The talking machine world (July-Dec 1920)

August IS, 1920 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 73 piiiiiniiiiiiiiinimiiiiiniiiifliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim^ I Making the Rainy Day Produce Talking I Machine Sales in Summer Months :: =: By a. l. Ray iiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ Here is the interesting story of a talker man who prayed for rain! He did this unusual thing not because he was a farmer but because he sold talking machines and records. You dealers who complain that last week's sales showed a marked falling off due to the rainy weather can find much good advice in this man's story, for he capitalized the shining drops and made them rain golden dollars into his pocketbook. We'll start at the beginning and give you sufficient atmosphere and local color to let you see what it is all about. He was a man who was in the habit of spending a part of his summer vacation at the popular hotels and summer resorts where the public came to find diversion and enjoyment to make them forget how hard they had to work back home to keep the home fires burning in the winter time and buy porch chairs for the summer. He was a student of human nature and noticed how blue the world became when the rain descended in the mountains and the guests were obliged to gather on the porch of the hotel and pray for the sun to come back again. After the usual number of topics was exhausted and Mrs. Grundy no longer had anything to ofifer, the guests became the most bored collection of people imaginable. They did not know what to do and were craving anything in the way of excitement. This only happened one summer at this particular hotel, for he took steps to remedy the situation in the following manner: He got together a sort of catalog containing the hotels, cottages and resorts within easy distance of his store and the names of the guests and proprietors. Next he collected a staflf of salesmen who were artists, entertainers, diplomats and even dancing teachers. When a stormy day came along during the vacation season he would send these men out to the resorts, laden with talking machines and a carefully chosen selection of records. These salesmen timed their visits so as to arrive during that well known hour of the day when the gloom and dejection of the shut-in guests were at the breaking point and they were considering the best way to get back to the city. Picture the unhappy mortals clustered in silent groups about the hotel. Into the midst of all this unhappiness comes the salesman, wet but cheer lllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll ful, with a smile which brings joy to every dejected heart. He bustles in and announces that he has come to bring the sunshine back again and make this vacation the best they ever had. And the way he does it makes you believe him before he makes his demonstration. The guests gather to hear his record recital and forget their troubles. At the end of the performance everyone is in a good humor again and the alert salesman takes the opportunity to distribute his literature and take any orders if the guests should care to place them. His order books are, soon full and he goes away with enough business to make it Even the Rainy Days Can Be Made To Bring in Sales When Proper Methods Are Employed by the Progressive Dealer necessary to add some more sheets to the company's books. His work during the entertainment is not necessarily confined to demonstration records alone, for many times he has a chance to teach his hearers the newest steps in dancing and becomes for the moment the popular hero. With the records of the latest hits played at just the right tempo he injects into the gathering that spirit of enthusiasm which will linger in the minds of the guests and make them rush for the store when they return home and get the pieces for their own use. So much for the out-of-town campaign. But this •dealer who prayed for rain did not confine his efforts to the summer resorts entirely but found another field for profit right in his city. By means of efifective window advertising he makes his store appeal to the wet passer-by as a cozy haven of refuge from the storm where he may stop and be entertained while the rain lasts. Through his newspaper advertising he encourages people to come to his store when the rain makes them blue and disconsolate, and tells them that he will be glad to entertain them with no obligation whatsoever on their part. He carries his campaign into the homes of his customers or prospects. One of his regular patrons whom we will call Jones, just for the sake of being original, comes into the store to buy some records and the dealer gets a list of all of Jones' friends. When the next rainy day comes along, these friends are invited by telephone to come to the store to hear one of the rainy day concerts which the firm is beginning this summer. They have been s'elected from among the talking machine owners of the city as the ones who would be most interested in this kind of music and are cordially invited to spend the afternoon at the store. The idea is subtly instilled into the hearer's mind that this is a splendid chance to get a little diversion for nothing and he never fails to come in a hurry. As for the records themselves, there are so many different classes and kinds that a suitable program can be arranged for any situation and even the most pessimistic person can be made to laugh his troubles away by hearing the many excellent humorous records made by the leading comedians in the country. When the public gets to know the store as a place where they can have. a good time, they will not fail to think of it when the rainy weather comes upon them. Now you dealers who have complained about this slack business during bad weather, just stop and consider this story and see if you don't find something worth while in it. If you will make your stores homelike, and take pains to let the people know that you have something to offer them, and then make this felt at the right time, viz., when they are feeling blue and discouraged or irritated at the weather, then you will have no fear of the rainy day and poor business. You will find that people will be only too glad to respond to your efforts, and their appreciation will be measured by your increased sales, not only during the rainy summer weather, but on all other days as well. As a matter of fact, you can hardly conceive of a better form of publicit}'. ADVANCE! THE ECLIPSE MUSICAL CO. Victor Wholesaler Cleveland, Ohio