The Edison phonograph monthly (Jan-Dec 1916)

EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY, JANUARY, 1916 Getting and Holding Prospects WE want to make this one of the most helpful features of the Monthly. It is a broad subject, yet it is specific. Every dealer is vitally interested, for it is the heart of the business. One suggestion prompts another; one experience related calls out another. So we cordially invite every Cylinder dealer to contribute his views and his experiences. It will be a sort of Get-together Round Table. SELL EDISONS TO THE FOREIGN ELEMENT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD THERE is scarcely one of the larger cities and towns in the United States that does not contain quite a foreign population. Take the little town of Meadville, Pa., for example. There the Edison dealer, Lewis G. Du Vail, has found quite a trade in Edison Phonographs with the better class of Italians. At first one would say he must have Italian records to reach and hold this class of people. Mr. Du Vail has contrary experience, and says they don't care much for Italian records, but buy mostly the American records; they seem to like these the best. He recently gave a recital for his Italian constituency and had a fine turn-out of the best class of Italians. The invitation was in Italian. It is a perfectly feasible plan. Perhaps the best way to go about it is to work through the minister of the Italian — or other foreign — church in the neighborhood. In this way the minister can furnish a number of addresses of persons likely to be interested and can probably be induced to attend the recital in person and make a brief address, besides act as interpreter. The same plan could be worked in regard to the German settlements in our cities and towns, or the French in certain cities like New Orleans, Montreal, Quebec, etc., while the Scandinavian people in the Northwest are another class equally approachable. AN EXCELLENT IDEA THE Phonograph Co. of Chicago makes good use of small cards about the size of a No. 6 envelope containing these words: PLEASE ANSWER (One answer sufficient) Did you become interested in the New Edison through our advertising? What paper ? Through a friend who owns an Edison! By hearing it demonstrated at a Church? Club? Lodge? Or special gathering? Or did you just happen to drop in the Shop one day? How, if in none of the above ways? THAT FORD CHECK FOR £50 AND THE EDISON DEALERS WHO WENT AFTER IT. EVERY one knows that Henry Ford, of automobile fame, agreed to refund $50 on the price of every automobile of his make if a certain number were sold up to August, 1915. Harger & Blish, of Des Moines, knew it, too, and planned to get after every Ford automobilist in Iowa. They supplied their dealers with copies of the following letter giving each dealer the names of all Ford owners for miles around: "Who ever heard of Santa Claus making a call in August! Many a time when you were little, you've wished to have Christmas come twice a year and now for the first time in your life your wish has actually come true — Uncle Henry Ford, of Ford Automobile fame, in the role of Santa Claus is going to give you a mid-summer pleasure of finding a FiftyDollar Check in your stocking, some morning between now and August 15th. Why not give yourself some added pleasure — with that money. There are rainy days, chilly evenings, and soon will be long evenings when the time drags— rwhat would be more enjoyable then, than to have in your home one of Mr. Edison's Wonderful Musical Instruments. That Fifty-Dollar 'Ford' Check would be a splendid starter." Among others, one dealer received the following reply: "Yours at hand with suggestion as to a proper disposition of $50 Ford rebate. Kindly accept our thanks for same. We have, however, the following uses for this $50 which may be prior claims upon this fund: 1. Finish paying for car. 2. Pay back grocery bills. 3. Pay bank overdraft. 4. Lay in winter's coal. 5. Pay doctor's bill. 6. Pay interest on our notes. 7. Buy new carpet for dining-room. 8. Buy winter wrap for wife. 9. Buy overcoat (self). 10. Have piano tuned and kitchen papered. And 990 others. We have put your suggestion on our list but its number in point of priority is 1001."