UC-NRLF B M SOB IE? i LIBRARY OF THF UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Class Successful atibertising fbow to Bccomplfgb ft ^B J- ^ttgus lEacBonaltr SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING KOW TO ACCOMPLISH IT A PRACTICAL WORK FOR ADVERTISERS AND BUSINESS MEN. WITH A MOST COMPLETE INDEX OF SUBJECTS I'HILADELrHIA, 1U02 Copyright, 1902 *'P i^uuoln putlistmg ©ompanj PREFACE. Publidly—a force in the world's affairs almoKt incalcidahk in iU scope and effect— in C.nn.-'tn)ilhi and iiiiiiusl,il:ith/!/ moving la /ii;ilin- and inni-i' sijsl, innlic hi, lln„h< 11/ ml r, rlisi in/. fori, ni'i; ,;.•:., I'ih/ d, 111,1 ii'is (I nio.d progrcusicc .• Ilinl ■■ In- ivhiirnnsni.n/niul.-- nnd he V'lio raids mail pni.llt. One I'/iuii/ llir reader can rehi on , and that is that they are practical. They are the fruits, not of theory, but of over ten years' busy actual experience and observa- tion. A iirral number of these articles are abso- lutrlij n, IV. .Miuii/ were viritten for such lead- in-'i jintiiiralinns as "Brains," (now"The Re- tailer mill Advn-liser"), "Printer's Ink," "Priiiiinhir Adirvlisiii,,.-' "Fame," "TheAd- veriisin.i Wnrld.-' "dihson's Clothing Ga- zette,'- rlr. In I, rvi, ,,« from the first three papers, ,is well as from -The Dry Goods Economist," are cdso quoted. Proper credit is hereby acknowledged the above publications for the reprodueiion of such articles as may have appeared in their colunuis. J. ANGUS MacDONALD, December, 1902. 115 Nassau St., N. }'. CONTENTS. DIVISION ONE. aD 3Suil&ing i DIVISION TWO. IRetail BDvectftslng ail tbe l^eac BcounO DIVISION THREE. Special ^features In IRetall "RbvevUeinQ 89 DIVISION FOUR. /Bail ©rder a^vertietno ■ -15 DIVISION FIVE. /!&ti5ccllancou3 advertising 23s INTRODUCTORY. If experience u-ith large advertising af- fairs' luid a remarkabie ujjtUude for the ad- VI rlisinij profession qualify a man to wrilt a book on advertising, then J. Angus MacDon- ald is tlie man. For several year:: I hmr knuiva }fr. .Vur- Donald personally, thnuhjli his uml: and bi/ reputation. HeisDiu nj tht nld iiinnlnis m Uie Splunx Club, and ,s h Id in- hhjh > .d, , m h<, all who know him. His knon I, ./,./. ,./ advrr^ Using subjects is almost enrijiinpiidir, uhirli is due to the fact that Mr. .MacD'inald has travelled cclemively, is a kun observer, an omnivorous reader and an untiring worker in the advertising field -afield in which he constantly puts through large advertising operations. He entered the advertising field a number of years ago, and at an early age received an insit/ht inio advertising that few veterans of to-dui/ can equal. His insight into the advertising business is pruitical^ therefore the statements in his book have the added charm and great element of experience bch ind them. I predict that "Successful Advertising and How to Accomplish It," like it's author, will be a marked success. F. JAMES GIBSON, Business Manager "New York Daily News," Secretary and Founder of tite Sphinx Club, (the famous advertising club). September, 1902. DIVISION ONE. AD BUILDING. The Foundation. Ideas. — Ideas mean the basis of ad writing, of advertising, for without ideas nothing can be stated — the better the ideas the better the statements and the stronger the advertising. Study, absorb, think out ideas by all means. Words are but the vehicles of ideas, types the vehicles of words and ideas are the prime and primeval requisites of ads. Ideas may con- sist of : — First. Simply facts connected with business. Second. Facts connected with business, together with out- side thoughts. Third. Outside thoughts, /. ^., thoughts having but an indirect bearing upon the business. All are valuable. Probably the least valuable are the latter, as in the hurry and stress of to-day's progress people have little or no time to consider non-essentials. The creative mind commands a premium in ad writing — the commonplace mind had better stick to commonplace sub- jects — and the sterile mind is valueless. Every mind interested should be clear, receptive, analytical and above all creative. The growth of ideas is a marvellous matter. How some ideas arise in the human mind is an impenetrable mystery. The impression comes, grows stronger and bursts into full life. Which of the five senses received the impression ? When was the impression received? How long did the thought lie dormant, awaiting the silent, yet powerful mental call, to arouse it into fullest expression? Possibly the suggestion originally 1 2 Successful Advertisings came from generations back — received only at birth — traceable (if we could trace its invisible path) to hereditary influences and reaching its full-fledged development and expression only at the critical moment when circumstances called for just that particular idea. It may be that the mind received the impres- sion during childhood — the impression was pigeon-holed with thousands of other impressions stored away in brain cells and never used until memory reaches out and resurrects them in response to a demand by the entire mentality. In the life of Honore de Balzac by his sister appears this interesting passage on ideas : — "Louis Lambert asks himself whether the constituent principle of electricity does not enter as a basis into the par- ticular fluid from which Ideas spring. He saw in Thought a complete system, like one of Nature's kingdoms, a celestial flora, as it were, the development of which by some man of genius would be taken for the work of a lunatic. ' Yes, all things within us and without us,' said Louis Lambert, ' bear evi- dence to the life of Ideas, — those regarding creations which, obeying some mysterious revelation of their nature, I compare to flowers. ' " My brother returns in several of his works to this subject of meditation. In the Peati de Chagrin^ among others, he analyzes the birth, life, or death of certain thoughts, — one of the most fascinating pages of that book. "Louis Lambert found in the moral nature, phenomena of motion and gravity, similar to those of the physical nature, and demonstrated his opinion by certain examples. " ' The emotion of expectant attention^ he said, ' is painful through the effect of a law in virtue of which the weight of a body is multiplied by its swiftness. Does not the weight of sentiment, the moral gravity, which zvaiting produces, increase by the constant addition of past pains to present pain ? To that if not to some electric substance can we attribute that magic by force of which the Will sits majestically enthroned in the eye, to blast all obstacles at the command of genius, or breaks forth in the voice, or filters visibly, in defiance of hypocrisy, through the human cuticle ? The current of this How To Accomplish It. 3 king of fluids which, under the high pressure of Thought or Sentiment, flows forth in waves, lessens to a thread, or gathers to a volume and gushes out in lightning jets, is the occult min- ister to whom we owe the efforts (be they fatal or beneficent) of the arts and the passions, — the intonations of the voice, rough, sweet, terrifying, lascivious, horrible, seductive, which vibrate in the heart, in the bowels, in the brain, at the call of our wishes, — the spell of touch, from which proceed the mental transfusions of the artist, whose creative hand, made perfect through passionate study, can evoke nature, — the endless grada- tions of the eye, passing from sluggish atony to the discharge of lightning-flashes full of menace. God loses none of his rights in this system. Thought, material thought, tells me of new and undiscovered grandeurs in the Divine.' " Ideas come from all sources. Pick up a newspaper and the brain receives a score or more ideas — evanescent 'tis true — but sufiiciently tableted upon the memory to jump into instant significance when the mind calls. Pick up a book and presently the author's ideas are tincturing the reader's mind. Come in contact with other people— particularly forceful people — and you are at once inoculated with their suggestions. This is based upon the presumption that the mind is open and receptive — the only mind of value in ad writing or any other up-to-date business. The prejudiced mind — the "shut in " mind— the undeveloped mind and the ignorant mind should be altogether left out of consideration. Such minds neither give nor receive impressions— in commonplace matters they may perform prefunctionary duties— but in ad writing when so much is at stake upon what is said and how it is said they cer- tainly have no place. A mind trained in ad writing, /. e., a mind creative, recep- tive and analytical, can study a business in its many phases and rarely does this mind make a mistake in picking out the best advertising phase^-//!rtecl t.vl lilass nu-FlowT iroM- crs. lJiiu'lu'shi:,'h ; rei:uliirly'."Jc.ortrli. How To Accomplish It. 13 Ha ittle Vflvtt ith rililx)!!, wings, birds, or oruaiuent.-^, at $5. Philadelphia hasn't had su^h a treat in millinery ! We've artistic workers and they're busy as bees. With many price is first consideration, and the housewife running an economical eye do-wn the price list of crockery values would have no special comment to make on the above set-up, excepting making a possible grimace at the small type in which the item is set. Here is an example of the Wanamaker idea of set-up. It gives first consideration to a display of the article advertised. The price in this instance is found in the body of the " talk," set in the usual type. This makes a very neat arrange- ment, and to my mind is very sat- isfactory in such advertising as this house puts forth. In certain sec- tions of this country, where money is a rarer article than it is in Philadelphia and New York, it would be a very important point to display the price better. Now we have another style. Again the price is given foremost consideration in the display — the name being lost in the "talk." This is a very fair style of set-up, little space being lost in the ar- rangement. A further perusal of this article will show an improve- ment. Here is a very handsome spe- cimen clipped from a Chic?igo pa- per : It has the merits of a handsome set-up — the type is neat and pleas- ing. The article advertised, how- ever, is not displayed — probably the advertising man thought the symmetry ofthe ad would be affect- ed if he displayed the shoe names. The architect of the attempt at the top of the next page evident- midsummer modes- 2.05 He IS giving us some air. Let us prepare sudden changes. Our medium weight Cassimero Suits and Tweeds are just the correct weight for the present. They ara all stylishly made, elegantly trimmed, perfect in fit. Pretty nearly every size too. Come in. cool, crisp, for these SPECIAL PRICES: $6.25 $7.50 And $9.00 Any suit is worth double. Superb S5 and SO shoes— '-'essy and durable— con- hti acted on correct prin- ciples- new, drawn-out, shupely toes— genteel ef- fects — new browns or black— very finest im- ported uppers — perfect shoemaking — only here and only Saturday. Faultless $i and S-5 shoes — the most fashionable footwear — finest chrome and Parisian kid— lace or button — newest toes and tips — exquisite ell'ects — Saturday. Exquisite S4 Oxford ties — new browns, black and tans — hand-turned soles — cloth and kid top — easy, elegant — the latest midsummer modes — Saturday. 3:75 2.i^ 14 Successful Advertising Here is a /^ r» l> a r g a i n such as you ^^ I/' seldom see, even af*^*^^^the great '• Plymouth." Sixty liozeii fancy colored percale blouses, made in the Fanntleroy style, with large collar, turn back cuffs, all with a deep rullle. Forty difFerent pat- terns to choose from. These goods are worth .50c to any one at any season of the year. For this two days' sale they will be sold for only 25c ChifioDoiers Thoroughly well made to our special order, of solid, Oak, highly polished, G.OO ly scratched his head for a typo- graphical arrangement before it was bronght forth. The reader can make his own comment upon the arrangement given. As there is a large jump in the first sentence, and it is likely to bewilder the reader, it violates one of the first principles of adver- tising — viz., clearness. The following is a neat style of set-up : Both the name of the article and price are well displayed. If the price were in the same type as is the name, the result would be more harmonious and the rule could be well eliminated. Yet a page or half page of items all set up in this style under a suitable general head would make a very effective typographical showing. This is a pleasing example : The two small black rules with the prices help an effect. The ap- pearance is neat and clean, and clothiers could apply it to their ad- vertising with advantage. The following style is also very commendable : The items and prices are well displayed. The em indention in the '' talk " helps the display line stand out. Yet it is possible to study econ- omy even on such an excellent ex- ample. Follow this article and I will tell you how, as it is a matter of deepest importance to the up-to- date advertiser that these details be given full consideration. The exam- ple on next page .shows the "how." Spring Business Suit of Cheviot, in fancy mixtures of plaids, at Have you seen those Bicycle Breeches we sell at Men's Serge Coats In black and blue, skele- ton lined, sewed with silk throughout, strap or plain seams, suit- able lor street or office wear. The etjual of any $5" y shown iit c. I believe in borders. They are to most ads what frames are to pictures. At any rate they throw the ads into bolder relief. I believe in illustrations. Apart from their practical value in picturing the articles and so creating a stronger demand for them, they help to make the advertising more artistic. I believe in rules. Two light rules between departments, either short or long, two dark rules or a dark and a light rule, serve to set oflf the ad. I believe in boxes. A box of four rules about a price or an article makes it stick out better. Tf you see a style of set-up that strikes your fancy and vou 2 18 Successful Advertising" wish your ad set up in the same style do not bother marking each line of type. Simply clip that set up — paste it on the margin of your copy and mark "follow copy." This saves you and the printer time and fuss. The advertiser who studies dis- play, studies a very important feature of advertising. Unless advertising catches the eye it is not of much use. Unless the advertiser works in harmony with the printer so as to bring out the right display effects he cannot expect to get striking ads. Talk is all right, but this talk has to be well dressed. Advertising space is valuable enough to be filled up rightly. To the advertiser who takes a genuine interest in his work the matter of display is always interesting. Display can take a thousand forms. The fertility of ideas that a study of display can cause is wonderful. The oldest and wisest advertiser will find in his display work alone a constant source of inspiration and enthusiasm. The advertiser — not the printer — is responsible for the dis- play. The advertiser is supposed to furnish the ideas — the printer to carry them out, but the latter cannot do it unless the former expresses them clearly. That is why the advertiser should study the advertising space at his disposal, and in his mind's eye have a good idea of how the ad will appear in print even before he touches his ink to paper. The Embellishments. Types. — As words are but the vehicles of ideas, so are types the vehicles of words. As certain words are bizzare, so are certain types bizzare. As certain words are commonplace, so are certain types commonplace. Types alone wield a psycho- logical influence, but not to the degree that ideas and words do. Even the most casual student of advertising is aware of the importance of certain types at certain times. An opening announcement of say millinery is seen to best advantage in Script type. Plain type proves all right in every day advertising but there are state occasions — as it were — in business when Script type and Script only satisfies taste and judgment. There are several styles of Script type, but here How To Accomplish It. 19 it is not necessary to wander into a maze of details regarding them. When you are in doubt as to this point, leave it to the judgment of a good printer. Referring to the plain type — which as a general pro- position should be the type in which all ads should be set — there are, of course, several kinds, and this matter is important enough to detail. Details. — Small Pica makes excellent body type for ads of clothing for men, women and children, furniture, upholstery, car- pets, rugs, real estate and such material merchandise as yield a good percentage of profit on their sales. This fair percentage of profit implies that a fair degree of liberality could be used in the advertising. With other lines of goods in which the margin of profit is smaller, a smaller type like Brevier or Nonpareil should be used. Agate or even Pearl is used by a great many advertisers, frequently because of the idea that the sale of their goods show but a small profit and often from a mistaken idea of economy. For it is not true economy to set up an ad in type so small as to strain the eyes. A barrier to business is put up right there. In making up a page ad use a uniform body type throughout. Nonpareil answers this purpose with a great many good advertisers. It is a fair size, is easily read, does not strain the eyes, and one can say a lot with Nonpareil type. Display type in a large ad should also be uniform. There may be occasions when it is as well to emphasize a certain offering with different display of body type, but this is at the expense of uniformity. Hence, as a general rule, it is not advis- able. Regarding display type, if there is anything that answers the canons of art, dignity and business better than De Vinne, I have yet to learn it. Rowland is also a very sightly type and Jensen is popular— deservedly so— for it is an eye catcher, and at the same time business-like. Jensen Condensed is another modern type that has recently grown very popular, for it is extremely economical. Roman display is antiquated, so is Gothic. Gothic is a plain, bLmt letter that suggests the amenities of trade about as elegantly as a burly night watchman. 20 Successful Advertising Ideas are the reflex of the master-mind behind the business words. As the expression of these ideas and types are the expres- sions of these words, so it will be seen that types alone help to indicate the motives of the business and the men connected with it. Some advertisers have so pronounced an individuality that they insist upon an individual type, purchased for their own exclusive use. As individuality has a certain commercial value, so is this individuality in type of distinct business value. At any rate their ads are dressed different to other ads, which alone forces recognition. Some kinds of business are associated with ease, luxury, richness and grace — ^jewelry for instance ; art goods for instance ; silverware for instance. The advertising of such businesses — in conformity v/itli popular impressions of high grade trades — should be in type that reflects these qualities. Here is where the exclusive Old English, the high class Script or the superb and shapely De Vinne is seen to advantage. Other lines of trade stand for downright utility, with accompaniments of fads and fashions — clothing for instance ; furnishings for instance ; interior decorations for instance. Such lines are well advertised by De Vinne or Jensen for display or Small Pica for body. And to carry the analogy still further, look in the trade papers advertising such heavy necessary merchandise as steel rails, spikes, machinery, etc., and you will notice how much the blunt, business-like Gothic is in evidence. So, taking it all in all, there is an intimate connection between the business advertised and the type to advertise it. Now for the psychological influence of type. Have you often in opening an evening paper been shocked by the tremendous and' outrageous type on the first page ? That is, it may shock you, gentle reader, working all day in an office where business runs on a quiet, systematic basis, and living in a house where order is always observed. But stop and think of the thou.sands it does not shock. The paper appeals to that class, not to you. That class may work all day in a boiler factory ; in a sweat shop, where the whir of machinery is only drowned by the shrieking of taskmasters; on the dock where How To Accomplish It. 21 the trundle of barrows, the clanking of chains, and the hissing of steam is constant ; or in the tunnel where the drip, drip, drip of water is lost in the eternal picking, shovelling, blasting and noise overhead of vehicles. They do a day's work under such conditions. They then go home — to the tenement house region — where the noise of surface and elevated trains pursue them, and the influences of corner saloons are felt in tenement house fights, which are every night occurrences. Such readers demand excitement, and excitement must be kept up, even to the type. On the other hand there is the exquisitely sensitive, the highly cultured — the "hot-house variety" — who are best appealed to by type neat, artistic, refined and dignified. If you will look over the pages of high class society papers you will see this point well illustrated. The connection between types and the various minds influenced by printer's ink is so subtle that many advertisers may not recognize it. But this connection however exists, its influence is evident to those who study it, and no matter how subtle and evanescent it may seem, yet it is sufficiently impor- tant to be studied. Borders can be used to advantage. White spaces should be studied. White spaces throw the printed matter into greater relief, and when used judiciously are all right. It is a good plan once in a while to use either a single or double set of heavy or light rules to box in a portion or whole of your ad. Such a rule box made about a paragraph or item m.akes it stand out. When a box rule or several are used in an ad, always run a border about the whole ad. If you are in the habit of using borders, and it is a good habit, change them every once in a while. If you can afibrd it get a set of borders for your own exclusive use. Acting on the same thought, it is a splendid idea to have your own type. There is an exclusiveness and richness about such ads which only the possession of a particular font of type can give. If you can afford to own your own types and borders you possess a distinct advantage over your competitors, from the fact that your ads possess an individuality which their' s do not. 22 Successful Advertising Illustrations. — Illustrations have been part and parcel of advertising a long time — they will always remain an impor- tant factor for the advertiser to consider. For they have proven their practical, money-bringing worth and whatever does that is certain of the advertiser's distinguished consideration. An illustration in an ad bears about the same relation to the article advertised as does the text. Whether to simply pic- ture the article or to illustrate its purpose is a matter for the artist and advertiser to consider and decide. Cut and dried rules are out of the question. Sometimes the articles should be pictured with photographic fidelity; sometimes the article should be simply suggested ; sometimes the article with its purpose should be illustrated ; sometimes the purpose alone is all-sufficient in a picture, and sometimes the illustration that serves simply as a decorative border, panel or decoration is all that may be necessary. One thing is sure. You cannot get the same eflfect with a cut in a newspaper that you can in a magazine, book or book- let. The paper, printing and ink, cause this difference — a differ- ence that has surprised and pained many an embr}'o advertiser. " Line cuts " or outline cuts are best for newspaper work. Shaded cuts are apt to smudge. All newspaper cuts should be engraved deep and drawn with bold, clean and sharp lines. Wood cuts are excellent for magazine and booklet work, as well as for the higher grade of newspapers. For cheap publi- cations, /. ' handy, as they can be wrapped up in small packages and mailed from point to point at little cost Again it may be here remarked that each succeeding impression from a matrix grows fainter until it is possible to arrive at a point when matrix impressions grow so indistinct and blurred as to be worthless. Before concluding these remarks it may be well to say a little something about the connection between the text and its illustration. One helps the other. The illustration pictures the merchandise and arouses interest — the text with its good argument, clever talk and price quotation clinches this interest. The relation between the illustration and the text is inti- mate. Both are there for a business purpose — to sell goods. 24 Successful Advertising There may be art in advertising, but first there is business in advertising. Art for art's sake is distinctly out of place in advertising, but art for businesses sake is eminently fit and proper. Business in its coldest and most forbidding aspects recognizes art and when one considers that business when selling goods puts on its most benign and pleasant aspect, then is understood why art is heartily welcomed. In fact, art enters into about every human relation, emotion, viewpoint and consideration, and as advertis- ing plays a leading part in human afi"airs, so does art play a lead- ing part in advertising. But the centre of the advertising stage is business — cold business reaching out for more business ! The Completion. Merchandise and Audience.— There is a very thin line between knowing too much and knowing too little about the merchandise to be advertised. The right kind of an advertising writer by reason of his viewpoint alone is very valuable to the advertiser. He sees the goods through the eyes of the public. Seeing the goods thus he speaks the arguments best calculated to influ- ence the public. The advertiser, saturated with technical information, is liable to make his advertising so full of information that the reader finds it heavy — indigestible, — repellent. The writer who knows too little about the goods will also make his advertising unattrac- tive, for the reader wants information. The point is to give this information in such form that it will win the reader's attention, then hold it until the story is told. All of which goes to show that the advertising writer is the intermediary between the business man and the public. Tlie public may not be moved for one instant by the arguments that are irresistible to the business man. The business man may scorn to listen to arguments that are influential with the public. The point of view of the man behind the business is usually remote from the viewpoints of the minds outside the business, and the business man by reason of his too intimate How To Accomplish It. 25 knowledge of perhaps his life's work, finds it hard to get away from his atmosphere long enough to step in the atmosphere of others, i. e.^ to think their thoughts, to see with their eyes and to voice the logic and emotions which they have been accus- tomed to. It is an invisible harness, but nevertheless it is thrown around every individual, and the inability to lay aside this invisible, yet masterful harness, is undoubtedly one of the greatest barriers to success in life. To lay it aside, even for a short time, requires incessant mental activity, which shows how inexorable is nature's great law — that all must work. To illustrate this point more clearly I will instance a name that stands for a colossal success. J. Pierpont Morgan, according to a recent magazine article, was said to have a " leaping mind." In other words, he has a mind that leaps beyond the bounds of his office, above the details of his business, and away from the consideration of men and matters in his immediate vicinity ; to study out affairs in the Orient, financial fluctuations in Paris or Vienna,, shipping operations across the Atlantic, transportation problems in the northwest, or to contemplate art treasures in sunny Italy. Such a mind is Shakesperian in its wide con- ception of human activities. Very few minds are. The usual business man is so bound up in his business that he rarely, if ever, enters into the thoughts of others, who care as little for his ideas. When such a man begins to advertise he will find the advertising writer indispensable. The writer will study the public to be reached, then prepare matter that will influence this public. If it is whiskey to be advertised, something on the style of "Billy Burgunday's Letters" may answer. If it is clothing, the points of fit, fashion, wear and workmanship are to be emphasized. If it is groceries, the purity, nutritive qualities and economy can be touched upon. If it is a patent medicine, the efficacy and promptness of the remedy in producing benefi- cial results will not be overlooked. If the ad appears in a religious paper, beware of flippancy. If the ad appears in a comic paper, do not forget that the reader picks up that paper for humor. If the ad appears in a " yellow journal,'' sensational headlines are not out of place If the ad appears in a high-class 26 Successful Advertising family paper, a clear cut logical argument is the thing. And so on. Apart from all these considerations, the advertising man is invaluable to the business man, for the simple reason that one can write and the other cannot. One has a mind trained in writing, trained in creating copy, trained in producing argu- ments, trained in analyzing audiences, and trained in picking out the salient points to be advertised. The other's mind is not so trained. Which difference may not seem important at first, but time and practice — to say nothing of results — will accentuate this difference to a startling degree. DIVISION TWO. RETAIL ADVERTISING ALL THE YEAR AROUND. New Year Resolutions. The holiday rush was over. John Smith, the leading merchant of Smithtown, now had time to think. And his thoughts — like the ruminations of all good mer- chants at New Year's — wandered in the direction of what he had accomplished in the last year of the nineteenth century, and what he ought to accomplish during the first of the twen- tieth century. He saw where clever bits of enterprise pushed along his business — where stupid mistakes did damage to his pocket and reputation. From the mistakes of the past he determined to gather knowledge for the future and opening a new blank book he inserted on its virgin pages the following : New Year Resolution^ No. i. To get rid of all the left- overs from the Fall and holiday trade right quick ! Profits and past prices must be forgotten — whenever there is a legitimate bargain chance give people bargains and they will appreciate them — such a sale advertises my store and accumulations of old stock or dead stock are eyesores to the eyes of all good merchants. New Year Resolution^ No. 2. To make this year as far superior to last as is in the power of my ability to make it. To pay cash for my goods, thereby making my standing stronger in the wholesale world and thus getting all advantages of dis- counts. As a consequence I can sell goods a shade lower than 27 28 Successful Advertising my competitors. As far as possible I will sell for cash and by buying for cash and selling for cash, I will have a clean, quick business that will afford me pleasure as well as an income. New Year Resolution^ No. j. To turn my stocks over quickly — never to let goods accumulate— if an article does not sell at a price, to make a price that sells. Goods were bought to sell, not to show, and being sold were sold to satisfy. New Year Resolution^ No. 4. To master the science of advertising as far as possible — to express in a concise, business- like manner the merits of my offerings — to offer only goods worth talking about — to fulfill every printed promise so that when people see my story in print they will say " that's so ! " — to discuss in an easy, entertaining way the fashions when they are new and forcibly put facts when prices are at their lowest — to use the proper amount of advertising space (no more, no less) and to give every department in my store and every paper on my list due consideration in my advertising scheme. New Year Resolution^ No. 3. To remem.ber that there is trade to be reached by mail as well as trade that comes to the counter and to perfect my mail order department accordingly. To mention my mail order department occasionally in my ads and from time to time to send my mail order customers circulars and booklets just to show that such a department is very much alive to their interests. And to fill all mail orders promptly and carefully. New Year Resolution, No. 6. To get people in my em.ploy who know— to see that they will give me their full ser\ace in return for which I will give them liberal salaries and a just treatment — to have them about my establishment as a constant advertisement of neatness, enterprise, honesty and politeness. New Year Resolution, No. 7. To back up my advertising in every conceivable way — to have a good store system — to have liberal varieties of the right goods at the right prices— to have artistic and striking show windows and plenty price tickets— to have styles up to the minute — to — At this moment Mr. Smith was interrupted by the arrival of a New York drumuuer. How To Accomplish it. 29 Begin the New Year — How? The heading of this was intended to be : " Begin the New Year Right." Which is perfectly proper. But Ah ! here is where we draw a long breath and think. For we all wish to begin the New Year right, and have every intention of beginning the New Year right and keeping to tlie straight and narrow path until the year dies out ; but how? So in the heading goes the word : How ? So here are a dozen specific rules for a year's guidance, rashly committed to paper. (Of course this refers to advertisers.) Rule No. i. — To say nothing in advertising talk except when you have something to say. Rule No. 2. — When you say something in advertising talk to say it as quickly and clearly as possible. Rule No. 3. — To say the newest of your best mercantile information in your advertising talk. Rule No. 4. — To remember that advertising is only plain common sense put in print. Rule No. 5. — To remember that he who juggles with truth in his advertising talk monkeys with the buzz-saw. Rule No. 6. — To remember that pictures tell the story quicker than type and the two make the winning combination. And to also remember : Rule No. 7. — That the printer is a pretty good judge of type, and the more you give him "your ideas" the more he may get "mixed." Rule No. 8. — That the artist is a pretty good judge of illustrations, and the more you throv/ in your "suggestions" the more "rattled'' is he likely to become. Rule No. 9. — That the buyers are pretty good judges of values and the more you fiddle with their "stories" the more trouble you may have. 30 Successful Advertising Rule No. io. — That the boss is a pretty good judge as to the money making abilities of his business and that on the more (or less) trade brought in by advertising depends your raise (or drop) in salary. Rule No. ii. — That advertising space is valuable and should be bought and used like any other commodity — that is, wisely. Rule No. 12. — That advertising is as high as the heavens and as deep as the sea, and there are more points in it than ever dreamed of in your philosophy, and it is well to keep a sharp lookout for all these points when you are not asleep. The Great January Mark- Down Sale. A thousand or more department stores throughout America make preparations for "The Great January Mark-Down Sale." In many respects this big annual sale is the most important merchandise movement of the year, as it means, when success- fully carried out, the riddance of several months' accumulations of stocks and the clearing of the decks for the incoming spring stocks. It also means a very important addition to the ex- chequer of the firm who can, at the close, look about and see " where it is at." Profits must in a very great measure be lost sight of during this sale. People have been educated to look for genuine bar- gains at this particular sale, and they should not be disap- pointed in securing values of the strongest order. In fact, "The Great January Mark-Down Sale" means the acme of bargain giving. Usually the first announcement of the sale is made through the Sunday papers in tlie shape of a page or more of items and prices under glaring headlines. While this time-honored method is generally effective, I might here suggest a few ideas which experience has taught me can add to the effectiveness of the sale. Monday is usually the opening day of the sale. Sunday, as a rule, is the day when the story is first told. This is too short a notice. A space of a hundred or a couple of hundred How To Accomplish It. 31 IT OPENS MONDAY MOP.XIXG ! Promptly at eight o'clock will the great sale of the year begin. We've been planning and pre- paring for many weeks for this event- in which a little money plays a heavy part— as you all know from past experience. This Bale will be the most ambi- tious we've yet attempted- ambitious in the direction of bargain giving — ambitious in bigness of scope, and ambitious In our attempt to please you. lines should be taken in your local papers on Friday, referring solely to the important event which begins the following Mon- day. Hundreds of families in your territory — shrewd matrons, economically inclined young ladies, and even thrifty husbands and fathers — will thus be given three days in which to plan the best disposal of their week's earnings. Friday's announcement may run thus : Set this card boldly and run a border about it. Speaking about borders, a very good rule to follow is : In all announce- ments in which prices do not appear use borders. Such an- nouncements are not more than two half columns deep, and fre- quently not more than one hun- dred lines single column, and to make them stand out on a page wherein a mass of other ads appear, borders are of great assistance. Borders can be used to advantage in all sorts of ads, but especially so with announce- ments. Now, in regard to the main ad itself. Take a good size space — do not be squeamish on this point, as this is the most important sale of the year, and it pays to come out good and strong upon this occasion. On general principles it pays a live concern to come out with a page or a couple of pages three or four times a year, as it impresses the public not only with the wealth and vitality of the house, but it also demonstrates the fact that there is a tremendous stock of bargains in which the bargain seeker can mouse and rummage to her heart's content. Bigness and generosity always attract humankind, especially when that humankind is womankind. Well, let us suppose you take a page ad. Of course the great point is to impress the fact upon your constituency that this is your Great January Mark-Down Sale, which all the ladies have been waiting for so many weeks, and that you are amply prepared to meet their most sanguine expectations. Have 32 Successful Advertising plenty of items, prices and illustrations. They are to the headinj^ what the passenger train is to the engine — the engine makes a lot of noise and smoke and swings the train into the station, but the train is full of treasure in the shape of friends and valuables that you come to meet. The heading might start in thus : Run a small square on each side of the heading. One square may contain the information that >UK I ^T JANU.VKY MAUK- HOWN SAI.K ! " You know the meaning of the above headline. You know It mean.s the banner bar- gain event of the year, in •which the nimble six-pence and the mifihty dollar travel ions? dis- tances. Weeks— yes, months, — of study— of effort— have been given to make this sale the greatest ot them all. Have we been successful? Read the answer in the following elo- quent paragraphs of items and prices, then come round to our store to-morrow and investi- gate to your heart's content. + " We have secured for this sale + t extra salespeople and delivery t J wagons, so that customers will T J experience no delay In being J. 4. waited upon." + -t-h-l-4- !■ I h ■! ! ■! !■ I I II II I -!-)• 4-)- -t-H- The other square might say : -t-f-t-)--t"fi I I I i I I I I I I I -^-^--^-^-^-^^ + t + " Mall orders will be carefully + t and promptly attemled to. t tmt-of-town customers cau par- . ticlpate In this sale as well aa J their city cousins." + " Owr Qreat Jannnry Mark-Down Sale of China and Glassware reveals many rare values •which shrewd householders ■will be quick to appreciate. These lots will travel fast— they can't help It— the prices are too special." Here's an idea for the department sub-headings : A suitable cut could with much advantage be run in with every introductory talk under the department headings. By so doing the eye could be cen- tered more quickly on the sub- ject in hand and the page be made more symmetrical. Of course a lot of small cuts ought to be run with the items and prices. In most papers there are seven columns to the page, and the best typographical arrangement of this space is a constant puzzle to the ad constructor. Here's a type arrangement which I have frequently used with satisfaction : Let the first column (under the heading, which should run across top of page) start off with a story on handkerchiefs or embroideries, or one of the unimportant departments. Let the How To Accomplish It. 33 second and third be made into a double column arrangement of colored and black dress goods, the fourth singly to hosiery, the fifth and sixth double column to the suit and cloak department, and the seventh to rugs and carpets. It is possible by a nice calculation of items, clipping one here and adding another there, with the assistance of the department head, to have the first top series of squares the same depth. Having secured the uniformity of the first series of squares, start in on the second series, giving the first and second columns to a double column affair on domestics, the third column singly to buttons, the fourth singly to dress trimmings, the fifth singly to veilings, and the last two columns to a double column ad on men's furnishings. The third series could be made up after the style of the first, the fourth in the style of the second, and the total result, provided you have a good printer, an intelligent type display, a liberal use of cuts and clever arguments, would be an adver- tisement attractive to the eye and satisfactory in results. In regard to display type. I have a weakness for De Vinne, Rowland, Hammond and Jensen — the first preferred. It is clean-cut, artistic and legible, and every printer should have a supply. For items and prices, small pica answers very well. " The Great January Mark-Down Sale " can be kept up for three weeks. A constant hammering away with ads should be kept up all this time, and when the sale is concluded, much room for the display of spring goods and advertising space for the exploiting of the same will be in order. In connection with this big sale other minor special events, such as " The Semi- Annual Sale of Muslin Underwear," " Our Great Linen Sale," and "The Annual Sale of Men's Furnish- ings," can be well exploited. Various Other January Sales. New York clothiers are quite lively after the holidays in the matter of advertising, and, as a consequence, in the matter of trade. Pick up the Journal^ Worlds Sun^ or any of the metro- politan dailies, and you'll be sure to find several big clothing 34 Successful Advertising ads, each one clamoring for recognition, as representing the best values. The window dressers of these concerns are very active at present, and many artistic clothing and men's furnishings win- dows can be noted in a Broadway saunter. The same motive that induces the department stores to hold great sales through the year's first two months causes big movements in the clothing and almost every line of retaildom. I had quite an interesting talk, recently, with the manager of one of the big Broadway clothing concerns. Said he : " Immediately after the holidays, business slackened fright- fully. We had splendid stocks — splendid values — and every inducement that any man desiring a suit of clothes or an over- coat could want. But trade walked right by our door, and, unless I am much mistaken, into the store of a concern down the street, which was advertising at a great rate. Well, sir, after four or five days of this sort of thing I woke up to the fact that a little strong advertising wouldn't hurt. So I began to advertise a certain line of suits and overcoats at certain prices. I dressed up a couple of windows with these same suits and prices, and trade jumped — yes, sir — jumped right in the store. I've kept up this sort of thing, and as a result we are doing quite a fair business just now." His experience is a fair sample of many others. The retail clothing business should be advertised — and well advertised — through the dull January and February months. Pushing busi- ness thus reminds men of the need of an ulster for the big storms yet to come — of a business suit to replace the one which is a little seedy — of a pair of trousers — a coat and vest — a suit of underclothes — or any of the many requisites to a man's winter wardrobe, which he may never think of until he sees that par- ticular article staring at him from the advertising columns of a paper — rendered doubly attractive by a small price. Price cuts, of course, prevail in the January stocks, and a man ought to be able to get a suit of clothes or an overcoat at a very material reduction from the figures of the early winter or fall. This is a point that should be everlastingly jabbed into the advertising. How To Accomplish It. 35 Now a few remarks about the ads for a lively mid-winter campaign — clothingdizing — if I may coin such a word. Saturday is a good day to start a big clothing sale, as most male workers get their weekly salary that day, and with many Saturday is a short business day, allowing them time to come around to the store and select their bargains. Let us suppose, then, that Saturday is the day selected for the big clothing sale. Thursday should see at least a preparatory announcement of the event. Friday should see the ad in all its glory. Have the ad well illustrated, as men always admire brevity and point, and illustrations help wonderfully in this regard. Thursday's preparatory announcement might read thus : It wouldn't be a half-bad idea to mn in a cut of a well-dressed ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^% man in the attitude of watching S ™^ ^^^i^'l |^|^^ ^^«'^«- I forsomething-say presumably for | K! ^^0' w"e wnij^^^e | 3ale begins Saturday morning; at 8 sharp s The Year's Great Clothing Event. | t/7^^^no i^f/l Set the introduction in lower-case De g ing^sales in every Vinne,with the headlines, of course, %.^^.^^^,^^^^.^^^.^^. several sizes larger than the body. Run a neat border about the ad. Write about four stickfuls of "story " about your forthcoming sale, and perhaps the business manager of your local paper may find room for it in his columns. Then the Friday ad might start in something like this : "The Year's Great Clothing Event" begins to-morrow at our store. This is our great yearly efibrt to rid ourselves of fall and winter stocks, and prices have been cut deep and mercilessly. Every line of masculine wearables is now offered at prices that are by all odds the lowest we've ever quoted." In the heading of this and future ads relating to this sale harp upon your reliability — your age in business — " your money back if you want it " — your ability to back every printed state- ment with the goods "exactly as advertised" — and all those sayings which make pleasant reading to possible customers. 36 Successful Advertising" Overcoats, ulsters, reefers, and mackintoshes should occupy at least half the space in the ads. The certainty of big rain, wind, and snowstorms before gentle spring again comes around, and the knowledge that suitable apparel for such exigencies at bargain prices can be had at your store, will send many men in your direction. Furniture sales can be pushed about this time — providing the prices are low enough. Of course we all know that the fall and spring are the best seasons for furniture selling, but a well directed splurge in furniture advertising for three or four weeks in January and February can be made to produce surprisingly satisfactory results. In a big furniture sale, which might be christened *'A Mid- Winter Sale of Furniture," or "Our Mid-Winter Furniture Movement," or some such name, two or three full columns should be given to the first ad. This ad might be preceded by a short announcement, as in the clothing case. The ad proper should have about lOO lines of display head- ing and argument — a score or more of small cuts to illustrate the items, of which there could be several hundred — all set in agate or nonpareil lower-case, with the former price and the present price. The present price should be brought out in dis- play. This will give you an idea of how the items should be set: 37 Ladies' Writing Desks 14 Oak Chamber Suits . Some January Merchandise Movements. This is the month when the linen man scratches his head for bright ideas to help along the advertising man in exploiting that "Semi-Annual Sale of Linens." The head of the men's furnishings also does some tall thinking on the same line — the subject uppermost in his brain being "Our Big Sale of Men's Furnishings." And the individual in charge of the muslin underwear may be pardoned if he suffers slightly from insomnia in his efforts to make the "Annual Sale of Muslin Underwear" a gorgeous and glittering success. Formerly. . 