The Edison phonograph monthly (Jan-Dec 1910)

Edison Phonograph Monthly, Jan., 1910 The Other 13,000 What they are doing and what they want to know about. A Striking and Effective Ad A brilliant idea was adopted by the Sante Fe Watch Company, Edison Dealers, of Topeka, Kansas, to suggest Edison Phonographs as a suitable Christmas gift to holiday shoppers last month. The huge electric sign shown in the accompanying illustration was strung across Kansas avenue at the corner of Eight street. It was referred to in a local paper as one of the largest electric signs ever built across a main thoroughfare. The sign consisted of two lines of about thirty letters each, the length of the sign being about seventy-five feet and the height of each letter two feet. Between seven and eight hundred incandescent globes were used in the lighting. As the illustration shows, the effect of the illumination was striking. That it proved to be all that was expected of it may be adduced from the following extract of a letter received from A. S. Thomas, Prop., in which it will be noted he also recognizes the benefit derived from our advertising campaign: "This sign was up eight days and brought a great many inquiries, sold a number of machines, clinched some doubtful prospects and on the whole paid us big. Our Christmas business was larger than ever before. We sold fully 50 per cent, more Edison machines than we have ever sold, and I believe it mostly due to your advertising in our Daily Capital and our following it up with ads of our own. Our Record business by actual figures has increased 100 per cent." This testimonal to the value of intelligent advertising preaches an eloquent lesson that every Edison Dealer ought to take home to himself. The wisdom of following up our newspaper ads has been repeatedly urged in these columns. As for the illuminated sign, when we consider that it will be serviceable for years to come, it will be seen that it was not so very expensive after all. Yet, we wonder how many Edison Dealers would show the same enterprise as did the Sante Fe Watch Company. Out of the Golden West Additional evidence of the gratifying results that attend a display of aggressiveness and enthusiasm on the part of the Dealer is to be found in the following extract from a letter received by us under date of November 26, from K. H. Nishkian, Edison Dealer of Fresno, California: "I am pleased to say that I am now selling one to two machines every day, and expect to dispose of about fifty more between now and Christmas." That short paragraph is eloquent of what may be accomplished by any Edison Dealer who is alive to the opportunities that are within his grasp. It is safe to assume that Mr. Nishkian did not wait for the expected "fifty more" to seek him out, but on the contrary applied himself to the remunerating task of discovering them by the methods found most effective for that purpose. We expect to hear that his holiday expectations were fully realized. A Canadian Dealer's Testimony The following extract from a letter received from Fred E. Stevenson, Edison Dealer of Killarney, Man., Canada, proves that the superiority of Edison products is given material recognition by our northern neighbors. Incidentally it lends confirmation to the oft repeated contention that small towns can be made profitable fields for the sale of Phonographs: "Got two Firesides and a Gem Combination Outfit on Thursday, November 18th, and had both Firesides sold by the following Saturday night. This makes a Home, a Standard, two Firesides, and a Gem sold in less than three weeks in a town of 1,200, where there are two other jewelers handling and machines. Edison has them beat a mile and sells itself, — practically. Am ordering three more machines to-day."