The Edison phonograph monthly (Jan-Dec 1913)

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EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY, NOVEMBER, 1913 in short, to so perfect the work under Mr. Edison's invaluable personal, supervision, that the Edison Phonographs and Records will always maintain their supremacy. So much we have said by way of introduction, particularly for the benefit of the Edison dealer who cannot visit our factory. Now let us get together on the selling proposition. How best can we help you, Mr. Dealer? Have you any suggestions? Have you any kick coming? If so, let us hear from you at once. What we now have to say is in the nature of suggestion, not advice, for we fully realize you dealers know your territory better than we do. Some of these suggestions may seem a trifle trite to the veteran phonograph dealer. But they are, we believe fundamental to real solid success, and because they are so important and apt to be overlooked, we are willing to risk being trite at times if we can be explicit and helpful. As a first suggestion, we want to urge upon every Edison dealer the importance of having the goods on hand. Business cannot be done by proxy in the phonograph line. One of the largest phonograph dealers in Liverpool, now in this country on a visit, stated the other day that he owed his success primarily to the one principle of keeping in stock every record of all the manufacturers he represented. We believe every dealer should carry at least one of every Edison machine and a full line of Blue Amberol Records, and then there would be no uncertainty about demonstrating. The hustling dealer who'd do well Must study much the goods he'd sell; Must keep his Edison in sight. Then talk and play the Records right. As a second suggestion, learn the difference in the Edison models, then you will be able to talk intelligently as to prices. Obviously a 3250 Edison cannot be the same machine as a $30 one. There's a difference in every model that fully accounts for the difference in price. Learn to know thoroughly your Edison stock in detail as we here at the factory know it. Many sales are lost because the salesman could not readily explain the difference in the price of Edison machines. A salesman who hesitates to meet this question of difference in price has lost a valuable point in any sale and created in the mind of his prospect a doubt about his sincerity and judgment. As a third suggestion, drill your clerks in the art of demonstration. It is an art, and it has a wonderful influence on a prospective sale. To keep your prospect entertained while you are changing records, to bring out the importance of a particular record, to know what is popular in the theatres at the time, to be able to converse with some degree of musical intelligence, are all nice points that need explaining and demonstrating to your clerks. Too often a record is placed on the machine and the clerk stands with his hands on his hips looking at the prospect, evidently waiting to see "how it strikes her." There's a better way and you dealers know it and know how to demonstrate in a graceful, interesting manner. One successful dealer says: "Selling is really a combination of art and science. A knowledge of the art of music is necessary for the proper selection and playing of records. The science of salesmanship is necessary to bring about their final disposition. A salesman certainly must possess some knowledge of the leading operas. In fact in my selling last season I purchased several grand opera season tickets and sent my salesmen two at a time to hear the grand opera in the neighborhood of my store. The increased sales of the better class of opera records, growing out of an increased knowledge of the salesmen how to select and play these operatic records, in the first season alone, paid the cost of the season tickets." As a fourth suggestion, a full acquaintance with the Blue Amberol list is indispensable. You can't sell goods unless you know them; records are no exception. This acquaintance implies a method of getting at similar records quickly and to this end we cannot too highly commend the Edison Record Folders. Use them for quick reference. Practice on the use of these folders with your fellow salesmen as prospects so as to get perfectly familiar with Edison records similar to the one first selected. These folders will be found inside each Blue Amberol Records.