22.50 Our Mid- Winter Sale Price. 18.75 . 30.00 21.25 How To Accomplish It. 37 January newspapers are filled with many examples of good and bad clothing ads, and a desperate effort is being made by clothiers in every city and town in America to dispose of winter stocks at remarkable price reductions. The furniture retailers are also much in printed evidence— in fact, every branch of retail- dom is distributing generous bargains to an appreciative public. Taking everything into consideration, the advertising pen is pushed at a lively gait through the year's first month. Let us first take the big sales of the department or general stores, and see how they can be best pushed before the public view. We are assuming that "The Great January Mark Down Sale " is in full swing, and the intention is to make it last about three weeks. The minor sales can be run in conjunction with this big sale, and at certain stages of the game overshadow it. Everything is in readiness for the "Semi-Annual Sale of Linens " which opens Monday morning. The " Annual Sale of Muslin Underwear" is also set in motion the same date. On Thursday and Friday preceding these sales run in two squares in the main ad, which, of course, is given to "The Great January Sales." Have these squares of pretty good size- large enough to fill a column width on both sides of the main heading. They should be of the depth of the heading. Have one square read thus : 1 t t t •I- ANOTHER BIG SALE ON t TAP ! + It opens Monday morning, t We refer to 1 OUB SEMI-ANNUAL LINEN J SALE, t -which every prudent house- + keeper looks forward to with 4- t pleasurable anticipations. Our + + Linen Department has seen a J t score of similar successful sales T t —but this will be the greatest j. J of 'em all. + + IT OPENS MONDAY MORNING ! + The other square read : t STILL ANOTHER GREAT i SALE Ladles ! you'll all be inter- I I I '!■ < ■ ^^ X t X SALE OF MUSLIN ^ UNDERWEAR, + t ested In this— t OUR ANNUAL T UNDE.. .. , f which will be set in motion + -i- next Moudav morning. I'rom- 4- t ises are good, but performances + + are better, and while we'll + t promise much in our Sunday T I ad yet— well— wait for our per- I I formances . 4- f NEXT MONDAY MORNING ! + At the bottom of every column in the main ad on Friday and Saturday run something like this, within a small, neat square of light rules : Monday Starts Two Bin Sales: —Our Semi-Annual Linen Sale. —Our Annual Sale of Muslin Underwear. 38 Successful Advertising Then, by the time the Sunday papers are ready to be assim- ilated with the Sunday breakfasts, your fair customers are full of expectancy regarding your ad on linens and muslin under- wear. If they pick up the paper and read your ad patterned after the following arrangement, the chances are that they will come around to your store next day. Let us assume you take a page ad. Divide the upper por- tion of the page into three sections of equal size — giving the first section to the linens, the second to the general store items which would naturally come under "The Great January Mark- Down Sale," and the third section to muslin underwear. Have a general heading over the whole three sections, something after this order : "A Triple Alliance Awaits To-morrow's Buyers 1 An alliance of great sales — an alliance of matchless values — an alliance of low prices and desirable stocks — awaits you in our store to-morrow. Consider for a moment our attractions ! The Great January Mark-Dotvn Sale opens its second week with a magnificent bargain arrangement. Our Semi-Annual Linen Sale is set in operation to-morrow, as is also Our Amiual Sale of Muslin Underwear. Any one of these events is a star attrac- tion in itself." Each section should be boldly headed with the name of sale, with a short argument following the headline. Thus, the linen section could start off after this style : The middle section could well say: "Our Semi-Annual Linen 8alk will attract an army of thrifty liousehnlders to-inorrow and all the week. Past e.xperlence has taught our patrons the im- portance of this Kale— the high (iiiallty of our linens and the remarkable lowness In price. Exceptional market condi- tions this season make prices very— very low. WltneBS the foUbwlngitems." " OuK Great January Makk- DowN (Sale enters upon its second week with greater zest than ever. Prices have been clipped to the vanishing point, and many stocks have been brought for- ward so that to-morrow's visi- tors may find a plethora of select." tors may nna a pieti bargains from which to "OuK Annual Sale of Mus- lin Underwear makes Us bow to-morrow morning. This Is one of our most important sales, and we are determined that this par- ticular effort will be the most successful ever seen in our Muslin Underwear Depart- ment. Read and study a few prices, then pay us a call to- morrow." How To Accomplish It. 3i And in the section given to muslin underwear give as head ing something like this : Have these three headlines, with their following talks, set alike. They should be of the same depth. The headlines could be set in 6 or 7 point De Vinne, and the reading matter following 3-line light Script, lower case. If you had a good cut of a table girl holding some napkins to run on the left side of the linen talk, and a woman in negligee attire to appear on the right of the muslin underwear talk, so much the better, as these two figures could balance each other. Have no cut in the center section. If possible, have the first and third sections of equal depth, and if they do not run clean down to the bottom of the page, fill up with items of the other sale. Run light neat borders completely about first and third sections. The muslin underwear and linen sales may be kept up for two weeks. In about that time "The Great January Mark- Down Sale " has died a natural death, with a life full of honors and results full of cash, providing the advertising was good, the weather decent, and general conditions anywhere near propitious. Having given the linen and the underwear departments a good start on the high road to success, let us turn our attention to the head of the men's furnishings, who is on pins and needles about his " Big Sale of Men's Furnishings." One good thing about his sale, and that is, you can start in almost any day in the week on a sale in men's wear, for the reason that a man is supposed to have — and generally does have — money enough in his pocket any day that he chooses to attend a sale ; but a woman generally spends her shopping money Monday. She gets it on Saturday night from her liege lord and master, and, with the aid of a pencil and paper and half a dozen Sunday ads, she disposes of this amount — in her mind — before she goes to Sunday evening services. I am speaking of the great middle classes, w^ho are the mainstay of all retail businesses. 40 Successful Advertisin,e Well, let lis start this men's furnishings sale on Thursday. A small announcement may be made in Wednesday's ad about this sale, and when Thursday comes around "The Big Sale of Men's Furnishings " should have a space at least as large as the linen sale the Sunday previous. The typographical arrangement, etc., could be of the same order as with the other sales. The Great Mid=Winter Sale. Along in the early or middle part of February comes " The Great Mid-Winter Sale." It is the last supreme effort to get rid of winter stocks, and is a sale that under some name or other is pushed yearly by almost every retail concern that advertises. The shoe dealer, with accumulations of fall and winter styles of footwear — the clothier, with hundreds of heavy winter overcoats and suits on his tables — the hatter, with a surplus of present styles on hand — the dr}^-goods house, with many dol- lars' worth of winter goods on hand — all realize the necessity for quick transformation of the same into ready cash before the arrival and display of spring stocks. The reasons for the sale are very obvious and should be made as obvious as is possible for the Englisli language and printer's ink to make them. Give the great American public to understand, not only in your printed statements, but by the actual power of bed-rock prices, that "The Great Mid-Winter Sale " is the last final effort of each department in your store to rid itself of every item of fall and winter stocks — that the left- overs from the great sales of muslin underwear, linens, men's furnishings, etc., are now marked at prices which ought to make the bargain seeker's eye glisten with keen enjoyment. The boot and shoe dealers harp on the daily arrivals of spring and summer stocks, and the necessity of closing out all winter assortment in order to make room for the new arrivals. Most shoe concerns satisfy themselves with a space of about sixty lines every other day. This space could be well utilized in a two-weeks' series of ads with such pointed talk and display that they would not fail to attract attention. How To Accomplish It. 41 A shoe ad something after this style should produce excellent results in the way of increased sales : Or, if the shoe concern wishes to do a little splurging, it may well take a double half- \\ A Q|j-q\7- Qfs*/|w column three times a week, *' -^ —just to show how the bargain wind is blowing' in shoes — we mention . . Men's Patent Leathers m Congress, Button and Lace. Manv styles in heavy weight .... at $4.00 Ordinarily they sell at 86 and $7 per pair — but during Our Great Mid-Winter Sale they'll go at S-1. Plenty other values equally good in our shoe stock— quickly waning under the influence of Our Great Mid- Winter Sale prices. We must make room for Spring stocks— they're trooping in daily to the SMITH SHOE CO. and under a suitable double- column heading run in a dozen items — with the first tv/o illus- trated. Here's an idea on such a heading : " Our Great inIid- Winter Shoe Sale, which annually brings in train hundreds of splendid shoe val- ues, is now on. Plenty of items now to select from — but at the present rate they cannot last long. Better come around to- day and select a pair of stylish and serviceable shoes from such values as are here." It has been my experience in advertising for an exclusive boot and shoe house that the first idea is the best. Give one good value with every ad — show a cut of the shoe — give its description and price — have a catch line that catches — and speak generally of the bargains that "The Mid-Winter Sale" is creating in your stock, in small type at the bottom of the ad. Run a border about these ads. With a department store the several items idea is the best, for the reason that the shoe ad must appear in a general ad with other departments — all of which give a number of items. Still, for a change, the exclusive shoe house could come out once a week — say on Sunday — with a double half-column ad of a dozen items. A retail clothier, anxious to dispose of several hundred heavy-weight winter suits and overcoats, ought to make them move rapidly with the shoe man's method — subject to slight 42 Successful Advertising variations. The clothier should speak of at least two items — they should be illustrated — and, if he is taking liberal spaces, he ought to mention at least three bargains in suits, the same in overcoats, and a couple more in trousers and ulsters. One thing about such a sale that should not be overlooked, and that is, always give prominence to its name. Let every ad you prepare during the life of the sale say something about " The Great Mid-Winter Clothing Sale," either amain headline or as a sub-headline in the middle of your heading. This head- ing attempt will convey my idea more clearly : " Our Great Mid-Winter Clothing Sale is now in full swing. Prices have dropped with a dull thud in heavy-weight Suits, Overcoats, Ulsters and Trousers, as your investigation will speedily prove. Delay means disappointment in this case — as purchasers are very numerous at present — and if you delay you may miss the bargain you were looking for." Or something like this : "Keen Public Appreciation Is Shown in response to our ads — and no wonder. We must — and will — have the room now occupied by Winter Stocks for the incoming Spring Goods — hence the remarkable buying opportunities oflfered by Our Great Mid-Winter Clothing Sale." The same general idea that applies to shoe and clothing advertising may well be applied to the other retail lines that advertise extensively. The department store can proceed with the same method it applied to "The Great January Mark-Down Sale," with such variations as may occur to the advertising man in charge. These variations would apply principally in the typograph- ical arrangement and arguments. Assuming that the text of How To Accomplish It. 43 the department store ad is all that can be desired, I may here suggest a typographical arrangement which has the merits of neatness, simplicity and general pleasing effect. Have all the departments boxed in with four rules — two light and two heavy rules. Have the light rules on left and top and the heavy on right and bottom. Arrange the boxes so the top row will be of an even measurement across the page — try and have the next series of an equal depth, and if it is not possible to have every row of the same depth let the odd boxes fill up at the bottom of the page. If the printer has not enough rules to go around, and if he prefers to use a border, let him use a light border about each box in place of the light and dark rules. Then run a heavy, fancy border about the name and heading, and a border about the whole page, and the result will be very pleasing from an artistic point of view. In most instances the heading should run across entire top of page, but occasionally, for the sake of variety, it could be well made to occupy four columns across with a slighter depth than the across page heading Or the heading could fill up a double-column space running down about one-third of the page. In this case the border might be run about the heading, and the firm name appear at the top of each column. In the meantime you ought to speak occasionally of your spring stocks — what beautiful organdies and muslins are being opened — how handsome and stylish your new spring capes ap- pear, and similar conversations on the other lines, and as soon as " The Great Mid-Winter Sale " is over you can then begin to advertise spring stocks. Other Mid-Winter Sales. Immediately after New Year's comes a lapse of business — a tired feeling that begins with the customer's hard hit holiday pocketbook, then spreads quickly until retail channels are infected to a degree that causes the enterprising merchant to look about for a remedy for torpid trade. " The Mid-Winter Mark-Down Sale" is a panacea that prop- 44 Successful Advertising erly applied has never failed to produce results. Thousands of American retailers are unanimous in this. " The Mid-Winter Mark-Down Sale" sometimes masquer- ades under other names. It can be recognized under the name "Big Clearance Sale," it may be noted under the cognomen "Special After-Holiday Sale," and it sometimes exists under the caption, "Mid-Winter IMerchandise Movement." But whatever may be its heading, its purpose is the same. Its purpose is to pull in purchasers. It disposes of the left- overs from the holiday stocks— the slow sellers of the fall and winter supplies, and incidentally whatever regular goods that can be moved by a big sale and small prices. The main point to keep ever in view while preparing for a big sale like this is to see that everybody— from the head of the house down to the most humble employee— is well injected with the event's enthusiasm. Even a cash boy can be so keyed up that extra quick returns of change and parcels will delight customers. The delivery force should be added to— the clerks should be ready to do a little more than usual and the managers of departments should see that the inside displays, window exhibits and price tickets are such that the advertising produces not only promises but performances. All ! promises and performances. What a world of meaning is there only too often between the two ! Give the public a page of print and promises and a quarter page of performances, and there you have some " merchants' " idea of advertising. How long should the sale last ? That depends on a number of matters. Bad weather may spoil a sale — an insufficient quan- tity of goods may cause it to die— at all events the best judge is the merchant himself, who knows his trade and resources better than anyone else and is good enough judge to tell whether he is or not making money. A man squeezes a lemon as long as the juice lasts. The business man carries on a sale as long as it pays. Assuming that all the details of marking down prices, bringing goods forward, arranging show windows and making counters, shelves and aisles magnetic with price tickets and dis- plays have been attended to let us see what the advertising department is doing to swing success. How To Accomplish It. 45 The chances are that arrangements are being made to begin the sale on Monday with a bargain broadside in the Sunday papers. Friday's or Saturday's papers had a small card bidding everybody with an eye for the main chance to watch the Sunday papers for full particulars. For the week prior to the big Sunday ad the advertising manager and artist are busy in their respective lines of effort — the first going through the store and observing the price drops , in the various departments, conferring with buyers as to the relative cost of spaces and the amount of space to be apportioned to each department, making arrangements with newspapers con- cerning positions, write ups, etc. — the latter applying all his artistic ingenuity in producing illustrations that will assist the text and enthuse possible customers. Monday comes, and if the weather is propitious the first day's business is a fair criterion of the trade to follow "The Mid-Winter Mark-Down Sale." Many houses supplement their newspaper advertising with poster advertising, street car advertising, card advertising, etc., etc. As to the relative merits of these various forms of adver- tising I will not here attempt to discuss ; simply remarking that were I advertising the sale the newspapers would get practically all the appropriation. A successful mid-winter sale is a great business tonic. It purges the business system (to use a patent medicine metaphor) and puts every pore, every sinew, every artery and every nerve in shape for the soon-to-be-spring trade. •'The Winter Sale of Blankets "—" The Annual Sale of Shirts" — "The Semi-Annual Sale of Muslin Underwear" — "The January Sale of Office Furniture" are some of the mid- winter mercantile movements you see from time to time adver- tised throughout January and February. Every one of these sales is the result of well studied plans. Nothing is snap-shot. Weeks in advance of the exploitation in print arrangements were made in the wholesale market whereby certain lines of goods could be had at certain prices. Manu- facturers had to produce quantities of specialties — have them ready for delivery at a specified time and make a net wholesale 46 Successful Advertising price so as to help making "The Great Sale" the success it generally proves to be. Mid=Winter Advertising. January and February are months when the advertising pen is kept moving in double-quick order. The desire on the part of the department managers to clean out accumulated stocks is accentuated by the head of the house, and the adver- tising manager finds it necessary to keep his mental machinery moving at a lively gait, in order to devise all sorts of sales to move merchandise. Immediately after the holidays comes the " Clearing-Out Sale of Holiday Remnants," which usually lasts one week. This is frequently followed by a " Before Stock -Taking Sale." After these sales are disposed of comes "The Great January Mark-Down Sale," which is supposed by the outside world — by the feminine portion, at least — to represent the climax of bar- gain-giving. During this sale the cold, calculating matron, who, as the late Bill Nye once put it, " comes down-town on a street car, mentally figuring how she can chisel some dry-goods emporium out of ^^1.97 worth of dress goods,'' generally carries out her pet ideas on the chiselling question. During "The Great January Mark-Down Sale" the bargain-seeker can rum- mage to her heart's content in the big department store, know- ing full well that a yard of wool serges with mohair figures can be secured for 49c. that ordinarily costs 99c.; that a serviceable jacket can be bought for ^J.^y that usually would require $14.98, and other interesting and attractive data. "The Great January Mark-Down Sale" can be stretched along for three weeks. With it— in a sort of double or triple harness, as it were — can be run " The Annual Linen Sale" and "The Semi-Annual Muslin Underwear Sale," and some houses make a big lot of noise about this time on "The Big Sale of Men's Furnishings." All of the above sales fill out the month of January, and if they are well pushed and rightly written up there is no reason why they cannot make January a fairly lively month in business. How To Accomplish It. 47 Febriiar>', of course, should not be devoid of "Great Sales." It's a pity that the word "great" is abused so much in the retail world. Same way with "bargain." Yet both are good words — so good, so expressive, so excellent — that the brightest advertising writers have not been able to displace them with better words. And, in all probability, for ages to come will the word " great " stare you from the headlines of nearly every retail ad, and the word "bargain" appear a score of times in the arguments of the same. February — to return to the point left a moment ago — should have its " Great Sales," and the greatest of all February sales is " The Great Mid-Winter Sale." This sale can be made, by skillful advertising work, to last three or four weeks. As it begins to wane, talk — and very interesting talk, too — could be introduced about incoming spring stocks and minor special sales in the store. In fact all the advertising stories of the retail concern for the year's first two mouths could be made mighty interesting to the feminine readers of the daily press. Of course, we all know that men read ads, but the great audience is women. Some people speak harshly of "Great Sales " and "Special Sales." They say such sales are fakes— that they are not what they seem, that they are merely names given to the regular order of business for a week or two, and — well, they say a whole lot of things neither charitable nor complimentary about these sales. While such criticism may be partly right in some instances, yet it is an undeniable fact that the great majority of department stores issue rigid orders to their various buyers to have the "bargains" correspond with the ads — to make honest attempts to bring prices down to the lowest points possible dur- ing certain sales — and where this harmony exists between the buyers and the advertising department increased business is the result. In the newspaper world it is necessar>' to have a fresh lot of interesting news — sensational headlines, daily. Without such, newspapers would soon pall. Just so with the advertising of a dry-goods house. It's news — it's live, readable, money-saving news that the concern daily puts before its constituents. And 48 Successful Advertising that concern is pleasing the public and doing itself a service ^.vhen it dishes this news in the most readable and attractive form daily. When the news of the store's doings is daily spread before the public gaze under the title of " Great January Sales," "Great Mid-Winter Sales," "The Annual Linen Sale," or v;hatever name it may be, and the same clearly presented with the twin attractions of typographical beauty and brilliant text — as well as the goods and prices to back the printed talk— it stands to reason that such special sales are an advantage. They stimulate trade, they provoke discussions among the store's patrons, they increase the flow of shekels to the firm's exchequer. With the great department stores of Gotham, the Quaker City, the Hub and the Woolly West you will always see special sales of all sorts being indulged in, and although some concerns overdo it, yet the majority proceed on a systematic, clear-headed basis by having "A Great" some kind of sale on tap and so keeping the ball of business rolling. Pushing Winter Business. Winter a dull season ? Not at all ! The great wheel of winter business can be made to revolve rapidly upon the hub of special sales — the whole attached to the electric dynamo of good advertising. Keep it whirling — keep it going and you centre upon it public interest and draw to it the public's dollars. First it is one special sale — then another and still another until the first thing we know spring goods with spring announcements and openings come along to claim a hearing. Throughout Januaiy there is the special sale of holiday goods — tlie special sale previous to stock taking — the special sale after stock taking — the special sale of muslin underwear — the special sale of winter underwear— the special sale of men's and boy's shirts — tlie special markdown sale for January — the special sale of dress goods and silks and special sales enough to keep the entire establishment busy. How To Accomplish It. 49 Throughout February there are more special sales, every one of which has a good excuse for its existence, as the public — the feminine public in particular — know full well that prices are sadly broken on all lines of fall and winter goods, and that manufacturers are willing to turn their stocks into cash at sacri- fice prices, for is not spring with spring assortments near at hand ? There are two ways of doing a thing — one is the right way and the other is the wrong way — and while one is carrying on a special sale he might as well do it the right way as not. I know some merchants and heads of departments who start a special sale in a sort of a-flash-in-the-pan system, that is, they make a fuss, but nothing comes of it, for there was little or no thought given to the general scheme. A special sale does not consist in simply advertising it — it consists in : First, in getting all the goods advertised. Second, in making judicious displays of these goods on counters and in windows. Third, in being ready to supply goods whenever stocks run short. Fourth, in having plenty of price tickets and display cards. Fifth, in getting the entire force to appreciate the importance of this sale. Sixth, in advertising it properly. The advertising, above all other details, should be thought out well in advance. There are such details as arranging for certain spaces and write-ups in the local papers, the printing of circulars or circular letters, the securing of cuts, etc., etc., and when all this is thrown upon the advertising man at the last moment, the result is anything but satisfactory. And the window dresser ? He is a very important man around special sale time and he should not be rushed. He ought to be given time to clear out his windows and get dum- mies, fixtures and whatever his artistic and business-like con- ceptions of the window displays demand. He and the advertising man usually work in harmony — in many establishments the advertising manager has control of the window dressing as well as of the advertising and printing. When the head of the house, the advertising man, the win- dow dresser, the buyers and all concerned get their heads together and work in absolute harmony to make a special sale a 4 50 Successful Advertising success, what is to prevent its beinc^ a great success? Echo answers with much reverberation : " what?" Speed the Parting — Welcome the Coming. Zero prices on winter goods — clear decks for the incoming spring stocks — such in brief is the March text of the progres- sive retailer. In spite of blizzards and impassable streets there is a touch of spring. Back of the white garment of winter we can see the beauty and verdure of the next season and if nothing else the incoming new stocks are'Cvidences enough. Weeks ago clever buyers in the great markets bought the goods which are now trooping in and the only bother is, the laggards in winter merchandise which stand in the way of the proper disposition of the new arrivals. Where is the remedy? What will make winter stocks go at this present moment ? Is there not some power that will push old goods into the hands of purchasers? There is a power that never fails — the power of PRICE. Alone it is mighty but backed by Good Advertisiyig it is irresisti- ble. Like an Alpine avalanche sweeping everything before its path the power of PRICE backed by Good Advertising will move stocks mountains high. The trouble is that many retailers are afraid to use it. They are squeamish on the point of a present small loss, but if they took a broad view of the situation they would find that a small loss now taken is better by far than the inevitable big loss later on that comes from shop-worn goods, disgruntled customers and a damaged reputation. John Wanamaker, Henry Siegel, Marshall Field, Eben Jordan — all merchant princes, who rose by sheer force of ability — never hesitated to take the bull by the horns and sweep out slow sellers with prices cut to the core. Many retailers have recently written me about the heavy stocks such as cloaks and suits for feminine wear and overcoats and winter suits for men. These stocks are hard to move. Cut prices — advertise — cut prices — advertise — cut prices — advertise — How To Accomplish It. 51 keep at it everlastingly. This is the only thing to do. If the season has been anyway decent you have reaped a fair profit from the heavy winter wearables, so you can afford to be satis- fied with a less profit to quickly move the balance. Yes ! if you are a merchant of nerve and judgment you will be satisfied with no profit at all on some lines, for you have made a profit of what you already sold this winter — you see a fair profit in sight on the spring goods and you add another strong link in the chain that binds customers to your store by giving them values that throw competition completely in the shade. How to advertise? Advertise forcibly — directly — pointedly — like a man telling something that should be heard by every man, woman and child within reaching distance. Use cuts to illustrate your story but remember that the telling is the great point. Display, position and tricks of type are minor considera- tions compared with what you say. As to space ? Well, that is a matter of individual judg- ment. Generally speaking, I would advise liberal spaces at present, as you have something exceptional in the bargain line to talk about. There are no cut and dried rules about using advertising space. About all the advice on this subject can be said in the following paragraph: Use space according to your offerings and weather condi- ditions. The best copy is the latest of the best store news. When you have something to say, say it ; when you have noth- ing to say, do not use up space in saying it. If there is only a weekly in your town do not hesitate to supplement the newspaper advertising with good circulars or poster advertising. Circular advertising in country towns is by no means the poor advertising it is in cities, and good mercan- tile poster advertising is yet a novelty in many localities. Window displays and interior exhibits are vital features! Use plenty of price cards and from the front door to the back yard try and give an air of intense earnestness on your part to say a quick good-bye to the slow moving winter merchandise. 52 Successful Advertising Advertising Spring Stocks. The new spring and summer styles are beginning to blos- som in many show windows of the great metropolis, and plans for pushing the new arrivals are now in evidence. The hotels are now filled with buyers from the West and South — hotel people say they never saw so many out-of-town merchants or their representatives a February before — and as a result the latest conceptions of American and European design- ers are scurrying West and South, to be exploited in the many ads of many houses. There is a suggestion of the poetry of spring and the sun- shine of summer about these goods that contrasts strongly with the present bleak February weather, and it is therefore wise to tinge dull, prosaic retail advertising with a little of this warmth of poetry. For human nature is ever ready to respond to the sugges- tiveness of spring and sunshine, whether it appears in the humble effort of the aspiring amateur in spring poetry, or is more deftly spun into business literature by the clever advertis- ing writer. The masculine eye in glancing over a newspaper column lightens up at the advance spring announcements, speaking of the latest shapes in men's hats ; and the feminine optic gleams with anticipation as it learns from the advertising columns that the latest effects in silks are the Navel Eccoisee, Illuminated Broche Grenadines and Bengaline Soyeaux. In advance spring advertising the retailer has ample oppor- tunities to inject information and novelty into his store news. He is no longer obliged to thrum the well-beaten note of bar- gains and bargain sales. He can give the livest, freshest sort of news in speaking of his new spring arrivals in the silks and dress goods — in ladies' capes and garments — in clothing and furnishings. In general store or department store advertising it is well to take one or two departments at a time in speaking of their How To Accomplish It. 53 spring openings. Thus, Sunday's ad might contain an announcement of the initial exhibit of ladies' jackets, capes and garments. Tuesday's might speak of dress goods and silks, and later on in the week the announcement regarding spring millinery could be made. In the course of a week or two all the principal departments could be thus given the prominence they deserve, in connection with the usual digest of special sales. Then a whole Sunday ad could be given to the entire new arrivals. Have the head- ing speak of spring styles — have every department speak only of the spring styles — and the whole ad thus given to spring styles would be a culminating general spring announcement to the series of spring ads previously given. Clothiers and furnishers have ample opportunities to give their patrons the latest news in male wearables. This can be done in a variety of ways. One is by the regular newspaper advertising, which shows the proper idea in spring overcoats and neckwear. This is always illustrated with a cut, which is accompanied with a brief description of the garment and its price. Another way is to issue a handsome booklet, showing the new arrangements in spring and summer suits, overcoats, shoes, head wear and furnishings. Still another is to use posters showing two or more faultlessly dressed men promenading in Central Park or some other equally interesting place with the name of the concern attached to the poster. Still another method is to use circular announcements, which are sent by mail to possible customers. They are all good, although some are better than others. Advertising is like the Kentucky man's whiskey in most people's estimation. The Kentucky man — the inevitable colonel, of course — was once asked his opinion of whiskey — which was good and which was bad. " Well, suh," he responded, "all whiskey is good, but some whiskies are better than other whiskies." Just so with advertising. All advertising is good, because it is better than no advertising— but there are varying degrees of goodness in advertising. And one can use advertising to excess as he can whiskey. 54 Successful Advertising I believe newspaper advertising to be the best for a retailer in advertising his spring stocks. Then comes booklet advertis- ing. A well written, well illustrated booklet, judiciously dis- tributed, can do a whole lot of good. The average man will keep it and occasionally glance in it for the proper pointers as to his wardrobe. After that comes poster advertising, which is good for houses that cater to the popular trade. A good poster is a work of art nowadays, and it detracts neither from the dignity or standing of the average clothing house to issue it. On the contrary — quite. I cannot say I am lost in ecstacy over the possible benefit to be derived from circular or card advertising sent by mail. I have done quite a lot of it, however, for people who were attracted to it by its apparent cheapness, but it certainly has its drawbacks, especially in a large city. I know a friend of mine living up in Harlem, who almost every day in the year finds his letter-box — he lives in a flat — filled with all sorts of cir- culars and cards from dentists, grocers, real estate men, etc., stufied in with his regular mail. He tells me he promptly throws them away, and often wishes he could give the senders of these communications a term in the penitentiary. When the circular form of advertising was new it was good. Circularizing in small towns is more effective than in cities. Cir- culars antagonize my Harlem friend in a moment — they never win his trade — and he is only one of many others who are heartily disgusted with circular advertising. Again Spring Advertising. The winter stocks have had their fling — they have been advertised and re-advertised — they have impressed customers and with the assumption that they have well done their mercan- tile duty the next and natural thought is — Advertising the new spring stocks! They are legion! There are new silks, suits, shoes, stock- ings and shirts — magnetic millinery and models from the modistes' workrooms — dainty dresses, dress stuffs and laces — clothing conceits and haberdasher hints innumerable — in fact, How To Accomplish It. 55 spring novelties in everything for personal wear and frequently for household use. In spring advertising jDlease remember that while the public likes novelty it also appreciates information, if not given in too dry a form. In spring advertising information concerning the stocks, store and prices can be so run in the advertising that it relieves the mixture of facts, figures and prose poetry. The retailer picks out his winning cards in suits, over- coats, millinery and dress goods, and after due deliberation over the advertising campaign produces a series of ads of which the following may stand as an example: Stunning Suits. Stylish Overcoats. Whatever wrinkle Fashion says is so, is here. Whatever worth that fabric and work- manship can give is here. Whatever econ- omy that a thorough knowledge of the busi- ness can offer is here. We suit the most crit- ical taste — we satisfy the most practical sense with a spring stock larger by far than our best past showings. Overcoat item Here Suit item Here New Millinery In All Its Freshness. Redolent with the breath of Paris, charming with the touch of London and perfect with a profu- sion of American ideas, the new millinery in- vites your inspection. It is an exhibit that will give you an idea with every glance. Novelty is triumphant ! Not only is the newest here but the best is here and not only all that but prices are so reason- able as to cause wonder. See all on the open- ing day. SPRING Johnson A Co. spuing 1900 1900 Wednesday, the 15 th. Morgan & Co. Successful Advertisings^ You are cordially invited to inspect Our Sprinf Dress Goods Exhibit! The newest, the best, the latest, the cream of the market, is here. With an eye single to your purse and taste we have made a selection the peer of any in this section. The fabrics, the weaves, the color combinations and (let us say right here) the price will delight you and every connoisseur of dress fabrics. Come to-day, to-morrow or this week and see our list of new fabrics. Among the American Fabrics are Ice Wool Ettemain something new but which Fashion decreed is going to be all the rase this season. Every desirable color combination is in our assortment, and the woman who sees it will fall in love with it, for when it Is draped against another color fabric it makes a dress ex- ceedingly vStylish and one that will give wear in plenty. Silk Sublime for a recherche waist or dress will be in great demand this season. And why not? Its wearing quali- ties are unsurpassed. Its appearance Is rich and fashionable and'the most stylish dresser would be glad to wear a garment from It. See our very attractive varieties and learn our very low prices. SMITH, 5MITH & CO. Introducing Spring MiiHnery, etc. When the advertising writer spins from the point of his pen a smooth, saccharine string of soft somethings after this order : " The New Afillmery blooms and blossoms with the genius of Paris, Berlin, Vienna, London and New York — giving forth ideas by the score, to be quickly absorbed by wise feminine heads upon which the new headwear will gracefully sit." By such token will the gentle public know that gentle spring is in evidence, ready to shower her new merchandise up- on those with the wherewithal to pay for the privilege. And as there is a goodly number waiting with cash in hand to invest in the new spring merchandise, it is well to discuss ways and means of making the right advertising impression. Let us take millinery. Where is the woman in this broad land (or any other broad land) who does not desire an Easter bonnet or hat? Before she buys this head-covering she must How To Accomplish It. 57 compare — criticise — conform — talk it over with her friends. The millinery openings help her in this. One of the greatest helps to a successful millinery season is a good opening. Start the spring and summer season right and the battle is half won. But how to start it right ? Invitation cards — dainty, delicate, fashionable iu script or slender type — means a time-honored but still effective method. These cards should be mailed in envelopes addressed by hand to a select list of names. Many patrons of a store have a favorite saleslady. With such, it is politic for the saleslady to indicate, by placing her name on the card, her desire to give personal attention to the recipient at the opening. Floral displays — not alone the usual displays of artificial flowers — but arrangements of plants, roses, etc., heighten the effect at an opening to a degree foolish to neglect. Assuming that the window and de- partment displays were everything to be desired, the next point is the newspaper advertising. A millinery opening is usually advertised for three days. The first ad is the largest — frequently as large as a double half column. New York's big department stores feature the millinery at the top of their large ads. Cats are used that not only give an idea of new styles, but suggest their uses as shown by street, theatre or hotel scenes. Here is an idea for a heading- : Fresh from the World's Fashion Centres Where the brightest brains and nimblest fingers have been at work come the new styles which will be on view. TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY. To say it is our best showing expresses but feebly the attempt. It means a harvest of ideas from which our customers can garner to their hearts' content. Come and attend our Sprinf Opening of Hats, Bonnets and Toques, 6S Successful Advertising Tlie second day's ad is not as large as the previous dav- it touches upon the success of the first day. (Between the gentle reader, this piece of paper and the writer did you— honor bright— did you ever know of an opening or sale that was not a shining success the first day, even if it snowed mountain high or rained oceans deep? That the elements never interfere with mercantile plans is a phenomenon as cer- tain as it is inscrutable.) The third day's ad is still smaller, then the millinery advertising fades into occasional mentions in the general ad, unless there are — as there should be— fre- quent special sales. The dress goods— the silks— the ready-to-wear garments for women and children — the clothing and furnishings for men and boys generally have separate opening ads. On Sundays, when the large general ad appears each of these departments will be represented in a manner befitting the new stocks. Try and give information in your ads. When you speak of new silks, tell whether they are silks from Lyons, Japan or New Jersey. American ideas have so progressed in Japan that Japanese silk making is practically Americanized— much to the improvement of these fabrics. Silk manufacturers in New Jersey are as wide awake— if not more so — than their rivals across the water. The manufacturer in New Jersey is not alone prolific in ideas, but he also improves upon the foreigner's best. Not only that, but he can produce silks cheaper. Then sing another tune about the shimmering silks from sunny Southern France, where silk making is an heirloom that stays in families for generations, etc. There is not an article of new spring merchandise about which an interesting bit of information cannot be twisted into the ads. April Advertising. T/ic Tailor, Clothier and Fwniishcr has his new spring ideas in makes, weaves, colorings and effects which he is anxious to properly introduce before prospective customers. He will find that a series of interesting newspaper ads — covering the ground as to price, style and workmanship— judiciously placed in the How To Accomplish It. 59 right mediums will give him the greatest amount of advertising good. A booklet of eight or twelve pages — if interestingly- gotten up — can be sent with profit to a select list of names. Even a two-page circular — such as came to my hands a few days ago showing swatches of popular priced suits and overcoats — can be sent out with good returns. The Dry Goods Retailer has plenty to talk about. His new silks, satins, dress goods, wash goods, etc., show hundreds of new suggestions and it is a poor pen that cannot gather inspira- tion from the charming color combinations and textures. News- paper advertising is the best advertising for him — he has probably found that out ere this — and with the aid of eye catching illustrations and typography he gets up advertising that thrills every feminine mind in his vicinity. The Boot and Shoe Man is not at a loss for something to say. Even the single but important fact that low cut patent leathers will be distinctly in vogue with dressy men all summer is enough to add a spice of interesting information to a dozen ads. By giving out information people are interested, provided this information is given in a clever manner. (How much more interesting is the ad that gives some of the meat of information skillfully interwoven with the tapioca of glittering generalities instead of the ad made up wholly of g. g?) In advertising foot- wear many good advertisers speak of but a single item at a time and with window displays and inside exhibits hope to push along the sale of the shoe advertised. Next day or next week (according to the frequency of appearance of the local paper or the enter- prise of the merchant) another strong item assisted by striking displays is on tap, and so on until every normal shoe desire is catered to. The //i2//^r with his "spring shapes" is ready to interest and cover young and old heads. He can tell all about the Knox, Dunlap and Youman shapes — how the crowns and brims are slightly different from last season's. Occasionally, you v/ill find a hatter enterprising enough to put out a booklet concern- ing his line, which piece of enterprise — as is every business enterprise — is guided by the amount of business being done compared with what might be done with additional advertisir.g. 60 Successful Advertising The Ladies* Costiimer will find April an ideal month to talk about the novel spring capes, cloaks, dresses and skirts — surpass- ing subjects for the advertiser to enthuse over. ("The brains of New York and Paris conceived these elegant garments — a knowledge of the market made the prices easy on the purchaser's pocketbook and a wise selection for our constituents' popular needs enabled us to offer the most tempting spring assortment ever seen in this section of the State, etc.," until the words pulled out of the writer's ink bottle sink deep into every woman's mind.) The Hardware Dealer with his rakes, hoes, spades and the list of garden and farm implements is now sharpening his lead pencil to grind out good advertising copy. In many cases he carries seeds, bulbs, and whatever the average suburbanite or farmer may desire to make Mother Earth bloom and blossom with natural products, and he has a variety of absorbing subjects to speak about. (To see this form of advertising at its height in catalogue shape, look at some of the gorgeous catalogues put forth by the New York and Chicago wholesale houses.) The Grocer and Butcher can give their ads a springtime twitch by reason of recent supplies of seasonable edibles. Fresh- ness and purity of products together with price inducements are the keys to play upon by this advertiser, and as tlie busincoS music Strikes wise feminine ears the ads are always sure of a musical, clinking cash response. Taking everything into consideration the springtime adver- tiser's lot is not such an unhappy one, as he has something new to talk about — a wide latitude for his pen — plenty prices to put to paper — eager eyes to read his stories, and as the times gen- erally are very good, quite a bit of money waiting to jump into his till. Movements in May Merchandising. There were a couple of suggestions that reminded me one afternoon that spring had come. One was a trip across Madison Square Park, where I saw that philosopher. Citizen George Francis Train, sitting on a bench, surrounded by a lot of children — his thoughts presumably keeping time in " a sort of Runic How To Accomplish It. 61 Rhyme" to the twittering of birds in the bright green foliage. The park looked like an oasis in a desert of bricks, of streets, of cable cars and of people, and its bright verdure looked exceed- ingly restful. The other hint was while I was in a Broadway cigar store selecting a cigar, when I noticed a circular announc- ing the initial trips of the Coney Island steamers. I came back to my office with the intention of making this talk appropriate to May advertising — so here goes : May is the month when householders are thinking of fur- nishing and refitting their homes. They need a dozen pictures, a carpet, a rug, some chairs and several other things, and the wise house-furnishing dealer, by a series of well directed ads can catch a very nice portion of spring trade. Mr. Furniture or Carpet Dealer^ are you ready for this? May is the month when the joyous golfer and cyclist invest in a suit, cap, or pair of shoes — to say nothing of a wheel and its sundries. Men and boys are looking about for summer suits and personal furnishings of every sort for vacation and summer resort purposes. Mr. Clothier and Furnisher.