The Edison phonograph monthly (Mar 1903-Feb 1904)

EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY. PHONOGRAPHS FOR LODGES. The Phonograph should be a feature of Lodge work throughout the country. One of the difficulties in successfully conducting secret societies and similar organizations is the finding of some means of interesting the members. How many faithful officers have been discouraged because of the poor attendance at meetings ! Their own talent in the way of providing amusement is soon exhausted, and they are almost at their wits' end to offer inducements for members to attend. We believe that in nine cases out of ten the attendance at meetings of this character would be greatly improved if the lodges would purchase Phonographs and then make a selection each month of the new Records as they appear. These remarks are offered as suggestions to induce Dealers to take the matter up with societies and see if they cannot be made to see the situation in the same light. With an initial expenditure of about $30 and an outlay of $5 a month a lodge would have a means of keeping its members constantly amused. The initial purchase would result in bringing out members to hear the Records, and the purchase of a dozen new ones each month would keep the interest alive. This sort of a campaign would also result in considerable advertising for the Dealer. Every Phonograph and every lot of Records sold for a purpose of this kind would be a constant advertisement for the Dealer. The way to follow up this matter is to make a list of all the lodges in your town or city and then send a series of letters to one or more of the officers, including in some instances postage for a reply. The number of societies in the average town or city is not so large but that letters could be typewritten at practically no expense to the sender, and the postage would be a small matter. It would be strange, indeed, if from one to a dozen Phonographs could not be sold by this method in every place where it was taken up, the number depending upon the size of the city. Another good way to introduce the matter is to offer to play a selected lot of Records on the Phonograph for lodges as an introduction to the purchase of a machine, allowing the lodge ample opportunity to notify its members of your intention to do so. In many cases an entertainment of this kind would be followed by the vote of the lodge to purchase an outfit. A Repeating Attachment for the Home Phonograph will be listed in the new edition of our Machine Catalogue, Form 500. It will be catalogue No. A 11051, Code Word Sirius, price $15.00. INCREASE IN ADVERTISING RATES. Beginning with the January issue, the advertising rates of the Edison Phonograph Monthly will be $20 per page, instead of $10 as at present. Copy for half or quarter pages will be accepted at a pro rata rate. This advance is not made because of a desire on our part to make money out of those who desire to advertise in the columns of the Phonograph Monthly. It is done simply with the expectation that it will cut down the number of pages of advertising over the number now appearing in its columns. When it was decided to accept advertising from Jobbers and Dealers for these columns, we did not think that we would be called upon at any time to publish more than two pages. This we could do and yet be able to have sufficient space for such reading matter and such other information as we desire to lay before the trade. With six or more pages, however, it has become necessary to add additional pages over the sixteen which we had fixed as the number we thought sufficient for this publication. The additional advertising will probably pay the cost of adding the extra pages. This is the only extra cost we have, unless it should be found necessary to send out other printed matter in the same inclosure with the Phonograph Monthly. Then the extra pages would add one cent for every copy sent out. This with an edition of 7,500 copies is more than we can afford in connection with this publication. We believe that this advanced advertising rate will result in cutting down the number of pages to three or less in each issue, and if it does not, then the additional revenue obtained from the greater number of pages will pay for whatever additional postage we may have to lay out. We have no desire to make the Phonograph Monthly a moneymaking publication. We simply want to keep its cost down to a certain point. We believe that even with the increased rate for advertising the Phonograph Monthly is one of the best mediums that the Phonograph trade could possibly use in exploiting its goods. AMUSES HIS CUSTOMERS WITH PHONOGRAPH MUSIC. Shakespeare, Ky., Oct. 14, 1903. Your Suspended List for October I, 1903, just received, and will do all to keep these dealers from handling your apparatus and hope all others will do the same. I keep one of your Standard Machines running in the store for the amusement of my customers. J. F. Bedford. [Mr. Bedford conducts a General Store.]