The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1907)

The Talking Machine World Vol. 3. No. 2. REQUISITES OF A GOOD SALESMAN That Is for the Talking Machine Business, Interestingly Defined by an Expert — Why People Fail in This Field of Effort. The education of a good salesman in a tall<ing machine store is no easy matter, according to the heads of many of the successful establishments in this city. Many young men, who have afterwards been successful in other lines, have failed in this branch. When asljed what he considered the greatest requisite in a good salesman, the manager of one of the prominent warerooms replied "Tact. Without tact, any young man is sure to fail. Diplomacy is a fine art, and nowhere can it be practiced to better advantage than in a store like this. Let me cite an instance of to-day. There was a big rush, and one of my best salesmen had two customers to care for simultaneously. One was a woman of wealth, wlio seemed to think on that account she should receive all deference, while the other was plainly a woman of the poorer classes who showed by her manner that she believed that her money, although less plentiful, was every bit as good as that of her wealthy neighbor. I noticed that he divided his attention about equally to the two, and when he played a record for one praised it to the other. When the selections had been made, each was satisfied that they had been treated according to their due, and were profuse in their thanks. It was his manner more tlian what he said that got him out of trying positions. Often customers come in to buy machines who have not fully made up their mind as to what they want. They may be wavering between a cylinder and disk machine. In that case a salesman should find out how much they want to spend, under what conditions a machine is to be used and who is to use it, and by a little tact obtain their interest in the one most adapted to their needs. He will explain the good and bad points of both kinds, so that customers will feel that no advantage is being taken of their ignorance. "It is also bad policy to attempt to force a purchaser into investing in a more expensive machine than they had in view, but generally a few comparisons between the power, looks and tone will make them desire the best, and if they think they can afford the difference, they will give the extra few dollars. At the same time a salesman makes a great mistake in selling a customer a machine beyond their means, as when the time for payment becomes due. there is always a possibility of the collection dragging along. I regard it as a mistake for a salesman to try to load up a customer with too many records at a time. Frequent purchases always mean better sales. I have my force always take down the name and address of every patron, and when the new lists are issued, I have them mailed to them with the salesman's card enclosed. This makes the customers think the salesman has kept them in mind, and they appreciate the little courtesy, and they are sure to return and ask for' him to wait on them. The result has been that we have hardly had a dull day this year, doing the best January business in our history, and I know that when one store has been doing a land office business, some of our competitors have been putting in time dusting off stock. Our stock does not get a chance to get dusty." NEW USE FOR TALKING MACHINE. Doctor Employs It as a Therapeutic Agent in Certain Forms of Insanity. An eminent doctor has discovered a new use for the talking machine, and Is using it as a means of effecting a cure in certain cases of insanity, and in soothing turbulent patients when New York, February J 5, 1907. everything else had failed. Of course this treatment is not exi)ectcd to prove effective where the cause of insanity comes from being kept awake nights from the piano in the flat over head or the village band practising for a presidential campaign, Ijut where the provocation has been from a lesser cause, beneficial results are sure to follow. The claim that the sedative properties of music is a cure for mental disorders has long been recognized and is verified by the citation of many eminent specialists on brain trouble. The variety of music offered by means of a talking machine will enable those treating a patient a wide scope of music, so that a rythm adapted to the particular case may be found. The only point brought up by the hospital attendants against this plan is that they may be placed among the list of patients by hearing the machine working overtime. WINDOW DISPLAY. A Splendid Form of Advertising That Is Open to Every Talking Machine Dealer, and Which Brings Big Profits to the Man Employing It. The advance made in the art of window trimming in the past few years is as noticeable as that made in advertising. Any retailer who recalls the windows of ten years ago can't help but mark the contrast that greets his eye to-day. At that time the displays presented a conglomerate mass of everything in general, and not much of anything in particular. The passer-by had the same sight to gaze upon day after day, and no doubt wondered why people showed such poor taste. But to-day it is another story. The idea of utilizing this valuable space has been grasped by every live dealer. Glance