^ are you ready for this ? May is the month when the tourist and even the common- place, every-day individual is looking for a trunk, bag, valise Or some article for traveling purposes. Mr. Trunk man., are you ready for this ? May is the month when many a suburbanite tries to tickle his little patch of earth with a hoe to bring him a wealth of flowers and vegetables. He needs a hose — a lawn mower — a rake and other things to help him cultivate that little patch of ground and the farmer with a large patch needs quite a number of tools to help him with his work. Mr. Hardware Dealer., are you ready for this ? May is the month when many a lady is seriously consider- ing her summer suit and outer wearables. She needs a whole lot of " fixins " for her personal use, and she appreciates the ads that will help her in her selections. Mr. Cloak Man and Dry Goods Dealer., are you ready for this ? In fact, May is a month that may well be improved by every 62 Successful Advertising retailer, as the bright, warm days suggest many needs that the wide awake dealer ought to further elucidate by a series of sea- sonable May ads. May is a good month to do a little splurging in clothing and furnishings. Price cutting could be made in spring cloth- ing, especially overcoats. Lots of men who have not invested in a spring overcoat could be now induced to by a cut of from fifteen to forty per cent, from regular prices. Light spring overcoats are handy for vacation purposes and the occasional cool evenings that we will yet see before autumn. Spring suits at a slight reduction will find favor for all summer wear. Then the multi-colored summer shirts and fashionable neckwear should be well advertised at present and in every line of men's, youths' and boys' furnishings, lively May movements can be occasioned by good advertising. May is certainly the trunk dealers' month to advertise. And the dealer in cameras and photographic supplies ought to take advantage of the month and bring his goods into news- paper publicity. The papers are full of bicycle ads and the dealers in suits for bicycle and other sporting and outing purposes should put in their best efforts all through this month. The shoe dealer should utilize his four and six-inch spaces with helpful suggestions on Oxfords and tans and the other sorts of summer footwear. If the hardware man will take, say a four-inch single column space, right along through the month of May and the first two weeks of June, he can do his business a whole lot of good. The ads should appear daily, if possible — if not daily then every other day, or at least tri-weekly, and, if nothing bet- ter, right through the months of May and June in his weekly pape/. Each hardware ad should speak of one, two or three specials — each of which should be illustrated with a clean outline cut. A small cut answers as well as a large one, pro- vided it is clear and well drawn. I have always found, in my experience in advertising hardware departments, that cuts were very necessary. Of course the department and dry goods stores will pound How To Accomplish It. 63 right along through May and early June with " alarming cuts in dress goods," and "marvelous reductions in ladies' outer gar- ments," as well as special sales in which price cuts on the regular spring and summer goods are the themes to harp on. A very good plan for the retailer desiring to " make the most of things" at present, i^ to closely study the ads of live houses in his lines in larger cities. For instance, the dry goods dealer in a central New York town could study the ads of Wanamaker, Siegel-Cooper, and The Adams Dry Goods Co., in New York— the trunk man in New Hampshire or some othef state, should note what the leading trunk houses in New York are saying — the furniture and house-furnishing man in Illinois and Indiana may well study the present ads of Tobey or Mandel of Chicago, and so on. Every retailer can get a few points by studying the methods of the big fish in his line in larger cities. But the best plan of all, after studying the ads and move- ments of the big metropolitan concerns, is for the retailer to consider his local conditions, and if he thinks metropolitan methods won't exactly fit in his own town, to evolve strong advertising methods of his own that will exactly suit his case. In most cases, however, he can get valuable pointers from the big fellows. Early Summer Advertising. This is the season of the year when the thrifty housewife looks about her for a chair or two, or maybe a dozen, for her summer residence. She is also likely to need some window curtains and screens, some rugs, carpets, pictures and a whole lot of other household needs that almost every general store keeps, and her thoughts in this direction should be met by vigorous, sensible advertising of her needs. Summer silks and dress goods also occupy quite a bit of her attention. All the details of her summer wardrobe — and they are many, ranging from ribbons to outing suits — should be further impressed upon her memory by a series of special sales of these goods. 64 Successful Advertising This is a ^season of special sales. The bloom of freshness has worn off the spring and summer stocks, and following in natural sequence come price reductions with their attendant advertising. The wide-awake advertiser at all times adjusts himself to seasons and conditions. He keeps his eyes well peeled upon his neighbors' movements and he aims to anticipate the imme- diate wants of his customers. Advertising is a mighty factor in this. It tells the tales of his store happenings from day to day, from week to week, and just now it should be interesting with details of mark-downs in the spring and summer stocks. Inaugurate a special sale of dress goods and silks. Add to this your semi-annual sale of notions and a drive in ribbons. Keep this up for a week or two and you will be sure to cap- ture considerable custom from the women of your vicinity who are thinking of summer dresses. And where is the woman who is not at present thinking of that important subject? This is also a good time to boom your suit department, especially those handsome outing and cycling suits which recently arrived. Give them a good show in your local papers. Get up a rousing sale of shirt and silk waists. Have a series of them for the next six weeks, anyway. Shirt waists are more in demand this season than ever before, and you ought to be able to meet this demand, not only in your stocks, but by letting the public know the stories of these stocks. Oxford tan and all the various styles of summer shoes should be well advertised now. Advertise your summer hosiery. Use cuts in your ads. I have always preached cuts, but this afternoon, after looking over a full-page ad of a Southern dry goods concern, wherein not a single cut was used, I am again tempted to emphasize the necessity of cuts. A half-dozen cuts run through the page would lighten it up wonderfully ; a dozen would not only make the page attractive, but would be a most potent factor in selling goods. Another thing in early summer and all-summer advertis- ing. If possible, let your ads take on a vein of lightness and brightness. Remember the summer novel on this. The sum- How To Accomplish It. 65 mer novel does not flourish miicli through the long winter, because people are full of business and are intent on capturing the almighty dollar, but in summer their thoughts take a lighter turn. They turn to leisure and light literature, and the advertising that is crisp and bright and pleasing stands a much better show in summer than does the heavy, solid kind. Here is one point where many advertisers are lame, and that is they stop advertising the moment warm weather sets in. I do not consider this good policy. I believe in pounding right along — blow hot, blow cold — and if you notice the meth- ods of the greatest dry-goods advertisers in this country you will observe how persistent they are all the year round. Keep the ball of special sales rolling all the time, even through the dullest summer months. If your competitor is napping on this, so much the better for you, as you then have a clearer field in which to work. Warm Weather Sales. This morning, while in a Broadway clothing store, selecting a straw hat and some light weight summer needs, I noticed that all the trading in the store was being done in the department given to straw hats, crash suits, light coats and vests, light weight underwear and other dog-day wearables. The departments given to regular summer suits and the usual lines were deserted. The hot weather of the last few days has accentuated the demand for goods to fit weather conditions, and I thought it a waste of good powder and shot for the retailer — as he did — to pay much attention to advertising the Staple lines of goods. In my opinion it would be better policy for him to give the greater part of his newspaper space to straw hats, crash suits, etc. — such goods as people are now looking for. The staples could be mentioned in a short footnote. It is easier to sell smaller priced articles than the higher priced. This is an axiom generally accepted in the retail world. Warm weather wearables are lower priced than the regular needs in clothing and furnishings. Considering this fact and 66 Successful Advertising the further fact that there is a strong demand for light, cool gar- ments at present, isn't it advisable that the principal advertising space should be given to these goods? During the entire month of July the clothier and furnisher should study special sales in negligee shirts, straw hats, crash suits, thin coats and vests, summer russets and similar needs. The ads ought to be well illustrated — bright, animated, crisp, and full of suggestiveness as to the timeliness and usefulness of these goods. A letter came to me the other day from a clothier, asking the average life of the special sale. Answer : a week. Of course it depends upon the importance of the sale. Some are worth pushing a fortnight — others die an easy and natural death in two days. Use a special sale as you would a lemon ; when you have squeezed the worth out of it, let it drop — but before you drop it be sure you have squeezed the juice of Mammon well out of it. To sustain summer interest the dry goods and general store ought to study through July special sales in summer silks, wash fabrics, white goods, shirt waists, sailor hats, bathing suits and so on through the long list of articles most likely to meet the desires of Her Royal Highness, The American Woman. She may not have any pressing need for these articles — in most instances she has done the bulk of her summer buying earlier — but she has a keen eye for bargains in such lines, and if anything '*good" captures her fancy and she has the spare change on hand she will surely invest. A great number of retailers stop, or almost stop, advertising through dog-day weather. This is a mistake — a very great mis- take. There are always some dollars floating about — not so many to be sure as during the regular buying season — but enough to justify special efforts to capture them. The furniture dealer can easily do a fair July business by good advertising of reed and rattan furniture, hammocks, lawn seats, etc. There are plenty small nick-nacks in the house- furnishing line which will appeal to any housewife's heart if rightly priced and rightly advertised. If you will notice the movements of the most successful carpet, rug, upholstery and How To Accomplish It. 67 furniture retailers you will notice that they keep up the game of good advertising right along. In this article I could ran the whole gamut of retail lines and advise the grocer, the shoe dealer, the suit man, the haber- dasher, and the entire list to specialize certain lines for the month of July. But such a detail would be wearisome — if this screed will jog the understanding of the reader in the direction of advertising timely goods by timely sales, or maybe jibe with some ideas which have already been laying in his own brain, then it will have accomplished its purpose. For your advertising always study the seasons and weather conditions — it is simply a matter of a little forethought — and you can save and make many good dollars by so doing. The Mid=Summer Clearance Sale. Twice a year almost every retail establishment has a grand clearance sale in which all the odds and ends of a six months' accumulation of business must be swept away by the mighty brooms of little prices and good advertising. One occurs in January or February — if you remember I treated of it in a previous article — the second occurs in July or August, and a few remarks regarding it are now in order. The advance guards of the fall stocks will soon be troop- ing in — they need th6 shelf and counter room now taken up by the fag ends of summer and spring stocks. The latter must be rid of— there is one way to do it and that is by a well-aimed advertising splurge and with prices so small that they will induce every bargain-loving man, woman and child within a rea- sonable radius of your store to visit you. Department stores, shoe stores, clothing stores, haber- dashers, hatters and many more of the retail stores will find this summer clearance sale, if well directed, a strong impetus to their trade. Let us first take general dry goods and department stores. Newspaper advertising is the best advertising, of course, but it may be supplemented by effective bill-board advertising, with window and interior store display. 68 Successful Advertising A very excellent method is to take a four or five inch sin- gle or double column space — according to your advertising appropriation — and announce the sale two or three days in advance. This will tend to put people in a receptive mind for your big half or full page ad which comes out in all its glory, generally on a Sunday. Give a good display to the top headlines and headings. I would advise that this top piece run clear across top of ad. Have the items set in uniform style beneath. Have two double columns squares with items and prices on the two most impor- tant departments on extreme right and left sides, directly under main heading, thus giving the centre columns, single columns each, to less important departments. If you take a full page try to carry out this arrangement throughout. Now after this short talk about grouping the items and prices, allow me to make a few other general suggestions. Tell clearly and pointedly in your general headline that this is your " Great Mid-Summer Clearance Sale" or "Semi- Annual Clearance Sale " and give your reasons for holding this sale. It is a good rule to never advertise a sale of consequence without giving a reason for that sale. People are unconscious analyzers of sales — they like to look for reasons — superficial or profound. Give them reasons when you can. Do not overcrowd the ad. Have the whole arranged sym- metrically and effectively. I wish I could insert in the body of this article a good half page or page example of some of the good clearing sale ads which I have in mind, so as to illustrate this point. Keep this sale up for one week anyway. Fire your great shot oflf with the first big ad — the succeeding ads need not be so large. If the first week's sale panned out all right, and you think you can give it another week's whirl, go ahead and do it. You are the best judge. Every advertiser — every merchant — every business man must in a measure be a law unto himself. Just the same he can pick up important points on special sub- jects by specialists. As a rule this mid-summer clearance sale lasts two weeks. I have known extreme instances where it has been stretched as long as a month. How To Accomplish It. 69 Use cuts — good, strong, clear talk — pay nice attention to type, rules and borders — back up your ads with attractive win- dow displays — get up special department exhibits — have plenty of plain black and white price tags, paste proof of your ads in conspicuous points in your establishment where the clerks, customers and floor managers can easily refer to them, and if your goods are demandable and dependable, you ought to be able, after the sale is over to have your decks cleared for fall assortments and have some more ready cash in your bank. Three or four good double half column or two full col- umn ads on a clothing sale would do lots of clothiers good just now. Or, better still, if you can afford it — come out with a half page clothing clearance sale and supplement it with three or four good ads to follow the first big ad. The life of the clothing special sale depends upon individual conditions as in other sales. In the matter of items be clear and satisfactory — it is better to slop over a little on the details of the garment advertised than to say too little. In no line of advertising are cuts more necessary than in clothing. The summer season is not over yet by any means — and many an impecunious young man who has not secured a sum- mer suit by reason of "the stringency of the money market," will be very likely to grasp a good opportunity to get this suit when properly presented in a good live ad. Before starting in on your "Great Clearance Sale" or any other sale it always pays to sit down and do some thinking. Call in your various buyers, after you have given the subject some consideration — they will give you many good points. Never fly off on a tangent or go off before your gun is quite loaded. Have all the details of your sale well mapped out in your mind — then when you are ready to act you can act so that results cannot escape. 70 Successful Advertising Mid=Summer Bombardment. The following appeared in Printer's Ink in September, 1895 — conditions are now naturally changed. When I joined forces with Hayden Bros., Omaha, Neb., about a year ago, I thought I saw a glorious opportunity to hypnotize the ordinary dead summer trade into something then unknown to Nebraska merchants. And the result somewhat astonished the natives of this prairie-swept State, as well as the tenderfoot from the classic advertising fields of the Hub. From handling the advertising of the mighty house of Jordan, Marsh & Co., of Boston, to writ- ing and placing Hayden Bros.' bargain stories, was quite a leap. But health conditions and physicians' orders sometimes turn our lives topsy-turvy, and, well, at any rate, 1 found myself one June morning. of last year out in Omaha, under contract to do Hayden Bros.' advertising. But how was I to start in ? Where was I to begin ? This, the biggest department house in Omaha, never had an advertising manager. And I was the first one to come along and try to evolve a well oiled advertising department out of what appeared to me to be dismal chaos. A most peculiar order of things existed at the time of my arrival, and I was told the same conditions were to be found in the other Omaha stores. This was the situation. As they had never had an advertising head, the various heads of depart- ments (about forty in all) would each get up whatever he saw fit to advertise his special department, and personally take or send down his contribution to the newspaper offices. This con- tribution was left to the tender mercies of a foreman in the composing room, to be dovetailed somewhere in the general Sunday or other ad belonging to Hayden Bros. Thus the Omaha Sunday Bee would be a couple or three days gathering in the bargain announcements of this house, and when the whole thing was brought together it was a weird and wonderful mosaic of forty different individualities. It is proverbial that the smartest department heads — the men who are keenest in How To Accomplish It. 71 driving bargains and making dollars appear on the right side of the department ledgers — are frequently the poorest ad writers. The situation was quickly realized. In the first place, I picked up the Omaha Bee and studied it. I noticed that the display advertising of the local houses for this particular day (it happened to be on a Monday) did not amount to a row of pins. The Nebraska Clothing Company's ad was about the only dis- play one. On the last page was an eruption of poorly written, poorly arranged and very loose-jointed " locals," or in other words, a lot of items and prices arranged in single column, in ordinary type, without regard to display. An old-fashioned head-line or two, after "the tremendous bargain" order, headedthese attempts. The other daily. The World- Herald^ told about the same story. The Boston Store, Ferguson's, the Morse Dry Goods Co., in fact, all the dry goods stores in town, seemed to be satisfied with these "locals." The suggestion occurred to me, why wouldn't it be a good idea for some department house to take advantage of this general business lassitude and begin a bombardment of mid- summer advertising. Such a house would have a clear field to itself. I thought the scheme worthy of trial, and so started in to carry out this idea. A contract was soon made with the Omaha Bee and World- Herald wherewith one-half a page space was to be taken ]\Ion- days, Wednesdays and Fridays and one-third page space Tues- days, Thursdays and Saturdays, while on Sundays full page spaces would be taken. These spaces were to be occupied by regular display advertisements. In the display line, at any rate, they certainly had the whole field to themselves. Newspaper space out there is quite reasonable. The annual summer languor had crept over trade and the Omaha merchants were doing as they always did at that season of the year, namely : resting on their oars. I started in to work on a Monday morning. The next day Hayden Bros, had a third page display announcement in the morning and evening papers; Wednesday saw a half page; Thursday,, a third page; Friday, a half page; Saturday, one- third page, and — and — Sunday a full page ! 72 Successful Advertising Great Christopher ! The other merchants didn't know what came over Hayden Bros. Had that heretofore eminently sensible house suddenly developed a streak of insanity ? Were they buying up news- paper space simply for the sake of filling the newspapers and seeing their name in print ? A visit to their store showed considerable method in their madness. Yardsticks were flying in the dress goods and calicoes. The head of the silk department said he never saw anything like it before. Scales were busy in the groceries. Household goods were melting away in the furniture, carpet, crockery and kitchen departments, while in the other stores there was the usual mid-summer, graveyard silence. The Bee^ the World- Herald^ Hayden Bros., and MacDonald — as well as a variety of other interested ones — were feeling quite happy at this remark- able increase of business all around. The success of this dog-day advertising was most pro- nounced. It aroused torpid trade — it stimulated general interest amongst Omaha's female population as to Hayden's wonderful bargains — and it " set the other fellows a-guessing." The other merchants thought it wise to imitate Hayden Bros.' method, but that enterprising house had all the wind in its sails and the proprietors were well pleased with this unlooked for trade at this season of the year. In Omaha, or any of these far Western cities, the advertiser should blow his horn long and loud. The concern that makes the most noise out there (other things in proportion) is the one that "gets there." Modesty there is a drug in the advertising market. It is the general character of the climate and people not to be over-afflicted with a sense of their small importance. When the pioneer real estate and general business men began to advertise some score or more years ago in the West, they spoke with such emphasis that they were heard all over the world, and as aggressive, progressive advance-guards, they understood their business and built the West up to be the point where she is to-day ; consequently, as the West is to-day aggressive, her advertising should be so, to be successful. How To Accomplish It. T3 Warm Weather Wooing of Business. "Oh! this is the dull season— guess I'll let matters rest," says the old-time merchant. "What's the use of forcing matters when nothing can be forced? Good plan is to go fishing — the clerks can run the store. Nobody is buying these days." So remarks one type of many storekeepers, whose conventional ideas of pushing busi- ness during the busy seasons and letting it rest upon its oars during the dull seasons, begets perhaps a pleasant and phil- osophical existence for himself and his assistants, but which is hardly living up to the best modern methods in business bringing. Everybody has not gone out of town ! There are any number of professional and business men, as well as workers generally, whose noses are kept down to the grindstone of effort, month in and month out, for a dozen months in the year. These men and such portions of their families as are in town need good things to eat, good things to wear— articles of use and luxury — in July as well as in January. The highest type of retailer remembers this. He does not relax his efforts to bring trade during dog-day weather. Drop in his store and see how he is still pegging at it. The electric fans dissipate sultry atmosphere— a frequent and judicious use of the sprinkling pot is also cooling and grateful— the windows are as clean as a new silver dollar — the window displays are bright and well considered— the ads are summery and interest- ing — the goods are seasonable — in short an air of invitation ' ' to come and be comfortable while getting your money's worth in summer needs" is evident. Men's serge suits, crash suits and light wearables of every sort, with shirt waists, silk waists, outing dresses and skirts, as well as other summer garments for women, misses and children are being pushed by advertising. Many a furniture and upholstery dealer is still shouting "Awnings, slip covers and summer curtains," to say nothing of 74 Successful Advertising hammocks, reed furniture, etc. As for the grocery dealer, he has a lot of cooling drinks, tinned foods and summer require- ments for the inner man (and woman). And it would not be just to that great American institution — the soda fountain — to say nothing about it. When you come to think "on't," it is remarkable how many summer articles there are that can stand a lot of advertising, not only in newspapers, but also by window displays, and as previously hinted, a cool, inviting store. I have just been reading Thackeray's "Book of Snobs," and was struck with the fact that Thackeray— great as he was— practically struck but one note through all his works, and that was puncturing shams. Whether you read the " Yellowplush Papers" or " Vanity Fair," you will find his incisive pen prick- ing social bubbles, and although he played but one key, he played it with such skill that all the world stopped to listen. There is a thought here that can be applied to warm weather wooing of business. It is : Have one dominant point underlying all the summer advertising. And that point may well be : Ours is a Cool Store! Vary it as you will, twist in new words, bring in new phrases and sentences, but in every ad bring out the idea clear and strong that your store is a nice place to stop in because it's cool and comfortable. It will strike a responsive chord in the bosom of everybody who swelters even a little bit under the sizzling sun that will be with us for three months to come. Dog-day Clothing Advertising. Special sales during dog-day weather should be particularly studied. For trade languishes under warm weather influence, and the best antidote for summer business debility is strong doses of special sales and special ads. A glance over the advertising columns of almost any daily publication shows clothing and furnishing goods advertising of an order liable to extreme criticism. The principal criticism is this: Why do retailers insist upon advertising the staple articles How To Accomplish It. 75 of wear — such as regular suits, boys' clothing, white shirts, soft hats, etc., when there is but little demand for them — when the demand for clothing is in the direction of such summer needs as light-weight coats and vests, crash suits, straw hats, outing shirts, etc.? Why not give up the whole or part of the ad to such needs ? The other day the writer noticed the ad of a New York clothier, which was almost altogether given to regular summer suits. A short paragraph at the bottom spoke of straw hats. A visit to the store showed every department deserted except the ones given to the easy, comfortable things for summer wear, such as straw hats, Oxford shoes, negligee shirts, crash suits, etc. This is harvest-time for such goods. The dealer need not expect to do much in suits of worsted, cheviot, clays or mix- tures at present. They are likely to lie on his counters until the cool weather of waning summer suggests their use. But the manager should give a whole lot of attention towards the pushing of light-weight clothing — he should give the bulk of advertising space to a right representation of these goods. Summer advertising should be crisp, animated and vigor- ous. The text should be cleverly written — not too heavy, but rather light and summery — each sentence suggestive of summer comfort in wearing togs. Cuts are great helpers to the ads ; they should also be cleverly drawn, and apply with strong sug- gestiveness to the use of the garment advertised. Get up one day a special sale of straw hats. Keep your straw hat ad running for a week or so with change of copy every day. Don't forget to change your copy daily, and inject life, crispness and point into every ad you pen. Change your cuts frequently. The great charm of advertising is its variety — when the bloom of freshness wears off it becomes like the antiquated summer girl, "slightly passe," After your straw hat excitement, get up a furor on crash suits and light coats and vests. Handle this as you did your straw hat affair. Give some consideration to your outing shirts, lawn ties, low-cut shoes, light-weight hosiery and underwear. Get up a special sale on each of these. It would not be a half- bad idea to come out strong with a half-page ad on all the 76 Successful Advertising above goods, and give the entire ad a summer flavor. This can be done by a suitable general heading and a suitable cut to accompany same. Before you write an ad give a few minutes' hard consider- ation to your subject. Don't sit down and pen the first thing that comes uppermost in your brain. Advertising is nothing more nor less than an intelligent exposition of your store news and demands just as much hard, sensible thought as you would apply to the purchase of a lot of suits or worsteds. Lots of merchants "just jot down" an ad because they fancy that they have not the time to give the ad the considera- tion it deserves. This is a very grievous error — one that switches many good dollars from the pockets of store proprie- tors. When you are preparing advertising, prepare it right. Advertising is to-day to business what fuel is to a boiler — it keeps the steam up and the wheels working. As to Summer Schemes.— I have seen the worth of a ten per cent, distribution, and in point of a great success never saw anything like it. This, in brief, is how it was worked : With every sale of clothing and furnishings a ticket good for ten per cent, of the sale was given the purchaser. This ticket was good for its face value in any department. Thus: If a ten dollar suit was sold a ticket good for one dollar was given, which ticket could get a dollar's worth of groceries, a dollar's worth of dress goods, a dollar's worth of small wares or a dollar's worth of anything in the store. In a boys' clothing department a Mid-Summer excitement can be created by giving with each suit a ticket entitling the bearer to a photograph of himself in his new suit, by giving him tickets to the circus or summer opera, balance- of-season ticket to the baseball grounds, or an excursion ticket to a nearby summer resort. These matters can be arranged easier than is generally supposed, and when put in vigorous operation are surprising successes. Years ago, while looking in J. B. Barnaby's clothing win- dow in Boston, I saw where a beautiful Columbia bicycle would be given the boy buying a suit of clothes; who would guess nearest the exact number of seeds in a big pumpkin. I How To Accomplish It. 77 needed a new suit that July about as much as a dog needs two tails, but I was suffering for that bicycle. So I joined the immense crowds of boys who were buying suits. That pump- kin idea, which is closely related to the corn-cob plan and seed- in-the-jar idea, can still be worked where the lottery law is not too strongly enforced. Band concerts from the balcony are given by some enter- prising clothiers and furnishers during the summer season. , Saturday night is the most favorable night for a store that caters to the masses, as on that evening Tom, Dick and Harry gets paid off, to be naturally attracted to the store from whence the music wells. The value of cooling breezes, whether operated by an elec- tric fan or by the simple process of opening the front and back doors, with a few windows, cannot be over-estimated. A judi- cious use of the sprinkling pot and a few palm-leaf fans within easy reach help to cool the store and incidentally the customer. Give people the idea your store is cool, and you give them a splendid summer advertising argument. In every ad should appear some reference to the cool, comfortable store, as well as the cool, comfortable wearables to be had within. Among the out-of-the-ordinary methods of advertising that some advanced advertisers do in summer may be mentioned: (i) Giving away huge umbrellas (with ads on same) to drivers of truck teams, etc. (2) Giving away Japanese fans (with ads on both sides) to everybody who calls for them. But, after all, the real advertising is the newspaper adver- tising. Just now it is graceful, yet forcible with the worth of its story — light and easy, yet pointed and convincing — a reflex of the hot summer season, yet telling its tale of bargains in a straightforward and convincing manner. 78 Successful Advertising Autumn Advertising. The very crispness of autumn atmosphere should send a crispness through autumn advertising — the gorgeous colorings of autumn foliage should suggest some gorgeous word pictures in honor of the many hued autunm arrivals in dress stuflfs, garments, and every sort of cool weather merchandise. For they are worth it ! All through the summer season — on warm days, dog days, murky days, and days that were neither — was the bargain story told and retold in every type known to the compositor, and with every argument that the ingenious advertising pen could write until the purchasing public, advertiser, and even the poor compositor were so — oh, so weary ! But now all is changed. New merchandise, whose very appearance is fruitful of ideas, is daily opened before the adver- tiser, and it is an easy matter to swing freshness, novelty and information in every paragraph of publicity. Why, the autumn capes, jackets and outer garments for women alone are worth column-of-advertising talk ! Ask the suit and cloak buyer if this is not so. And the dress goods — see the many weaves, combinations and colorings foreign to the town until this lot came in sight ! Why, every woman would be delighted to hear about them, and he must indeed be a foolish advertiser who will not do full justice to them. " But one thing at a time and that thing well," that is the motto of the average advertiser about this period, and he pro- ceeds to carry out this excellent rule by first having "An Advance Exhibit of Silks and Dress Goods," then " An Autumn Showing of Ladies', Misses' and Children's Garments," then " Our Grand Millinery Exhibit— Fall and Winter," and when these and other interesting occasions are each given proper advertising justice, it is well to combine all the departments into a mighty Sunday ad which not only again portrays their autumn freshness, but also which with good items How To Accomplish It. 79 and prices demonstrates the bargain-giving power of the establishment. After this comes the holiday season. The usual array of strong specials besides showing pleasing prices, also indicate the plentitude of new styles, bright ideas and modern methods of the mercantile establishment behind the advertising. A well-planned, well- ^•p;§.§§§;§.§;§:^§i§i§i§g;gg:g;g:g:.g;g;g.:g:.^^ Atitumn I An Ladies\ Showing of g Misses' and | Children'' s Garments ! g Practically every Fashion source of ^ in this exhibit. London is amply ^ W represented — so is Paris. Berlin and ^ W Vienna are not overlooked. And iSs 'a^ New York after grasping the Old ^ carried-out fall advertis- ing campaign should be considered several weeks in advance of actual com- mencement. Consider how you can knock sky-high last fall's records for over-the-coun- ter sales. Give some thought -as to how you can improve your lan- guage, display and gene- ral advertising effective- ness. Think up some clever window displa3-s, and do not forget interior store arrangements. Everything counts up ! Try and infuse a strong stream of that necessary electric juice called ^j/rzV de corps into your clerks. Make every helper feel he is something more than a cog in your great wheel of business — that he is a living, actual necessity in his particular line of duty. And in giving attention to over-the-counter selling, do not forget that there are people — scores, hundreds or even thousands of miles away from your store — who may be induced to trade with you through a well-ordered, well-equipped mail order department. World's best ideas sent us several ^ hundred of the newest, nobbiest and g most winsotne J^ Capes, Skirts, Dresses for ^ JVomefi, Jackets, Waists, g Dresses for Children, g etc., etc., etc. ^ i& xH Your presence is cordially invited, m This showing again demonstrates our ^ commercial supremacy. m /ONES, JONES & CO. I \ i 80 Successful Advertising Circulars, booklets and catalogues, rightly written, illustrated and printed, are the trade reachers for a mail order department. Occasional references about the worth of your mail order department in your regular ads are also valuable. Study the ads of the principal dealers in your line. No man has a corner on good advertising. Your competitors are as likely to evolve them as you, and by keeping in touch with their advertising efforts you can gain many points likely to be of decided benefit. Holiday Advertising. Holiday advertising — eh ? Well let us talk about it ! Horace Greeley said that if our foresight was as good as our hindsight we would be a blamed sight better off. Those who have had experience — and necessarily hindsight — will remember last year how important it was to have adver- tising planned and prepared well in advance. Those who waited till the last minute to select the proper things to adver- tise, to prepare advertising and arrange for advertising space now remember how such dilatoriness hurt business. Delayed advertising and poor advertising will hurt this year as well as last year. Be on time and get up good copy on good values ! Which comes pretty near being the keynote of a successful holiday season. It is next in importance only to a good store and stock. The advertising should be filled with suggestions as to holiday gift-giving. If you are advertising a $7.98 jacket for women say some- where in the ad that it would make a sensible Christmas present. If you are advertising a box of perfumeries say a lot about its being especially appropriate as a holiday present. If you are advertising a jack knife or a pair of skates, shed some printer's ink on the fact that every boy aches for these things Christmas time. If you are advertising books speak about the long winter How To Accomplish It. 81 evenings which can be whiled away through the generosity and affection of the friend at Christmas. And so on. Every imaginable thing sold can be utilized as a Christmas present — whether it be a house and lot or a paper of pins. And in speaking of it touch upon its desirability and uses as a Christmas present. A reaction has set in in the past few years from giving trumpery, ornamental articles as Christmas gifts in favor of presents that are sensible and useful. This is a good point to advertise. Tell the public that your stock of Christmas gifts have been selected with an eye to their utilization — that while you have large varieties of holiday merchandise in which every taste and style are centered, }et service and practicability have never yet been overlooked. This argument vvill appeal to the great mass of people who are looking for sensible goods as Christmas gifts. Many persons have no idea of what they want, until they get into the store and then are only confused by the mass of sug- gestion. Help them out in advance by suggestions in your advertising. This is a good point for the advertiser. For the infant there is so and so— for the boy there is this line of goods— for the girl there is that list of articles — for the young lady here is an assortment that somewhere ought to hit her tastes — for the matron there is a fine line of household needs and articles of personal wear — for the middle aged man there is a pipe — a pocketbook— arazor or what not — for thegrandj^arents another list that appeals to their individual wishes, and so on until every age and wish are cleverly met in the advertising. A good plan is to give lists of articles for certain sums. For instance 5c. will buy so many things — loc. so many articles — 25c. another list — 50c. heads another bargain column and so on. What holiday shoppers look for principally are suggestions. From "an embarrassment of riches" their minds become con- fused and they grasp eagerly at suggestions cleverly put. Although this is the twentieth century Santa Clans is as much in evidence this season as ever before. Swing the old 6 82 Successful Advertising gentleman in your advertising — talk about him in type and tell how he gets his supplies from your great doll stock, toy stock or whatever stock you wish to bring most forcibly before the children. Run in his picture in your advertising — he is a pleasant piece of fiction, to be sure, but he throws an always welcome glamour over the advertising. The advertising does not stop at the newspaper page. It only begins there and should travel through every legitimate path — with posters, window displays, counter displays, and special displays on the inside floors. The good storekeeper is a good judge of human nature, and the moment Mrs. Smith or Mrs. Jones enters his store she is greeted with sound suggestions as to what to buy. He puts himself in the proper attitude — listening deferentially to her ideas — volunteering suggestions of his own — until the lady goes off happy in the completion of her Christmas purchases. If in his daily personal intercourse with customers he is an encyclopaedia of suggestions, so should he be in his advertising; and if it properly gives the sentiments of the season and busi- ness, his Christmas advertising will prove suggestive, helpful, timely and beneficial. After the Holiday Rush. After the holiday rush, comes what ? After the hurry and hustle, the noise and excitement, the throngs incident to Christ- mas shopping of excited feminine-kind, and still more excited mankind, comes a period of lassitude as welcome to the over- worked employees as it is undesirable to the enterprising employer. The enterprising employer enters his store the day after Christmas or the day after New Years, as the case may be, and as he gazes about at the deserted aisles and listless clerks behind remnants of holiday wares, he decides that instant action should be taken to inject some life into trade. Stagnation is fatal — an undesirable stock of unseasonable goods is not to be thought of. Something must be done — and that right quick. Put yourself in his place. First of all, dispose of the left-over holiday wares. Take How To Accomplish It. 83 a good-sized space — a quarter-page space, or, if you think you can aflford it, a half-page space — in your local papers, and announce a speedy reduction sale of holiday stocks. Announce the fact eloquently and boldly that the knife has cut deeply into the prices of toys, books, handkerchiefs, embroideries, slippers, etc., etc. — that twenty-five per cent., thirty-three per cent., or even fifty per cent, reductions prevail in all departments that carry anything in the shape of holiday goods. And live up to your ad — of course this is a trite business maxim, but it can stand repeating. Keep pounding away on this sale for a week, ten days or two weeks — give plenty of items and prices and good-sized spaces to the newspaper announcements, and you'll be surprised to learn that you have rid yourself of a lot of stuflf which represents an incubus of the worst possible order. No live merchant wants to carry over, season after season, a lot of goods ; it is far better to turn them quickly into cash, even at the expense of anticipated profits, or even at a dead loss. Of course, while this talk is aimed at the department-store manager or the general country merchant, the principal can well be carried into almost every line of retaildom. The fur- nisher and clothier will try to rid himself immediately of the left-overs in the line of smoking-jackets, smoking-caps, silk handkerchiefs, embroidered suspenders, etc., etc., and if he makes the right prices and properly announces the same through advertising channels, he can find plenty purchasers shrewd enough to accept his inducements. The furniture dealer finds himself with a few smoking-tables and ladies' writing- desks on hand which he expected to sell during the holiday trade. He will find it good policy to make them travel fast with the twin motors of little prices and clever publicity. Now about the right sort of an ad for such a sale. As I suggested before, a good-sized space is advis- able for the general store. Have the reading something like what is given in the square space furnished opposite : "Holiday Goods to go Ix- STANTLY ! " They're Going Now!