The Edison phonograph monthly (Jan-Dec 1909)

Edison Phonograph Monthly, April, 1909 1 1 E. T. Hagerty, Stephen, Minn. — I am enclosing you a copy of the "ad" I am running and thought it might be a good suggestion for you to make to the trade in the Monthly. It is the women and children in the country homes that Dealers need to reach, and I think this plan will do it quite successfully. Once they have had one for a time they will tease the old man till he will feel obliged to get one in self-defense. I have a customer now who is getting one simply because they happened to have a man with one for a time, and now the women and children simply cannot, think of getting along without one. This is a very inexpensive way of creating interest in them and I feel will be a very successful way. [The advertisement sent by Mr. Hagerty read in part as follows: "Would you like to hear an Edison Phonograph in your own home? Then read this. "I have decided to keep one machine and two dozen or more records just to loan out to anyone living in the country who will be responsible for the safe return of it inside of a week after receiving it. Application for it can be given in person or by mail and will be recorded in the order received by me and I will give you the date when you can get the machine. There will be no charge or no obligation to buy. Just take the machine to your home and play it for a week and return it to me and that settles the bill. I want all the country people to hear the Edison and at my expense. If after hearing my machine you decide you must have one I will sell you a new one and new records and on easy terms if desired. Why wait till you get rich when you can buy one on small payments for the amount of which you would not think of being without it even as rent? Call at once and register, or if you cannot call, write and I will lrt you know when your turn comes to have the free use of this outfit."] Leopold J. Schreiber, Plymouth, Mass. — For the benefit of Daniel H. McRae, Gleneor, Ont, and other Dealers, I wish to say I do quite a business in letting Phonographs and Records. I charge $1.50 a night for a Standard Phonograph and four dozen Records in a case. And I charge $3.00 a week for same outfit to Summer people at the cottages and allow them to change the Records three times a week. I have given free entertainments to many lodges and public times and bazars, which brought me good trade. Most anyone is willing to pay $1.50 to have a Phonograph and four dozen Records overnight to entertain their company. For the benefit of J. H. Snyder, Lavelle, Pa., and other Dealers, I wish to say I sell more Phonographs and Records on my team route than I sell in my store. I have over 200 customers for Records. Every month when the new Records come out I drive out and leave the entire list with each customer overnight and call next morning. I replace the ones sold and leave these in next house and it keeps me agoing. By the time I get all around I can start right over for next month. Soon as I have a prospect for a Phonograph I leave the outfit at their home a few days, with two dozen late Records and wish to say I sell three to four Phonographs a week. M. J. Roth, Edison Dealer at 1495 Third avenue, New York City, decided recently to follow out the suggestion contained in the Edison Phonograph Monthly and give Phonograph Recitals at regular intervals. The invitations he issued to patrons were attractively printed and worded as follows: "You are most cordially invited to be present at our first Edison Phonograph Recital on Saturday evening, Feb. 20th, at 8 o'clock. If you are a lover of good music, whether you own a Phonograph or not, don't fail to attend and bring your friends. These concerts will be given at regular intervals on the fifth floor of our building, especially fitted up for the occasion. A choice program of two and four minute Records will be rendered." The Records selected for the recitals were taken from both the Amberol and Standard lists and the numbers were marked with one or two stars to indicate two minute and four minute selections respectively. At the bottom of the program was left a blank for the name and address of any prospective purchaser and the following explanatory note: "Patrons desiring to purchase any of the Records on this program may put an X in front of the number, fill out the name and address blanks, hand the slip to clerk and the Records will promptly be delivered to their residences." Mr. Roth states that this scheme worked very successfully and recommends it to the attention of other dealers. Chas. F. Sonneborn, La Porte, Ind. — We are beginners in the talking machine business, but are learning fast. We put in a line of Edison Phonographs about the middle of December and have had a fine business. Our present stock consists of 500 Records and we ordered 300 more recently. By next fall we will carry a complete stock of Records. We like your Phonograph Monthly very much and read each issue from cover to cover. {Department continued on page 14.)