The Edison phonograph monthly (Mar-Dec 1907)

16 EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY. A COMPETITION SCHEME FOR DEALERS. The Dealer with a fair trade has many more opportunities within his grasp to get into close contact with his clients, if he will only use them, than is generally thought to be the case. There is nothing so likely to make the progressive Dealer popular than an interesting series of prize competitions. The cost need be very little while the advertising he receives from the publicity, and the necessarily increased custom he srains will more than recompense him for the trouble. The following scheme, if properly carried out, cannot fail to please the majority of Edison Phonograph users. Let the Dealer offer prizes for the best home-made records, to be judged impartially by a committee of non-competitors. Make it conditional that the blanks and recorders must be purchased at the store of the Dealer offering the awards, and insist that all records are made expressly for this competition by the competitors themselves. This cannot be too strongly insisted upon, as any doubts as to the genuineness of the scheme would only harm the Dealer. Competitors should understand that any failure to comply with advertised conditions render them ineligible. Dealers have very much better knowledge of their local conditions than we can have and can frame rules accordingly. In a small town there need, perhaps, be no limit to the number of records sent in; but in a larger centre it may be found advisable to limit the number of each entrant to three. In this case the Dealer should suggest that the competitors themselves hold an elimination test and send in the three best they have made. If the scheme is likely to attract a very large number, it may be split up into three divisions, the hearing and judging of each to occupy one evening. These classes would resolve themselves into vocal, instrumental and talking records. VOCAL RECORDS. This would be a very popular division because most people think they can sing, and nearly all fancy they could make records. If conditions allow, two prizes might be given, one for male and the other for female voices. INSTRUMENTAL RECORDS. In this class all kinds of instrumental records would be allowed, but it must be borne in mind by the judges that greater skill is required to make a good record of a band or quartette than of a soloist. This branch of the contest will bring out the competitors' best intelligence. TALKING RECORDS. In this class there should be a great deal of fun. Recitations of Vrosc and verse naturally suggest themselves for the suDjects, but the Dealer should broaden the field by offering a prize for the best humorous original monologue and for the best duologue, (like Ada Jones and Len Spencer for example). This will prove extremely diverting if the competitors enter into the spirit of the thing. ADVERTISING. This need not be a very expensive item. A window display, a few inches in the local paper, and some leaflet distributing should suffice. The regular clients of the Dealer should be circularized as in the ordinary course of business. THE JUDGING. The judging of records should of course be done in puDlic; this will be the Dealer's greatest advertisement; for it will not be difficult to gather a considerable number of interested people together. If the Dealer possesses a large Phonograph parlor the judging may take place here. But if he finds his store too small, a hall may be taken at a moderate rental for the occasion. Admission may be free with or without ticket, as local conditions indicate. A short concert of the latest Edison Gold Moulded Records should be given and then the judging should begin. THE JUDGES. These should be chosen from people having no direct interest in the results. Not less than three should be the number, of whom the Dealer may be one. Experts are not necessary, although they need not be debarred on that account. It would be inadvisable to select as judge a man who consistently sounded the praises of machines of other make than the Edison Phonograph. THE PRIZES. The conditions of the Dealer's agreement will not permit him to offer any Edison goods as prizes. But as the value of the awards is not likely to be the main inducement of the competitor, articles of relatively small value may be offered and will be heartily appreciated. The Dealer should remember that such a competition as we have describe^ would very materially augment his sale of blank records and recorders. But he must not forget, too, that although the making of homerecords would be materially increased it does not follow in any way that the sale of the Gold Moulded Records will fall off. On the contrary he will find increased sales, owing to the greater general interest taken. No amateur records can ever hope to compete successfully with those produced professionally. If we can aid the Dealer in elaborating this idea, we shall be only too glad to do so; we will also be pleased to learn what success a Dealer has had in following out these suggestions.