— They're Go- ing Quickly .' ! "We don't want 'em— per- haps you do. Anyway here are price Inducements enough to to make your eyes blink and your brain think. For the next week or so yon can in- dulu;e iu the rarest bargain pickings In the following de- partments :" 84 Successful Advertising Toys and Games. "Hundreds to select from— all marked at prit-eB that'll insure rapid selling. Plenty of pleasure here for tots through the long winter evenings. And the cost? A mere nothing ! Head a few Items:" Have the headlines six or seven-line De Vinne or Rowland type, and the succeeding heading in three or four-line same type. The body of the heading could be worked to advantage in two- line lower case De Vinne, and the sub-headings of the depart- ments in the same type as the secondary headline. The initia- tory talk that might follow the de- partment headline should be set uniformly in two-line lower case De Vinne. The items could be set in Small Pica, with the prices, of course, in caps. As a specimen of initiatory talk under a department head, I append the above sample. If this ad is illustrated, so much the better. I am a firm believer in illustrations — they lose no time in telling stories. Plain type tales require a little time to mentally assimilate — pictures flash their points on the brain at once. At the end of a week or two you will find yourself with a very depleted stock of holiday goods — so depleted in fact that you will find lots of room for advance shipments of spring stocks. But do not advertise your advance spring stocks yet. There is plenty of time for that. People find themselves after the holi- day season rather short of ready cash, and the little cash they have is only going to be expended when a genuine bargain hap- pens along. Now this is when you ought to be ready with your genuine bargains. You have taken your inventory. What then ? Well, you have discovered you have quite a stock of goods on hand that you would prefer to have in the cus- tomer's possession — every inven- tory reveals that very interesting fact. Get up an Inventory Sale, which might start in as the example given opposite. The typographical arrange- ment in this instance could be about the same as with the sale of holiday stocks. In the department captions "OiK Inventory Sale 15;;- GINS To-morrow. '• .^toc-k-laking brings to light many heretofore unknown facts— tells us plainly ami bluntly of afcuiiuilailons of goods which ought to hti\e been turned into cash weel^^^ ago. We vejusttlnished stoi-k- taking. \\'e've made several discoveries. Among them !^ that the following lines must be sold at once. I'hey will I o because these prices say so : "' How To Accomplish It. 85 a little variety might be injected by the use of " Inventory Sale of " immediately preceding the department title. Thus: " Inventory Sale of Dress Goods," " Inventory Sale of Uphol- stery," "Inventory Sale of Furniture," etc., would make a pleas- ing arrangement to the eye. Of course, you cannot lay too much stress on the necessity of having genuine bargains, as well as having every statement in the paper substantiated with actual values. About this time you might in the silent watches of the night sit down and write a column or two about your store — what an immense selling space you have, and how much money you have spent in decorating the ceiling of the upholstery and furniture department, and other interesting data, and per- haps you can induce your local paper to run the write-up in its columns. If the paper is enterprising and clear-headed it will be only too happy to accommodate a good advertiser about this season of the year in the matter of a write-up, and a write-up, if skilfully done, is a very important aid to a January business. Keeping Retail Business Active Every Month in the Year. Nearly every retail business advertises. If it does not it will in the course of time. All signs point that way. Adver- tising is being more and more recognized as a legitimate and desirable business force. Acting on this line of thought it has been deemed desirable by several (as well as the writer) to give a fev/ general hints as to how the average retail business should be advertised every month of the twelve. So here are the ideas — briefly put. For January. — January generally opens with a clearance sale of holiday merchandise — followed by a pre-inventory sale — followed by the inventory sale — followed by the great January mark-down sale — followed by the usual shirt, linen, muslin underwear, upholstery, office furniture and such sales that are necessary to stimulate this ordinarily dull month into activity. Clothing prices suffer, which fact is well advertised. 86 Successful Advertising: For February. — February is a great month in which to pound prices on and liberally advertise masculine and feminine garments — push reduction sales in silks, dress goods and dress fabrics of all kinds — prepare sales of books, notions, house fur- nishings, blankets, underwear, hosiery, gloves, etc. ; and an earnest effort is made about this time to effect a clearance on all winter goods for the new spring styles will soon show themselves. For March. — March is the month when the advertising man has plenty of opportunities to prove his descriptive powers in introducing the new challies, silks, dress goods, millinery and spring goods generally. Advance exhibits are held on these goods and not only must he advertise them in the local papers but also by cards of invitation, circular letters and per- sonal letters from salespeople to patrons with whom they have been long coming in contact. All winter goods have been materially reduced in prices and sales lasting a week or longer must be gotten up on the principal lines. For April. — More talk about the new Spring goods. (This is a line of advertising that can be made interesting through March, April and May.) A number of houses have a great sale of furniture, carpets, rugs and house furnishings generally about this time, as May ist is considered a universal " moving day," and households generally are ready to furnish and refurnish their homes. Other April sales are held on Spring Garments for men, youths and boys as well as women, misses and children. For May. — Early showings in summer goods and sales on spring merchandise represent the " order of the day " through- out the month of ]\Iay. There is some activity in hammocks, trunks, bags, upholstery goods, furniture and house furnishings and such goods during this month. Spring clothing for both sexes is marked down and advertising to that effect is put forth with vigor. Implements for gardening, etc., beside seeds, bulbs, plants and trees sell freely during May. For June. — Exhibitions of new Summer merchandise receive due consideration from the advertising man in June as well as " Sweeping Clearance Sales " on all sorts of spring goods. Warm weather needs like window screens, bamboo por- tieres, Chinese and Japanese mattings, rattan, willow and How To Accomplish It. 87 grass furniture, pictures and summer home decorations generally are in demand "to furnish or refurnish the summer home." Light, cool clothing and furnishings for people are in strong demand — push them ! Now is the time for profits in such as well as in summer dress fabrics of every sort. Hammocks and outdoor games are good June sellers. For July. — Speak of the cool store you have — the prompt service and quick deliveries. (People have warm tempers dur- ing warm weather.) If you give them free iced drinks in the grocery department you score a point right there. Cut prices on summer goods and let the world know it. Push along special sales of upholsteries, carpets, rugs and household neces- saries generally as " the Summer home" is now an important subject. Cool garments for feminine and masculine wear at the seashore, mountain resort, or in the city, are essentials and when advertised will win lots of trade. Push straw hats, alpaca coats, serge suits, flannel suits and light clothing generally, if you are a clothier. For August. — The August sale of furniture is an important feature with many large stores. With it are seen special sales on accompanying household needs. The negligee shirt cries for advertising aid, so does the Panama hat and reduced prices on summer goods generally should be well advertised. Inventory usually comes in August — a week before it comes get up a pre-inventory sale, and when it comes along get up an inventory sale. The mid-summer clearance sale comes along about this time — push it for all it is worth. If handled properly this sale can be made to last two weeks. For September. — Advance openings of autumn millinery, silks and dress fabrics generally, hats for men and boys, as well as many articles of apparel are now in order. The few remaining summer goods must be cleaned out at any cost. Furniture, carpets, rugs and house furnishings must be adver- tised to meet the eyes of those returning home after their sum- mer vacations, and generally speaking September sees an active resumption of trade, which had been somewhat dull the two previous months. For October. — Autumn merchandise in every style, shape 88 Successful Advertising and shade now beckons the public with fresh and fashionable features. Advertise this fact. Speak about the special sales of cool weather goods, and give some thought to pushing fall over- coats and suits for men and boys, besides garments for feminine use. Furniture and household necessities are good sellers this month. You can profitably make a feature of a sale of house furnishings. The grocery store or department should do a good business in October. In fact, all lines of retail business should now do a big business, and they will, provided the advertising man makes frequent rounds and publishes the results of his in- vestigations with force and frequency. For November. — Frigid weather is now on. Give the public frigid facts about your abundance of cold weather needs, and how }our values give competition a chill. Furs are now beginning to show themselves. Winter styles are now side by side with autumn ideas. In fact, some of the early autumn arrivals have suffered marked reductions in prices — which should be adver- tised. A Thanksgiving sale of knives, forks, spoons and cutlery generally with groceries, wines, furniture and " fixin's for the Thanksgiving table" is a well-known November idea. For December. — This is the holiday month — the month when " Santa Claus '' dominates every line of trade and almost every human mind. Subordinate everything to the holiday trade — concentrate every force upon it. From December isttill about the loth the holiday selling is slow. Stimulate it with logical advertising, urging your patrons to begin their holiday buying " before the rush sets in." And when the rush does set in, as it will about the loth, be ready for it. The advertising now is of the suggestive order, rather than the bargain order. During the week between Christmas and New Year announce a radical reduction sale on all holiday goods. Look back on the year just ended and make plans for another year. DIVISION THREE. SPECIAL FEATURES IN RETAIL ADVERTISING. Advertising a Department Store. The advertising manager of a department store is like the managing editor of a great daily newspaper, with his corps of reporters constantly bringing fresh, live matter to his desk. The various department heads act as the reporters, and their constant incomings and outgoings to and from the advertising sanctum renders that den a very lively place at times. Take it on a Thursday or Friday, when the big Sunday ads are in process of construction, the scene is exceptionally lively, and the man at the head of the advertising department has plenty occasions to exercise his ready wit and level-headedness. He must have very clear-cut and definite ideas as to what's what, and no matter what influence may be brought to bear upon him by the various managers — who are always wanting large spaces and suggesting many ideas of their own relating to the style of set-up and language to be used — the advertising manager must have backbone enough to select what he consid- ers the best and arrange the same as he thinks wise, while at the same time he must have sufficient tact and diplomacy to do these things without hurting the feelings of buyers — who, after all, are the real powers in the department store. Wonderful are the ideas and remarkable is the advice constantly offered him. And more w^onderful still are his countless opportunities to display presence of mind. He must be quick to think and act, and when he does so he must think and act right One would imagine it would take a man's whole time to 00 Successful Advertising" see people alone. There are the advertising solicitors — and their name is legion — with all sorts of advertising mediums and schemes, including, of course, the lady with the charity aflfair programme. She has traded at the store ever since she was a school-girl, and, of course, must be handled diplomaticalh'. And there is the clergyman, with his religious paper — he is well acquainted with the firm — and would like to talk with the advertising manager all day with a view of getting a large con- tract. Then the bright, snappy young man who is hustling ads for theatrical programmes would like to talk an ear off, and the delegation from the United Brotherhood of Hard-Working Laborers would be much put out if they could not secure an ad for their annual ball programme. Taking with all these the reputable representatives of the various dailies, weeklies and monthlies who come to secure copy for ads, contracts, adjust rates and grievances, and it will be seen that the mere seeing of outside representatives is a whole duty in itself. Then the vari- ous heads of departments must be attended to, and when one adds to these duties the writing and arrangement, the illustrat- ing, the placing of advertising, it can be seen that the advertis- ing manager, even if he has several assistants, has enough matters on hand to sometimes drive him to — well — to his home rather tired at night. Were I the owner of one of the many big department stores 1 would be strongly tempted to have the advertising department systematized like this: I would get an ex-member of the diplomatic corps at Wash- ington and pay him a good salary to handle solicitors and schemers. He should have a keen scent for *' good things," and he ought to be able to turn down the " bad things '' in the gentlest and most diplomatic manner possible. He ought to be able to make his salary alone by soothing good customers of the store to whom he could not give an ad. This diplomat would also handle the various heads of departments when they come up with fire in their eyes because their ads were boiled down or because they were squeezed out of their favorite paper. He would also rejoice with them when a bright stroke of advertising brought them good business, and in general would be the bnffcter. How To Accomplish It. 91 I would have a first-class advertising writer, one who could spin beautiful word stories from his imagination, and nicely adjust the same to such prosaic matters as hosiery, dress goods and notions. He would have to be a genius in the matter of headlines and headings, and his descriptions of articles would be word pictures. This writer would not be disturbed in his ■mental toil — the diplomatist would hand the items and copy to him. He would have to be a master of typographical effect and be able to mark his copy as it should be set. I would have a good business artist — one who could take a shoe and transform it into a thing of beauty in the fair hands of a fair woman. The artist and the writer should work in har- mony — each assisting the other with suggestions. These three would constitute the bodyguard of the adver- tising manager, whose duties would be to mouse around the store and push the lagging departments — to enthuse department heads at the right moment, to make the advertising contracts, to see the most important representatives of the most important publications — to pass on the ads before they went to press, and to exercise an all-around supervision over his department. Of course, he must be a good writer, and if he is a bit of an artist, so much the better. One of tlie most important features of an advertising de- partment is its systematizing. All the wheels should be run- ning in proper order — each cog of the machinery should do its duty. This is no child's play. An amateur can start off with the idea that he can revolutionize the advertising methods in a month, and at the end of the month he will be likely suffering from nervous prostration. There is much below the surface which only few eyes can see. And the proper handling of this department, where thousands are annually — yes, monthly — spent, requires an ability of a peculiar and high order. The advertising manager soon knows the buyers. They run the full gamut of emotions before his eyes. From the heights of happiness to the depths of despair is the full keyboard sounded. When, by his skill and a combination of trade cir- cumstances, does the buyer succeed in getting in a lot of goods at a paltry price, then he comes into the advertising office willi 92 Successful Advertising a beaming face and elastic step. When his department runs ahead he is correspondingly happy. When his trade is dull he is in the dumps. When he feels he should get a double half column instead of the quarter single column allotted him, he is in a resentful mood. And so on. Stretched on the rack of business he is keyed up all the time. Speaking about emotions, there are three phases of activity that play the Old Hariy with nervous systems. One is the newspaper man's life, another the actor's life, the third the buy- er's life. And the advertising whirl is by no means slow. To get the best out of buyers is by appealing to reason, When occasions of dispute arise, quiet, logical discussions are the remedies. Frequently time is so valuable that a lengthy discussion is out of the question. As the advertising man is head of his department, he does what he considers right. Later on, when time is more numerous, the matter may be more thor- oughly gone into. Of course, the advertising manager has a pretty accurate knowledge of merchandise. He knows what other stores are advertising, and so posts his buyers. He sees that the prices that go into print do not run higher than competing figures. He gauges the advertising space for each department according to the advertising appropriation of that department, as well as worth of offerings and weather conditions. As a general rule departments get advertising according to their money-making abilities. A certain percentage of its gross business is given as the advertising outlay. This may be increased or decreased according to exceptional offerings or weather conditions. When a department is sick it must be liberally dosed with the adver- tising remedy. Then usual rules about percentages are over- looked. Each advertising department should be a law unto itself There are a few general rules which apply to all departments — such as paying no heed to competitors' doings in the ads — the use of the be.st possible business talk — the use of cuts, of dis- play type, etc. — which are already so familiar to students of advertising that I need not here touch upon them. Each advertising manager should constantly study his audi- How To Accomplish It. 93 ence — which mediums are best — which language is best — he should not shoot too high or too low in this respect, and his brain must constantly be devising new sales and methods to attract the public. It is a study extremely fascinating. Making Up Large Ads. Some advertising men are extremely fortunate in their idea of making up an ad — most not so fortunate. To make up a large ad so that the effect will represent a harmonious combination of vigor and ease, of business and art, requires something more than the average conception of ad- vertising. Indeed, it requires considerable experience coupled with considerable native wit. As the prime purpose of an ad is to sell goods, the first great point in making up an ad is to see that the principal departments and best items are represented. While mentioning this do not forget that the general appearance of the ad should be striking — yet pleasing, and in nearly every case business is sacrificed to art and art to business. So that there is — A constant fight between art and business (each of which is very important), and only the ad man who knows his business strikes at the happy medium. Therefore the advertising man should have a thorough retail business knowledge combined with a business knowledge of artistic effects. It is so much a matter of "adjusting ourselves to the con- ditions on hand" that remarks of this nature can only be general. When there is a general heading, run it at the top of the ad right under the firm's name. When a principal department has a liberal heading place it at the top so that it obviates the use of a general heading. When several departments occupy the same space, the make up of the ad is a matter of joy to the ad man. For all that has to be done is to place all of these equal spaces side by side and arrange the collection of smaller items below. The 94 Successful Advertising most important part of the ad is the top — the eye first rests upon it. If it is happily balanced, it puts in the shade any incongru- ities in the lower part of the ad. Supposing in making up a page retail ad the departments size up this way : — JOHN JONES 4 CO. Hosiery The ad man would call this a " cinch." No clipping, no fitting — no sweating, no swearing. Here's something different : — JOHN JONES & CO. Hosiery Dreaa Goods How To Accomplish It. 95 Not so easy ! The chances are that a few items had to be dropped from one or more departments in order to bring about an artistic result. Here's where art and business fights. Still another case : — Gloves JOHN JONES & CO. Hosiery Silks General Heading Dress Goods Tables Curtains Not so fortunate as the two preceding instances considering the material at the ad man's disposal. That's where the rub comes in : — Adjusting the amount of matter with the proper appearance of the ad. You could hardly drop out some items out of, say silks, without asking the silk man's consent or opinion. He will probably object to having his ad cut— so will the suit and cloak man — so will any live department head. Yet the general appearance of the ad must be considered, and it is in these instances where the advertising man's real business ability is tested. If he knows the advertis- ing worth of the goods advertised and has a fair idea of the business bringing capabilities of the various departments he will find such knowledge of exceeding value. When he is dip- lomatic yet firm in his relations with the buyers so much more valuable is he to his concern. Adjusting the ad constantly confronts the advertising man. At first it is a bugbear. Many a budding advertising genius it has killed. It has caused profanity and heart-burnings from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 96 Successful Advertising The only way out of the difficulty is to have a clear concep- tion of the amount of space to be used — then to set up the items worth using in " galley form " — then to adjust them in a har- monious striking make-up with the co-operation of such buyers as may be affected by reductions or additions of matter. Which matters — like most propositions — are clear in theory but not so clear in practice. Co-Operate with Heads of Departments. One of the best evidences of the advertising manager's ability in any concern is the smoothness with which he gets along with the various heads of departments in his establish- ment. When he gets to that point where he can work in har- mony with these gentlemen he has gained a great point in the concern's favor, his favor, and the department manager's favor. With friction and fuss and feathers and fighting the team does not pull along on the road to success as it should — the advertising vehicle stands a good chance of being ditched on the highway. Absolute harmony is impossible to secure, of course, because as long as men are men evidences of the short-comings of humankind are always cropping to the surface, and little kicks and fusses are to be expected right along. But some men much more than others have a wonderful faculty in " pouring oil upon troubled waters " and running the advertising department with smoothness and dispatch. I have known several young men who apparently possessed the qualifications demanded in an advertising manager, but who, somehow or another, made a dismal failure in operating an advertising department, simply because they seemed only to antagonize the men with whom they ought to pull, viz.: the department heads. When a buyer of dress goods or furniture or anything else salable comes to New York and, after considerable poking and mousing about the wholesale district — which means very hard work, too — succeeds in making a clever deal on a lot of goods, he naturally wants the advertising manager to help him out in How To Accomplish It. 97 disposing of this purchase in the quickest and best manner pos- sible. The buyer wants a good ad on his lot. He wants to give an expectant and appreciative audience the best possible ud on a special bargain lot — on grades that he knows are splendid values for the prices asked. Now here is where the advertising manager should get in his fine work. He ought to be full of appreciation for the buyer's ability in securing this lot— he ought to thoroughly sympathize with the buyer's anxiety to get up a rousing big sale. He ought to tell the buyer so not merely in words but also in deeds. He ought to sail in and get up an excellent ad — with the proper display, argument, cuts and typographical arrangement. He ought to get all the items necessary — the buyer will gladly furnish these— and give the public the full, complete and satisfactory details of the trade event. By doing so he makes a firm friend of the buyer and helps along the con- cern as well as himself. More often than not the advertising man finds he cannot give all the space he would like to the department wherein this great event occurred. What then? Let him do the best he can. Let him explain to the department head his inability to give a large space in all the mediums wanted because of the pressure of other departments, but that he will do the best he can. Heads of departments are intelligent — were they not they would not be heads of departments — and being intelligent are susceptible to reason. They appreciate situations, and when these situations are explained to them can adapt themselves easier and quicker to circumstances than any other class of men on earth — excepting possibly newspaper men. It is always a good scheme for the man in charge of the advertising to have a daily personal confab with all the depart- ment heads. In a big establishment of course the proper plan would be to have the chiefs drop in the advertising sanctum— with a smaller store where the advertising man is not so busy he can go about the store and see the men and goods, as well as pick up suggestions from the trend of trade before his ej-es. Department heads appreciate this constant effort on the part of the ad man. It shows them his hearty interest in their welfare. 7 98 Successful Advertising When a department languishes the stroke of the ax falls upon the department manager's neck, and knowing the power of publicity he is only too eager to receive suggestions and assist- ance from the man who guides the advertising pen. I have seen departments sick of poor business and away behind previous seasons' records in the matter of sales, take sudden jumps and forge right ahead, as the result of a well aimed advertising campaign, conceived by the advertising man and aided and abetted by the department head. From a path of thorns the department manager stepped on a road of velvet, and he ever afterwards remembered the advertising man with feelings of the strongest friendship. In standing in with the department heads there need be no necessity for sacrificing individualty. In fact, the best and strongest advertising managers of my acquaintance — the men whose work means the best in public prints — are the men who stand in closest to the department heads. The department heads are the real power in all mercantile establishments. They buy, sell and conduct their several departments with the same care and consideration they would use if they owned their own stores. Their salaries and the solidity of their positions depend upon the net results demon- strated in the course of the year's business in their departments. Advertising to-day is almost the life-blood of their business— when they feel they are being treated right in the matter of advertising — they make the advertising manager's life all the happier. Clothing Advertising. The great charm of all matter, whether printed or oral, lies in its being natural. We do not want the stilted, the artificial^ or the labored — we want the sentiments we read or hear to express naturally and faithfully the thoughts of the person responsible for them. When you read a letter from a friend you want that letter to mirror the exact thoughts of your friend at the moment he pen- ned it. You prefer honesty to an artificial effort to disguise or color his sentiments. Just so with a newspaper article, a maga- How To Accomplish It. 99 zine tale or a novel. Spontaneity and naturalness must neces- sarily be there before the attention is thoroughly captured. This is the cardinal virtue of advertising literature. When it is not spontaneous it is labored and artificial — therefore ineffec- tive — when it is not natural it is mechanical and unattractive. An honest out-and-out effort that rides rough shod over the rules of spelling and syntax is more effective by far than the elegant production, faultless in grammar and expression, but stilted and artificial in effect. Shakespeare's injunction, " To thine own self be true and thou canst not then be false to any man," is especially applicable to the advertising writer. He must swing his pen in exact obedience to the thought just then uppermost in his mind, and if he has any thoughts worth remembering they'll be recorded in cold type to his fame and fortune — if he has no thoughts worth remembering he had better betake himself to other spheres of usefulness. This article attempts to treat clothing advertising Inas- much as you have men for an audience, you must be spontane- ous, succinct and interesting. Men demand these qualities in an ad. They are more occupied with their various duties than the fair sex, therefore they demand brevity and point in newspaper stories — as they have a larger bump of humor and generally more all-around intelligence than women, they therefore appre- ciate the wit, philosophy, argument or illustration that may be placed before their eyes. Mind you, I do not deny that women do not demand the qualities above mentioned. They do — some even more than most men — but taking men in the mass and women in the mass you will find men more likely to appreciate the spontaneous, the succinct and the interesting in advertisiug. Very well. Suppose you are advertising — say spring over- coats. Hold up the coat. Look it over. Feel its texture — its linings — run your hands in its pockets and note its cut and finish. And its price is very low — very low indeed ! All these points are flashed on your mind and you make mental notes. You cross-question the salesmen about the styles of spring overcoats — which are likely to be popular. You go back to your desk full of overcoat information, and bursting with this intelligence, you proceed to fix up an ad on spring overcoats. 100 Successful Advertising The first thing is the caption. You write a couple or three headings : " The Proper Spring Overcoat." "This Spring Overcoat." " Your Spring Overcoat." Ah ! the last will do ! Now let us see : " Your Spring Overcoat is at this moment an important subject. We have just the coat you're looking for — showing the popular style — it's of covert cloth, with strap seams — well made— styl- ish, serviceable and satisfactory, and its price is only $12.50." Then trim and cut, and add a few words to the ad, and here it is ready to make its impression on the overcoat-buying public : Your Spring Overcoat is rather an important subject just at present. In it you want all the points of service, style, fit and economy. We've just the coat you're look- ing for. It's nobby, neat and satis- factory— and priced at a very winsome flgure. It's of Covert cloth— with strap si'anis- elegantly tailored and carefully finished. AndJU jg o„,y $,2.50. Plenty of other styles at other prices — some higher — some lower —but all— right in price — right in quality. Smith Clothing Co. If you're looking for a little wit or nonsense to lighten up your advertising, why not try something like the other one. I Smithson— " What do you think of a num who throws a banana skin on the sidewalk ? " Johnson— " What do yon think of a banana skin that" throws a man on the sidewalk ? " Skins arc numerous in all kinds of business- but especially in the clothing line. We do right by our customers— giving them the highest in value at the lowest in price— as here— for instance :— A Stylish Spring Overcoat carefully tailored and rightly nuide of the pojailnr Covert cloth— with strap scams— guar- ^ anted to give ser- [ 5)I2.50. vice, style and all- round "wearing H a t i s f a e t i o n— a regular 815.00 gar- ment. I,ook through our stock of Spring Suitings and Overcoats— all tastes be met— we've every variety at popular jirices. Smith Clothing Co. How To Accomplish It. 101 Display De Vinne makes a very handsome top line, and Pica lower case appears very well for body. The short talk at the bottom, speaking of your stocks in general may go either in Non- pariel or Agate lower case. Which is plenty variety of type for an ad of either the above styles, in fact, the fewer varieties of type used in an ad, the better is its general appearance. I speak of this advisedly, because some printers think that if a dozen dif- ferent styles of type were used in an ad the better it would ap- pear. A too-great variety of type begets confusion — it detracts the eye from the main idea. Speak about your spring overcoats in your ads as you would in conversation with a customer. Give him the details easily, quickly — and if he likes to laugh, a short joke or story may help you in your sale. Although no illustrations are used in the examples given, yet I am a believer in illustrations for clothing ads. A picture of a well dressed young man wearing such an overcoat as you wish to speak of helps wonderfully in emphasizing the points you desire to bring out. Get the details of the overcoat, or suit, or shirt, or whatever it is, pictured in your mind — then sit down at your desk and write your exact thoughts about this article. Put everything down on paper. Then when it is all written you can trim and polish up the story — cutting a word here, changing a sentence there — as grammar and diction and betterment suggest. Be your own reporter first, and managing editor afterwards. Put you thoughts on paper, then with them in material form criticise them and swing them into better shape. Nearly all ads go through this process. They are jotted down in the rough, then carefully gone over. I know of a first- class advertising writer who goes over an ad half a dozen times before he thinks it is all right. And then again, I know of another — but he is an exception — who finds the right idea and the proper words to fit that idea at the first blush. Short, snappy, sententious sentences are the sentences that strike men. Clean, artistic outline cuts, full of action to har- monize with the text, should be used. Then the type dress should be simple, yet with an air of style. There are types now cast that convey this impression. 102 Successful Advertising There is a well-known clothing concern in New York City that every Satnrday outlines the selling and advertising policy of the succeeding week. The heads come together and say thus . "We will dress up one window with overcoats cut to ^8.50 another will be given to the suits cut to $7.50, another will be given to the 50-cent neckwear now cut to 38 cents. " We will take a certain space in the daily papers — so much in the Evening World, so much in the Evening Journal^ so much in the Evening Sun^^' and so on. The plan is laid out, the window dressers, superintendents and salespeople notified, and when the ads of the overcoats, suits or neckwear appear in the daily evening papers, customers find handsome window dis- plays and special inside exhibits. You can see the advantage of a clean cut, complete selling scheme like the above. From start to finish it is carefully thought and carried out. How much better is it than the usual whitewash of advertising which simply brings people in only to be disgusted with the unpreparedness of things. Now do not forget these three points : (i) Have good window displays and inside showings with plenty of price cards to back up the ads. (2) Have also plenty of goods to back up the ads and hew to the line of eternal truth. (3) Use cuts — plenty of them — neat, not overlarge, with crisp, convincing text. More About Clothing Advertising. To many minds the process of preparing advertisements is a mystery. To others it is not so much a mystery as it is the requirement of a certain order of ability, which includes origin- ality, horse-sense, easy writing, a good knowledge of type and a better knowledge of human nature. In this sketch we are going to show how clothing advertise- ments impress one in various parts of this broad country of ours, and if the reader cares to follow, he may pick up a point or two. What is good clothing advertising in Boston is not good How To Accomplish It. 103 clothing advertising in Savannah — what is good in New York is not good in Denver, and so on. Wherever you are you must adapt your advertising to your audience. You must study the people to whom you wish to speak. You must consider, analyze, dissect your audience ; find out whether it is rich or poor, easy- going or aggressive, wide-awake or drowsy, and suit your adver- tising bill of fare accordingly. That is the reason the papers of the different parts of the country vary. At the first blush it would seem as though a paper was but a reflex of the editor's point of view, but a little study will show that it is a reflex of its clientage's. Editors insensibly learn to appreciate the views of their subscribers and they supply the newspaper most demanded. Just so with the advertisement writer. He must first study the tastes of his audience before he can hope to win results from his advertising. Let us begin right at home, here in New York. It is admit- ted on all sides that the New York clothing advertisements are models of good advertising. They are short and sweet, succinct and sensible. They get to the point without waste of words. The writers of these advertisements are sensible enough to appreciate the New York audience, and they are able enough to give New Yorkers the proper sort of advertising. New Yorkers are intelligent and discriminating. They give thought to their wearables, and they do not care to waste tiriie in arriving at conclusions in buying the same. In conse- quence the New York advertisements are brief, specific, and to a great extent, honest and sincere. In Philadelphia they are more generous with the flow of language and with space, possibly because space is less costly than in New York. The clothing advertisements of Wana- maker & Brown are splendid examples of good advertising, and typical of the Philadelphia style. Chicago clothing advertisements take up still more space. Atwood's advertising is an exception. It is modeled after the Rogers-Peet, New York, style. The farther west we go the more likely are we to meet with sensational clothing advertising. Most of the clothing adver- tisements in Detroit, are splendid examples of a medium 104 Successful Advertising between the eastern and western st}les. They are forcibly written, well displayed and nicely illustrated. The advertisements of the Nebraska Clothing Co., in Omaha and Kansas City, are unique and original. They are very catchy and immensely successful. People out there have learned to smile when they run across one of them, because there is generally more fun in it than in the regular humorous column. It usually opens with a humorous talk on the political questions of the day, a play upon words or a joke. In Denver is to be found the highest development of the artistic-sensational style. Life out there in a high altitude means a rapid, restless gait ; all sorts and conditions of peo- ple flock there for health and profit, and advertising should be strong and vigorous. In Salt Lake City, Butte, Tacoma, Portland and the other cities west of the Rockies will you find the sensational clothing advertisement flourishing in all its glory. And it has a good excuse for flourishing. Much as we fin-de-si^cle advertisement writers would like beautiful language, beautifully diplayed and beautifully illustrated, we should not overlook the fact that the sole object of an advertisement is to sell goods, and for that pur- pose must get right down to the reader's level and shout right loud in his ear in true western fashion the virtues of the values being offered. Two opposite processes are commonly used in advertise- ment writing — the positive or building-up process, and the negative or tearing-down process. In the first drift every happy thought and good phrase. Then comes the tearing down, when a word here, an idea there, is coldly criticised and perhaps eliminated. To the New Clothing Advertiser. Make up your mind on several things at the outset. Make up your mind on the advertising outlay — but do not necessarily confine yourself to a certain expenditure every month — leave a slight margin — a sort of elastic margin which you can spend or not as conditions demand. Make up your mind that you will be a persistent, optimistic advertiser rather than a How To Accomplish It. 105 spasmodic pessimist. Make up your mind to get a certain space at regular times in your local paper. Make up your mind to have about four splurge sales per year, each of which, if prop- erly pushed, ought to last at least a fortnight. Make up }our mind to have your ads honest, clear, clever and rightly typo- graphed and properly illustrated. Buy space on long term contracts, and get the benefit of all discounts by so doing, and see that your local paper treats you right on reading notices. Good reading notices represent gilt-edge advertising, and I am surprised that clothing advertisers are so slow on this point. Never try to advertise clothing without cuts. Some adver- tisers get along without cuts, and they appear to do it success- fully, but I cannot help thinking that they would do it more successfully if they used cuts. Nothing will attract the eye to a printed page quicker than an illustration. Through a cut the mind receives an instantaneous and vivid impression of a gar- ment. Double the cut space in simple type could not do this. Advertising Men's Furnishings. In a town or city where there is a daily paper the average proprietor of a men's furnishing establishment advertises one article at a time instead of several. I have prepared a lot of advertising for men's furnishers and I have noticed that they usually want but a single article advertised at a time and that article must be advertised well. Of course every rule has its exceptions and the exceptions where the men's furnisher advertises more than one article are in the Friday evening and Sunday papers and special editions. I hold that men's furnishings should be more cleverly worded than any other sort of advertising, for here is a case where the appeal is made direct to men who are not much given to poring over advertising literature. Their eyes must be arrested instantly, the story told at once without an extra word — which is the most difficult form of advertising, A catchy cut and an odd, fetching, typographical effect are great assistants to the text. Rogers, Peet & Co. and Smith, Gray & Co., are very clever in telling the advertising story without waste of words. Their window eye catchers are also advertising gems. 106 Successful Advertisings If it is neckwear, how would something like this go? Gorgfeous! Cut of Tie That's the word that best describes our Nobby Neckwear. :::::::::: Economical! Cut of Tie Is another good word for though they're worth a dollar "50^' thej^'re j^ours for There is an old timer in collars and cuffs, but age does not dim its powers. Here it is : Let Collar and Cuff You! We'll do it well — so well that 3^ou'll wish we always had and at a Price Peculiar To Ourselves Alone I Here's the price : A Pair Of Cuffs or . Two Collars Pure Linen. 23^ Very Latest Styles. How To Accomplish It. 107 Or if it is hosiery, something like this is suggested Handsome Hose For Men and Boys. Hermsdorf dye. Neat silk embroidery. 6 dififerent colors. 