in these same windows and you see something. You see, hack of the exhibit, the idea standing out bold and strong. The chances are that the moment you look it will flash into your mind how that display reminds you of the excellent ad. that appeared the day before describing the very articles you saw in the window. A display to attract attention must possess sufficient originality to at once arrest the eye with an unique arrangement so harmonious and beautiful as to be truly artistic, as a publicity expert woulu probably say. The most cultured admire a fine exhibit. The most ignorant are influenced by it. Dollars and cents are hypnotized by it. The great mass of shoppers are swayed by it, and the merchant who is wise always remembers this. STENOPHILE SOUND MACHINE. A German Invention Which Reproduces Sounds Automatically by Syllables in Typographic Characters. Consul J. I. Brittain writes from Kehl that, according to the Journal of Alsace-Lorraine, the Stenophile Rivort, recently invented by Charles Bivort. chevalier of the Legion of Honor and director of the Bulletin of the Halles, has given some very practical and interesting results. The machine reproduces sounds automatically, by syllables, in typographic characters. It is operated in the same way as the typewriter; has a keyboard which consists of twenty keys. Each key, upon being pressed, points the corresponding letter on a band of paper, which unrolls itself on a sort of pulley. The characters ai'e the same as those of the usual alphabet. It is easy to read at first sight what the machine has written. It is simple, strong and light, and exacts in its management neither effort nor rigid attention. A child or blind man can easily learn to use it. )t writes very swiftly, writing as high as 200 words per minute, without fatiguing the operator or annoying the pratpr by noise. By means of Price Ten Cents an interchangeable keyboard it can ixt ufied for all languages. The machine was recently exhibited In the office of the Journal of Alsace-Iyjrralne In Stra«sburg, where it gave excellent results, reproducing both French and German with perfect facility. It is already In use in rii;iii' schools. MME. LINDE AN ENTHUSIAST Regarding the Value of the Talking Machine as a Teacher and as a Means of Bringing Good Music to the Homes of the Benighted. Rosa Linde, the American contralto, like 80 many of her confreres, is an enthusiast regarding the talking machine as an artistic factor. She became interested in the "talker" .some time ago, when her husband displayed a desire to have her make some records of her voice. She went to the laboratory of the company in a very skeptical condition of mind; moreover, the day was a disagreeable one, and she felt anything but joyful. However, she made the records of the songs desired, and a week or so later she was invited by the president of the company to come to the laboratory and hear the result of her efforts. She was so confident that they were failures that she postponed the visit from day to day, but at last paid the visit. Her experiences as a record maker really amazed her, so beautiful and clear was the voice. As a result she was offered a very handsome sum of money to make records for the company, which she has since continued to do. As an educational factor Mme. Linde considers the talking machine simply invaluable, and does not hesitate to say that it even cured herself of many vocal faults. When she heard her first record she realized certain vocal imperfections which she did not think existed. As a medium of entertaining friends she says it cannot be beaten. When asked to sing, you comply with the greatest of pleasure by simply starting on the machine, and thus you enjoy not only j'our own singing, but the company of your friends. It would be difficult to find any talking machine man more enthusiastic than Mme. Linde Is regarding the talker and its helpfulness to young singers as well as a valuable aid in disseminating high class music among the benighted in the smaller sections of the country — people who would never hear high grade music unless through some such medium as this. "TALKER" FOR VANDERBILT HORSES. In order to accustom his highly-strung thoroughbred horses to the crash of band music, Alfred G. Vanderbilt recently had a talking machine placed in the stable yard at Newport a'nd the grooms led the horses back and forth before it, until their nervousness was dispelled. Mr. Vanderbilt will send a number of horses to compete at English horse shows next summer, where full military bands are much in evidence. THAT FAMOUS VICTOR SIGN. Among the hundreds of brilliant electric lighted signs along the Rialto. or "Great "^hite Way" section of Broadway, New York, the one • that attracts the most attention from its size and unique form is that of the Victor Co. The sign takes up the entire side of a building, and is about 50 feet square. Of course, it represents tne dog looking into the horn with "His Master's Voice" underneath and the company's name in large letters above it. MAKING HORNS IN CANADA The Queen City :Manufacturers, Ltd., a concern only recently organized, with offices at 474 Queen street West, Toronto. Ont., are carrying on the manufacture of talking machine horns in a very successful manner.