Radio Broadcast (May 1929-Apr 1930)

By EVERETT M. WALKER The 1930 Method to Approach Prospects Who May Be Interested in Purchasing a New Radio Is to Make Use of the Latest and Most Practical Means of Communication, and so — Use the Telephone. |pproach your prospect from the inside of his own home and you will have greater chances of selling successfully a new radio p receiver, than you would through the more | or less antiquated 'doorbell-ringing ,,„„jf method.'" This is the precise form in which Ernest W. Boyce, sales manager of R. H. McMann, Inc., a New York distributor, related to the author a scheme of direct selling which during the past radio season proved to be highly successful in approaching potential new set-owners through a direct canvass method. This plan is also being operated at top capacity during the current fall season to facilitate sales through dealers in the metropolitan area. Selling the 20th Century Way "This is the twentieth century," Mr. Boyce points out, " the age of science, with the automobile, radio, and last but not least the telephone. The 1930 method to approach a person who may be interested in purchasing a new radio receiver is to make use of the latest and most practical means of communication, and so — 'why not use the telephone? "Certainly, Mrs. Jones, who is home all day, or that is, practically all day, busy with the various duties of keeping the home in order, will answer the telephone more readily than the door-bell, and listen to the 'talk' of a house-to-house canvasser, who may take possibly a half-hour of her valuable time." This, summed up, is virtually the plan of making use of the telephone to approach a potential set purchaser which Mr. Boyce introduced to aid dealers who are in the territory of the McMann distributing company. Although Mr. Boyce is rather modest about claiming credit for the telephone method of approach, saying that stock houses, and other organizations conducting a direct sales business have demonstrated successfully the practicability of the telephone, as far as is known, this is one of the first instances where it has been used successfully in the radio industry. The telephone plan is this: The distributor first conducts a simple survey of a dealer's territory to determine the number of residents and the approximate buying power of each (the method of obtaining this information will be related in the following paragraphs). These facts are laid before the merchant, and it is suggested that he adopt the telephone method of approach, employing the services of an experienced operator supplied by the jobber. After outlining his territory, the dealer is supplied with the telephone number of every resident in his district. This information may be obtained from the telephone company for a nominal cost. A telephone operator is furnished by the distributing company, the requisite being that the dealer pay the salary. Each operator is trained in the technique of conducting a telephone canvass, and is supplied with printed cards which outline the procedure of approaching Mrs. Jones. The first week the operator is on duty she starts early in the morning and goes down the list of numbers, asking questions on whether or not the home is radio equipped, type of receiver employed, etc., carefully noting down the answer opposite the question on the card. At the end of the day these are filed. The conversation, according to Mr. Boyce's method is as follows: The First Contact "Good morning! Is this Mrs. Jones? "I represent the American Bosch Company. We are conducting a radio survey in this territory. Would you mind telling me whether or not you have a radio receiving set in your home? Yes! What make did you say it was — and model? How long have you had it?. Are you well satisfied with its performance?" etc. "That will be all, Mrs. Jones. Thank you for giving us this information." Through this method of approach the dealer may determine exactly who, in his territory, has a radio receiver. The data obtained also enable him to compile an accurate prospect file giving the make and age of each receiver in use. • OCTOBER 1929 • • 317