30 " styles. Worth 50c. per pair. say ^^ For Men and Boys. A Special Sale! Advertising A New Store. This talk, I fancy, will appeal not only to those who con- template opening a new store, but to others who have just com- pleted improvements — added a new wing or given their store a new front or something like that — to which they wish to give prominence through publicity's column. First impressions are valuable impressions. The man about to open a new store ought to keep that fact uppermost in his brain. If he makes a good first impression and then lives up to that good first impression in the matter of qualities, varieties, prices and advertising, he does all that can be reason- ably expected, and if there is any possibility of winning success he will surely win it. In this I will only speak of the advertising end. For the past two months I have been doing the advertising for a clothing concern which opened six weeks ago down in the Old Bay State. The opening was a great success, despite a stormy night of open- ing, and the concern, judging by the letters sent me by the prin- 108 Successful Advertising cipal, seems to be swimming along all right in the sea of success. The points to be considered, is the method employed. I prepared three initial ads which simply spoke of the open- ing on a certain date. It was a factory town and the clothing and other retail stores of that place drew their chief support from the working people. So I did not hesitate to infuse con- siderable ginger into the announcements — more than I would were I writing the opening advertising for a Boston or New York store. (You must study jour people, you know.) There were two quarter-page ads and one half-page ad pre- vious to the announcement. They all spoke of what the new store's methods were to be and gave a little thought to the goods and prices. (After the store is opened then it is time enough to quote on items and prices.) The papers were fairly liberal in the matter of reading notices. Souvenirs were to be given out on the opening night. Of course, no goods were to be sold — everybody was invited to call, criticise and look about to his or her heart's content, and take away a souvenir. Despite the rainy, unpleasant evening of the opening, a great crowd was in attendance and the opening was pronounced a decided success. The three ads above spoken of, the reading notices, the souvenirs and the novelty of the new store did the business as far as the opening was concerned. Of course, the papers on the day following the opening had very flattering notices regarding the attendance, the store appointments, the affability of the clerks and the many varieties of goods, which were plainly tagged with very little prices. All that sort of thing counted up. Then the ads started in on items and prices — not too heavy at first — but just enough to whet the public desire for values in a new clothing store. Half-page and quarter- page ads were used every second or third day, and with each successive ad the range of items and prices were etilarged. The other stores began to sneer and poke fun at the newcomer. The principal of the new concern wanted to talk back "real sassy" to the old- How To Accomplish It. 109 timers, but I advised him to ignore them — to advertise his good vahies with good ads as though his was the only store in town. Which is the only plan to pursue. It never pays to indulge in personalities that only advertise your competitors and does not add to your dignity and standing. The other fellows shut up after a while, because they noticed their criticisms had no effect upon the new man. He has now settled down to a quarter-page space about three times a week, and each ad speaks of some par- ticular line, such as boys' clothing, men's summer suits, men's furnishings, etc. It is poor policy for the average clothing store to jumble up several lines in an ad — better to have one good ad on one good sale in one department and do it right before you take up another sale. To the man about to open a new store I would say : — Make all your advertising arrangements several weeks in advance of your opening. Do not wait till the last minute, as many do. Get the best rates from your local papers, study their circula- tions, be unmoved by personal representations from anyone on this, but go about it just as cold and business-like as though you were buying a lot of overcoats. Get the best newspaper space at the lowest price and have it understood in the contract that you are entitled to a certain number of lines of reading matter. Have a single column good line cut of your store made. Have electros for each paper. Lay in your stock of cuts before- hand and have your ads well prepared in advance. Try and have the newspaper "boys" around your store on the opening night and give them particular courtesy. They will appreciate a typewritten "story" of the affair, and even if they will not use exactly the "story " thus prepared, they will get the points they want from it to dish up in their own language. Save them the bother of taking notes. Have a cut made of the concern's name. A good catch phrase, if stuck to, is all right. In your opening ad dilate more upon your accessibility and modern methods, rather than upon your prices. Items and prices will follow in due time after the opening. If you put in a new show front or add a new wing to your store, you are entitled to raise a disturbance about it in your 110 Successful Advertising^ local advertising columns. You ought to be able to get a picture of your improved establishment and quite a bit of reading matter about your enterprise and success. If your local paper does not enthuse about the cut and the reading notice — and it is surprising how cold and distant some become on such occasions — tell its publisher you will have a nice single column cut of your new establishment made by a city cut concern and you will be satisfied if he run the cut with a few sticks of reading matter, and he surely would not object to that. A new cut of one of the town's establishments is nearly always wel- comed by the local publisher, as it shows the growth of the town — something in which he naturally takes pride. You could use that cut in your ads, circulars, stationery and other advertising matter afterwards. You could get up a sale on the strength of your new improvements. The increased room gives you further .opportunity to display goods and conse- quently you have laid in a new stock, etc., etc. There are some concerns which, if they were putting in a dumb waiter would raise a hullabaloo about a " Great Rebuild- ing Sale," but I know that none of the readers of this would be guilty of anything so foolish. Eh ? Building Up a Sick Department. There is a cause for everything. If a department is sick, discover why, then apply remedies. There are several reasons why a department may suffer from poor business. Here are some of them : An incompetent manager (usually the reason most abundant). Poor advertising. Poor buying. Poor location. Poor methods of display. Inefficient salespeople. Tardy deliveries. Bad reputation. Insufficient capital. Lax business methods generally. How To Accomplish It. Ill Let us take up each reason and try and get at the right remedy. An incompetent manager should be replaced with a competent one. That is all there is about it. A business house is no elemosynary institution — no refuge for incompetent " mem- bers of the family"— no "soft snap" for a dull-witted "man- ager" — no home for one under the dominion of rum, or any other evil influence, nor is it the place for anyone, except the person who knows and does his business in a clean-cut way. Poor advertising should not be tolerated. There is no excuse for it in this age. The manager should have a fair con- ception of how to get up sales. They are vital to-day to any department or retail business. To get up sales properly is to be sufficiently supplied with the right goods at the right prices — to be able to write and mark advertising copy in such a man- ner as to make a good, striking impression upon the public — to secure good illustrations if necessary — to advertise and handle each sale in such a manner that it will be a source of satisfac- tion to the public and the concern, and to keep in the narrow path between skimpy and extravagant advertising. No fool can do this ! Poor buying is an abomination. Occasionally the best buy- ers make mistakes in styles and colors. Once in a while they become too enthusiastic in the buying, and overloaded stocks are the result — true mountains of agony upon human shoulders 1 Friendships are dangerous emotions to buyers — so are enmities. Keep in the cool, clear wind, between both. Quietly study the many ramifications of the market — strike when the iron is hot, when the manufacturer is sick of his goods and willing to sell at a sacrifice . Then the buyer has an excuse for a successful sale — an excuse that the public (who are not asses) will see has a foundation— and will, as a result, respond. The buyer must know his goods — their styles, colors, fabrics, workmanship, finish and all such details. The buyer must know his public — their wants, whims, likes and dislikes. The buyer must know his market — its principal men, their strength, weakness, and what they have. And at all times the buyer must know himself and his resources. He cannot afford to " fake" in his advertising. No incompetent can fill his position ! 112 Successful Advertising Poor location, in many cases, cannot be helped. In such a case the only remedy is to make strenuous efforts for betterment in other lines. If it can be helped without detriment to the other trade features, do so. I have seen sick departments put on a paying basis by being moved to a better location. We all know how the wrong side of the street makes all the difference in the world in the success of a store. Poor methods of display can be remedied by almost any bright young man in the store. Do not kill his individuality by being too dictatorial. Give his God-given abilities an oppor- tunity to assert themselves. Encourage him ! Inefficient salespeople are generally the result of inefficient heads. Competent merchants create competence on the part of their workers. Every move, effort and word on the part of a competent merchant or manager, has its effect on the rank and file, who are human beings, and as such are not impervious to impressions. However, if a sales person is naturally or per- sistently willfully incompetent, discharge such a person. Better for the business — better for the person when this rule is enforced ! Tardy deliveries are unmitigated nuisances that the shop- ping public will not stand for. An extraordinary' amount of trade is lost by this cause alone. Keep promises in deliveries, even if at times a few cents may be lost by so doing. These few cents may be replaced later by a few dollars from the shop- per, who appreciated prompt deliveries. A bad reputation is something that can be lived down by good deeds. The human memory is long when it dwells upon unpleasant subjects, but it can be made to forget the unpleas- antness of the long past in contemplation of the good of the present and recent past. A business is like a person, in the respect that both are accorded certain niches in human minds — if the reputation is good, respect follows ; if bad, the consideration is certainly not respect. Insufficient capital is a matter that in many cases cannot be remedied. The best rule governing such a situation is to "trim your sails to the wind." Lax business methods generally should be corrected by beginning at the head and working down — not at the foot and How To Accomplish It. 113 working up. The person to blame for a sick business is the HEAD OF THAT BUSINESS ! No Other. Hc is responsible and should be held responsible — he in turn should hold his lieuten- ants responsible, and they in turn their subordinates. The discharge of one or two subordinates never helped a poor busi- ness as long as those at the top continued the even tenor of their misguided way. It is a pretty safe rule, that efficient heads have efficient workers. Keeping a Live Department or Business Always Vigorous. Dismiss the idea forever from your mind that because busi- ness is running smoothly and satisfactorily it surely will continue to do so from its own momentum, aided with a little effort now and then. Forget it ! There was one force that built up the business — the same force must be applied to it every day of its existence and that force is : — Intelligent Effort. — Conditions constantly change. Keep in touch with new conditions. New forces enter the field. Watch them ! These forces are different from the old ones and unexpected moves may be made to your detriment. Open, watchful eyes and a clear, cool and active brain must be the possession of him who would succeed to-day. Whatever technical knowledge in relation to his business he is supplied with so much the better. And there is no single knowledge more important to a business to-day than advertis- ing. Advertising is the great salesman — he voices his argu- ments through printer's ink and he should always be of the- living-present, sound in argument, happy in expression and dressed so as to win and please the eye. Some may say that illustrations and types are matters that need not bother the merchant much for they are fixed com- modities and can be had anywhere at any time. There is a taint of unsoundness in this logic — but let it pass ! One ever present, ever live feature of advertising beyond the power of dismissal by any advertiser is : What to Say ? 8 114 Successful Advertising Every advertisement must be thought out and written. The business man who advertises must regularly answer the pertinent question of : What TO Say ? The goods and prices that are clamoring for advertising recognition force the issue : What to Say ? The dull business of the present preys upon the merchant's mind and stirs up the eternal advertising question : What to Say? The sale about to begin asks with a great interrogation point the conundrum: What to Say? The sale already under way and which must be fed with the food of good advertising propounds the problem: What to Say ? The new goods — dainty, delicate, desirable; stylish, servic- able, sensible — the harbingers of the coming season's fashions, fads and fancies — whisper with gentle but irresistible insistence the ticklish question: What to Say ? The old goods that are eye-sores because not in the public's possession long before, ask, in a gruff, hasty voice — as though they themselves were tired of lingering on the merchant's shelves : What to Say ? The march of business inprovement keeps quick time to the tune to which these words are answered: What to Say ?" The standstill of business under inert or incompetent direction seems to hush itself because there is no answer to: What to Say ? The retrograde movement of trade gives the abject shuffle of the bankrupt, because of the inept and unbusiness-like answers to: What to Say? What to Say ? is the great question that confronts every business man who advertises. If he answers it right it is probably because he has properly replied to the other great question: What to Do ? or in other words he did what he should in his storekeeping — the right expression of which appears in his advertising. Anyone can see that constant, intelligent thonght and activity are necessary in keeping a business and its advertising up to date. How To Accomplish It. 115 Advertising Women's Wearables. She looks for style. She looks for service. She looks for economy. Every woman wants this trinity of features in her dress, skirt, waist, or whatever article of wear she may be looking for. Swing the three features in your advertising; swing them in with a grace that shows your pen is influenced by the style; swing them in with a conviction that shows your pen is influenced by the service; swing them in with a force that shows your pen is influenced by the low price. Again let me speak of style. Without style a garment is nothing in the eyes of any self-respecting woman. Some great writer — pardon the omission of the name ; it's not here recall- able — said that the nearest approach to heaven on this earthly sphere is experienced by the woman happy in the knowledge that she is well gowned. And it is hardly necessary to say that the gown must be stylish. Dame Fashion is erratic — she has many a twist and turn in the trail of her "creations" — but ever}' woman feels it her bounden duty to follow fashion's most sinuous and tortuous path, and woe be to the merchant who gets a reputation for be- ing behind the times. He must keep up in the procession of style, even if he lags with service and price. Naturally his advertising must fittingly tell the tale of his noble effort to follow fashion's footsteps, and the advertising man should make a study of the garments. And it is quite a study — for a man. But it pays — therefore should be done. Semi-annually there comes to the store an influx of new styles. They sweep out old fashions as do waves of the sea sweep out impressions on the sands. Tell all about the new styles — how they are different from old styles — whether they originated in New York, London, Paris, Berlin or Vienna — whether they are the creations of Worth, Rouff", Felix, Robin- 116 Successful Advertising son or whoever the famous originator may be. This adds an element of truth as to the exchisiveness of the garments. With popular-priced and easy-priced garments it is consid- ered good policy to tell how a certain enterprising manufacturer secured an advance sample of a most stylish garment and made up a lot to go at a price so far below what the original garment sells for as is a fifty-cent piece below a silver dollar. Yet the latter garments lost none of the grace, distinctiveness and worth possessed by the original. And it frequently happens, according to the ads of many cloak concerns, that the manufacturer, in the course of his operations, became embarrassed for want of filthy lucre, "and our buyer, being on the spot with spot cash, secured the entire lot at a price which enables us to offer the most," etc., etc., ad infinitum, a page full, which so stirs up the feminine portion of the town, city or borough, that they all descend upon the store, and each and every one secures a garment of style, of worth, of service, at a price that causes competition to retire into the woods and go into executive session with itself. Suit and Cloak Advertising, April and May are two banner spring months for the suit and cloak manager. September and October are the two months to introduce the fall and winter styles. They are the months when the sun shines, and if he is wise he makes and rakes the hay. Every woman at each of these periods, wants a new com- plete costume. At each of these periods, besides indulging in the sweet hope of getting the new toggery, she is calculating as to which merchant in her town has the best goods at the lowest prices. The merchant who advertises properly stands the best chance of getting her trade. There is good money in the suit and cloak business, but it has to be made in season, and for those two reasons it is good business judgment to be liberal with timely advertising. Emphasize price. Eniphasize style. How To Accomplish It. 117 Emphasize materials. Emphasize workmanship. Emphasize the liberal stocks. Emphasize the attractiveness of the exhibits. These are the points to emphasize in the suit and cloak advertising that should appear right along in your home news- papers. Use cuts that really illustrate. Give type descriptions that describe. Do not take one leader and so pound it with advertis- ing that it becomes an eyesore, but have something new and fresh with every ad. Then people will take some stock in your liberal varieties. It is best to begin the ad (after the introduction) with a low priced article, and work up higher in prices until the last article advertised is the highest priced. As a general proposition low priced garments are easier to sell by advertising than high priced articles. A very good ladies' suit can now be had for $5.98, and it is remarkable how neat appearing a jacket can be had for ^3.98. If you can succeed in getting visitors to your store to inspect the lower priced garments it is frequently only a matter of good salesmanship to switch attention from the lower priced article to the better made and more stylish garments at higher figures. There are a lot of little kinks and twists in new styles that the advertiser should not overlook in his type tales. The Monte Carlo coats for women — the new double-breasted effects in waists — the new shaped panel skirt trimmed with band of stitch- ing and other recent ideas may be perfectly clear (therefore not of particular interest) to the suit and cloak man, but news to his customers, and for that reason should be swung in the adver- tising. Prices in Retail Advertising. It is wonderful what a loud noise a dollar makes these days. Even the humble dime makes itself heard in no uncertain tones. Cash speaks with a tone so eloquent that when it speaks all other orators take a back seat. 118 Successful Advertising In all retail advertising it is very necessary to give prices. They speak right to the pocketbook, and whatever speaks to that adjunct of any member of the great human family will get a hearing. When you give a price in your retail ad you give its most vital element. And the price should be supplemented with a clear and concise detail about the article thus priced. Most retailers understand this — yet many do not. This afternoon, while glancing over several copies of daily and weekly out-of-town publications, I was struck with the fact that quite a few retailers were satisfied with mere talk in their ads — they forgot the necessity of prices. A good, bright talk is all right — it is a very necessary fea- ture of the ad, but talk alone, without the prices to back it, is much like faith without good works. We can safely divide tlie aforesaid great human family into two divisions: The malQ and The female. Let us analyze them a bit in their relation to ads. Man, as a rule, is a logical being. When he wishes to invest in any article he wants to know its price. That's a very important item with him. You may arouse in him a desire for your offer- ings ; after this desire is aroused in him the next consideration with him is price. If the price is not in your ad, how is he to learn about this price ? By going to your store ? Yes, but that entails some little effort, and the chances are that he does not think that effoft necessary' . There may be otter ads in the paper on similar goods which quote prices which seem satisfactory to him. These printed prices answer his questions — he has the information desired and the concern that prints prices makes the sa|e. You surely should not put your readers to any trouble whatever in giving them informa- tion about your goods. Do business "on the lines of the least resistance." If you are advertising a pair of patent leathers — a straw hat How To Accomplish It. 119 — a smoking outfit or anything else that appeals to a man, give him the details of your article in the easiest and quickest man- ner possible and never, never forget to give the price every time. Now let us discuss woman and her relation to advertising. She buys the greater percentage of household supplies — all her personal needs — the personal needs of the younger members of the family and in a great many instances no little portion of her liege lord and master's individual needs. Now she has a certain amount of money daily or weekly—^ as the case may be — v/hich amount as a rule is carefully por- tioned out as to where it will do the most execution. The ad helps her in this. Daily and weekly she scans with an eager eye the ads of various concerns to learn about the most recent happenings in dress-goods, silks, household supplies and what not. With a very material eye she looks for prices in every instance. They strike right home to her pocket-book. In most instances prices represent the first, last and greatest considera- tion. When no prices are given she is quite at sea and turns for relief to the ads that give facts and figures. With prices she can make mental or notebook memoran- dum as to how far her dollars and dimes can travel — which memorandum is a great satisfaction in itself. Woman on a shopping expedition becomes a practical individual and the more practical she becomes the more she demands goods and prices. A score or more years ago very few stores gave printed prices either in store placards or advertisement in any form. This gave an opportunity to practice a sliding scale of prices, to charge whatever figure they thought the customer could stand. A. T. Stewart and John W^anamaker were pion- eers in the matter of making one price — and that undeviated from — to all customers. Then this one fair price idea became accentuated by store price cards and newspaper ads calling attention to these fair prices until now almost every retail house advertises prices. It looks more business-like in a retail ad to give the price. The presence of the figures in type is the next best thing to the actual clink of the money itself. It is a type argument that stands out im.pregnable against all counter argument. When 120 Successful Advertising you see a price in print your mind is set at rest on the point of cost. The great question, " How much? " is answered to your complete satisfaction. When you do not find the price in print you lay aside the paper with a feeling of dissatisfaction, unless you are so rich or careless that price is no object with you. But in these times, when price is a greater object than it ever was before, almost everybody looks out for the cost of things. And if John Smith & Co. do not give any items and prices in their otherwise clever ad you are very likely to swing your trade in the direction of John Jones & Co., who answer all your very natural questions about the quality, variety and prices of their offering in a man- ner complete, easy and satisfactory. A retail ad without prices is like a tale half told. No drummer can sell goods without dilating upon his easy terms- no huckster thinks of selling bananas from his cart unless he shouts the price hard and loud. Giving prices is the most vital element in selling. Do not think that a general review of your stocks in a bright ad is suffi- cient without goods and prices, for it is not. Always be spe- cific with one or more articles— give full descriptions of them— and again I repeat, never fail to give the prices. Furniture Advertising, The best furniture advertising done anywhere to-day is that done by The Paine Furniture Co. of Boston. Scores of people in Boston, in New York and in the West have told me that the ads of the Paine Furniture Co. repre- .'-ented the best in furniture advertising, which verdict coincides exactly with my own views. Inasmuch as this advertising stands at the top of the pyramid of good furniture advertising let us analyze it a little and see if some of its good points cannot be applied to other furniture advertising. Pick up any Boston daily, morning or evening, and you'll find the Paine Furniture ad. It is missing on Sunday. Like the Wanamaker and O'Neil ads of New York, it takes a rest on Sunday, but starts up fresh and forcible on Monday morning and stays right along in business until Saturday. How 10 Accomplish It. 121 It represents a good example of the one idea in advertising. A single piece of furniture such as a sideboard, a dining-room table, or a lounge is taken. A wood engraving — showing exactly the article spoken of — stands at the head of the ad, and the talk following is a splendid specimen of the dignified, easy, and sensible style of advertising. The description of the side- board or whatever is being advertised is cleverly complete — the price is generally given, and room is nearly always found for a detail of the particular uses of the article. Every day, ex- cepting Sunday, a fresh ad appears, and this sort of thing is kept up throughout the year with the exception of three or four big splurges in the line of "clearance sales" and "open- ings." If you are a furniture dealer and wish to satisfy yourself as to the benefit to be derived from good advertising just drop in 48 Canal Street, and look through the warerooms of The Paine Furniture Co. the next time you happen in Boston. The im- mense business this concern does is a living, active demonstra- tion of the power of publicity. Out of the regular retail district — in a region given to wholesalers and manufacturers of everything under the sun — but fortunately convenient to the depots of several railroads — The Paine Furniture Co. swings trade in its direction by carrying the right sort of goods and rightly placing this information before the public. Boston is a city of good furniture advertising, anyway. Jordan, Marsh & Co , with their immense furniture store in the heart of the city, have built up an enormous furniture business in a very short period of time. Osgood with his " when in doubt buy of Osgood," is in evidence constantly with examples of good advertising, and Mc Arthur and Atkinson also help along the adveftising columns of the Boston dailies. And when you are ready to proceed advertising you can gain many points from the advertising of such furniture con- cerns as The Paine Furniture Co., Jordan, Marsh & Co., Osgood, Arthur INIcArthur and Plymptons, of Boston — Tobey and Mandel Bros., of Chicago — The Adams Dry Goods Co., Flint, Cowperthwait, Little and Baumann of New York — Waua- maker of Philadelphia, etc. 122 Successful Advertising You will note that they nearly all use illustrations. I believe in illustrations in furniture advertising. A cut of an easy chair with a man comfortably ensconced in it smoking a pipe tells more in an instant about the virtue of an easy chair than a quarter column in type could in an hour. The picture, the story and the price combined make the winning combina- tion. The keys for furniture advertisers to play upon are : Thrift — the money saving opportunities in your store. Quality — the good workmanship and materials evident in your offerings. Fair Treatment — courteous, intelligent clerks, prompt deliveries and "money back if you want it." Easy Shopping — large assortments to select from, plainly priced goods, broad aisles, well lighted corners and interesting displays. Play with the right touch upon these four advertising keys and if the store and merchandise back up the printed matter business must come. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the importance of a well-defined, well carried out plan of advertising. Week in and week out should this plan be faithfully adhered to — it should be as well observed as the opening of the store every morning. Spasmodic is not the adjective that qualifies the advertising of the intelligent. It is the continuous, cumulative force that fetches. The furniture advertiser speaks to the impressionable mem- ber of the human family — woman — and she who is such an important factor in household buying is influenced not only by to-day's ad but by scores of previous ads. These past ads make the store stand out stronger in her mind. Advertising is but the pv.blic voice of the store, and the more constant, consistent and clear is this voice, the more will the household head think of that store when furniture, carpets, rugs, etc., are needed. Just a word on circular advertising. A certain wide-awake carpet and furniture retailer scans the daily papers for engage- ment, marriage and birth notices. To the newly engaged he sends a "printed typewritten circular letter," speaking of his How To Accomplish It. 123 ability to furnish a house, flat, or room at the right price. To the newly married he sends the same circular, supplemented with another, giving an attractive list of items that may be added from time to time after the house is furnished. To proud parents he sends his price list on baby carriages and cribs. He says the idea is a good one. Advertisifig flonse=FuniisIiings, Floor Coverings, Upholstery Goods, China, Glassware, Lamps, Etc. In advertising these goods use home arguments. Show iiow the home is made happier because neater, lighter, better furnished and more inviting by reason of the household needs bought at so and so's establishment. Do not be afraid to quote low prices in your advertising and never forget to dilate upon bargain prices in the introductory talk. The house-furnisher is peculiarly susceptible to bargain arguments. Many stores offer extremely alluring "bargains" at the expense of quality. In other words they palm off " seconds " in place of genuine first quality goods and it is not until the articles so bought have gone through some household usage that the worth of the " bargains (?) " becomes apparent. The dealer who offers "seconds" should boldly say so in his advertising. I believe that the frank admission of a defect in an article increases public confidence in a store. At any rate the woman buying "seconds" after they were advertised as "seconds" cannot blame anybody but herself if the articles do not give satisfactory^ service, for she went into the transaction with her eyes wide open. On the other hand the retailer who sells "seconds " to a customer under the false impression (gained through the advertising) makes a distinct mistake. Deceptions of that sort are boomerangs in their effects. The advantages they give are only temporary. Reputable dealers know their worth. The House-Furnishing Department is always an interesting shopping spot to the matron. Every time she visits it she can see scores of opportunities to add to household requirements. 124 Successful Advertising If she has the money to spare it requires but a little silent coax- ing from neat exhibits of pans, shovels, ice boxes, etc., and some price tickets for her to yield. She buys these goods with pleas- ure, for are they not to be part of her daily existence in her fluttering from kitchen to dining room — in her constant duties to make her home what it should be, a home in reality ? Following this same line of thought one can see how the adver- tising of house-furnishings exercises a peculiar influence over women with home tendencies. The arguments that underlie the above talk are the argu- ments to bring to bear upon the advertising of Lamps, China, Glassware, Crockery, Bric-a-Brac, Pictures, Carpets, Rugs, Linoleums, Oil- cloths, Upholstery Goods, etc. All can be well advertised in the local papers — all in the regular "value giving" style and each ad can be made interesting and readable because of the "home influence " that the advertising breathes. Retailers in large cities, auctioneers, itinerant Syrians and "fly-by-night" concerns sell immense quantities of rugs by auction. This is a system of selling that has developed to a large degree within the past few years. Auction advertising is some- what different from regular retail advertising, as auction adver- tising requires in addition to the uses of newspaper columns the services of a catalogue or sheet showing in catalogue form a list of the various kinds of rugs. A large percentage of such rug advertising has been fake advertising pure and simple. Many and many a " Circassian" and " Belloochistan " rug never got nearer the Orient than the Bowery in New York City and many and many a highly respectable American family is finding out this to be a frigid and sore fact. So through bitter experience is the demand for " high qualities " becoming stronger year after year and the wise dealer of to day gives quality at the same moment he gives the benefit of a low price. How To Accomplish It. 125 Give Full Description of Items. When you say anything, you like to say your say complete. You do not like to be choked off before you have half finished your tale. You would say that was excessively annoying. When you are listening to or reading a magazine stor>^, a ' novel, a poem, or even an ad, you like to get the whole detail. If you are in any degree interested in the affair — be it story, poem or ad — a half- told idea is not as satisfying as the complete, well-rounded expression of the whole. Supposing you were reading an ad, and you were interested in men's underwear because you were thinking of investing in some, which of the two following items would suit you the best ? Genuine French Lisle Men's Underwear, regular Ji.oo goods, only 50c. a garment. Men's Underwear of Genuine French Lisle : Shirts have French neck : ribbed bottoms and pearl buttons — drawers have French satinetop and the long Otis gusset — regular $1.00 goods, now 50c. a garment. It is dollars to doughnuts you would say the latter. Why ? For the simple reason that it gives you more complete informa- tion about the garments in which you were interested. The first paragraph only touches — suggests ; it is not satisfactory by any means. Yet many advertisers prefer to give the first paragraph, so meagre of information, to the second, which is sufficient in detail because : — (i) Two or three lines of advertising space is saved. (2) It requires less effort in preparation. The latter reason is not worth discussing, because if no eSbrt is made to win trade, very little trade is won. The other reason is penny-wise, pound-foolish policy. If you skimp and manage to save a five dollar bill in the matter of space in your ad, you stand a very excellent chance of 126 Successful Advertising losing several times that amount in business in your underwear department. Items and prices are potent factors in retail advertising — the writer has preached tliat several times before because he has seen and studied the practical operation of the subject in many, many instances — and knows that the items should be complete with all the necessary information. Let me give a few more illustrations of the difference between complete and incomplete items. The incomplete kind in Men's Linen Suits : — Men's Linen Suits regular I3.50 grade — only $2.48. The complete kind in Men's Linen Suits : — Men's Linen Suits of brown mixed diagonal and striped tow — cool and comfortable — usually $3.50 now J2.48. The incomplete kind in Neckwear : — Men's fashionable ties — were 50c. now 25c. The complete kind in Neckwear : — Men's fashionable ties comprising pure silk tecks and four- in-hands— latest knots and patterns — some with wide flowing ends ; were Soc. each, your choice 25c. If the reader cares to test the idea here attempted, let him take some popular article and advertise it in the incomplete item way. A few days later he can attempt the other meihod and the difference in results will forever satisfy him that the only way to handle items is to give full, complete and satis- factory details about what he is trying to sell. How to Start, Engineer and Drop a Sale. How Should the Sale be Started ? — Do not jump at it ! Give some thought to it. Very few sales are gotten up in such a hurry that a day or two cannot be given to the consideration of such points as special cuts to be made, special spaces to be contracted for, special notices to the written up and strong, business bringing advertising prepared. How To Accomplish It. 12T The newspaper end of the sale demands thought and so do the problems within the store. Window tickets, inside dis- play cards and price tags must be prepared. Special spaces must be reserved in the portion of the store where the sale will take place. From the receiving room down to the delivery department all must be put in readiness for a business-like handling of the event. Let us assume that the event is a clearance sale of $7.50, $10.00 and $12.00 suits for men and youths. The clearance price is fixed at ^5.00. Such a sale usually opens Saturday, for Saturday is the best day for selling clothing. Make the preparations as above stated. The idea is to have the sale last at least a week. It may last a fortnight. The prime point is to run it as long as it is a trade v/inner. Prepare these ads. One is for Friday evening (for Satur- day's trade.) The second is for Sunday (for Monday's trade) and the third for Monday (for Tuesday's trade.) The first ad should be the largest. That it should be well-written, illus- trated and printed is understood. The second ad should be in the strain of " The Sale Is Now On." The third ad follows the idea of the second with the added information to impart to an expectant public that " Success Has Marked the Course Of This Sale." Now we have the sale well under way and will consider: How Should the Sale Be Engineered? Here is where the ingenuity of the advertising writer shows itself. For every day in the week something new must be said about the progress of the sale. He will receive his best inspiration by going into the clothing department and watch the actual course of the sale. It is extremely essential that the advertising writer work in harmony with the manager of the clothing department and the clearer is the understanding among everybody concerned in the sale the greater is the chance for success. 128 Successful Advertising Both heads — the head of the advertising department and the head of the clothing department — watch the progress of the sale. If it shows any signs of cessation the advertising man pours fresh, strong copy into the columns of the papers and the clothing man pours fresh, bargain-great stocks on his counter. A week goes by. Saturday evening brings the two mana- gers together to compare notes and conclude if the sale is to be pushed another week The second week is practically a repetition of the first. If the sale possesses unusual elements of vitality it is swung along into a third week. The only excuse a sale can give for its existence is that it pays. When it begins to ooze forth the meagre returns — like a half dry pump — then it is time to consider : — How Should the Sale Be Dropped? Do not drop it with a dull thud in the middle of the week. Before dissolution there is usually a last rally of the vital forces, a last gasp, as it were, and this last effort in the clothing sale can be turned into a very respectable end-of-the-week finish. Then drop the sale. As long as it was a business bringer it was operated — the moment it lost its drawing powers that moment was it dropped ! Have a Reason for That Sale. Much printer's ink, as well as time, thought, work and money, is thrown away in a certain kind of advertising. This is the order of advertising that is a simple tale of items and prices, — a dreary waste of recitals wnthout any logical reason attempting to show the cause for such values. There is a reason for everything. Never yet was a price cut or a new lot of goods bought without a cause. Cause dom- inates effort. Therefore if you are advertising thirty-six inch unbleached muslin worth seven cents at five cents per yard, tell somewhere in the general heading or body of the ad your reasons for making such offerings. Tell the public that you secured a snap from some overstocked muslin manufacturer or importer, or that you wished to move your cotton dress goods department How To Accomplish It. 129 to your basement, or that carpenters are tearing the heart out of your store, or that the end of the active season is approach- ing and that you do not care to carry these goods over. Always have a reason, and come out with that reason boldly and honestly. Shoe Advertising. The spring and summer styles of footwear are now in every shoe store from ocean to ocean, and thousands of retailers are giving huge chunks of thought as to how the shoe advertising can best be done. Of course, there are varieties of ways, as there are in all lines of business. Some shoe dealers come out once a week with a double half column splurge on shoes, with a dozen or twenty items. Some think the daily presentation of a leader, illustrated with an exact cut of the shoe and with a full descrip- tion of its merits and price, is about the proper caper. Some advertise tri-weekly, some bi-weekly, some weekly after this idea, and then come out strong four or five times a year with a good-sized ad covering several lines. In my experience I have found that the idea of advertising a single drive in shoes is an excellent one. The average shoe store cannot afford to advertise heavily as do bigger stores in other lines ; but there is no reason why its advertising cannot be continual and profitable. A daily space in the local paper of about four inches is not an extravagant outlay for some shoe concerns where shoe competition is pretty keen and the town's population fairly good-sized. The ad should be changed con- stantly — each successive story should tell of a new shoe bargain in an interesting manner, or of an old shoe value dished up in a new form. In Sunday's ad take, say, men's patent leather shoes of the hand-sewed variety. Get a cut, write a catch-line or two, then sail in on your description of this particular shoe. Display the name of the shoe and its price — let the rest of the body be in Pica or Nonpareil lower case. Have a paragraph at the bottom, about an inch deep, set in Agate, speaking in general about the completeness of your stock, the universal lowness in price, etc. 130 Successful Advertising On Monday come out with another story on another shoe. Let us suppose it is a woman's Dongola patent leather tipped button shoe. Let the same idea on set-up and general arrangement prevail here as in yesterday's ad. Tuesday you can speak of men's bicycle shoes, and so on all through the week, giving your readers fresh ads on fresh subjects daily. If you cannot catch a buyer on Monday's ad, }ou may with Thursday's attempt. At any rate by a succession of ads on every shoe subject, you are likely in the course of the week to cover almost every shoe desire, and this sort of advertising, if intelligently and persist- ently followed, with occasional splurges at "clearance sale" times, will bring you in lots of trade. If you think you cannot afford to come out daily, then come out bi-weekly or tri-weekly — only when you do advertise, do so in a clear-cut and definite manner as outlined above. I am moved to make these remarks by an examination this afternoon of a dozen small town papers from a dozen points in the Union. There wasn't a good shoe ad in the whole dozen papers. Strange, but true. I remarked so to an Illinois mer- chant who happened to be in my oifice. "Oh, well," he said, "these shoe dealers don't seem to care. They've advertising contracts with their local papers which they must live up to some way or other, and if the spaces are filled with any sort of advertising — as long as it's advertising — that's all that's necessary in their estimation." He further thought that much of this advertising was sup- posed to be done by the bookkeepers or clerks, who were kept busy enough with other duties, and who naturally did not give the advertising the attention it deserved. There are sinners in this respect in every branch of the busi- ness, and if they fall at the trade wayside, one of the great rea- sons — if not the greatest — will be the very poor advertising they put forth. I noted one space in particular, it occupied six inches altogether, and imparted the startling information that Dash, Dash & Co.'s stock of shoes was the best in the town, and their prices were way down. Rather a vague and hazy way of shoe advertising — to put it mildly. To put it more justly, it was an How To Accomplish It. 131 idiotic waste of good space. It sprawled all over six valuable inches and said nothing. As advertising manager for various concerns, I found the plan of advertising a single shoe value at a time very good. Charles A. Estes, of Denver, was a very intelligent advertiser. In writing his shoe ads I followed the single idea every day Then on the other hand, such successful shoe concerns as the Massachusetts Shoe Co., of Boston, come out with a broad- side of twenty or thirty items very frequently. It pays them, because they have been doing it for years. And it does not neces- sarily follow that a daily sale ad on a special shoe value would not pay them also. Alfred J. Cammeyer, of New York, is cer- tainly a good shoe advertiser, and his advertising can well be studied by shoe concerns everywhere. Mr. Shoe Dealer, here's a paragraph that I suggest you paste in your hat : As long as you have an advertising contract with a paper see that your advertising space is filled with the best sort of advertising. It's a plain, simple sentence, but it means much to your bank account. It is not the amount of space you use that counts — it is rather what you say, and how you say it. And if you do not feel that you can do your advertising justice, get somebody who can. Window Displays. Simplicity — concentration — force! Such are the show window qualities that attract. Complexity — over-display — frippery ! Such are the show window qualities that distract. And the difference between attraction and distraction is the difference between gain and loss of trade. Some natures — essentially vulgar — love over-display and pointless adornment. But intelligent, well-ordered minds love the strikingly simple — the display or arrangement that gives ex- pression to an idea without loss of force. The show window is a great factor in swinging retail trade. Its importance is not appreciated to the degree it should. 182 Successful Advertising Yet retailers are giving more and more thought to the question of intelligent window dressing. In the writer's estimation the keynote of intelligent window dressing is simplicit)'. A window full of ladies' and children's garments, arranged with the intention of displaying the greatest assortment possible, is not as trade-compelling as a few gar- ments mounted on figures gracefully poised before a large mir- ror. A windowful of all sorts of house-furnishings does not for a moment begin to compare with the window given solely to a kitchen scene or wash tubs or tinware or something that accent- uates the use of a certain line of merchandise. Speaking about the advance in the art of window dressing, many merchant readers will remember how (in their visits to New York) they used to walk up Broadway and note the helter-skelter arrangement of the windows. In a clothing win- dow would be a few overcoats, a few odd coats, a few suits, a few twenty-five cent ties, a few suspenders and a few other things making a weird contrast and effect, a combination pos- sessing neither weakness nor strength. Yet the window dresser would show the same system (or lack of system as you like it), day after day until the passer-by who gave even little thought to the subject wondered why people showed such poor taste in window dressing. But to-day it is another story. To-day look in these same windows ! When you look you see something ! You see back of a window exhibit the idea standing out in bold relief. A window may be given to an effective shoe display, and mind you, there will be nothing else in that window but shoes, (This shoe display is to help that shoe ad in the papers yesterday.) Another window will be given exclusively to a handsome line of overcoats (to emphasize the overcoat ad of two days pre- vious). Mirrors, figures and black velvet effects are skillfully used in displaying the merchandise and the result is. A clean cut^ co7tcrete expression of an idea. Motion in some form or other is given much study by lead- ing window dressers. During the holiday seasons especially, animated window displays are found in the windows of nearly every important city establishment. The eye is instantly How To Accomplish It. 133 attracted by activity and it takes but a few minutes for a crowd to gather about the window with marionettes or the high kicker or the goggle eyed dummy with the cigar. Inside Store Displays. There is room in plenty for taste, cleverness and artistic (likewise business) ability when engaged upon an inside store display. A display to attract attention must possess sufficient origin- ality to at once arrest the eye with a unique color arrangement or a scheme so harmonious and beautiful so to be truly artistic. It pays to give proper attention to interior displays. They lighten up the store ; they soften and subdue the hard business effect ; to the most prosaic merchandise they add a charm which alone possesses a pecuniary value. The most cultured admire a fine interior exhibit. The most ignorant are influenced by it. The great mass of shoppers are swayed by it. Dollars and cents are hypnotized by it, and the merchant who is wise always remembers this. In every store there is a young man or woman with the taste and intelligence to properly attend to all displays. This person should be encouraged. The fundamentals that underlie advertising and window exhibits underlie all counter, shelf and aisle displays. The first point is to catch the eye ; the second, to retain it long enough to deepen the first impression. A dress goods exhibit is comparatively easy, as there are so many color combinations that can be set in contrast. And wash goods ! What lovelier shelf or counter display can be made than from fresh, fashionable challies, dimities and other wash fabrics ? A silk .showing can be made rich, luxiirious and striking by the sheen of even one color. The silken lustre reflects another lustre in the eye of every feminine looker-on. A suit and cloak department would not be worthy the name were not nice attention paid to the grouping of stylish gar- ments on forms, racks, tables and orlass cases. 