The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1910)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 37 ST. LOUIS TRADE HAPPENINGS. Business Decidedly Brisk During December, and Outlook for 1910 Excellent — St. Louis Talking Machine Co.'s Good Report — Their Attractive Window Display — Some Recent Visitors — News of the Travelers — Columbia Co. Enjoy Record Holiday Trade — Interesting Personalities — Other News of the Month. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 8, 1910. The talking machine trade for December among the retail trade was decidedly brisk, and all report having had a laz-ge business. The best kind of machines were strongly in demand, and the record trade was particularly good. The year closed with a feeling among all that the indications are excellent for a good trade during 1910. The St. Louis Talking Machine Co. experienced the greatest December business in the history of this firm. More Victrola instruments were sold than any other type, the demand for the Red Seal records was so great that tremendous inroads were made on the large stock carried. Returns from their dealers were slow in coming in during the first part of the month, hut the last two weeks found them in such a hurry for stock that they were making use oi the long distance telephone and telegraph. The very attractive ready made window display which was in the window of the St. Louis Talking Machine Co. not only attracted the attention of the holiday shoppers, hut quite a number of the merchants took particular note of it, and frequent inquiries were made as to who the window dresser was. S. H. Johnson, of this firm, late Christmas'^Eve sold a Victrola style XVI to a prominent merchant who had been so busy during the week as to entirely overlook the pin-, chase of a Christmas present for his family. His mind was set on a Victrola and the purchase depended on its being delivered that evening. As no drayman could be secured at that late hour, Mr. Gressing 'phoned for a touring car and in the back seat of which the Victrola and records were placed and delivered to the purchaser's home in perfect safety shortly before midnight. L. A. Cummins, traveler for the St. Louis Talking Machine Co., will start out on his first trip shortly after the first of the year and will confine himself to the immediate territory surrounding St. Louis. Visiting dealers at this establishment were Henry Hoch, Bellefontaine, Mo.; J. T. Welling, Germantown, 111.; Otto Funk, Hillsboro, 111.; T. J. Price, Belleville, 111.; Win. Mosby, Newport, Ark.; Lyle P. Conner, White Hall, 111.; H. F. Harrison, Louisville, 111.; F. Meyer, Carlinville, 111. O. A. Gressing, manager of the St. Louis Talking Machine Co., spent New Years with his sisters in Milwaukee. E. B. Walthall, manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., reports one of the best retail months in December in the history of the company. The De Luxe $200 and $225 machines raid the Regent $200 proving the best sellers ever put out by the company. More sales would have been made had it not been for the inability of the factory to furnish the goods. The local store of this company is mailing 6 to 8,000 folders announcing the engagement of the Boston and Metropolitan Opera Co. at the Olympia Theater here for the week beginning January 24 to their customers. A number of the artists with this company furnish selections exclusively for the Columbia Phonograph Co. W. C. Fuhri, district manager for the Columbia Phonograph Co. with headquarters in Chicago, accompanied by his wife, spent several days here during the holidays visiting relatives and friends. F. G. Cook, traveling salesman for the Columbia Phonograph Co., spent the holidays at his home in Chicago. W. S. Byrd, formerly with the St. Louis store of the Columbia Phonograph Co., but now traveling out of Des Moines, la., for the company, spent the holidays here. Marks Silverstone, of the Silverstone Talking Machine Co., reports having had a big business during December. D. K. Myers, the well known Zonophone jobber, reports having had a fair month's business during December. The Thiebes-Stierlin Music Co. report having had an excellent trade during December, and especially so on records. Edw. Reeves, well known here in talking machine circles, has been appointed manager of the talking machine department of May, Stern & Co. The Koerber-Brenner Music Co. report that they had a big month's trade on talking machines and records during December. W. A. Brenner, secretary of this company, spent holiday week in Chicago on business. J. H. Buettner & Co. report having had a good business during December. DEALER MUST HAVE FAITH IN GOODS. If He Doesn't He Is Wasting Time in Business — The Enthusiast as a Trade Builder. Once in a while in the talking machine industry one will come in contact with a man who has but an indifferent interest in the goods which he is handling. He somehow lacks the "faith that moves mountains" — he is merely handling his line of goods as a convenience. Now, to our way of thinking, it is best for the man who cannot believe in his line of goods to find another job, or make a change so that he can believe in them. Lack of faith in the goods which one sells will undermine any person, whether he be jobber, dealer, or salesman. Success is impossible without faith in one's products, but of course the goods must be of the quality to inspire faith and confidence. Tims, having the goods in which you believe, stand by them. Learn all you can about them — about their manufacture, their quality, lasting nature and pleasing possession. Having this pride in those things which you sell, you can't help showing it both to the customer in your handling of them, replacing them neatly and keeping things ship-shape. Your manner in speaking of iheni will carry conviction to the extent that you know about them. Out of this condition you will hear your customer asking: "Now, what do you think as between this and this?" When you hear that question, it is a tribute to your salesmanship. Store these things in your recollections — they are invaluable as a stimulus to confidence. Cultivate the ability to remember faces and to call the customer by his right name. Remember his address if you can. These may seem small things, but they are vital — human nature never will be above the implied compliment. Your tactfulness will come of your own education of yourself in dealing with all kinds of people. You will have learned more when you can send the cranky person home satisfied than you could have learned of scores of easily pleased customers. MORE POLAR TROUBLE. Cook's Faking Gets I. B. Wilson in Deep — An Ohio Man Is Madder Than the Danes. Prof. I. B. Wilson's enterprise in keeping right up to the big cities in furnishing the latest in music has put him into mighty hot water this cold snap, and it's all over the warm fight about the discovery of the inverted icicle at the top of the globe. Read this, which we clip from a Moundsville, W. Va., paper: Wilson's Music Store, Moundsville, W. Va. I take my pen in han, and I wont you to tell me rite of whot your goin to do about the dam lien Cook record you sole mi sun Hen, fur a dolar. I node it wa a li as sun as herd it. Hen sed you had a big, white ship in your winder or he woodent had hot an as the papers al say it aint true, I want my dolar back, an you kin keep the record, a nuther man has a columbi l'onograf here an he tole Hen they node it was a lie and wodent put it in that machin, so I wont my mony back or il swop for on like hisen and never darkin your dor, write soon as you git this. Jim Blank, Monro Co., Ohio. Of course, Prof. Wilson didn't guarantee Cook's claims when he sold the canned speech of the Prince of Humbugs, but as he didn't submit a written waiver of responsibility to the Monroe county man he is in a geographic and scientific tangle, and maybe a legal tangle, for the record crossed the State line and therefore comes under the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission unless that body crawls out of the mess by saying that the Danish Wise Ones have the case entirely in their own hands. If Prof. Wilson should be seen hiking over the hills and making a pretense of hunting bear it will be a good guess that the door has been darkened. L. S. Payne, formerly with the Hollenberg Music Co., Little Rock, Ark., is manager of Payne & Co.'s new talking machine store In that city. Your Chance We can show you how to increase your business wonderfully this year on a plan which possesses unlimited opportunities for profit, ^^^■^^^^■■■■i^^^^^^^^^^™"^^"^^' Our specialty and system work right in with your talking machine business and entails no increase in your sales force. It will line you up for the sale of more "talkers," especially the largest and most expensive machines — those particularly adapted for public use. Full details next issue, but in the meantime we would advise you to get in on the ground floor by writing us to-day. J. P. SEEBURG PIANO COMPANY 209 STATE STREET, CHICAGO, ILL.