Radio today (Sept 1935-Dec 1936)

terest in ranges, motors, batteries, flashlights, kitchen gadgets, heaters and other products besides those they said they would add in the paragraph above. If the disclosures of the survey have not moved you to some conclusions of your own, have a look at some of ours: 1. Dealers are willing to install the complete display and sales machinery in their radio stores for the handling of lower priced items among appliances. 2. In making their selections among appliances, dealers are anxious to balance seasonal appeal. 3. Dealers are quite willing to tackle the new appliances which would mean the most involved servicing problems. 4. Many radio stores, in their new interest in home appliances, are forseeing the advance in Rural Electrification Administration activity. 5. In some cases, names of radio stores will be adapted to fit the new activity in appliances. 6. In respect to their choice of new This attractive clock is "The Chancellor" by Hammond, makers of electric organs, too. lines among appliances, radio dealers exhibit an "indefinite" or "undecided" attitude which marks them as OK targets from vigorous promotion on the part of manufacturers. 7. Really low prices are important in smaller appliances, because volume is what dealers are after when they take on the lines to start with. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE PROMOTION PLANS * CUNNING as they are active, the manufacturers of refrigerators and electrical home appliances are today busy with some more dealer helps hotly designed to drag in the customers. News of sales stimulators from Fairbanks-Morse, Norge and Kelvinator appeared in these columns last month; the story of how manufacturers are vigorously aiding dealers becomes more complete and more dramatic this month with reports from additional concerns. Leonard material is aimed to hit From E. L. Sylvester, assistant to the vice-president of the Leonard Refrigerator Co., Detroit, comes a brisk summary of the company's current efforts : "Leonard Refrigerator Co. stresses advertising and promotional operations to get prospects into stores where its products are displayed, goes half-way with dealers on newspaper advertising expense and devotes plenty of energy and effoi't in training salesmen how to sell its products. Five films, three records are available for sales instructions. Recipe books, model price tags, specification sheets, sales club promotional literature, window demonstration cards, window and floor displays all are centered on getting prospects into the store. "Leonard's literature is aimed to hit. It is carefully planned, catches the eye and carries sales punch. One big promotional effort disposed of 106,000 cookie sheets this summer, sent housewives looking for Leonard merchandisers and sold a lot of refrigerators. It was in honor of Leonard's 55th anniversary. Meat thermometers, green glass refrigerator dishes, ice crushers, electric mixers, household helps books and recipe books provide a variety of souvenirs and prizes, either as promotional ef forts among the selling organization or for owner participation plans." * Ira Ogilvie, sales manager for Haag Bros. Co., has a punch summary of the company's activity this Fall: Haag announces extra sales aid "Intensive cooperative effort has always been a major element in the merchandising policy of Haag Bros. Co., Peoria, 111., manufacturers of Haag washers. Plans for their fall campaign incorporate an even greater and more far-reaching effort to strengthen the dealer's position and provide him with the necessary sales ammunition to do a more profitable selling job. "In order that the Haag line may be forcibly brought to the attention of the buyer, newspaper advertising campaigns will be run. In these the factory will participate with the dealer on a 50-50 basis. The extent of this cooperation will be regulated in accordance to the amount earned through purchases by the dealer under his agreement. In addition, a complete line of up-to-the-minute circulars, sales bulletins, hand-bills and window trim will be available at all times and furnished by the factory free of charge. "To supply sales people with information, a consistent series of instructional bulletins dealing with pertinent facts on the product will carry on an educational project fitting the dealer and his sales people to do a better and more accurate type of selling. Provision has also been made to bring into the merchandiser's possession a wealth of essential information on the working plans that have been used by some of the more successful operators." Electric clocks are among the most popular and convenient electrical items for radio dealers to handle. The GE clock at left can switch radios or appliances on and off at pre-set hours; the "cylometer-dial" Telechron at right is a sure-hit. October, 1936 23