134 Successful Advertising As for milliner}', the up-to-now department in this line is simply bewildering to a man, though ""a thing of joy " to his wife, sister or near female relative. Men's and boys' clothing and furnishings have a thousand different ways of viewing their worth and beauty, and the clever clerk with a few artistic ideas in his head need not be told this. And so on through the whole alphabet of merchandise. Just a little thought — just a few ideas — ^just a little work — just a little lee-way from the employer, and something new and effect- ive meets the visitor's eye every day. The employees do not see these effects as quickly as do the customers. For outside eyes, fresh with outside impressions, see these inside ideas oftentimes quicker than inside eyes accustomed day in and day out to inside impressions. Familiarity not only breeds contempt, but begets forget- fulness. He who is wise gets up an inside display to accentuate the window display, which in turn emphasizes the display in the newspapers. The three displays make a winning trio ! Keeping Ahead of Competition. Competition is a mighty good thing for the public at large, as they always participate in the benefits resulting from a price war, between competing dealers in the same line of goods. But no large amount of satisfaction lodges in the bosoms of the dealers themselves, as they see their profits dwindle down to a small point, through the cutting-down profit influences which competition brings in its train. Most dealers look upon competition as a terrible thing. So it frequently is — to profits — to good trade — and what this chapter now wishes to consider and suggest, is some method whereby this monster — competition — can be met on his own grounds and vanquished with case. The secret is this : — Get ahead of competition and stay ahead. Get so far ahead of your neighbor in point of store methods, stocks, displays, advertising methods, etc., that you may look upon that, once How To Accomplish It. 135 dreaded foe, competition, with a sardonic smile and a feeling of contempt and triumph. If you carry a line of dress goods, carry such an assortment of novelties that you will be soon recognized as the only mer- chant in town, in the dress goods line. No matter how much your competitors may cut and slash their dress goods prices, you can smile and bear it amicably, for the reason that the superiority and up-to-dateness of your stocks, place you far beyond the reach of their cut price attacks. Supposing you are a dealer in jackets, capes and ladies' garments, and that there are two other dealers in the same town, in the same lines? Do you fear competition ? Under or- dinary circumstances you would, but by carrying a stock superior to theirs in quality, variety, and in point of novelties with excel- lent store service, you have so established yourself in the hearts of the ladies of your town, that you have become the Altman of your place, and fear no competition because there is practically no competition to fear. You have lifted yourself out of the ordinary class. When a woman wants the latest and best in the garment line, she thinks only of your store. She does not consider for a moment the com- petitive howls of "cheap-cheap," because experience has taught her that on only the ordinary and often the undesirable goods, for which she has no use, do these prices exist. When once you get a reputation in a city or town as being ahead of all other stores in the matter of varieties, new things and good things, you need fear that bugaboo, competition, but very little. You can mark your goods at fair prices and easily get the same, for the simple reason that the goods you carry can- not be procured elsewhere. You have taken the wind out of competition's sails. People look upon you as the headquarters for the latest and best, and when they want these goods they will get them without small quibbling over small savings. So get ahead of all your would-be rivals by keeping a step or two ahead of them in the march of good storekeeping, and thus keep a step or two ahead of that once monster of hideous mien : Competition. 136 Successful Advertisings Hardware Advertising. These cool days and chilly nights impress upon the house- wife's mind the virtues of good stoves, ranges, furnaces and radiators, as well as the right sort of ironware, agateware, tin- ware and other wares that wear in such a manner as to be a lasting advertisement for the hardware merchant who supplied them. In advertising hardware the same general rules that apply to other forms of advertising, of course, prevail. In brief they are : 1. To say something definite about the good qualities or price-cheapness of the article advertised. 2. To be timely — for each advertisement to be nicely adjusted to weather conditions. 3. For the advertising to be sincere, honest and succinct — liberal enough in space without being extravagant, and brief enough without being stingy. All of which, although self-evident, are important enough to be here repeated. From a certain daily, not so many thousands of miles away from this city, I have clipped two adver- tisements on stoves and heaters. One shows the right way to advertise — the other the right way notto adver- tise. The advertiser who pays his good money can take his choice. This advertisement tells what the radiators will do and cost. With a cut it took up a space of forty agate lines (double column wide). Variety and additional information could be given in the succeeding advertisements bv telling whether or ARE YOU READY FOR WINTER? How about Radiators ? There are many in the mar- ket, but none better than THE RADIATORS. Adjustable to steam and hot water, they will diffuse a grateful, healthful and com- fortable heat in any building — in any weather. They are ornamental — they are serviceable— they are economical— they come in all sizes and styles, and with perfect joints— iron to iron — they will never leak. Range ^""^"^ ^ ^ *^- How To Accomplish It. 137 THE CENTRE OP AT- TRACTION Is our grand assortment of Stoves, Ranges, Furnaces, Radiators, Shovels, Rakes, Hoes, etc. P. S.— A new arrival of Scythes, which will be sold cheap during the haying not they would be put up free of charge — how much room should be given them in certain size rooms — their different styles of finish, and testimonials from hotels, public buildings and prom- inent private dwellings. (Testimonials are always good, whether for articles of household use or personal requirement.) Here is the other style ad which — strange to say — is still the style used by many merchants not only in bucolic sections, but in many good-sized towns. Although October is turning forests into bright visions of kaleid- oscopic colors — although the haying season is well of the past — there is an advertisement (?) that covers a great variety of articles and says nothing about anything. The upper portion reminds one of mid-winter needs — the rake and hoe part of planting and harvesting seasons, and the scythe section of July and August. It stands for twelve months in the year — it aims to be good every month in the twelve, but is not useful even a minute. It takes up the same space as the sample pre- ceding it. Through the lines you can almost see the weary local editor persuading the local mercantile mag- nate to advertise, which the latter does after repeated promises and much wrestling with a lead pencil and a piece of brown paper. While touching upon store ad- vertising, I avail myself of the op- portunity of presenting the subjoined clever advertisement which serves to give a very pointed illustration as to what may be accomplished by reasonable application. OUR STOVE HOSPITAL Serves the same purpose for stoves as an ordinary hospital serves for human beings. It is in charge of an experienced stove surgeon, who vrith a staff of trained assistants devotes his whole time to stove repairing. It cost3 less to have repairs done properly by experienced men, than the tinkering up by amr^teurs, be- cause the former will do bet- ter work in half the time taken by the latter. Shall we send one of our stove sur- geons to see about your stove? He will give esti- mates and full information for your asking. 138 Successful Advertising Jewelry and Optical Advertising. Jewelry is a luxury — not a necessity. The advertiser should never lose sight of this fact. It takes more brains— more skillful salesmanship — more clever and ingenious advertising to sell luxuries than necessities. Honesty, straightforwardness, simple common sense — such qualities never lose their advertising vitality and should be remembered with every ad penned to push a jewelry business. Poor salesmanship and poor or no advertising will not prevent the sale of necessities. For the people must and will have them. Not so with luxuries — with diamonds, watches, rings, pins and jewelry generally. The advertising of such should typify in the highest degree skilled advertising— yes, artistic advertising. When one undertakes to prepare a booklet, brochure or circular advertising jewelry, he can count upon obtaining effects in the illustrating and presswork worthy of the scintillating specials mentioned. Not so with newspaper ads. Newspapers are ground by the thousands throuj^h presses at a high rate of speed. The pressure of their printing precludes artistic effects. Probably this is why so few jewelers advertise in newspapers — the most practical advertising. But if newspapers cannot show superb half-tones, most of them can set up ads that, as far as type and borders are concerned, should satisfy advertisers. "Line cuts," skillfully drawn and cut deep, are used to-day in newspaper advertising by thousands of jewelry advertisers. Taste should be given the greatest latitude consistent with straightforward selling qualities. The advertising of all articles of luxury should appeal to the refined desires that are subdued, if not entirely eliminated, when buying everyday needs. The writer's pen, the artist's brush and the printer's type should, therefore, aim to produce advertising that fitly reflects the beauty, richness and exclusiveness of the articles advertised. How To Accomplish It. 139 These two ads probably give a better expression to the pre- ceding ideas on jewelry advertising : RELIABLE WATCHES. The finest gold chronometers — the inexpensive silver and nickel case watches, all sorts, all prices — are represented in our splendid watch assort- ments. Ladies will be interested in our attractive arrangement of Chatelaine watches, com- prising a showing pleasing alike to the eye, taste and purse. How does this item please your purse ? : Ladies' Silver Chatelaine Watch, fancy enameled dial, assorted colors, and ena- meled chatelaine to match, worth $9.00, but here at 86 50. Whatever is worth having in a jewelry store is in this store. Its appointments are in harmony with the exquisite and meritorious merchandise we car- ry. Our expert knowledge is always at your disposal. T. T. THOMPSON & SON. EXCLUSIVE JEWELRY. EoKilusive — exquisite — trust- worthy — what an array of ad- jectives springs to the point of the pen when it writes about our stock ! Holiday and birthday pres- ents — wedding gifts — articles of personal wear or household adornment — all are here in a profusion of varieties. The market is difficult but toe know it as does iio other jeweler in town. Years of ex- perience and ample capital oring the cream of the market to us— then to you ! Small profits satisfy us — in proof of which we say : Ladies' silver Chatelaine Watch, fancy enameled dial, assorted colors, and enameled chatelaine to match, worth 89.00, but here at 86.50. Our diamonds are of the first water— flawless. Soine dia- monds are imperfectly cut— " off color " — poor in shape or tarnished, with flaxes, but such stones never find their way in the establishment of W. W. WALSHINGHAM. Writing jewelry advertising is a most difficult task to the beginner. To many at no time is it an easy task. But to those who "get the swing of it" it is delightfully congenial work. The mind is occupied with the contemplation of the beautiful. The richest and rarest of this world's riches are subjects of the writer's consideration. If he has imagination it is exercised — often inflamed — by the great influence possessed by this material wealth — the part it has played in history — the part it will play in history — the endless and far-reaching effects it has had and will have upon human passions. Jewelr>' is an emblem of wealth that the world promptly recognizes. The possessor of jewelry shows conclusive, concrete evidence that he or she is a somebody — so far as distance from poverty and all its disadvan- tages are concerned. 140 Successful Advertising As wealth attracts wealth, so does the wearer of diamonds attract riches. Hence it is recognized as good business policy for a person to buy diamonds. Look prosperous and you stand an excellent chance of being prosperous. Should reverses come and you are obliged to hypothecate the diamonds for more necessary greenbacks, you will find that you can raise a loan of larger proportions and with greater alacrity from the gentleman who flourishes under the three-ball sign with jewelry as security than with any other form of collateral. In other words, jewelry stands for money at any and all times. The preceding paragraph contains points of importance to the writer of jewelry advertising. If the writer wishes historical data upon jewelry all he has to do is to look into almost any history. Macaulay's history is suggested not only because it mentions jewelry and its influences in several instances, but also because the luxuriant imagery of its captivating style is full of inspiration to the writer upon jewelry. Edgar Allen Poe's remarkable story, " The Gold Bug," is recommended to the writer of jewelry advertising by reason of its splendid descriptions. Moore's " Lalla Roohk" is a poem that should arouse the dullest imagination to a degree where it could express something worthy of jewelry. Type selections should be dignified — yes, elegant. Borders should be neat and attractive. Printing, paper, presswork and cuts should be the best procurable. Newspaper advertising should be given careful consideration by all retail jewelers. In fact many wholesale jewelers can, with great profit, give thought to magazine and booklet advertis- ing as the power of advertising in creating a sale through every channel is rapidly becoming appreciated by wholesalers and manufacturers. See how clothing, shoes and foods are advertised to-day — not only by retailers, but also by manufacturers and wholesalers who recognize the fiict that when a demand is created the retailers must supply the goods. The retail jeweler who has never tried local advertising hardly knows how to begin. Let him do as the most experienced advertisers are doing, viz. : Go in regularly with a three or four- How To Accomplish It. 141 inch ad. The advertising appropriation should amount to about three per cent, of his business. At first it may seem money- thrown away, but presently the increased business done will prove the soundness of advertising as an investment. A few more ideas for the writer of jewelry advertising : Write about the splendor of the jewelry. u u ^^i^gg a u u u u varieties " " " Then tell the story as to why Such low prices . . . can be quoted. " high-grade goods . " " offered. " liberal varieties . *' " shown. Optical advertising should dwell upon the danger of neglecting the eyes — the folly of not having them occasionally examined by a qualified optician — the strain to which they are frequently subjected, by an excess of sunlight, gas light, electric light, reading in bed, etc. — the headaches that result from a strain on the eyes — the evils of astigmatism — in short all the ills the eye is subject to and the argument to end up the skill of the optician and the worth of his glasses. Another good point by a legiti- mate optician is this : Thousands upon thousands of pairs of eyeglasses are annually sold in this country by pedlars and small dealers who know as much about the delicate details of the eye as does a Red Indian about a Fifth Avenue function. But the small price and superficial chatterings of the seller overcome the buyer. The annexed ad gives a hint on optical advertising that may be of some service. YOUE EVES ARE VALUABLE ! Protect them. They are "the windows of the soul" and should always be bright and healthy. If there is anything wrong with them take them to us. We are opticians in the true sense of the word — eminently qualified to attend to your eyes' best in- terests. Our Perfect Fitting Nose Guards are the best and most com- fortable ever made. All who wear them advertise them. Price $0.00. Quick rejiairing done in our own factory on the premises. Eyes examined free of charge. Fejid Flint & Co. 142 Successful Advertising Advertising Books. Once upon a time the advertising man of a moderate-sized retail store thus gave the three essentials that the man who ■would advertise books should possess : " I. A knowledge of books. He must understand the variations of the public's fancy. He must know at least one thing about every book that appears in his ad. He should con- trive to find what is new in advance of when it reaches the public eye through the medium of literary journals, thus mak- ing his ads up to date. He ought to be a reader and a man of some literary ability. '*2. A general understanding of the rudiments of proper advertising. He should know the different styles of type, and possess the artist's eye for their proper arrangement He should know how much space an ad ought to take and, when he has limited space at his disposal, just how much matter will prop- erly fill it. " 3. An original way of expressing himself." Clever and apt references to books do more to sell them than anything else. All who are posted on books and advertising will agree that the three paragraphs above are meaty and true. When a book is issued there usually are four persons inter- ested in its sale. They are : The author. The publisher. The bookseller (who confines himself strictly to books). The retailer (who has a book department with other departments). The author can assist the publisher in the sale of the book by preparing a lot of ads and reading notices — assuming that the publisher is going to advertise the book and that either he or the book possesses enough influence to secure reading notices. The publisher can advertise the book by inserting a rea- sonable amount of display advertising in suitable mediums. If How To Accomplish It. 143 the book is a popular book, have this advertising placed in popular mediums — if the book is educational, have the adver- tisino- placed in educational mediums — if the book is technical, have the advertising placed in technical publications, and so on. The point is to plant the advertising where it will do the most good. The number of reading notices depend to a great degree upon the amount of advertising put forth. Of course, we all know that a good book will command attention from the press although it receives no display advertising. The advertising of almost every book nowadays is consid- ered by the publisher. The bookseller, who does nothing but sell books, can afford to be a good advertiser. In the first place he can set aside a percentage of his gross business for advertising purposes — like any other merchant. In the second place he has a series of subjects exceedingly fertile and interesting to write about. And as the average bookseller is a person of some literary attainments with an ability to express himself on paper he usu- ally enjoys his advertising work. I have often wondered why booksellers did not advertise more. Their towns are their audiences — their local papers their mediums and many a bookseller would make a good advertising man. In the retail store the advertising of books has reached a more scientific and permanent basis than any form of book advertising. The retail store advertiser simply puts books on the same basis as any other line of merchandise — lie allows so much per cent, (usually three) to the advertising of books — he catalogues a list of well-described items in his ads and once in a while he gets out a book catalogue. In the description of the books is where the writer shows himself. If he knows and appreciates books he can awaken responsive chords within the bosoms of his book readers — if he does not, why, his advertis- ing is as human as a pair of scissors. Therefore, it follows that Mr. Would-Be Book-Publisher should first know books, then study advertising in its various ramifications. 144 Successful Advertising Advertising a Drug Store. For the sake of an opening paragraph drug stores may be divided into two classes, viz. : Those who cut rates on prescriptions and patent medicines. Those who charge regular prices for prescriptions and patent medicines. Either class can well afford to advertise. The former class certainly should advertise, for by their cutting prices they place themselves in the multitude of aggressive retailers who are not afraid to apparently lose money and so win an increased volume of trade. That is the stuff the real advertiser is made of, and usually you will find that the cut-rate druggist is a liberal advertiser. He advertises principally in his local papers. He spends a liberal percentage of his gross income in advertising. In addition to his using the local papers you will notice that he is fond of deluging his neighborhood with circulars and booklets. He is glad to get all the almanacs, show cards and advertising novelties that wholesalers will supply him (always with his name on each article) and nobody can enter or pass his store without being struck with the breezy air of prosperity that envelops not only his establishment, but also his block. It may be that his conservative neighbor — the druggist on the next block who does not advertise — does a larger and in every way a more satisfactory business. But if he does it is because he has the trade of old families who abhor change and detest commercialism in such an important profession as the druggist's — a profession in which the lives of people are at stake — a profession in which the correct compounding of a prescription is a matter of extreme importance. At any rate the druggist should advertise. There is no "code of ethics " governing his case. He can advertise — he can swing himself into the current of American retail progress and although the pace at first may seem a little swift and the hustle distasteful, yet the increased receipts will in a few short months reconcile him to the new condition of affairs. How To Accomplish It. 145 The points to bring forth in drug store advertising are : — The extreme care and skill with which prescriptions are compounded. The high standards observed in buying drugs for the store. The many opportunities for saving money. The long list of varieties. There is the song — now sing it in all the keys you want. There are the ideas — now clothe them in whatever words you will. Any writer can get inspiration a-plenty in any drug store. The subject is by no means dry. Now for a wet subject — I mean soda water. Where is the American drug store without its soda foun- tain ? I have seen a few — in remote corners of the South and West — but in really civilized communities no — never ! As the vari-colored light of the drug store is at night a beacon light to a man with a cramp in his stomach, so is the glimpse of the soda fountain a joyful sight to the man with a temperance thirst. The soda fountain is usually so located that it can be seen from the street, which fact alone is a good adver- tisement in itself. The soda fountain certainly should be advertised. During the sunny, sweltering and sweaty dog-days a good ad on soda water exercises a Christian Science influence in assuaging thirst — a sort of an absent treatment, as it were. At any rate it plays such an influence with the thirst that the possessor thereof can be tempted to go down to Blank's drug store and enjoy a long, cool egg-nog or some other refreshing quencher. Advertising a Grocery. The advertising manager of a grocery store or department is constantly confronted with the necessity of Emphasizing the purity of his food products. Dwelling upon the lowness of his prices. Advertising the liberality of his assortments. Telling that his stocks are alzvays fresh and up-to-date. Occasionally he should dwell upon the inviting appearance of the stock and its surroundings — how everything is cheerful, 10 146 Successful Advertising bright, well ventilated and inviting, and how demonstrations of pure food products assist in making a visit pleasant as well as profitable. I will first speak of demonstrations. They are valuable in advertising a store or department, and for that reason should be encouraged. There are any number of manufacturers and wholesalers who are at all times ready to put a demonstration in a popular retail establishment, and at all times the demon- strator should be met half-way. Usually the only cost of a demonstration is the space that it occupies. The success of the greatgrocery departments of The Adams Dry Goods Co., and The Seigel-Cooper Co., of New York, in which daily demonstrations were abundant, goes to show that this double-barrelled form of advertising the manufacturer and retailer is very good. In the newspaper form of advertising, the principal points for the advertiser are mentioned above. A list of strong specials should be, from time to time, inserted in the local papers. If this list is illustrated so much the better. In every caption to the ad say something about the high quality of every article offered — which talk is reinforced with an irresistible argument when followed by well-known brands of groceries among the specials. I believe in a booklet or catalogue gotten out at stated intervals — say once a month, or at any rate, once in three months. The busy housewife will appreciate this little com- pilation of items and prices, as it will serve to jog her memory when making out a list of daily household needs. To patrons who live at a distance, such a compilation will be of particular value, as they can order goods by mail from it. Speaking about mail matters, do not forget to run in a few words in the catalogue and newspaper ads about your mail- order department, for many articles can go by mail, and all articles that go by express or freight can be ordered by mail. When arrangements can be made to prepay freight or express charges on five dollar purchases (and over) to points within fifty or one hundred miles, a great step is made to secure outlying trade. Manufacturers, wholesalers, importers and commission men are very liberal in supplying the grocer with signs, lithographs, How To Accomplish It. 147 wall-hangers, counter eye-catchers, etc. The wise grocer uses these advertising signs with taste and judgment, and as a mat- ter of course, with liberality. Advertising Cigars, Pipes and Smokers' Articles. There are thousands of cigar stores throughout the country that can increase business very materially by the proper appli- cation of the great modern trade developer — advertising. The margin of profit on these goods is not so very large nowadays, and the average dealer considers money spent in ad- vertising as so much clipped from the already small profits. Very few tobacconists can afford a local newspaper cam- paign of advertising. The local newspaper covers the whole town or city and its environments, while the cigar store draws trade from its immediate locality. If the cigar dealer does any considerable trade he should, however, give some consideration to an output of briefly and brightly worded advertisements in his local paper. As a general proposition he is obliged to confine his adver- tising efforts to his store and immediate vicinity. One of the best ways to build up a popular retail cigar and tobacco busi- ness is to cut prices on well known brands of cigars and tobaccos, and announce this by inside displays and window signs. Yes- terday several hundred men bought the " Hoffman House Bouquet" cigars at a low cut price in a well-known Park Row cigar store. "Lillian Russell," "George W. Childs,""Cremo," and other popular brands of cigars were advertised by striking window signs at cut prices in the same store. Another advertising method, much in .vogue in New York at present, is to give a coupon with every purchase. These coupons, when they reach certain amounts, are good for certain articles that almost any smoker will appreciate. Still another method is to circularize stores, office build- ings and houses within a given radius of the cigar store with bright and clever bargain sheets. The mail and messenger boys are brought into requisition in this. The average tobacconist gives great attention to his window, 148 Successful Advertising case and shelf displays. Here is where he is certainly right. The appearance of the cigar store has much to do with winning or turning away a man's trade. The personalities of the pro- prietor and his clerks are also important factors. Only a smoker can write interestingly of smoker's articles. The body, strength and flavor of a cigar are matters that appeal to every smoker when they are properly treated. Some cigars are as tasteless as straw. Some cigars have a mild and elegant flavor. Some cigars have a slightly stronger body. Some cigars are strong and black and heavy — the kind many heavy busi- ness men like. The smoker who is a writer delights in expatiat- ing upon the various flavors. Kipling is both a smoker and a writer and here are some of his thoughts in "The Betrothed :" " Open the old cigar-box, get me a Cuba stout, For things are running crossways, and Maggie and I are out. Open the old cigar-box — let me consider a space ; In the soft blue veil of the vapor, musing on Maggie's face. Open the old cigar-box — let me consider awhile — Here is a mild Manilla — there is a wifely smile. Which is the better portion — bondage bought with a ring, Or a harem of dusky beauties, fifty tied in a string ? Councillors cunning and silent — comforters true and tried, And never a one of the fifty to sneer at a rival bride. Thought in the early morning, solace in time of woes, Peace in the hush of the twilight, balm ere my eyelids close." Advertising Pianos, Music and Musical Instruments. To simply quote prices with slight details of the articles advertised, is far from enough. Competition is so keen, apj.reci- ation of music so high and advertising so good that pianos advertised to-day must be detailed in their fullest — with every appreciation of their merits. The tone and character of the instrument must be dwelt upon. The excellence and elegance of its workmanship nmst be talked up. If the name of tlie manufacturer is a famous one, so much the better for the advertising. Newspapers and magazines are more than ever used in How To Accomplish It. 1^9 advertising pianos and musical instruments. The cash method and the installment plan are both liberally advertised. The arguments employed in the advertising may be briefly summed up thus : First — The importance of music in a home. Second — The importance of securing only standard instru- ments, viz. : instruments from well-known manufacturers, instru- ments that delight the ear with exquisite music, instruments that please the eye with a first-class appearance, and instruments that represent good values for the prices asked. Very few, if any, great musicians pass through this life without expressing themselves, on paper, as to the merits of certain instruments. Which expressions receive much adver- tising. And they are worth it. A piano represents quite an investment to the average home, and the investment is rarely consummated until the merits of many instruments are thoroughly discussed by every member of the family. If a celebrated pianist says that a cer- tain piano is remarkable for "its tone superiority," his opinion is sure to influence many minds. The manufacturer of pianos, should be a good national advertiser in order to keep the name of his products in the public mind. His advertising will greatly assist the retail advertising done by his agents and such retailers as handle his pianos. Agents and retailers should be constant users of space in their local papers. These spaces should be filled with bright, logical talks as to the superior merits of the goods offered. Almost every department store has a department given to pianos and musical goods, which department receives much consideration from the advertising manager. Booklets and circular letters — the high-grade kinds, of course — should be used in abundance. The writer with a knowledge of music, or the musician with a knowledge of writing, will find the preparation of such advertising literature very pleasant work. When musical instruments are sold on the instalment plan, they should be liberally advertised in popular papers. Papers that appeal to the rich miss the mark, for this class is not interested in the instalment plan of buying anything. The great argu- 150 Successful Advertising ment to use in such advertising is the fact that a small sum, week after week, or month after month, is hardly felt by the family exchequer, while the result presently is the ownership of a desirable musical instrument. Sheet music and books of music are sold in vast quantities at retail and by mail. Retail over-the-counter trade is stimu- lated by strong advertisements in the local papers and the giving out of lists. Mail-order trade is pushed by catalogues and advertisements. The sale of popular music is about the most erratic line of business in existence. A song may be written, submitted by the enthusiastic author and a few friends to a publisher, printed, and fall as flat as a pancake, although apparently possessing all the elements of popularity. Another song may be the most inane drivel imaginable, yet have an enormous sale. The secret usually lies in its singing by some footlight favorite. A good presentation often swings a silly song into popularity and both put a poor play to the front. Advertising a Merchant Tailoring Business. Where is the town — no matter how small — that has not a merchant tailoring establishment? Where is the town — no matter how large — in which a mer- chant tailoring business is properly advertised ? Even where it is well advertised deeper study could be given with advantage to the publicity. Merchant tailoring represents a line of effort susceptible of very effective advertising. Cogent reasons that will sink deep into men's minds can be used. The principal reason that men buy ready-made clothing lies in the price. A man may think that he saves ten or twenty dollars by buying a ready-made suit instead of a made-to-measure suit. If such a man can be made to look several months ahead and see what a made-to-measure suit will give him in the respect of longer service, better appearance, more style and greater all around satisfaction, he must be blind if he does not see that made-to-order clothing is the cheapest in the end. Ready-made clothing rarely fits as well as made-to-order clothing. This is How To Accomplish It. 151 particularly so when the wearer is rather stout, thin, long or short. No one can say with truth that the average ready-made garment is put together as well as the tailor made garment. The buttons are liable to come off on slight provocation. The seams may rip at inopportune moments. A rain or snow storm may spoil the shape of the ready-made suit. The collar of a ready-made -coat does not fit as gracefully upon the shoulder as that of the made-to-order coat. In many cases the ready-made suit says, "' ready made !" to every beholder. A little thought will soon convince that made-to-measure garments are the cheapest in the long run. Appearances count for much in business. " Clothes may not make the man, but they may unmake him," says a modern adage. A writer with the ability to express much in few words said, that "the human animal is pretty nearly all clothes, and the wise animal sees that these clothes are right." Now, Mr. Merchant Tailor, go ahead and give the good dressers of your town some arguments after the above order. Use a three or four-inch ad in your local paper for a season. Have this ad changed constantly. Give new and good talk in every ad. Do some circularizing — especially at the com- mencement of a season. This advertising will make an impres- sion and increase business — never fear ! In April the good dressers of your town are thinking of spring suits — in June of summer suits — in September of fall suits, and about November of winter suits. The advertisement or circular brought before a man's notice at the psychic moment will be resultful. There is no question but that plates of the newest New York and London styles, as displayed in many merchant tailor- ing shops, are great aids to business. They lend each establish- ment an authoritative air. The presence of such standard trade papers as The Haberdasher^ GibsoiC s Clothing Gazette^ ^\.q.^ is also valuable. The average man is particular on the point of clothes, and appreciates the tailor who is intelligently sympa- thetic with him in this respect. The appearance of the shop has much to do with the busi- ness done. The assortment of fabrics and patterns in stock, as well as the variety of styles that can be made up, influence 152 Successful Advertising trade. The advertising of it all should be as well attended to as the business itself. Some tailors make a specialty of a suit or overcoat at a cer- tain price — say twenty dollars. These leaders can be so well advertised that even women when they think of a twenty dollar suit or overcoat instantly think of *' Tompkins, The Tailor," who finds that while he has a good trade in these garmeiits, this trade does not operate against his sale of high priced suits and overcoats. Advertising a Dressmaking Establishment. A dressmaker may do excellent work, yet if her abilities are not known she stands an excellent chance of going into bankruptcy. Although but few of her kind consider advertising, yet it is a most important point. If she would give half the hard thoughts to advertising that she does to "band and gusset and seam," she would make more money. This may sound a trifle dogmatic, but it is based upon a solid substratum of truth. Again I will fall back upon the local paper to help me out in this little advertising talk. What better medium is there to cover a town than its local paper ? What medium is there so good ? What medium is there anywhere near as good ? Com- mon sense answers with emphasis, "None!" The local paper is the medium for about all local enterprises to be advertised in. Following this trend of thought the proprietor of a dress- making establishment should advertise in her local paper. During her " seasons" advertising should be increased. Having arrived at this conclusion the next point to consider is how the space should be filled. If the lady has some trepidation about penning advertising, she can appeal — seldom in vain — to the business manager of the paper. Should he fail to produce good advertising, it is an easy matter to secure the services of one of the several advertising writers who give themselves publicity in the advertising press. The advertising arguments to use are : — The unimpeachable correctness of the styles. The excellence and thoroughness of the workmanship. How To Accomplish It. 153 The service and fashion features of the fabrics. The first-class trimmings and linings. The attention given to securing a perfect fit. The business-like promptness given to each order. The consideration given to even the smallest details. The moderate prices, which are quoted in the advertising. With tliese points in her mind's-eye, and whatever individual business features the establishment may possess, the writer can prepare a series of striking and sensible advertisements to the advantage of the season's trade. At the beginning of a season announcement cards can be sent out with advantage. These cards — which should be excel- lent examples of the printer's art — may be mailed not only to her regular patrons, but also to such other women in her vicinity as may be induced to patronize her. Advertising a Stationery and Newspaper Store. This may be a small business, but do not forget that no matter how inconspicuous may be the business it can be expanded under the genial influence of advertising. The manner in which the business itself is conducted is a capital advertisement. The wider this manner is known the greater increase will this business experience. Let us consider how to make it known. I know a young man — a boy in fact — in a small town in the central part of New York state, who owns a small station- ery and newspaper store. His business profits are not large enough to warrant his advertising in the local paper save on state occasions — which occur about four times a year. These occasions are when he opens a new line of stationery, or school supplies, or adds some new periodicals. Then his ads are brief, but bright — very bright ! He has a printing press in a back room of his store and nearly every week he strikes off a lot of small hand-bills which he distributes when he and his younger brothers are distribut- ing papers on his route. These hand-bills are excellent. I put in three weeks there last summer on my vacation and never saw one in the gutter or lying in the street. They were well dis- 154 Successful Advertising tributed and I believe were well read. Each gave a crisp, con- vincing talk ; some reasons why his store should be patronized, which talk was followed up by items and prices — just as the most experienced retailer would do. His business is constantly increasing. He told me that while he gave a lot of credit to his business methods he also • believed that his advertising alone had much to do with the growth of his patronage. There is a suggestion in this young man's efforts that other stationers and newsdealers can study with profit. Stationers who appeal to men and women of discrimination and intellegence can pick up some valuable hints from the manner in which the Edward J. Merriam Co., New York, adver- tise the latest styles in writing paper. In fact, printers and others who wish to advertise in an attractive, out-of-the-way style, can get ideas from the advertising of this concern. Once upon a time they issued a booklet entitled "Fancy Fabrics for Fastidious Folks," the sheets of which were bound with a cord — and of each leaf there was a large leaf and a leaf of half the sixe of the other. The small leaves contained the following notes, each printed in inks that harmonized with the papers : " How does this new color strike you? Azale. ' Looks as clear as morning roses, newly washed in dew.' And this is not so bad either. Franciscan. A little more subdued if that's what pleases you the better. Ah ! and here is Celestial. Did you ever see a more delicate shade ? Just think of office station- er}' ruled and printed in dark blue on this paper. Another deli- cate shade. Heliotrope. ' Chaste and pleasing to the eye and modest withal.' Rather somber and heavy tliis, but Mazarin, printed or stamped in dark blue, is odd and tasteful, * and touches a chord of harmony within the human breast.' Now here we have something a trifle different — Opalesque — which helps to make up the assortment. Maybe you don't like tinted paper. Well, here it is in Pearl White. ' As pure as the snow on Hima- laya's mountains.' This Elite Superfine will appeal to the lover of kid finished pure rag stock, so scarce now-a-days. Yet, if you prefer the same paper with smooth surface, we can please you. ' For two minds alike doth seldom meet.' " How To Accomplish It. 155 How eminently superior is this sort of advertising to a bare catalogue ! These sentences are reproduced as being clever, and there is no reason why they should not furnish hints to printers and stationers, paper men as well as advertisers in general. Hat and Cap Advertising. In the advertising of headwear the advertising must be done in season. Each season's styles must be properly advertised during the right period. Spring, summer, autumn and winter have shapes peculiar to each season. Knox, Dunlap, Hawes and such national advertisers under- stand the importance of this. So do many wide-awake retailers throughout the advertising world — a world bounded by no ocean, country, river or county line, but a world in which great divisions exist through intelligence and ignorance. A great number of retail hatters are blind as to the merits of advertising. Every man wants a hat. It is the crowning touch to his habiliments — it may make ormar his appearance — it is first seen and last observed — it is instantly mentally approved or criticized, and is always an important article of dress. Every man wants a good hat. If he cannot afford to pay five dollars for it he may be able to pay three — if not three perhaps he can pay two — but no matter what price he pays he wants the size, shape, color, material and workmanship to be as right as can be had for the money. Most hatters can talk well on these points to customers in the stores. Not so in their advertising. How can they get over this obstacle ? Let them study advertising. Let them study the good points of their hats and their business, and make an effort to transcribe their thoughts on paper. If they find this bej^ond them, let them get in touch with a good ad writer, who four times a year can give enough good ads to swell business to a new and satisfactory degree. The cost will prove small in pro- portion to the results. " How much should I spend in advertising ?" asks the hatter. This depends upon your location and the competition you must meet. Percentages to spend in retail hat advertising average from two to five per cent. Three per cent, is a fair average. 