Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

UL by R. I WEAVER President, Martin Bros. Denver, Colorado For Women, Set 5000 Members As a Goal, Got 50,000 Instead nouncements on KOA. This advance exploitation resulted in 1,500 letters and post cards, advance membership, that is, before the program was actually aired. (Keep in mind that it required effort for these women to write the station. They had to go to their grocers, obtain a card, fill it in, buy a stamp, and mail it!) Meanwhile, the 22 Bluhill salesmen prepared the way among dealers by leaving an ample supply of post cards with each, arranging for individual cooperation, seeing to it that the post cards were given prominent display. On these post cards depended the success of the program, for unless the patron mailed in a card, with all the required information, she could not become a member of the For Women Only club. In return for the post card and required information, we mailed out an official membership card. Each card carried a serial number. All awards made in the course of each program were to be made on the basis of this serial number. This method necessitated a duplicate card file, which was kept at our office. We filed the cards numerically, and awards were made each week on the program, by removing cards at random from this file. With each customer's membership card we sent out a friendly letter from "Bill Bluhill," requesting that she keep the card near her telephone, as it would be necessary she have her serial number at hand when the program was on the air. Mechanics of the program are simple. After the program is announced, there is a short commercial, explaining that some more members are going to receive those good Bluhill Products — the famous "Bluhill Triple-Treat" (a two-pound can of coffee, a package of cheese, and a jar of peanut butter). The emcee opens the household hint department. This is followed with a true or false quiz. The announcer offers a question. But instead of asking for an immediate answer, he says, "Let's see, we'll select the duplicate membership card from our file. It's . . . Mrs. Henry Blank of . . . address. I hope you're listening, for if you are it means a Bluhill Triple-Treat coming your way!" After consulting the card file, the announcer dials the customer's phone number. While the phone is ringing, he keeps up a running fire of witty comment, talking in asides to the listening audience. If the called person answers the telephone, the listeners hear the announcer's part of the conversation, "Mrs. Henry Blank? You have serial number . . .?" Then he repeats the true or false question, and whether the member answers right or wrong, she is awarded the certificate entitling her to the Triple-Treat at her grocer's. "Your grocer is John Doe of the Corner Market at 18th and Elm, is that right? Well, there's a couple of theatre tickets coming to him!" For variety, the awards are frequently varied by the addition of $5.00 cash, and sometimes with a $25.00 wrist watch. In the event the member states she had no phone, or doesn't live in Denver, those cards are filed in an out-of-town file, and the procedure is varied by asking the true or false question via the air, and the member — if listening — must answer within 24 hours by post card saying she heard it read over the air. This allows every woman radio listener to participate. The award-winner is mailed a certificate calling for the items at her grocer's. The grocer in turn is reimbursed by Bluhill's check for his full retail price on the items. At the start of the program its popularity was tested by means of a questionnaire mailed to the grocers, or handed them by the Bluhill representatives. We asked the I FSS* 4<) r>w