NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1941)

Flint on exactly the same day, July S, 1937. Their advertising rep¬ resentatives both frantically appealed to WFDF for help. A com¬ munity of 150,000, they felt, was not big enough to support two big circuses simultaneously. They wanted to know what should be done about it. “We suggested that we declare a ‘Circus Day in Flint’, and pointed out that if each circus would increase its advertising ap¬ propriation and place the biggest share of their budgets on our station, everything would turn out all right. This they agreed to do. Hagenbeck-Wallace placed an order with us at regular rates to be spent on four days up to and including circus day. Cole Brothers placed an order on the same basis. Both companies pur¬ chased spots announcing ‘Circus Day’, each plugging its own name and circus grounds. We did not use any program whatsoever and the circuses cut their newspaper space to a minimum, putting the big responsibility on radio. “To say that both circuses were elated over the results would be putting it mildly, as all their tents were far too small to handle the crowds, and it turned out that two circuses on the same day in Flint are not enough — we think we might have handled several more. Attached is a copy of a letter from R. E. Hickey, General Press Representative of Hagenbeck-Wallace.” The letter from Mr. Hickey states: “It is indeed a pleasure for me to write you and tell you of our great success in Flint on July S, 1937, when Hagenbeck-Wallace had opposition-day and date — with another large railroad circus. Our records for that day show two thousand more paid admissions than capacity, which is indeed a remarkable figure to attain, when you consider it was the third day of a week-end holiday, the heat and other circumstances. “During my stay in Flint and also on circus day your station cooperated 100 per cent, and the advance press department and also the executives of Hagenbeck-Wallace wish to thank WFDF for its loyalty and the promotion of this circus. “For the remarkable turnout of the Flint and Genesee county people and the huge Hagenbeck-Wallace business we lay a good share of the cause at the studio door of WFDF. I am highly rec¬ ommending your station and its facilities to our other two major circuses, our associates. “You may be certain of a good percentage of our advertising appropriation when next we appear in Flint. Thanks to you and all your excellent staff, and good luck and happiness.” We suggest that you confer with your sales, program, news and special events departments, so that when the first circus approaches your station for free promotion, these letters may be put to ef¬ fective use. AFA CONVENTION PROGRAM J. Walter Neff, president of Neff-Rogow, Inc., New York City, will speak on “Increasing the Tune-In” before the radio section at the AFA convention in Boston at 10:00 a. m. on Wednesday, May 28. This agency has achieved notable success in radio for such clients as Bond Clothes, Thom McAn Shoes, and others, and Mr. Neff has developed some unusual approaches and techniques that he will discuss for the benefit of all radio men attending. “The Effect on Advertisers of the Monopoly Report” will be discussed by Russell Place, NAB Counsel, and “Chimes and Gongs in Radio Advertising” will be the topic of Frank E. Pellegrin, Di¬ rector of the N.\B Department of Broadcast Advertising. An open forum discussion of all radio topics of interest to station men and advertisers, especially those acted upon at the NAB convention, will follow. Robert S. Peare, advertising manager of the General Electric Co. and manager of broadcasting at WGY, Schenectady, will preside. PER-INQUIRY OFFERS “Radio Income Builders” (sic) of 225 Fifth St., Des Moines, who call themselves “Specialists in creating income producing plans for use on unsold station time,” thus frankly confess to be perinquiry seekers. Their current effort is to put radio stations in the fountain pen business. In a four-page communication they offer to sell fountain pens direct to stations, requiring the station to pay in full ten days from date of invoice. The station is ex¬ pected to sell the pens over the air on ‘‘unsold” time, pay the postage, handle the mailing, etc., and keep what profits there are, if any. No provision is made for return of unsold pens; apparently stations that fail to sell their full order are struck with the balance. The company also says ‘‘We now have in test a large number of other products,” to be later “released to our Radio Station customers.” This company has been advised by N.'VB that it is the policy of most radio stations to try and operate their radio business successfully, and leave the fountain pen business to others; that stations would dislike to see fountain pen dealers and stationers begin to compete with us in the sale of advertising, and that this fair-play policy works both ways; that stations dislike to enter the direct sales field in competition with local retailers and thus incur the ill will of local merchants, whose support they need, and finally, that many per-inquiry products have been found unsatisfactory by listeners, who thus lose faith and confidence in the local station that persuaded them to buy, and the station thus loses the friendship of the very listeners who are absolutely vital to its continuance in the broadcasting business. N.'\B also advised that if the fountain pens are as good as the company claims, there is nothing to prevent the company from buying radio time like other advertisers, and enjoying the profits of its own confi¬ dence in its product. Henry Holt, of Houston, Tex., is seeking per-inquiry deals on a radio log book, perhaps unmindful of the nation-wide industry drive to acquaint listeners with the new frequencies of all stations affected by the recent re-allocation. The .Armand S. Weill Co,, of Buffalo, N. Y., is seeking special rates on behalf of its client, Sachinol Perfumers. Telling stations he would like an inquiry cost of 11 cents or less, Mr. Weill sug¬ gests that if a station does not feel it can pay out on that basis at its regular rates, that it “let me know what rate you would set up to take care of this business. I would advise not setting it too high otherwise you will find it difficult to pay out at our desired inquiry cost.” Golden Glint Pays Full Rate That stations can sometimes secure business at card rates from advertisers who first seek special deals is shown by the recent experience of an NAB member, who refused an invitation to cut rates for the Golden Glint Co. Writes the member: “Just the other day, out of a clear sky, we received another letter from them authorizing us to go ahead at our regular rate, with a series of thirteen one-minute announcements.” “TESTED METHODS TO MAKE SALESMEN USE ‘HELPS’ MORE RESULTFULLY” A group of forty sales managers were nearly unanimous in agree¬ ing that their toughest continuing problem was to get salesmen to use selling helps profitably. Sales departments invest many thousand dollars in material to help salesmen: manuals, portfolios, bulletins, etc., yet many men make little use of this excellent material, which is designed to make their selling more profitable. The trouble isn’t that they don’t appreciate it, or that the material isn’t good. It lies in the fact that the average salesman has a tendency to let things out¬ side of the immediate day-to-day contact with prospects slide. Also, the average conscientious salesman, who studies the man May 9, 1941 — 423