156 Successful Advertising " How should I spend it?" again asks the hatter. Principally in the columns of your local paper. It may not be a bad idea to try and put a few ideas in heads that you would like to hat by means of attractive circulars or booklets. You can easily get a good list of names of prospective customers, and your regular patrons will not object to receiving at the beginning of each season a well-worded talk regarding the fresh styles. Advertising Infants' and Children's Wearables. In advertising these garments appeal to the taste and thrift of the mother, as well as the wishes of her family. Such talks as the following are good : " Your little girl is a woman in miniature, with the eye for colors, styles, effects and qualities as you have. Nothing pleases her more than the satisfaction of being well dressed. She may not appreciate our low prices, but you will." " Have that good little girl go to school well dressed. It gives her an air of self-possession, and adds an element of happiness to her school life. It does not cost so much. To prove it we quote some interesting prices." " To-morrow is Young America's day in our store — to-mor- row is Saturday — the day there is no school, and the day of special sales in stylish, serviceable and perfect-fitting garments for all eyes and wants of the little folks." " Dainty and desirable garments are here for Baby — the kinds to make Baby more cozy, comfortable and pretty, and at prices easy on the purse of Paterfamilias. Ivook at our line of lufants' Wearables when in our vicinity. We warrant that you will be delighted." Friday evening and Saturday morning are the best times to advertise these goods, for the reason that on Saturday the chil- dren are free from school. Sunday is a good time to advertise infants' garments for very obvious reasons. The mother's purse is usually at its fullest on Sunday — the overflow from the father's Saturday night pay envelope — and infants' trouble not their little minds about school as yet. With leisure and money on Sunday she makes selections from the advertisements, and on Monday she goes forth on her shopping quest. How To Accomplish It. 157 Advertising Furs and Fur Garments. Profits on the sale of furs and fur garments are excellent, but they must be made in the proper seasons. A cold snap will set the sale of furs bounding upwards, and a warm or wet season will truly throw a wet blanket over the season's business. He who advertises these goods must constantly keep a sharp eye out for weather conditions. With weather so variable as it is in New York and adjoining States, the question of keeping in touch with meteorological moods is more than a matter of passing moment with the advertising man. For this reason fur advertising must frequently be prepared and issued in double quick order. The best plan is to have a number of ads prepared in advance. Then as occasion requires these ads can be used. In advertising furs it is extremely essential to give full de- scriptions of the articles advertised. So much depends upon the description as aflfecting a sale that every fur dealer should re- member this point. And if the fur is a poor skin or prepared from the skin of an animal like a skunk, say so. Many dealers do not carry such furs, and so do not have to bother making ex- planations, but those who do will have more effective advertis- ing when it tells exactly what is offered. A skunk skin is a skunk skin, and all the " trade terms" in existence cannot make it otherwise. If a woman is induced to buy a poor article of fur under false representations, she feels like (and is justified) in classing in with poor skins the dealer who sold her. I know a woman who once bought (by mail) a " marvelous bargain in a $5.98 handsome fur scarf. ' ' The " handsome scarf" came along all right. When the package was opened one of the (glass) eyes of the animal's head dropped to the floor. The next day one of the tails dropped off. Then the hair began to fall out. Talk about a case of dandruff! Her friends advised her to take it to a bar- ber shop and give it a shampoo in order to stop the dandruff. Inside of a week it was given to the servant girl, and inside of a fortnight it was resurrected from the ash barrel by a thrifty Italian equipped with a large hook and a big bag. 158 Successful Advertising There's no particular moral to this little tale except to say that the mail order concern lost this woman's trade and the business of several of her friends — as far as she could spread the scarf story. It pays to be good in this world, even from the view point of worldly interest. I have never been a fur retailer, but have advertised quite a lot of furs, and it has often struck me that the fur retailer who opens his season with a rattling good sale of furs, stands a better chance (other things being equal) of getting the lion's share of the season's business than the man who only does so when the season is well advanced. Along towards the latter part of October and the first of November the thoughts of womankind turn to winter garments (which, of course, includes furs.) A sale — made interesting with cut prices — at this period would meet the wishes of many. It is not necessary during such a sale to cut many prices — three or four good specials would be sufficient — and after the sale had run its course, normal prices on these specials could prevail. Cut prices on three or four leaders need not operate against the profits on other goods. Such a sale would create comment and bring visitors, after which clever salesmanship could dis- pose not only of a number of leaders, but also other fur articles. When the season is well under way, prices begin to drop. About this time many small fur manufacturers undergo hard luck experiences, and stocks can be gobbled up at mere frac- tions of their worth. Then ho ! for sweeping sales ! Advertising Pictures, Wall Paper and Interior Decorations. "Beautify your home at small cost" — there in a nut- shell is the central argument for the advertiser of these goods to amplify upon. To reach the rich, it is not so necessary to harp upon the "small cost" feature, but in order to impress the great number of people, termed " the masses," it is essential to speak of the gentle manner in which the purse strings are pulled as well as the appeals to taste and judgment made by the goods themselves. Let us talk about pictures. These goods do not move with How To Accomplish It. 159 any tremendous hiirr}-. They move slowly, but surely. Con- siderable thought is given to a purchase long before the pur- chase is effected. Even a washerwoman, buying a seventy-five- cent framed picture usually buys after indulging in some rumi- nations as to whether her purse can afford the outlay and as to whether the work of art will be hung in her chamber or before the flood of light that pours in from her parlor window. The sale of a genuine work of art — something that runs up in the scores or hundreds of dollars — is ordinarily effected after a great deal of consideration and talk on the part of the buyer, his fam- ily and friends. Local newspaper advertising will help the sale of pictures. This advertising — in fact all picture advertising — should have good descriptions of the subjects advertised — whether fig- ures or landscapes — whether oil paintings or engravings, etc. Prices should not be overlooked and the introduction to the items should suggest the opportunities to exercise taste and thrift — the importance of the sale to the home-furnisher about to put the season's home to rights and talk after this order. High-grade " opening " and " announcement " cards can be sent with propriety and results at certain seasons of the year. Let us talk about tv all paper. Here is a line of merchandise that certainly cannot be classed among the "swift sellers." Wall paper usually moves with the deliberation of a messenger boy reading a detective story. But when it does sell it sells in fair quantities and at fair profits. It sells greatest in spring when warm weather homes are being prepared and papered and in the fall when cold weather homes are undergoing the same process. During these periods advertising should be briskest. Newspaper advertising is the advertising. A booklet, speaking intelligently of wall paper and such like needs as you may carry- in stock, distributed to the families whose trade you desire is a sensible bit of advertising work. Let us talk about interior decorations generally. Exceed- ingly clever and catchy talks about "color schemes," "har- monious ejQfects," " pleasing decorative arrangements," etc., can be made in the columns of your town newspaper — which talks will be read and commented upon by many of your best citizens 160 Successful Advertising" and citizenesses. " Interior decorations" is a term that embraces about everything that can be done in a home with curtains, tapestries, portieres, rugs, carpets, wall paper, panel effects, mantel studies, pictures, cozy corners, etc., as well as every pos- sible arrangement of furniture. If you have a person in your store who has some ability in this line give him local fame by advertising his attainments in your newspaper advertise- ments. This will give your establishment a personality and your business an impetus. Instead of your store being sim- ply a place it becomes an institution— where color is a study — where art is given due consideration — where cheer}- and com- fortable homes are contemplated with reverence and where money cannot but flow in ! Beautify Your Home at Small Cost! Framed Pictures! Whether you -want to buy or simply Kee, you will here find hundreds of Pictures lor Inspection. The subjects are happily selected and there is not a poor Picture in the lot. Special. Framed Pictures— a lot of about TiO— embracinp: landscapes and auiuiai subjet —In various frames at 65c. Home Hints! Cast your eyes along this list and see how it interests you : Imported Tapestry— 50 inches wide— the S2.(X) kind— reduced this week C, ^f^ at per yard "P^-oy Three-Fold Screens— In oak, white enamel or mahogany — with tinished frames — wt>rth 90 cents >mf\r each for . . . y"^« Lace Curtains — the fl.&O kind— j~ special at— «pI.IO per i)air Wall Paper! On this subject we could talk a pageful. Our workmen are ex- pert workers— quick, intelligent and with an eye for artistic ef- fects. Let us estimate on papering your room or house. This week we are offering two great values in wall paper at IOC. and I2>^C. per roll. Smith, Smith & Company. How To Accomplish It. 161 Advertising Fish and Meat Markets. The butcher or fish dealer who carries plentiful varieties in his line, who gives prompt deliveries, who has a clean, brisk, business-like and wholesome atmosphere about his market should advertise these facts. In this day and age it is foolish for him to " hide his light under a bushel " — to have no adver- tising beyond his store and delivery wagons. Charles Dickens could write about edibles in a way that would make the reader hungry. The average butcher or fish retailer may not be able to express himself on paper with the fluency of Dickens, but he has a few ideas on tap as to what is good to eat. If he can get anywhere near expressing these ideas in his local paper he can stir up the appetites of his patrons, and incidentally their purses. If he fails altogether in expressing himself on paper, the business end of the publication will gladly help him out. If necessary it may delegate a good reporter to write up the advertising. At any rate advertising should be done. The publicity should be studied, continuous, consistent, and cumulative ad- vertising in the local paper. Advertising helps all kinds of retail business, why not his ? If it is ham that is to be talked about, write up something like this : Sugar Cured Hams. TlFeatS- the choicest from Western farms. Every ham perfectly cured, therefore savory and palatable to a gratifying degree. ■» — y-r A Saturday special at per pound *5^* 162 Succes sful Advertising If the features are members of the finny tribe here is an idea : Friday's Fish Features In Smith's Fish Market! Columbia River Salmon.— Very best quality — meaty, palatable, nutritious and satisfying — Friday's price per can . . . 14C. Extra Norway Mackerel. — Fine white fat fish, heads and tails cut off — if you like mackerel you will like these— 10 lbs. for $1.80 Imported Sardines. — Packed in olive oil — plump and luscious — very choice and at this price a great value, per can ... 1 Ic. Smith, Smith & Co, The two best days in the week to advertise are Thursday evening (for Friday) and Friday evening (for Saturday). Satur- day is the week's best business day, as people then buy supplies enough to last them until Monday. *' Friday Features" and " Saturday Specials" should be given particular attention in the advertising. Specials also could be gotten up with advantage at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and all holidays. How To Accomplish It. 163 Introductions for Retail Advertising. An introduction should be clear, crisp and convincing. It should win the attention, then hold it. Oceans of ink have been trailed across paper in order to give telling introductions, but, after all, here is the style most in evidence :— SPRING SILK SHOWINGS. This spring excels all others in its great num- ber of dainty designs and immense assortment of silks. The world's fashion wits have exceeded all former efforts in the beautiful patterns, rich and charming colorings, as well as excellence in fabrics. See our great assort- ments. Our prices appeal to all thrifty buyers. Occasionally, for the sake of variety, you will see an effort in the papers after this order : — SPRING SILK SHOWINGS. This Spring's Showing Surpasses all Productions of Past Seasons — Dainty Designs and Immense Assort- ments Have Been Produced— The World's Fashion Wits Have Surpassed Their Best Efforts in Beautiful Patterns and Captivating Colorings— Excellence in Fabrics also a Feature— Our Assortment and Prices Will Please You. Why the "pyramid " style — such as many newspapers use in headlining news features— is not used more extensively is something I do not understand. For this style head sticks out like a sore thumb and flashes its points on the reader at once. It does not take up so much room either. Here is how it goes :— SPRING SILK SHOWINGS. This Season's Productions Surpasses all Previous Spring Efforts— Dainty Designs a Feature— Im- mense Assortments Have Come From the World's Fashion Centres — Captivating Colorings and Beautiful Patterns Here in Abundance — Our Assortment and Prices Will Please You. 164 Successful Advertising From time to time, in looking through the many ads of many papers you will meet this style— not a half bad style of set up either : — SPRING SILK SHOWINGS. This Spring excels all others in its great number of dainty designs and immense assortment of silks. The world's fashion wits have ex- ceeded all former efforts in the beautiful patterns, rich and charm- ing colorings as well as excellence in fabrics. See our great assort- ments. Our prices appeal to all thrifty buyers. We all know how a box will throw a display line or cut in bold relief. Good advertisers are liberal users of boxes, and here is an instance of a box arrangement : This Spring excels all others in its great number of dainty designs and immense assort- ment of silks. The world's fashion wits have exceeded all former efforts in the beautiful patterns, rich and charming colorings, as well as excellence in fabrics. See our great assortments. Our prices appeal to all thrifty buyers. SPRING SILK SHOWINGS. How To Accomplish It. 165 Advertising Schemes. WHAT BRIGHT RETAILERS AND KEEN ADVERTISERS LOOK FOR! THEY HAVE BROUGHT BRISK BUSINESS AND WILL AGAIN 1 Some of the most successful business bringing schemes evolved are herewith presented. They have been tried by well- known advertisers and not found wanting. If your business needs a tonic, try one of these ideas. They have been carefully compiled from the files of The Retailer and Advertiser^ and are herewith submitted with every confidence in their efficacy. ANNIVERSARY. The Star Store, New Bedford, Mass., gave away, on their fourth anniversary, four hundred dollars' worth of beautiful souvenirs, consisting ot bric-a-brac, decorated cups and saucers, fancy plates, etc., to those purchasing a dollar's worth of goods- " The Economy " Store, Scranton, Pa., gave away seven hundred dollars in gifts at their twelfth birthday anniversary. On entering the store each patron received a ticket on which was printed a number. Each ticket was numbered consecu- tively so there were no two tickets numbered alike, and as one walked into the store he would see articles of furniture each bearing different numbers . He would keep on walking until he found the piece of furniture which bore a number corresponding to the number on his ticket. That piece of furniture belonged to him. To those who did not find a piece of furniture bearing their numbers, a handsome pres- ent was given on the day following. 1G6 Successful Advertising BAKERY. Colby's Modern Bakery, Washington, D. Coffered "moon flies" (toys for children), free with each loaf of bread on a certain date. BANKING BY MAIL. Charles H. Ravell, of the advertising department of the Chicago Record- Herald, originated a plan for making de- posits in savings banks by mail, the general adoption of which, he believed, would be mutually advantageous to depositors and banking institutions. "The banks," said Mr. Ravell, " can make it easy and profitable for the public to save money. The newspaper advertising can make it easy for the wage-earner to get a pass book and open an account. The express companies through their branch offices, can get the money to the banks. The pass book is the key to the situation, and it must be slightly changed and an important addition made to it. In the back of the pass book now in general use in savings banks there can be printed a series of coupons in duplicate, with the right hand coupon made detachable from the book. The depositor makes his own bank entry upon both coupons (date, amount, etc.), tears out the right hand coupon and buys an express or postal order for a like amount and mails both to the bank, which returns a postal receipt next day, after crediting the account numbered the same as the coupon that was sent with the money. With this form of coupon there is little chance for error. This book can be used either for depositing in penson or depositing by mail." Mr. Ravell thought that the adoption of this plan would give the banker the first chance at the pay envelope of the wage-earner in- stead of the last, as is generally the case, owing to the fact that few of them are able to get to a bank during banking hours. How To Accomplish It. 167 BOOKS. The Moore Book and Stationery Co., Topeka, Kan., gave away a ten cent book-holder with everj' purchase made at their store. CARPETS, RUGS. Wilder's store, Montreal, Canada, gave a carpet sweeper to purchasers of a carpet or rug to the amount of twenty- five dollars. CIGARS. The United Cigar Stores Co., New York City, gave a coupon with every cigar sold— five of which could be exchanged for a valuable certificate at any of their stores. B. S. Cooban, Cigars, Chicago, 111., sent out an envelope on which appeared the words : " A good thing inside. ' ' The " good thing " proved to be a circular piece of green card- board, on which was printed " Good for one Weapon Cigar, if presented by an adult," and the name and address of the firm. Enclosed with this was a circular letter soliciting patronage. A neat little trade-drawer from the Burg Cigar Co., New Ulm, Minn., was one of their " Blizzard" cigars wrapped in a gilt foil and tied to a small card 3x5 inches in size, on which the following appeared: "A man chooses the girl who is nice and ' different ' from other girls just like the smokers choose the ' BHzzard ' Cigar because it is good and different from other cigars." This was enclosed in a pasteboard box, the outside of which prettily illustrated the " Blizzard " cigar. The Frisch Cigar Store Co., New York, offered to give a ladies' or gentleman's umbrella— valued at three dollars— upon surrender of punched coupons representing total pur- chases of ten dollars. To enable purchasers to take ad- vantage of this offer the Company gave coupons - ranging 168 Successful Advertisini^ from five cents to seven dollars and fifty cents— with the amount of purchase punched out. Fractions of five cents were punched at the next highest figure. The R. & W. Jenkinson Co., Pittsburg, Pa., issued a neat booklet containing sixteen pages, advertising cigars. The cover of this booklet was of gray paper, with the figures of two jesters sitting outside the wall of a city, smoking cigars and talking over beer. The front page of the cover had a flap half the width of the booklet, which folded over the back cover. The inside pages were devoted to giving price lists of the diflferent brands of cigars, with the labels used with those brands, and comments on the cigars which the booklet advertised. R. Nete Ellis, St. Joseph, Mo., is a very aggressive cigar advertiser. Here are some of his ideas once told : " I zinc-lined all the wall cases and placed moistening trays in them and of course put moisteners in the show case. I have a six-chair marble shining stand in the rear room now and give a free shine to every purchaser of one ten cent cigar or two five cent ones, I bulletin the base ball games of the Western League on a black board in the store, and when the St. Joseph team plays out of town I give the re- port by innings. Of course great interest is taken in the home team when away, so my bulletin enables the boys to come to this store and enjoy a good cigar while fanned by electricity, , with leather-cushioned settees to save their I trousers, and plenty of ice water. ' ' Mr. R. Nete Ellis, of St. Joseph, Mo., also used for adver- tising his cigar store one of his bright ideas called a " Pipe Dream." He had made out of half-inch lumber a wedge- shaped box 5 feet long, the ends of which were 6x6 and 15 X 15 inches respectively. The small end had a peep- hole of about i>^ inches in diameter and the other end a mirror, which made it look a mile long. The inside of the box was painted jet black. A twenty-four candle-power How To Accomplish It. 169 incandescent light about a foot from the larger end, and suspended from the lid, furnished the light. The outside of the box was painted white to match the woodwork in the windows. He suspended the box in the window by means of wire from the ceiling, allowing the smaller end to rest against the window glass just high enough to admit a straight view through the peep-hole. A card over the box and against the window pane bore the words, "Look Here ; A Pipe Dream ! ' ' The inside of the box was nicely arranged with nice pipes, French briars and meerschaums, the centerpiece in the rear being a handsomely carved meer- schaum pipe in case, bearing its price, $15-00. He fastened pipes to the sides by means of hooks screwed in the walls, fastening the pipes to them by means of rubber bands. A few cans of choice smoking mixtures finished the display. The "Pipe Dream" furnished something to attract passers-by; and every hour in the day crowds were seen standing in front of the store viewing the " Pipe Dream," or else were heard asking people whether they had seen the " Pipe Dream " at the Nete Cigar Store. CLOTHING. The Union, Columbus, O., gave a knife with every purchase of a boy's suit. A. Schradzki, Peoria, 111., gave away a pencil box with every purchase of a boy's suit. B. Nugent & Bro., St. Louis, Mo., gave a genuine pigskin Rugby football with every boys' five-dollar suit, reefer or overcoat. The Utica Clothiers, Des Moines, la., gave away a pair of hardwood stilts to purchasers of a two dollar and a half suit for boys. The Hub, Milwaukee, Wis., once gave a nickel-plated watch with every five-dollar purchase in their boys' and children's department. 170 Successful Advertising Sol. Schloss & Co., Monmouth, 111., gave away at an opening a beautifully decorated plate, and also a knife with every purchase of a boy's suit. The F. W. Humphrey Co., St. Louis, Mo., boomed their boys' clothing department by giving a ping-pong set with every boys' five-dollar suit or overcoat. " Nicoll, The Tailor," Kansas City, Mo., once advertised to give away, during a ten-day period, a pair of trousers with each twenty, twenty-five, twenty-eight or thirty-dollar suit of clothing. The Worcester Credit Co., Worcester, Mass., in one of their ads, said they would give a rebate of a dollar to the person cutting out that ad and presenting it when a suit or over- coat was purchased. Campbell's (Clothiers) Pittsburg, Pa., gave an "Eclipse" watch to the purchaser of a man's suit at seven and a half dollars or over, and a "Yankee" watch with ever^- pur- cha.se of a boy's suit at three and half dollars or over. The Continental Clothing House, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, once upon a time gave away a handy carry-all with each boy's suit. Each carr}'-all consisted of a book carrier, pencil case and ruler combined. It was nicelj^ finished ofi" and fitted with a lock. Mose Cohen, the popular clothier, of Dayton, Ohio, gave free open air concerts to the citizens of his town. So did Ber- nard M. Wolflf (" My Clothier"), Hanover Street, Boston. The August Clothing Co., Topeka, Kan., once gave a hat free with each suit of clothes purchased on that day. Moses Cohen, Dayton, Ohio, once gave away twenty dollars in prizes to the boys and girls of Dayton, after this method: He offered ten prizes of two dollars each to any ten boys and girls who wrote for him the best advertisements for his children's department. The ads were to contain not more than twenty lines, and not over ten words in a line. The judges were the experts on the advertising stafi"s of the Dayton newspapers, and the contest lasted four weeks. How To Accomplish It. 171 The Crews-Beggs Dry Goods Co., Pueblo, Colo., sent out to twentj'-two hundred boys — whose names and addresses they secured from the city school records— a circular to the effect that with any purchase of a boy's suit selling from a dollar and ninety-five cents to the young men's fine fifteen-dollar suits there would be given free a ticket of general admission to the Great Roman Forum and one ticket each for the Electric Theatre and the play of the Yellow Kids. These tickets could be exchanged for tickets to any of the other entertainments where the tickets cost the same. The Ark, Colorado Springs, Colo., once gave away six hundred and seventy-five dollars in cash. They had a cer- tain amount of goods, put up in seventy-five hundred pack- ages, containing men's, women's, and children's clothing, and they were sold at one dollar each. A number of these packages contained an order for a certain amount of money. For instance, one package called for one hundred dollars in cash, another for fifty dollars, etc. The person who bought the largest number of packages received twenty-five dollars. Weitzenkorn & Son, Pottstown, Pa., had about five hundred Pottstown boys turn out for the gift distribu- tion thus detailed in the Pottstown papers : " FREE DISTRIBUTION OF AIR SHIPS AT WEITZENKORN'S. We w^nt a whole bunch of boys to be at hand in front of our store at ten o'clock sharp, rain or shine. There is going to be something doing. We are going to shoot twenty-five tops into the air from one of our air ships. Each boy who is fortunate enough to get one of the tops, should bring it to our store and get an air ship that will do the same thing. We do this so as to keep in the good graces of the boys and to introduce this wonderful mechanical toy, which we give away with boys' suits." Hartzell's, Youngstown, O., gave an IngersoU watch to the purchaser of a three dollar, or over, suit or overcoat for a day. Brill Bros., the New York clothiers, once got up an adver- 172 Successful Advertising tising scheme in the shape of a turquois blue poster about four by eight and a half inches in size. On one side was printed: "Boys' Suits Free. Our Boys' and Children's Department is where you fit out two boys for what it usually costs you to fit out one in most stores," etc On the other side was announced a scheme for the boys. To the five schoolboys who drew the five best pictures in their show windows they offered the following prizes : Five dollars for the best drawing, four dollars for the next best, three dollars for the third best, two dollars for the fourth and a pair of boy's dollar knee pants for the fifth. Block Bros., St. Joseph, Mo., once issued a particularly good booklet, advertising Union Made men's clothing. It was compiled with the idea of winning the trade of mem- bers of various unions. It contained only eight pages, and it had a cover. The back cover extended a little over an inch beyond the pages of the booklet and folded over the front. This flap was held down by a red paster. The best feature of the booklet was the illustrating. The cuts were half-tones from photographs of living models. Now here is the point, the models were well-known as labor leaders of St. Joseph. The idea of getting well-known local men to act as models for showing off" good points of clothing is a mighty good one. Of course, we have seen in many, many ads the pictures of Roosevelt, Schley, Sampson and other great men, but I do not know of another instance where pictures of men, well known locally, have been used to advertise a store. COA] The Kansas City Coal and Coke Co., Kansas City, Mo., in order to advertise their Fiber Kindling once gave a free trial box with each order for domestic coal. In each box were ten kindlers— enough to start ten fires. How To Accomplish It. 173 CREDIT. Wildberg's Store, Pittsburg, Pa., offered beautiful presents to their credit customers. A beautiful pearl and gold pen was given to the purchaser of fifty dollars' worth of goods, on which one dollar and a half was paid down. The pur- chasers of a hundred dollars' worth of goods (and who paid two dollars and a half down) were given gilt and enamelled clocks. On a hundred and fifty dollar sale (on which five dollars were deposited) a silver set, consisting of coffee, sugar and cream dishes, was given. They also gave a couch when ten dollars were paid on a hundred dollar purchase. DOLLS AND TOYS. Arreson Mercantile Co , Grand Forks, N. D., once offered to give a large doll to the person making the largest purchase of dry goods during a certain day. White's Toy Store, Columbus, O., on an opening day pre- sented each patron with an illustrated souvenir book. They also gave a set of four pictures with every fifty cent purchase. DRUGS. Schaefer's Cut Price Drug Store, Omaha, Neb., gave a match scratcher with the bottle of kidney or liver cure purchased. The Owl Drug Store, Kansas City, Mo., once gave a good-sized bottle of Ed. Oulettes's celebrated perfume to each of their customers. The Owl Drug Company, Sacramento, Cal., once gave away coupons with every twenty-five cent purchase. The person who held the coupon bearing a certain number received a beautiful Shetland pony with a stylish basket cart and russet harness. Eugene A. Pfefferle, the reliable druggist of New Ulm, Minn., during a fireman's convention in that town arranged a window show display to catch the firemen's attention. He had a " Brownie " fire company working on a house through 174 Successful Advertising^ which an alcoholic blaze was coming, and real water was poured on the house through a roof hose. The scene was reported as ver>' attractive. Eugene A. Pfefferle, " Reliable Druggist," of New Ulm, Minn., is one of those advertisers who sees the advantage of keeping up with, and in fact a trifle in advance of the times. The fortieth anniversary of the Indian Massacre at that place he observed by sending out an aluminum pin tray bearing a handsome picture of the Indian monument. This tray was given with every purchase of Mr. Pfefferle' s head- ache tablets and cough cure. The C. A. Ivowe Drug Co., Old Town, Me., once printed a rebus in the daily papers and offered fifteen prizes to the people who solved it correctly. The only condition in enter- ing this contest was that the participant purchased a twenty-five-cent bottle of toilet cream. They gave five dol- lars for the first correct answer, one dollar each for the next three, fifty cents each for the next three, twenty-five cents for the three next and a bottle of toilet cream to the next five. The City Drug Store, Delhi, N. Y., once advertised that they would pay two dollars for the largest specimen of any kind of an apple sent them before a certain time. The apples entered in the contest were displayed in their show windows. Johnson & Johnson, Charlottetown, P. E. I., druggists, once issued on a cardboard about eight by ten inches in size, ' a directory of Charlottetown physicians. The greater part of the card was taken up by the directory and the remainder, to an advertisement for Johnson & Johnson. The list of doctors' names was alphabetically arranged. It gave the telephone number, address and office hours. A cord was fastened to the top of the card. A little hook, with which to hang it up was also sent with the request that the direc- tory be hung near the telephone. Messrs. Johnson & John- How To Accomplish It. 1T5 son sent them to all public buildings, hotels, etc., and their directory- seemed to be much appreciated by their customers- On the card, they gave their own telephone number and said : " Ring us up and we will send to any part of the city for your prescription and return it to you correctly and neatly compounded." DRY GOODS. The W. R. Bennett Co., Omaha, Neb., advertised the day before " Flag Day " that with each twenty-five cent's worth of merchandise bought anywhere in the store they would give a muslin printed flag, thirteen by eight inches, with a twenty-two inch long staff. FEMININE GARMENTS. R. A. McWhirr & Co., Fall River, Mass., once advertised that they would make up walking skirts free of charge, if bought from a certain kind of material. Vogel Brothers, New York, once advertised that they would give away a handsome silver souvenir to every pur- chaser in their ladies' suit, skirt or cloak departments. The souvenir was one of the Whiting Manufacturing Co.'s make, and was given in celebration of the opening of the ladies' department. In Bamberger's Retail Establishment, Newark, N. J., during a fall opening, ten lady models held a reception in the ladies' suit department. They wore the handsomest garments the store had on exhibition. These models, of course, were able to show off to the best advantage the style and beauty of the garments. The Star Store, New Bedford, Mass., once upon a time enlivened trade by giving free with ever>' child's cloak pur- chased during that sale, a handsome dressed or kid body doll, and with every girl's jacket bought a handsome trimmed hat worth a dollar and a half. 176 Successful Advertising* FURNITURE. A. Samuel, Topeka, Kan., tried the plan of giving a hand- some rocker with a ten-dollar purchase. W. E. Heskett, Columbus, O., advertised to give a five- dollar cotton-felt mattress free with every folding bed. The People's Furniture Co., Crookston, Minn., gave with every purchase of a sideboard, a work basket or a lunch basket. The People's Outfitting Co., Detroit, Mich., offered a hand- some mahoganj' parlor rocker with every purchase of ten dollars or over. The People's Outfitting Co, Detroit, Mich., gave a gilt parlor cabinet of four shelves with ever>' purchase of ten dollars or over during a sale. The National Furniture Co., Indianapolis, Ind., tried the idea of giving a beautiful quartered oak center stand with a five-dollar purchase. Lockhart & Stoddart, Montreal, Canada, gave a good sub- stantial spring and a white cotton mattress to each purchaser of an iron bed. The Straus Furniture and Carpet Co., Chicago, 111., gave a choice of a handsome rug or a beautiful upholstered parlor chair to the purchaser of twenty-five dollars' worth of fur- niture. C. H. Robinson gave for a limited time a tapestry brussels carpet with every purchase of a parlor suit. He also gave a five piece parlor suit with everj' piano purchased at his store at Woonsocket, R. I. Stumpf & LanghafF, Milwaukee, Wis., gave a beautiful be veiled-edge French plate mirror, mounted on a handsome wrought iron frame easel, with every purchase to the amount of a dollar or over. The Standard Furniture Co., Seattle, Wash., gave four prizes to the four children who sent them the best rhymes How To Accomplish It. 177 about their ' ' Buck ' ' ranges. The first prize was a miniature "Buck" range — the second, a dresser — the third, a desk, and the fourth, a cart. The Gu}' Furniture Co., Worcester, Mass. , printed a coupon in their daily advertisements which could be exchanged at their store for a numbered ticket. The ticket was good for a chance on a fifty-five-dollar "Acorn " range. N. G. Valiquette, Montreal, Que., printed three coupons in his advertisement which entitled holders to a certain dis- count on purchases. The first coupon was good for two dollars on the purchase price of any parlor table which sold regularly for five dollars or over. The second coupon was good for five dollars on a twenty-Sve-dollar parlor suite. The third entitled the holder to ten dollars on a fifty-dollar parlor suite. The Coombs & Gilbert Furniture Co., Haverhill, Mass., once had a number of pieces of coal in a basket in their window and stated that they would give a ton of coal to the person who guessed the correct number of pieces of coal in that basket. On a certain day the coal was counted in the window and in case two or more persons guessed the cor- rect number the coal was divided equally among them. GENERAL. Edmundson, Perrine Co., Pittsburg, Pa., gave a clock worth two dollars with every fifteen-dollar purchase during a cer- tain week. Phelan's Store, Galesburg, 111., had a sale in the notion de- partment where they gave an aluminum dressing comb with every purchase. The big department store run by the Harris-Emory Com- pany, in Des Moines, Iowa, once started a house organ, known as the Corner News. L. S. Plant & Co., Newark, N. J., gave a box of seven assorted colored crayons, or a pretty pen-holder with pen to 12 178 Successful Advertising: the youngster who bought five cents or more worth of mer- chandise. I. N. Martin, Peoria, 111., gave a nice oak ruler " free for the asking " to school children. When they brought a note from their teacher they could get enough for their school- room. The Broadway Department Store, Los Angeles, Cal., printed a small coupon in their advertisement which enti- tled the holder to a rebate of twenty-five cents on a pair of "American Lady " corsets. With every twenty-five cent purchase made at his store, Reed Hurlbut, Des Moines, la., gave during a certain period, a ticket entitling the holder to a chance on a nine hundred dollar automobile. H. A. Meldrum Co., Buffalo, N. Y., advertised that dur- ing a certain week they would cut to measure any kind of garment desired from material selected at their store if it costs not less than ten cents per yard. McCarthy's establishment, Seattle, Wash., presented an admission ticket to the Industrial Street of the Elk's Car- nival, with every dollar purchase, and an admission to the Midway, with every five-dollar purchase. The Broadway Department Store,. Los Angeles, Cal., gave away a printing press — complete with type, ink, roller and tweezers ("everything necessary to open up a thoroughly modern print shop ") to every purchaser of a boy's two dollar and ninety-eight cents suit. Atha & Atha, Pittsburg, Pa., gave tickets to each custo- mer making a purchase of twenty-five cents or over. All customers who held tickets to the amount of ten dollars and who furnished them with a good photograph obtained a portrait in water color or crayon free. Schipper & Block, Peoria, 111., gave with ever>' dollar's worth of school books or supplies, the choice of a brass-edged twelve-inch ruler, or an ice cream soda. They also gave How To Accomplish It. 179 one of the famous " Zimmerman " kites with every purchase ranging from twenty-five cents to one dollar. The Old Bee Hive, Burlington, la., offered to give away two hundred dollars in prizes to persons guessing the nearest to the number of kernels of corn in a glass jar which had been placed in the store. Each purchaser was entitled to a guess. The kernels were counted by a disinterested party and the person who guessed nearest the number received one hun- dred dollars — the two next nearest to the number received each twenty dollars— the three next ten dollars each and the next six received five dollars apiece. Crawfords Retail Establishment, St. Louis, Mo., gave a ticket free to the New West Heights Garden with every purchase made at their store during a certain period. The Big Boston Store, Salt Lake City, Utah, offered a 22 X 32-inch oil painting with every five-dollar purchase during a certain time. They said : ' ' We have engaged the services of the world's greatest lightning artist to paint these pictures in our window for a limited time." W. W. Kyle, Pulaski, Pa., sent out a neat little advertis- ing novelty in the shape of a metal match box. At the top was a hole for hanging it up and below this a space for an advertisement. A piece of sand paper on the bottom made it complete. Hahiie & Co., Newark, N. J., presented to children, who visited their store on a certain date, with the following school articles : A pencil box with lock and key — a good, polished pencil with rubber tip — a composition book — a box of colored chalk — a pen or pencil tablet, and a twelve-inch school ruler. The Church-Dodge Co., Troy, N. Y., gave free ice cream with each cash purchase amounting to fifty cents or over. The Broadway Department Store, Los Angeles, Cal., once took two complete sentences and dissected them — cut- ting each word out of a duplicate copy. Then they mixed them up, taking piece by piece, and pasting them on a sheet 180 Successful Advertising of paper, until a complete mix up of words was formed. To the boy or girl sending to their store the first proper arrange- ment of these words they offered ten dollars in gold. A, B. Matthew's Sons, Brooklyn, N, Y., offered small stick- pins to children sending in the names and numbers of the schools they attended. The pin formed the flag-pole for a pennant made of red, white and blue celluloid. On one side of the pennant were the words, " Be honest, diligent and courageous." On the reverse side appeared the following: " Education is the salvation of the nation." The name of the firm was under these words. A coupon was once given with every twenty-five cent pur- chase at H. O. Smith & Co.'s, Crookston, Minn. These coupons entitled the holder to a guess on the number of cereals contained in a glass jar on exhibition in their window. A few weeks later the seal of the jar was broken and the contents counted. The person who guessed nearest to the exact number was given ten dollars in trade at this store. Beruhard & Geyer, I^os Angeles, Cal., once sent out an effective advertising curiosity in the shape of a legal-looking document, which when taken out of its envelope flashed the word " Subpoena " upon the eye. Its outside was made out as a summons to court, bore a red seal (that of Bernhard & Geyer), and was tied with the customery red tape. The wording was very clever, and the notice was plainly ' ' legal. ' ' It was signed by Bernhard & Geyer and witnessed by E. X. Perience. It charged the person to whom it was made out to appear before them at a certain titne. GENERAL STORE SALE. The Boston Store, Worcester, Mass., held a "Department Managers' Sale," during which the department heads gave away a handsome piano to the most popular school teacher in Worcester County. Ballots for voting were given by the clerk from whom a purchase was made. The name of the How To Accomplish It. 181 teacher and the name of the school in which she taught were written on these and deposited in ballot boxes. Daily were the votes counted and the names announced. GROCERIES. The Nickel- Plate Grocery Co., Alliance, O., once gave away (for a few days only) boxes for kindling with each order for groceries. James Butler, grocer, Brooklyn, N. Y., gave a set of table tennis to the purchaser of a dozen packages of Malt Break- fast Food. The Joseph H. Bauland Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., have tested the plan of giving away granulated sugar to patrons in their grocery department. The Adams Dry Goods Co., New York, gave away a cake of Croft's chocolate with every purchase of a half-pound bottle of Croft's cocoa. R. H. Bailey, Saginaw, Mich., gave away a globe, two Italian gold fish, water plant and pebbles with each purchase of a pound of baking powder. The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., once gave away four ladies' lawn handkerchiefs to pur- chasers of their teas, coffees, etc. The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., gave away a diamond steel-enameled preserving kettle to all purchasers of fifty cents worth of groceries. The E. C. Hutchinson Milling Co., Trenton, N. J., gave five dollars in prizes to each of the five ladies, making the best loaves of bread from " Better Than Gold " flour. Every purchaser, some time ago, who made a purchase to the amount of a dollar at Haste's Grocery Store, Eden ton, N. C, was presented with a large market basket. The Grand Union Tea Company, Aurora, 111., gave a nickel salt and pepper shaker with each purchase of a pound of fifty-cent tea and two pounds of twenty-five cent coffee. 182 Successful Advertising Frank S. York & Co., Bangor, Maine, once advertised that they would give away a handsome china oatmeal dish — decorated in gilt and printed flower design— to every pur- chaser of a certain brand of rolled oats. James Butler, who operates several grocery stores in New York, gave a package of "Zu-Zu " ginger snaps to the pur- chaser of a pound of his best coffee and a half pound of his best tea at the regular price of forty-three cents. The Nickel Plate Grocery Co., Alliance, Ohio, once upon a time gave away a ticket with each twenty-five cent purchase made at their store — entitling the holder to a chance in either of thirty-two prizes, valued at sixty-five dollars. The Grand Union Tea Store, Bangor, Maine, once held a birthday party in their salesrooms, during which a handsome Japanese tea cup and saucer were presented to each cus- tomer. Light refreshments were served from 2 to 10 p. m. G. E. Mitchell, Detroit, Mich., once sold a brand of coffee, in each pound package of which was one letter of the name of the brand. Upon the return of five tickets, the letters on which spell the name, two dollars and fifty cents in gold was given the holder. The Columbus Dry Goods Co., Columbus, O., demon- strated their "Egg Baking Powder" by serving hot muflSns made from this baking powder, at their store, and on two certain days they gave a loaf of currant bread to ever>' pur- chaser of a half pound of "Egg Baking Powder." The Globe Tea Store, Newbury port, Mass., once advertised to give away a beautiful mahogany or oak parlor rocker or parlor table with two dollars and fifty cents' worth of tea and cofiee checks. They also offered to give a pound of Mocha and Java coffee with every pound of a certain brand of tea. In order to test the merits of the different papers in bringing immediate returns to their advertisements, S. Hey- man & Co., Oshkosh, Wis,, published once in each paper carrying their advertising, a coupon which would allow the How To Accomplish It. 183 holder to a special price of twenty-five cents on twelve bars of good laundry soap. The Empire Tea and Crockery Co., Spokane, Wash., in order to introduce their coffees, teas and spices, once offered as a special inducement with each fifty cent purchase two pounds of sugar or a choice of a large number of pieces of china, crockery and glassware displayed at their store. With each dollar purchase they gave four pounds of sugar or any piece of an attractive assortment of crockery and glassware. HARDWARE. R. C. Reynolds, Troy, N. Y., once advertised to give away a barrel of Pillsbury's best flour free with every range of a certain kind. A pair of skate straps and a Winslow's " Eureka" skate sharpener was given to boom business once with each pair of skates bought at Ingersoll's store, New York. In order to increase their sales of "Hub" ranges Pink- ham & Willis Co., Worcester, Mass., once offered to give away one barrel of ' ' Butterfly ' ' flour to purchasers of one of these stoves. Geo. M. Dimmitt, Des Moines, la., once gave a complete set of the celebrated "Majestic" cooking ware, made of copper and enamel, and worth seven dollars and fifty cents, to every purchaser of a " Majestic " range. The Fair Store, Binghamton, N. Y., once offered three " Buck Junior" ranges to the three girls who baked the best batches of biscuits. The baking was to be done on a " Buck" range and the contests were to be decided by a committee of ladies. " The Household " Store, New Bedford, Mass., once gave away, with every parlor stove sold above twelve dollars, a " Bissell " carpet sweeper with full nickel trimmings, all 184 Successful Advertisin,§^ the new finishes and the famous " Cyco " bearings— worth three dollars and a quarter. John T. Claugh, Colorado Springs, Colo., once advertised that on the last day of the year a drawing would take place for one of his " Great Majestic Steel Ranges." One ballot was given free of charge to each family and the ballots had to be deposited before December twenty-fifth. HATS. George B. Wells, the Philadelphia hatter, some time ago made up an exceedingly catchy advertisement by printing at the top of his announcement a double half-column half- tone of one of his attractive hat windows. D. E. Brackett (Hatter), Topeka, Kan., offered prizes amounting to twenty-five dollars to the persons who wrote the best rhymes or poems on the Brackett hat. The person who wrote the best rh5'me received five dollars, the next best three dollars, the third two dollars, and the next fifteen a dollar apiece. Kaufman's Downtown Hat Store, New York, gave to their patrons a folder representing a red morocco pocket-book with strap, which contained an announcement in green, with a broad border. This was folded twice and pasted to the inside of the cover. The folded ends protruded from the cover and bore a striking resemblance to greenbacks. A very novel trade-drawer came from Liberman, the Clothier, New Castle, Pa. It was a sheet of paper about 9x12 inches in size, printed in white on black, with a large black space in which there was cut an opening. Through this slit was stuck a small bunch of straw. Below this, in white, appeared the following : "Here's a Bunch of Straw." Just a reminder of our Grand Straw Hat Opening, Friday, May 9th. Direct from one of Baltimore's Greatest Straw Works— thus assuring bed-rock prices. A chic, choice, complete collection of the How To Accomplish It. 185 Swellest Straw Hats ever shown in New Castle — from the chip sun hat to the unexcelled imported Panama. The right hat for the right head at the right price here." This circular was folded and enclosed in a large envelope which had the words, "Good for Man or Horse," printed across the top. HOTELS. Mr. Hooper, the manager of the Occidental Hotel, San Francisco, Cal., presented to army officers sailing for Manilla what appeared to be books— each with the title " The Cap- ture of Aguinaldo." In reality each book was a flask filled with the choicest brandy. HOUSE FURNISHINGS. Shipper & Block, Peoria, 111., advertised during their " White Sale " to hem free of charge any purchase of table linen. F. S. Shooge, Ashland, Wis., once gave free to each of his patrons a lamp costing about one quarter of the value of the goods purchased. Hoyt-Kent-Sefton Co., Cleveland, O., during a certain period, gave a child's carpet sweeper with ever>' purchase of a " Bissell ' ' sweeper. Frost & Atwood, Fall River, Mass., advertised that up to a certain date they w^ould furnish with ice every purchaser of one of their refrigerators. Atha & Atha, Pittsburg, Pa., gave a palm or rubber plant free with each jardinere sold during a special sale of fifty-six hundred jardineres that ranged in price from thirty-eight cents to ten dollars. Richardson & Grant, Hardware and Crockery Dealers, Salt lyake City, Utah, gave free with every purchase of five dol- lars' worth of goods a ticket to the famous Ringling Bros.' circus while the show v/as in town. 186 Successful Advertising The Letertnan Company, Charlottesville, Va., celebrated the third anniversary of their ' ' Big Store ' ' by giving a 42- piece hand-painted, decorated dinner set to whoever bought twenty-five dollars' worth of merchandise during the month of August. This amount did not have to be purchased at one time. The Thompson Shop, New Haven, Conn. , once offered (in order to put out truthful and interesting advertising) to give five dollars to the woman who mailed them the greatest number of sane questions about carpets or other floor cover- ings, before a certain date. These questions were printed and answered in one of the New Haven papers. Nathan &Skail, Cleveland, O., advertised to give a coupon book to every purchaser of a refrigerator — from eight dollars and a half to thirteen dollars and seventy-five cents. These coupon books entitled the holder to two hundred and fifty pounds of ice, to be delivered any time the holder so desired. With every purchase of a fourteen-dollar refrigerator they gave a coupon book for five hundred pounds of ice. INSTALLMENTS. McClain, Simpson Co., Installment House Furnishers, New York, once gave away a handsome footstool pincushion to each visitor. Ludwig Baunian & Co., New York, once advertised that they would give a seventy-five dollar infant's crib to the person who would send in the greatest number of words made out of the letters which appear in the firm's name. Friend's Establishment, Pittsburg, Pa., once offered special inducements to their credit purchasers. With every one hundred dollars' credit purchase, on which a payment of fifteen dollars was made, they gave a guaranteed lady's or gentlemen's gold-filled watch. With every fifty dollar pur- chase, on which a first payment of ten dollars was made, a plush case of Roger s silver tableware, comprising one half How To Accomplish It. 187 dozen each of knives, forks, teaspoons and tablespoons. With smaller purchases of twenty-five dollars, a parlor rug was the premium, and with purchases of fifteen dollars a framed picture was given. JEWELRY. Schrive's, Yonkers, N. Y., once offered to give, without charge, a gold ring to any child under one year of age if taken there by the parent. The Harris Jewelry Co., Norfolk, Va., once advertised to give away a gold watch to the most popular school teacher of that city. The advertisement stated that no purchase was necessary to entitle one to vote. A coupon was printed in their advertisements, in which the name and address of the teachers were to be written. H. V. Monahan, Brooklyn, N. Y., once advertised that he would give away a handsome gold ring to any person open- ing an account of twenty-five dollars or over at his store. These rings were set with "Parisian" diamonds, rubies, turquois, etc. Rees, the optician and jeweler, Binghampton, N. Y., adver- tised during a holiday season, that until Christmas he would give free to every purchaser of goods a sterling silver thimble. Castelberg, the jeweler, Washington, D. C, once displayed a picture of an ace, queen, king, jack of diamonds, and a jack of hearts in his newspaper ad. The heading reads: " Diamonds are trumps at Castelberg's." LAUNDRY. Cleaver's I^aundry, Los Angeles, Cal., offered five dollars in cash to the boy or girl sending in the best catch phrase containing not over seven words about their laundry work. The Iroquois Laundry, 86 West Twelfth Street, New York, sent out a blotter which was a very fair representa- tion of a colored cuff. There was a space left on the cuff for the firm's advertisement. 