The talking machine world (Jan-June 1928)

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Cash Bonuses for Extra Efforts Build Volume San Antonio Music Co. Offers Incentive to Record Sales Staff and Is Rewarded With Business Gain By B. C. Reber AN ingenious plan for increasing the amount of each sale has been worked out in the record department of the San Antonio Music Co., of San Antonio, Tex., which, because of its economical operation and effectiveness, is worth passing on for the benefit of other dealers. The plan is described by J. E. McDonald, general manager of the firm: "By a unit sale, we mean the amount in dollars and cents in merchandise sold to each customer. When this is taken into consideration it will be found to have an important bearing on the success of any department. It is evident that the overhead on a sale totaling $5 is little if any more than one amounting to 50 cents, and if the sales force can be educated to boost" the unit sales to a maximum amount without annoying or overselling the customer, then the firm will be benefitted accordingly. Study Sales Totals "A few months ago in making a survey in our record department we found that the total of each sale was not at all what we thought it should be. The idea that persisted in the minds of the sales people was that if they sold one record to a customer, that constituted a sale and the transaction was closed. Very seldom was any special effort made to sell more than one or two records, and above that the sale was a matter of persistence on the part of the customer. "In studying over this problem we concluded that the fault was not with the sales people, but in our management. The employes of a store look up to the management for ideas and suggestions for increasing sales or improving the service. If the manager is content to let things roll along without any changes, his attitude is reflected in the efforts of the employes, and he has no one to blame but him TONE ARMS By the Manufacturers $ of the world-famous Thorens M.otor i — ^g* i COMPLETE line of tone arms made by Hermann Thorens, Ste. Croix, Switzerland, including the popular straight and "S" shapes; acoustically correct in design. The workmanship is of the highest quality with prices exceptionally low. A wide variety of sound boxes is also available. Write for complete details. jo. ■ THORENS, Inc. Sole Distributors for U. S. A. 450 Fourth Ave. New York City > r self if the sales volume is not what it should be. The employes must be encouraged. Creating the Urge to Sell "To do anything there must first be an incentive. No definite action can be taken until some urge has been created, and that urge must be purely personal. A firm may tell its employes that they should sell so many records during the week. The next week it may tell them that they should sell so many more. For a week or two this plan may prove successful and some results will be obtained. But if it is to enjoy a continued success it must have some stipulation whereby the employe will be benefited for any special effort. "We have had sales meetings and sales conferences wherein we told our employes of plans we had in mind for stimulating business. We have endeavored to make them realize that in the success of the business lies their success; that if we do a good volume they will benefit. But if we ask special effort beyond what an employe considers an average week's work the result will be a failure unless we are willing to pay something for that effort. "We wanted to increase the amount of each individual sale. Instead of having sales slips for 75 cents, $1 and $1.50 we wanted slips for several times that amount. We felt that we had the field if it was properly worked. We felt that if through some special plan we could increase sales without increasing overhead we would profit accordingly and would be getting a lot of the business that existed, but which we were letting pass by. Remuneration for Highest Unit Sales "The result of our studies was that we worked out a sales plan whereby a small weekly cash prize is given to the sales person in our record department who has the largest unit sales in dollars and cents. We figure that in this way: If a sales girl has 1,000 sales slips at the end of the week, and her total sales amount to $2,000, then her unit sales average $2 each. "We explained the plan to our sales girls and told them of the cash bonus that would be awarded at the end of each week for the girl who had the highest unit sales average. We have four girls in this department and they are all experienced and reliable, so it is not surprising that we expected some good results, and that is just what we got. How the Plan Worked "In order to give an idea of how close these four young ladies came in their averages, here are the figures for the last week: $1.85; $2.63; $2.65, and $2.71. This is but one week's figures, but the rest are similar. It shows the amount of interest shown, how hard each one is trying. And, there is a good feature in the fact that they are all so close that none get discouraged, but feel inspired to try harder next week. "The increase in sales comes from various sources. One of these is in the sale of record books filled with six records. The sales on these books will run up to six or seven dollars per sale, which is a great improvement over the sale of a single record. There is also a greater effort on the part of the sales girl to sell more records. Each customer is canvassed for all the business that can be had. It is the customer who drops out now, and not the sales person. "During the time this plan has been in effect our record sales have shown a wonderful increase. It is impossible to tell off-hand how much this has been, but I believe, between 15 and 25 per cent would be a good estimate. In addition to that the sales girls are more alert. A customer is given immediate service as soon as he enters the department. He not only hears the records he inquired about, but others are left for him to play. Novelties are pushed, and we have enjoyed a good demand in these. The plan has proved highly satisfactory in every respect, and the small prize we give each week is money well spent." To the merchant seeking an economical and effective way for boosting his record sales this How to Sell Records By Ethel B. Good Emerson-HiUbrulmer Co., Cedar Rapids, la. If someone walked into your store and asked for some record or other. Would you wrap it up, say "thank you," without playing another? Or would you, with a happy smile, suggest another brand new, And get them interested enough to want to hear it, too? And while they are listening to that just watch the way it "hits" them, Then step out, get another, the kind that you think "fits" them. Have you tried pointing out the good points, asking them especially to listen, Then did not talk but watch 'em smile and note that you're not missin'? But, heavens, don't act like you're mad at the world, you don't look good that way; Act pleased when you meet a customer and you'll increase your sales each day. Don't take in a bunch of the latest hits and say, "Here, listen to these"; But tell about them and play them yourself; they're much more likely to please. The more enthused and "peppy" you are the better they like to stay, And you can sell them twice as many by simply acting that way. If the record they want isn't your kind, if it's a Scratchold, or maybe another, Tell them you have it on Brunswick, and it far surpasses the other. Try calling your regular customers up on the 'phone and letting them know That you've just received a keen, new hit and that it's sure to be a "go". When the old folks come in to listen do you play them a snappy dance tune? Don't you know they'd like something dreamy and soft, life "Honolulu Moon"? There are any number of dancing hits that will strike the collegiate set, So tell them about the orchestra or the artist you have met. And don't forget that you can smile, don't be a "dead in the shell." Treat your customer right from the start, for records are made to sell. The more you sell the more Brunswick'll make and the better they'll be, So make up your mind when they come to buy one you can often sell them three. plan is recommended. It stimulates interest on the part of the employe, and it sustains this interest through the weekly bonus. MICA DIAPHRAGMS For Loud Speakers and Talking Machines RADIO MICA American Mica Works 47 W*«t Street N«w York 48