promotion, in Goldblatt Store in Chicago, employs motion pictures to real advantage. With a splendid variety of food-pictures to pick from, programs of definite and varying "flavor" have been found possible. Presented every Tuesday and Friday afternoons before women audiences, the various menus illustrated are real sales-stimuli. Sales of foodstuffs, seasoning, grocery staples, and the various food-items featured have been favored a marked increase, following these movie-stage presentations, say Goldblatt officials. Juvenile entertainment films, shown in a special auditorium of the downtown store, have attracted many parents and children Saturday mornings. Gall in Branch Men * Goldblatt Brothers not only advocate movies for consumer-prospect cultivation, but find them equally successful for extended sales-promotional activities. Significant manufacturers' films are shown to department managers, who are called to the State Street Store for special screenings of them. The managers go back to their respective departments better qualified to sell merchandise, and to instruct and aid their sales-clerks.