The talking machine world (Jan-June 1925)

June 15, 1925 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 141 ft/* How Clever Selling, Tie-Ups and Lessons Build Small Goods Business for Loeser's Thirty Thousand Dollar Annual Business Result by Aggressive and Intelligent Merchandising Methods — How Summer Sales Volume on Musical Merchandise Is Achieved While talking machine dealers are resigning haps the exception of the period immediately themselves with more or less philosophic pa preceding the Christmas holidays, when the tience to the seasonal slackness that is apparent natural demand for this type of instrument is this time of the year, the dealer with foresight as strong as during the Summer months. Adis redoubling his sales efforts in pushing vertising, window displays and every other stringed instruments and other small goods. method of bringing musical merchandise to the There is no time during the year, with per attention of the public should be indulged in, j£ Planfiftnanemg ]Payment Saks G if¥X Sand Instruments H FRO* I Bank*"'' 0* AVEN'T you sometimes said "We don't handle band instruments" when some customer inquired about a saxophone, etc., just because of the difficulties in selling on time payments? "With the new plan for financing payment sales which we can now offer to "King" dealers, this obstacle is removed. You can have a small-goods band instrument department without tying up any capital; and what is most attractive, dispose of your leases without sacrificing a cent of profit. The difference between our published cash and payment prices will cover the cost of financing so you receive the full list price. This financing plan is clearly explained in a folder now ready for distribution. There is no red tape or complicated accounting connected with it, and the plan is available to every dealer selling "King" Instruments. If this plan will be of service to you we'll gladly send one of the folders upon receipt of your request. If you are interested in this plan and in the exclusive agency for "King" Instruments clip out and mail the coupon below. THE H. N. WHITE CO. 5206-64 Superior Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 'Manufacturers of "KING" BAND INSTRUMENTS Co1 SEND COUPON FOR BOOKLETS .' THE H. N.WHITE CO.. 520S-G4 Superior Ave.. Cleveland, O. Gentlemen : Kindly send the booklets checked : □ Plan of Financing Payment Sales. □ Exclusive Agency for King Instruments. We (do) (do not) handle band instruments. Na State_ to stress the desirability and appeal of these instruments and ripen the latent desire for them into actual sales. The small goods department of Frederick Loeser & Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., under the management of William A. Rider, has been especially successful in the retailing of these instruments, doing a business of some $30,000 annually on a strictly cash basis. There are a num William A. Rider ber of factors responsible for the success which this department has achieved, the main ones being advertising of the better order, attractive window displays, effective tie-ups with radio concerts at which artists on the steel guitar or ukulele are featured. Another feature that adds immeasurably to the selling ability of Mr. Rider and his staff is that they are accomplished artists on stringed instruments and on Saturdays and other days, when the adjoining departments of the store have large crowds, impromptu concerts are given which result in many sales. During the Summer months a series of free lessons on instruments purchased are offered. An example of the manner in which this offer is made is shown in the following excerpt from a recent advertisement. "Listen In" To night on Station WAHG. A concert by an expert player of the Hawaiian steel stringed guitar will be broadcast at about 10.15 p. m. One of the artists to play to-night is to give guitar in. struction in Loeser's beginning at once. Hawaiian Guitar of Koa Wood and a series of lessons for The new teaching method to be employed will be a revelation to many. Anyone with an ordinary ear for music will play this mellow instrument in actually shorter time than would be required to play with equal efficiency on the ukulele, and the ukulele is considered one of the most simple instruments to learn! In three lessons, by the new method, many will play reasonably well." Through Mr. Rider's ability to give excellent solos on the ukulele and play selections from the operas without any vocal work, thus demonstrating the ability of the instrument as a real musical instrument and not merely as an accompaniment for the voice, he has been able to sell many of the higher priced models, ranging from thirty-five to fifty dollars. He gives a demonstration to an interested customer and explains that in the better models the fretting is accurate and real fingering is possible. During a recent sales campaign, backed with consistent newspaper advertising and Mr. Rider's appearances at broadcasting stations both as soloist and as one of the members of the American Hawaiian Trio, with the resultant tie-up with the store, approximately one hundred ukuleles were sold in a day.