The talking machine world (July-Dec 1920)

August 15, 1920 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 83 JOHN H.WILSON, Manager 324VVASniNGTON ST., BOSTON, MASS. IXJjIwIi ^ENGLAND Boston, Mass., August 3. — Mobilizing talking machines for the Presidential campaign appears to have become very popular in this territory, where the output of the Nation's Forum, disposed of through 'the medium of Columbia dealers, appears to have met with the greatest success. In each case a likely Presidential candidate or some other leader of national prominence speaks in his own voice on some timely subject. In some cases, as is known, the candidates have visited the Columbia laboratories, but in the case of Calvin Coolidge, the Governor of Massachusetts, and the Vice-presidential candidate, the recording outfit was brought here to the State House, so that Coolidge was put to the least possible disadvantage. ' Locally the Coolidge, Senator Lodge and other records made by political celebrities are having a good sale. Planning Large Export Trade R. M. Nelson, general sales manager of the lieacon Co., was in Chicago the middle of the month, whither he went on business in the interests of tlve company. Mr. Nelson says his concern has been laying the foundations for a large export business and already shipments of Beacon instruments have -been made to Norway and England, in both of which places, he says, some important connections have been made. A. R. MacDonald, president of the company, is spending a three weeks' vacation at Eastport, Me. The Norris Piano Co. is the latest Boston concern to take on the Beacon and Mr. Norris has been featuring the instrument, in his advertising. The Beacon Co. has inaugurated a rather novel way of advertising its product, which is in the nature of a sticker to be used on letters and P'ackages and is a miniature reproduction of the Beacon instruments. Stimulating Letter to Columbia Dealers Branch Manager Fred E. Mann, who always keeps right after the Columbia dealers in his territory, has addressed a sound and convincing circular letter to dealers, which is couched in plain and forcible language which cannot fail to carry weight. In fact, he has lately issued two, a second one following the first by about ten days. In the first one Mr. Mann, after decrying some of the pessimism that some dealers are handing out, says in part, under the r Steinert Service Serves WHOLESALE HEADQUARTERS M. STEINERT & SONS CO. 35 Arch Street :: :: :: :: :: :: Boston very pertinent caption "Optimism in Business:" "While it is highly probable that the peak of high prices in most lines has been reached and that in some lines there may even be a permanent reduction in prices, as a general proposition it is a safe bet that high prices and high wages will continue for some time to come. "I want to tell you, gentlemen and ladies of the Columbia dealers' organization, that good and even big business is possible in the retail distribution of Grafonolas and records to-day and the best proof of this statement is the fact that there are a considerable number of Columbia dealers who have failed to become panic stricken "New England Service for New England Dealer/' /^UR slogan is again exemplified by our successfully placing Victor goods into the hands •of our dealers in the face of embargoes, stevedore strikes and seemingly insurmounta ble difficulties. Ask ihe dealer ! This time our barge "Olive" turned the trick The Eastern Talking Machine Go. VICTOR WHOLESALERS 8 Essex Street BOSTON and who by putting a little extra effort and intelligent thought behind the moving of their stock are doing as big or bigger business to-day than they have done any time during thepast few years. I have talked with a number of dealers during the past three weeks and I find dealers within one or two blocks of each other, one of whom' bemoans the fact that business is rotten and he doesn't know what in the world is going to happen this Fall and 'Winter, while the other one is doing the biggest business of his career and hasn't time to sit and think long enough to enable himself to be surrounded by a gloom cloud. ■'We are also going to see it in the ranks of phonograph dealers because this country is reaching the point to-day where the dealer who employs good, sound, constructive merchandising principles and real salesmanship in the distribution of his phonograph product is the dealer v/ho is going to survive and make it impossible for the hit-or-miss type of dealer to continue in business. "During the past two and a half years Columbia has cleaned house in New England and I have wanted to believe that in reducing our number of dealers from over 500 to less than 300 we had gotten it down to a fast-working, enthusiastic, optimistic organization of dealers, and a majority of the dealers with whom I have talked justified our opinion. But we want to see this spirit dominating lOO per cent of the Columbia dealers in the Boston branch territory. This is no time for gloom. This is no time for fast-spreading pessimism. This is no time to take it for granted that there is no busir.ess and therefore decide you won't do any advertising. This is no time to decide that there is no business and that therefore you will pull in your canvassers and trucks. "A dealer recently bemoaned to me the fact that he had fifty Columbia Grafonolas on hand and he is doing business in the City of Boston. Later in the day another Boston dealer with a comparatively small shop told me that he was averaging from eight to ten Grafonola sales every day and that his record business was prac(Continued on page 85)