188 Successful Advertising LIQUORS. R. H, Macy & Co. gave a jug free with ever>' purchase of whiskey. MEAT MARKET. In the show-window of Alexander's Meat Market, Oxford, Pa., was once placed a large candle. The customer who guessed the nearest number of hours and minutes it would burn, was presented with his or her choice of any article displayed in the window. Another prize, of " Oxford Star Ham" was given to the person who guessed the nearest number of customers buying in the store, or guesses made in the candle contest, between certain dates. MEN'S FURNISHINGS. The Under-Price Store, Peoria, 111., gave a collar button free with every one purchased. Baere & Co., Cohoes, N. Y., gave a linen collar with every purchase of a colored shirt once upon a time. The Hocker-King Dry Goods Co., Denison, Tex., gave a bristle hair brush with every purchase amounting to a dol- lar or more in their men's department. At Cotterell's store, Denver, Colo., was once given during a neckwear sale, a stylish scarf-pin to every purchaser of a dollar scarf. Both the scarfs and the pins were displayed in a show-window. The Freeman Church Co., Hartford, Conn., once upon a time advertised that they would allow fifty per cent, dis- count on all half-dollar neckties during a certain period, pro- vided the purchasers brought in the advertisements clipped from the newspaper. MILLINERY. Shultz Millinery Store, St. Paul, Minn., once offered to give away any one of six different styles in millinery with pur- chases ranging from two to seven dollars. How To Accomplish It. 189 The Paris Millinery Co., Salt Lake City, Utah, gave every purchaser of a dollar's worth of goods a chance on a five hundred and fifty dollar " Franklin " piano. The Leon Millinery Co., San Francisco, Cal., once held a sale of children's hats. The day on which it was held was called "Children's Day," and a doll's hat was given free with each child's hat sold. Iv. S- Plaut & Co , Newark, N. J., once sent through the mails dainty miniature hat boxes— announcing a millinery opening. The color of the box was maroon, with gold border, and the name plate and address of the firm were stamped in gold upon the cover. The box was tied with pale pink baby ribbon, and contained a hat supporter, on which was printed the dates of the opening. The address of the recipient was written on the bottom of the box. MUSIC. A. D. Matthews Sons, Brooklyn, N. Y., gave one copy of a popular song to every purchaser of three copies of sheet music. The Bartlett Music Co., Los Angeles, Cal., once upon a time gave a rustic rocker to the first purchaser of one of their " Seville" guitars. E. B. Guild Music Co., Topeka, Kan., ran an ad in the daily papers, in which they said they had gotten up a novel puzzle. They said they would give a fine ' ' Martin ' ' mandolin worth twenty dollars to the person solving the puzzle. The puzzles could be obtained on request at their establishment. MUSIC AND MUSICAL GOODS. The Western Music, Seattle, Wash., once gave a ticket with every purchase, and on it was shown the amount of the purchase. Different articles were given to the holder of tickets. The following pieces were given away according to an advertisement : 190 Successful Advertising A harmonica, a kazoo, or a Jew's harp for fifty cents' worth of tickets. A fifty -cent " Mesner" harmonica for one dollar's worth of tickets. A fine toy piano for one dollar and fifty-cents' worth of tickets. For two dollars and fifty-cents' worth of tickets, a fine one-dollar music roll. For five dollars' worth of tickets, a beautiful two-dollar music roll. For fifteen dollars' worth of tickets, a fine Millbure mandolin worth seven dollars and fifty cents. For ten dollars' worth of tickets, a fine accordion worth three dollars. For ten dollars' worth of tickets, a good violin worth five dollars- For twenty dollars' worth of tickets, a good guitar worth seven dollars and fifty cents. NEWSPAPERS. The Minerva (O.) News Kodak gave a watch free to every person sending in three new yearly subscribers. The Daily Herald, Salt Lake City, Utah, offered to give a watch valued at three dollars to every boy who secures four new subscribers to the Herald. The Weekly Press, Christchurch, N. Z., have sent out some private mailing cards with interesting photographs of peo- ple and places in their vicinity. The San Francisco Bulletin once gave to each want ad patron the choice of three beautiful specimens of Bohemian glassware. The Charlotte (Mich.) Tribune advertised that they would "■ive a raw-hide buggy whip to every farmer who would re- turn the issue in which the ad appeared. The St. Louis, Mo., Star sent, free of expense, fifteen How To Accomplish It. 191 thousand boys to see a baseball game between St. Louis and Boston, at National League Park. In a supplement they printed a coupon which was used for that purpose. The Galesburg (111.), Mail offered a beautiful Schaff Bros' . piano to the young lady receiving the greatest number of votes— the contest being conducted on the following lines : At the bottom of their announcements they printed a coupon, good for a vote to whoever secured a copy of the Mail. The Davenport (la.) Democrat advertised to send two ladies — one from Davenport and another from outside the city — who are employed as clerks, school teachers, stenographers or in some other occupation, and who reside with their parents on a trip to Europe. A coupon in each issue of the Democrat entitled the holder to a vote for the most popular ladies. The Charlottesville (Va.) Progress printed a list of eight quotations from one of Shakespeare's plays and gave a box containing five seats for the play, "The Taming of the Shrew," to the person who correctly gave the play and act from which these quotations were selected. The next four successful contestants received two reserved seats each. The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Cal., sent some time ago a neat little thermometer accompanied by the following letter: "We send you by mail to-day, with our compli- ments, a little souvenir of Southern California— a thermom- eter mounted on the native orange wood and decorated with certain information respecting the progress of Los Angeles and the greater Progress, proportionately, of its representative newspaper. The Los Angeles Times. We trust that you may find a place in your ofiice to hang it w^here it may often remind you of the fact that, though published in the land of sunshine where temperature varies but little the year round, circulation and advertising in The Times mount ever higher and higher. The record is a remarkable one and will inter- est YOU." 192 Successful Advertising ' The Colorado Springs (Col ) Gazette, once gave away a Spider Stanhope worth two hundred and fifty dollars to the most popular lady visitor in El Paso county, A year's subscription to the Gazette, seven dollars, entitled the sub- scriber to one thousand votes. The lady who received the largest number of votes received the carriage. The Gazette also oflfered three prizes to the most popular lady employee in El Paso County. They printed an order blank in each issue of the Gazette for subscriptions to that paper. For twelve months' subscription the}- allowed one thousand votes. The first prize was a magnificent Crown Piano. Tl:e second prize was an Edison Triumph Phonograph, and the lady who received the third highest number was entitled to a chainless bicycle. The Spokane (Wash.), Spokesman-Review oS&r&AtviO thou- sand dollars in prizes to its advertising patrons. It placed coupons with seventeen of the leading merchants of Spokar.e, and every advertiser in the Spokesman-Review was entitled to a coupon with a fifty-cent purchase — which allowed him a chance on the various prizes. The contest was an estimate on the number of new classified advertisements that appea.red in the Spokesman- Review between August 20th and Novem- ber loth. There were fifty prizes in all. The first prize of five hundred dollars was a savings bank account with the Spokane and Eastern Trust Co. The second prize was a fine "Weber" piano — worth five hundred dollars. The third prize was a three hundred dollar carriage from the repository of the Shaw-W^ells Company. And so on through a long list of valuable premiums down to a five-dollar ping- pong set. A coupon Avas for some time printed in each issue of the Tacoma (Wash.) Ledger, which entitled the holder to a vote as to who was the most popular young lady employee of a Tacoma business house. The contest lasted for two weeks. At the end of that time the young lady who received the How To Accomplish It. 193 largest number of votes received from the Ledger free trans- portation from Tacoma to Cohasset Beach and return and two weeks' board at Pinehurst, the famous summer resort. When the Mansfield (Ohio) News gave their ninth annual outing to the children at Mansfield the outing was held at a park near Mansfield, and the News issued tickets entitling children between the ages of five and fifteen to a ride to and from the park. In addition to this they had badges bearing the American flag, also Ninth Annual News Outing, Sherman-Heineman Park, Mansfield O., and the date of the outing. An article printed in the News the day following the outing stated that these badges were seen everywhere- The children had free lemonade served to them while the city band made exquisite music for their enjoyment. OPENING. Menter, Rosenbloom & Co., Columbus, O., gave a pretty floral souvenir to every woman who attended a Fall opening. Kaufman, Myers & Co., Galveston, Tex., once, during the Easter Opening Week, gave a handsome needle case, which" contained a handsome assortment of all kinds of needles, to all ladies who visited their store. OPTICAL GOODS. The San Diego Optical Co., San Diego, Cal., once advertised that they would guarantee all corrections in their eye glasses for two years, and that they would make any changes ne- cessary inside this time free of charge. J. M. Crawford, optician, San Diego, Cal., once offered to examine the eyes and give spectacles free to the poor of his vicinity if they brought a note from, or were accompanied by some reliable person who stated that they were worthy and unable to pay for glasses. Two pairs were also given when required. 13 194 Successful Advertisins^ PERFUMERY. The Leader, Spokane, Wash., gave a bottle of " Elysian " Quadruple Perfume to each purchaser of a dollar's worth of goods. PHOTOGRAPHIC SUPPLIES. The G. D. Scott Co., Nanaimo, B. C, gave away a " Brownie" camera with every purchase amounting to ten dollars. PHOTOGRAPHS. D. McCarthy & Sons, Syracuse, N. Y., once offered to enlarge a photograph for anj'- purchaser who bought a dollar's worth of goods. Here is an idea, which almost any photographer should be able to interest almost any neighboring merchant in, to the advantage of both. The Eisfeld Clothing Co. , Bloomington, 111., once gave with each cash purchase a coupon for the amount of the sale. Ten dollars in coupons presented at their store, with a good clean photograph, entitled the owner of the coupons to one 6x6 inch portrait medallion of the photograph submitted with the coupons. PIANOS AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. The Weaver Organ and Piano Co., York, Pa., sent two postal cards to some one person in a country town. They wanted agents to handle their organs. One of these cards had a representation of a wagon being driven, with an organ on the hind part. This is part of the argument which accom- panies the illustration : " That horse and wagon idea we hinted at in our last is worth a trial if you are not already engaged in that line of work. It's the ideal way to sell organs. And don't you know that notes from the better class of country people, payable at their nearest bank, are easier collected and more promptly paid than city leases? You discount them at How To Accomplish It. 105 your own bank and tiie banker does the collecting. An occasional note comes back unpaid for you to lift, but these are either renewed for a short term or collected by mail. It is the most satisfactory part of our retail trade. One horse will draw your wagon." PICTURES. A framed copy of the picture entitled " The Young Mother," was given with every purchase amounting to one dollar or over during a certain period at the Detroit Art Co., Detroit, Mich. PRINTING. The Lotus Press, New York, once issued a little book, entitled "Booklets," in which they brought out some of the advantages of advertising through the use of a booklet. This booklet was accompanied by the following letter from The Lotus Press : ' ' No matter what you may require in printing, you are likely to find samples here, properly classified in sample books. The Lotus Press can be a great help to you by designing the work and furnishing the necessary ideas, and relieving you of worry and trouble. We are fully equipped for doing all kinds of neat and tasteful business and professional printing. We would like to have a visit from you." Langley & Sons, printers, London, England, once sent out some very attractive caleiidars the first of the year. A space was cut out of the middle of the card and a handsome photogravure was pasted on the back, so that the card made a frame for the picture. A small calendar was fastened in the lower right-hand corner of the card. RAILROAD. The Santa Fe R. R. gave free melons to excursionists to Rocky Ford, Colo , on "Watermelon Day." 196 Successful Advertising REAL ESTATE. The Eastern Land Co., Buffalo, N. Y., advertised to give away five thousand dollars in valuable presents — consisting of tons of coal, barrels of flour, ladies' and gentlemen's watches, etc., in connection with an auction sale of building lots. H. C. Kinsman, Colorado Springs, Colo., once placed a thousand dollars in three jars. Every purchaser of real estate was allowed a guess as to the amount of money con- tained in either of the jars. The person w4io guessed near- est to the amount of mone}^ contained in one of the three jars received the thousand dollars. Wood, Harmon & Co., Pittsburg, Pa., once gave awa}' five thousand dollars in a clever advertising scheme. Thej^ sent five hundred balloons up in the air in the down-town districts. A coupon, good for five dollars, twenty-five dol- lars, fifty dollars, one hundred dollars or two hundred dol- lars, as part payment on a lot at Westwood, was attached to each of these balloons. The West Atlantic Land Co., Atlantic City, N. J., sent out an impressive booklet entitled ' ' West Atlantic — Venice of America — the Queen Shore City." The booklet, which was about six inches by nine and three-quarter inches in size, was printed in brown, on super-calendered paper, had a gray cover, and was tied with a gray silk cord. On the first page of the cover was a scene from Venice, also the title em- bossed in red and gray. The West Atlantic Land Co. intend to make Atlantic City the ''Venice of America," and illus- trated this booklet by an occasional three-color plate, show- ing wl:at the city will be like after they have taken hold of it and remodeled it. This booklet reflected great credit on the Weeks Photo Engraving Co., of Philadelphia, whose imprint and work-mark appeared on the second page. How To Accomplish It. 197 SCHOOLS. The Kells School, New York, sometime ago got up a booklet about three and one-quarter inches by six inches in size, ad- vertising their method of teaching shorthand, typewriting and office practice. On the outside of the cover, which was of gray paper, printed in black, was the picture of a Reming- ton typewriter. Among the other things in the reading matter was a paragraph telling of the merits of the Reming- ton typewriter, which said that " It is the Remington which is used in the Kells school." Messrs. Wyckoff, Seamans & Benedict, upon inspecting this booklet, immediately sent as a present to Mr. Kells, several thousand copies of a booklet advertising the Kells School. The booklet contained exactly the same matter as that of the original brochure, but was given the benefit of the experience in high-class booklet making of the Remington advertising man. SHOES. Holstead & Grant gave a fine red ball with every purchase of a pair of shoes. The Cyclone Store, Parkersburg, W. Va., gave free hosiery with every pair of men's, women's or children's shoes bought during a specified period. Woodin's Shoe Store, Great Falls, Mont., gave twenty dollars away to the family who bought the greatest number of shoes during a certain month. The Rochester Clothing and Shoe Co., Mansfield, O., once gave a pair of men's or women's two dollars and fifty-cent shoes with every ten-dollar purchase. Furman's Shoe House, Topeka, Kan., pushed business once by giving a pair of rubbers with each cash purchase of a pair of ladies' or misses' shoes over a dollar and fifty cents. M. A. Krug, Erie, Pa., once gave a coupon with every dollar purchase at his shoe store entitling the holder to a chance on a three hundred and fifty-dollar " Colby " piano. 198 Successful Advertising The Wakefield Cash Store, Bloomington, 111., printed cou- pons in the Bloomington daily papers which entitled each holder to twentj^-five cents off" on any pair of shoes at two dollars and over. The Dee-Stanford Shoe Co., Ogden, Utah, once gave away a four hundred and fifty-dollar " Schubert " piano. They gave a coupon with every one-dollar purchase, which enti- tled the holder to a chance on this piano. Phillip E. Rice, Corinth, N. Y., advertised that he would give avvaj' a Chautauqua writing desk and blackboard. With every pair of boys* or girls' shoes he gave a numbered coupon entitling the holder to participate in the drawing. The boy or girl who held the lucky coupon was given the desk. Sliorey & Cutter, Bangor, Me., once gave away one dollar bills to the boys and girls of that city. They gave one dol- lar in cash with every tenth pair of shoes costing one dollar or more. In order that everj'one received an equal chance they placed the bill in the left shoe, and the right one was shown or tried on. Schlagel's Shoe Store, Pomeroy, O., once got up a ver>' in- teresting and novel shoe-string sale. A pair of shoe strings were sealed up in an envelope, with a coupon calling for a prize — ranging all the way from another pair of shoe strings to a pair of shoes — and the package sold for five cents. One day one ad in one paper sold six hundred packages. The "Union Store," Parker.sburg, W.Va., once had a cou- pon shoe sale in order to determine which of the papers in which they advertised brought them the best results. The coupon and the name of the paper it appeared in was duly advertised. This coupon entitled the holder to a discount of twenty per cent, on the regular price of a pair of shoes. Albert White (slioes), Kansas City, Mo., advertised to give away a pony and cart to .some boy or girl on Christmas morning. With every dollar's worth of shoes bought in his How To Accomplish It. 199 store up to December i4tli, he gave a coupon ticket upon which some boy or girl could make an estimate upon the number of scholars there would be in attendance in the public schools of Kansas City, Mo., Kansas City, Kan-, Topeka, L'where evident. Delicacy of flavor an attribute of this perfume. Decide quickly for the opportunity will soon go. Dawn of new styles— new ideas— in this display. Deep price cutting to sink deep into many minds. Decisive price slashing to enthrall your attention. " Departmental Ditties" to the tune of low prices. Don't you think this advertisement worth reading? Divers articles at prices that dive below the regular. Deplore not these shattered prices— take advantage of them ! Dame fashion's fads and fancies are beautifully displayed here. Days— yes weeks— will come before such values can be matched. E Elegant excellencies. Elegance and excellence. Enterprise every where evident. Excellent money-making chances. Easy prices to induce easy selling. Early shoppers get best selections. Every visitor becomes a customer. Evidences of skilled buying abound. Ensemble of fascinating feminine fancies. Enterprising inducements for your trade. Expenditures here bring splendid results. Energetic price-cutting in all merchandise. Ever>'one of these items is a sterling value. Energy well directed built up this business. Everybody who reads should profit thereby. Evidences of consideration for your interest. Everything imaginable in each line of goods. Enter this store and get your money's worth. Each value rises triumphant over competition. Either you or somebody else will get this value. Everybody speaks well of our business methods. Equal goods at equal prices exist not in this town. Europe's best side by side with America's choicest. European ideas together with American productions. Every chance customer becomes a constant customer. 206 Successful Advertising Elarners will appreciate the power of their money here. Expend your money here where it will bring its utmost. E.xpansion is the order of the day and we are expanding. Excel them ? Impossible ! Equal them ? Try ! Investigate them. F Frigid facts. Forcible figures. Figures do not lie. Facts worth noting. Fascinating features. Famous values are these. Figure what you can save. Fame came in the wake of worth. Flawless and fashionable features. Fairest of all the Autumn openings. Features worth reading about are these. Foolish is he who advertises untruthfully. Frank statements of fearless price cutting. Follow the crowd and you will come to us. Fads and fancies of the hour are displayed. Fashions behests were religiously followed. Fancies and whims are more than anti(jipated. Fashionable effects lighten up this great stock. Fashion evolves many new ideas — to be shown here. Fetching features to fetch business of much magnitude. G Good values. Good merchandise. Goodness of our oiferings. Give a thought to this opportunity. Great buying chances now presented. Great business is inevitable during this sale. Glance with a keen eye down this bargain list. Great satisfaction is expressed by our customers. Get a bargain to-morrow by coming to our store. Grip strong a chance like this before it slips along. Gain a great advantage by seizing this opportunity. Generous assortments are features in all departments. Generosity in bargain giving brings us generous trade. Go to Johnson's when you want a great money's worth. Goodness of these articles will be recognized at a glance. Goods are here to be sold — hence these persuasive prices. "Goodness " is an adjective that well qualifies this article. Gems of elegance — gems of excellence — gems of value. Grasp the opportunity when it presents itself as it does here. How To Accomplish It. 207 H Handsome headwear. Hints worth rememberino;. Have you seen these goods ? Heaping returns for money invested. Highest quahties at the lowest prices. Harmonious effects in home decorations. Harvest of bargains now placed before yon. Handy articles for domestic use at low prices. Here are values the like of which are seldom seen. " Hot Air " advertising never used by this establishment Homes can be furnished and decorated at small e.xpense. Hot weather offerings, viz. frigid facts regarding rich values. Here is the home of low prices, good goods and plenty of them. Homefurnishers with " half and eye " will quickly see their worth. " How do you find business ?" is often asked us. Pretty well, thank you. I Irresistible prices. Interesting offerings. Interest is centered upon these sales. Interesting purchasers should not delay. Impossible to duplicate again this season. Impressive array of forcible facts and figures. Intention is good but accomplishment is better. Impress these important facts upon the tablets of your memory. Ingenious advertising is of small avail without the goods behind it. Impelled by force of circumstances we place this chance before you. Impressions count in business and we are making many impressions. J Jaunty styles. Jingling of money saved. Juvenile needs priced for slim purses. Just in the nick of time comes this offering. Juvenescent atmosphere of an old department. Judgment can be well exercised by buying now. Jump at this chance — the opportunity of the year. Join the great army of customers coming our way. Joggle your memory well and remember that sale. Juries of satisfied customers gave a verdict as to these goods. Journey hither to-morrow, to the benefit of your pocket-book. Jewels of " purest ray serene" at prices that mean bargain jewels. 208 Successful Advertising K Keep the ball rolling. Keep at it everlastingly. Keep a keen eye upon future ads. Keen readers need not be told again. Kaliedoscopic array of attractive varieties. Knowing readers fully appreciate this statement. Keen cuts in selling figures are ever trade winners. Keystone of our success, viz— the best possible values. " Knowledge is power." Be armed for the great battle of life. Little prices. Lovely showings. Little things at little prices. Leaders for this week's selling. Late comers get poorest pickings. Look at this list with a critical eye. Latest styles are here in abundance. Lingering doubts to buy are banished. Little by little are your payments made. Low prices swell sales up to high points. Liberal inducements to prompt purchasers. Leave your order here to-day or to-morrow. Low prices in conjunction with high qualities. Lively selling must follow this announcement. Legitimate business methods have their effect. Less profits mean bigger values, such as these :— Lavish values are fascinating features of this sale. Long time credits to suit everj' family exchequer. Large, plump bargains await to-morrow's patrons. Languid business now receives a " special sale " tonic. Lend us your ear while we will to you a bargain tale unfold. Lubricating the machinery of business with " special sale" oil M Marvellous values. Marvel in low prices. Merchandise marvels extraordinary. Mighty movements in merchandising. Mail orders receive our best attention. Mail orders promptly and carefully filled. Matchless clearance sales in all departments. Magnetic millinery models now on exhibition. How To Accomplish It. 209 Meditate upon the importance of tlie following. Magnificent array of values are now to be seen. Meritorious articles priced at moderate figures. Match tliese values if you can. They are great. Masterpieces of workmanship are these articles. Make up your mind to embrace this opportunity. Minute details have been thoroughly carried out. Magnitude of our offerings impresses everybody. Mail order shopping here is satisfactory shopping. Many will hasten to respond to this advertisement. Microscopic prices are to-morrow's selling figures. Modes of the moment receive full expression here. Men, women, boys and girls will alike be interested. Manufacturers' surplus stocks to go the bargain way. Memoranda can be made from this list with advantage. N Near cost. Nicknacks cheap. Nicest goods you ever saw. Neat, novel, nobby and new. Nearly everybody will come. News of extreme importance. Novelties are here in abundance. Nobby neckwear popularly priced. Notice with care our features this week. Nimble business will come to this notion sale. Novel conceits from the wide world of fashion. Note well for it certainly will be to your advantage. Opportunities worth noting. Observe how ruthlessly we slash prices. Obligation to buy never comes with a visit. Opportunities nothing short of remarkable. Only here and now can you get these goods. Overwhelming evidence as to our leadership. Oasis here for seekers of excellent merchandise. Ordinary prices are far above our present figures. Opportune sales for this season's home furnishers. Oversights are committed by those who fail to come. Odds and ends of a splendid season's business now to go. Open wide your eyes for here is something worth reading. Optics of many readers are centered upon this announcement. Obstacles to buy, in the shape of high prices, are now removed. 14 210 Successful Advertising Pared prices. Paltry prices. Pleasing prices. Progressive methods. Perfect styles and garments. Perfection in fit guaranteed. Prices pulsating with economy. Prices that sweep aside opposition. Pluck— not luck— built this business. Price pointers that sharp eyes will soon see. Plucky doings that you will surely appreciate. Paucity of stocks never a feature in this store. Patronize us once and you will call constantly. Pace is set by us — a swift one— let others follow. Prices that tell with conviction their own stories. Pleasure is evident on the part of many patrons. Plentiful assortments to make shopping a pleasure. Pithy and pointed paragraphs, pregnant with worth. Permit us to give a few examples of the many values. Powerful arguments as to why you should shop here. Pleased customers generally become constant customers. Peerless exhibits of new, novel and alluring merchandise. Pleasing array of the newest and best ideas for inspection. Purse-opening arguments now set down in black and white. Persuasive arguments to buy are evident in every paragraph. Paragraphs that are meaty with the best kind of trade arguments. Quick-selling prices. Quick sales and small profits. Quickly send along your order. Quick responses come to our ads. Quickness in filling orders is a feature here. Quality and quantity always here for selection. Quality never sacrificed in order to give quantity. Quarters here do the regular work of half dollars. Question us all you will— we have the right answers. Queer prices are these in comparison with regular rates. Quadruple ordinary values when you think of these items. How To Accomplish It. 211 R Remarkable rates. Remorseless price-cutting. Reasonable prices are quoted. Radical changes are now necessary. Reasons abound as to why you should buy. Realize the full importance of this offering. Reap the benefit of these splendid ofTerings. Real bargains are now told of by printer's ink. Reputable merchandise the only sort we ever offer. Richness in bargain giving a feature for to-morrow. Random items picked out from hundreds of others. Reputation is a subject that readers carefully consider. Rash prices are these ? Yes, but they bring business. Retailing here is never sleepy or stolid, dull or drowsy. Radiant showings of the last fancies of Dame Fashion. Range of colorings, styles and effects most remarkable. Restricted quantities urge the necessity of calling early. Ruinous prices are these, so they cease to-morrow night Rich and rare combinations of weaves, colors and effects. Respect for public intelligence is considered in every advertisement. Resolve yourself into a committee of one and investigate here to-morrow. s Small prices. Style and service. Sensational selling. Sensible shoppers come here. Sweeping price cuts now the rule. Service is a point we never overlook. Sensitive purses will like these prices. Standards here are rigidly maintained. Snappy styles to give a snap to business. Splendid stocks are now in full readiness. Severe cuts in selling figures now evident. Stocks are now at their best— their brightest Swap what you do not want for what you do. Style showings worth coming miles to admire. Smashing sales are in force throughout the store. Sales of surpassing interest are now in full swing. Showings that instantly captivate critical customers. Sweep out all stocks with the big broom of small prices. See what we have to offer then — use your own judgment. Stirring price reductions stir up business with a sharp slick. Score another point to our credit on account of this offering. 212 Successful Advertising" Small prices bring big business— as will be shown to-morrow. Scintillating specials in superb silverware in to-morrow's sale. Styles fresh with the last, lingering touches of Dame Fashion. Skeptics will quickly become prompt and enthusiastic buyers. Surging sea of humanity in response to our unequalled values. Swinging along without opposition towards the goal of success. Seems strange that we can quote such extraordinary offerings ? Swell to-morrow's crowds by joining them and swelling our sales. "Sell, sell, sell " is the cry from old goods. These prices will sell ! Search the city with a microscope and you could find no better values. Shoes of service ; shoes of style ; shoes of worth — at economical prices. Store service excellent, values ditto— that's why business comes our vray. T Trade tempters. Triumphant trade turners. Tremendous trade temptations. Taffy is cheap but deeds count. Talk here is backed up by deeds. Turn your thoughts in our direction. Thrift and taste are well catered to. Tremendous temptations for your trade. Those who come to look remain to buy. Telling arguments now are told on paper. Tasty confections at purse pleasing prices. Throngs will come in response to this offering. Thinking people are our most staunch supporters. Tales worth listening to are in the following items. Tidings of more than passing interest are here told. Terse, truthful tales are the succeeding paragraphs. Thorough workmanship can be seen in every stitch. Temporary trade is not our wish, 'lis a lasting success. Thrifty readers will be in strong evidence here to-morrow. Timid retailers cannot understand our aggressive methods. Transactions of great magnitude were responsible for these values. Teach yourself how to save. Take advantage of our credit system. Think deeply— the more you think the more you will be impressed. Time is up ! These goods have lingered long enough — now they go ! To grow rich means to embrace opportunities. This is your opportunity. Trinity of arguments, viz : liberal assortments, high qualities and low prices. Thrift means prosperity, the result of taking advantage of such chances as are here. Transact you business where facilities are best, qualities are high, goods are many and prices are right. How To Accomplish It. 21^1 U United we stand. Union is strength. Union of grades and prices. Unexcelled values for this week. Undercuts in prices now in force. Umbrellas in a bargain shower. Unsurpassed showings in new goods. Undercurrent of bargains run strong. Unquestionably the event of the season. Unexpected crash in prices during this sale. Undoubted values will prevail during this sale. Ubiquitous agents are working for us — and you. Unceasing vigilance for our customers' interests. Unassuming prices but blatantly assuming values. Understand the full meaning of this announcement. Unequaled opportunities are now placed before you. Use good judgment— in other words attend this sale. Unanimous approval has been given this establishment. Vanishing profits. Verify these statements. Vastness of stocks a feature, v^ast assortments are now ready. Victory perches upon our banner. Vigorous retailing the order of the day. Vehement demonstrations of leadership. Vigorous selling seen in every department. Valuable inducements for your consideration. Values are here in abundance — secure them ! Values that need only be seen to be appreciated. Visit us at your early convenience, to your advantage. Vital features of this business are care and promptness. w Winning prices. Winsome styles. Wellspring of rich values. Worth is never overlooked. Women will be greatly interested in this sale. Warm weather wearables at cold weather prices. Wise readers never overlook our advertisements. 214 Successful Advertising War to the death on high prices and poor goods. Wander through this store to your heart's content. Want something exceptionally good ? If so read on. Windfalls — bargain windfalls — are numerous these days. Workmanship on every article is up to the highest standard. Weather conditions seldom — if ever — aflFect our business. Where can you do as well as here ? Echo answers, " Where ?" Why does business flock here ? Read the answer in these items. 'Xcell this if you can. Y Ye bargain seekers look here ! Yield of bargains now is generous. Yes ! here are values unmatchable. Youth is the time to make life plans. You should improve this opportunity. You will be struck by our credit inducements. z Zenith of bargain giving. Zealous bids for patronage. Zero prices on all merchandise. DIVISION FOUR. MAIL ORDER ADVERTISING. A General Talk on Mail Order Advertising. Just at present most retailers are planning how to capture the mail order business within easy reach, and a few more am- bitious than the rest are considering the feasibility of covering a good slice of the country with their mail order literature. The mail order territory of this continent may be divided into three parts, viz.: the Eastern, Northern and Southern States, which are well supplied through the mail order depart- ments of big houses in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and a few other large cities ; the great middle West, of which Chicago mail order departments capture the lion's share of the business, and that section west of the Rockies which is catered to by a few big houses in Denver, Salt I^ake City, San Francisco and Port- land. It would be folly for the average house to attempt to gather business from more than its State and the States adjoining it. An Omaha house bidding for mail order business should attempt to cover only Nebraska, the northern part of Kansas, the eastern part of Colorado, the Dakotas, and such portions of adjoining States which would not come under the scope of equally large or larger concerns in Kansas City, Denver, St. Louis and Chicago. The nearness of these other bases of supplies to possible custo- mers, with the certainty that qualities and prices are as equally attractive, would operate against the Omaha house. That there is a profitable and rapidly growing field in this direction shrewd advertisers readily agree. There are too many people living in small towns and cities and on farms who desire 215 216 Successful Advertising the same goods their city cousins get to allow this branch of business to be dismissed lightly. Every well-regulated retail establishment should have some sort of a mail order department attached, and the more atten- tion given this branch the greater chance there is for its devel- opment. The requisites for a mail order department briefly summa- rized are : 1. A select list of fresh names. 2. Intelligent mail order employees. 3. Plenty of goods to fill all orders. 4. A good head to manage the department. With these requisites the general rules to follow are : 1. Fill all orders promptly. 2. Fill all orders carefully. 3. Answer all correspondence comprehensively and care- fully. 4. Send out catalogues of stocks at least twice a year — in early spring and fall. 5. Keep pounding away with small advertising bullets such as circulars, booklets, etc. 6. Mention your mail order department frequently in your ads. 7. Exchange goods, refund money and give your mail order customers the same privileges as your over-the-counter-customers. 8. Keep right at it — systematically persistent. Then in the course of tiuie, if you have any sort of a retail business and if you follow the above rules, you'll wake up some fine morning and discover you have a good-sized mail order trade. Supposing you are a retailer aud wish to add a mail order department to your store. Of course there was a sort of mail order department in connection with your business almost as soon as the business was started. Stray letters would wander in, perhaps half a dozen a day, from such of your customers as were unable to' attend in person, but who wished to secure some of your offerings. These letters were turned over to a young lady or a young man who filled the orders ni the course of a couple How To Accomplish It. 217 of da\s and then the letters were filed away. More letters came until I^Ir. Retailer found it necessary to have some bright, young person to give the proper attention to these letters, and of its own accord, without any advertising or pushing, the mail order department grew. This is how most mail order departments grow, until Mr. Retailer thinks that as long as there is some business outside his city which comes by mail without effort on his part, much more might be induced to come by a little pushing. Let us suppose you are in that pleasant state of mind, dream- ing of mercantile victories yet to be achieved through your new, up-to-date mail order department. At the outset have a couple or more cuts made. These should be about half or three-quarters column wide, showing a postman, a mail bag, a lot of letters or something like that sug- gestive of Uncle Sam's postal service. Let each cut have something like this inscribed on it : " Let us fill your mail orders. " " Why not do your shopping by mail ?' ' "All mail orders carefully attended to," etc. Run this cut in your regular newspaper ad three or four times a week. With the cut say something like this : " Promptness and care in filling mail orders is a hobby with us. Trained mail order clerks carry out your wishes intelligently and satifactorily. Distance now is no barrier to successful shop- ping." You'll soon find that this sort of thing will increase your volume of orders wonderfully. In the meantime you should secure a choice list of names, which in many respects is the most difficult part of the performance with a mail order manager. Your local paper may allow you the use of its subscription list in a pinch. This list is a good one, but it is possible to get a better one. Of course the best list is gathered from the letters that the daily business brings. A catalogue issued twice a year is very necessary. The spring and summer catalogue should be ready in March or April at the farthest, the fall and winter catalogue in September or October. With every catalogue should be attached a mail order blank. If you cannot afford a catalogue have a booklet, if you cannot afford the booklet get out a circular of information, but 218 Successful Advertising whether it is a catalogue, circular or booklet always send a mail order blank with it. I have found it a good plan to get out a lot of small leaflets, each leaflet speaking of a certain article. Thus, if I wished to speak of a drive in ladies' gloves, I would have an illustration of the glove, its description and price, and possibly a short para- graph at the bottom of the glove story speaking of mail order shopping in general. Half a dozen such leaflets, speaking of half a dozen different articles, can be well dropped into every mail order package that goes out of the mail order department. The position filled by the mail order employee requires a higher degree of ability than that possessed by the average clerk, and for this reason mail order assistants command very fair salaries. A young lady filling orders must be quick and accurate in deciphering obscure and apparently indecipherable handwriting ; she must disentangle from a skein of tangled expressions the customer's desire ; she must have enough mother wit to supply the right sort of ribbon or the proper caper in rnchings when these details are lacking in the letter, and while she must not intrude upon the valuable time of the clerk behind the counter when he is busy with a customer, yet she must not delay the order. When a retailer finds himself rich enough to do a little magazine splurging, he will find that the highest priced and largest circulation magazines are the best mediums. If he wants to demonstrate this, let him compare the cost of reaching a thousand people with an inch ad in a great publication like The Ladies^ Home Jotirtial ox The YouOCs Coyjipanion with the cost of reaching the same number through a less circulation paper and with apparently cheaper advertising rates. Advertising Educational Features by Mail. Nowadays, through the mails, you can learn law, journal- ism, illustrating, engineering, ad writing, editing and about everything taught in schools. It is not necessary to travel many miles to a city, and in addition to the tuition cash pay the expenses of living there in order to learn a trade, profession or language. How To Accomplish It. 219 You simply write for a catalogue which gives full informa- tion about the course desired — send along your check for tuition, and presently you are receiving the lessons by mail. If you are an earnest and apt student you will imbibe the knowledge — if you are indifferent or stupid you will not, which can be said of all students in school or out of school. Let us look at the methods of the gentlemen at the head of these schools that impart knowledge by mail. We will watch sharply their work in advertising their methods. First of all the manager of the school prepares his catalogue. He analyzes the good points of his instruction and vividly brings these good points out on paper. As a rule he is fond of running in testimonials from "satisfied students." From an advertising point of view such testimonials are good. The preparation of the catalogue, book, booklet or pros- pectus — as you choose to call it — is a serious matter. To pro- duce a good one requires not only a facility in writing, but a mind analytical, forceful, logical and strong with individuality. If it has had a business training so much the better. The cata- logue struggle may be summarized thus : iBt. A searching Study Into the good points of the school and proper presentation of these points on paper. 2nd. Several sessions with photographers, artists and wood engravers in relation to Illustrations. 8rd. Further thought as to the disposition of illustrations and text. 4th. Heart to heart talks with the printer on the question of display, paper, binding and general arrangement. 6th. The revision of proofs. 6th. Selecting a good list of names. 7th. Sending the catalogue to same. Then the advertising in newspapers and magazines come up. As this point will be treated of in the article referring to "Advertising A School" it need not be here dwelt upon. The " Follow Up System" is considered important enough to be treated most elaborately by some schools. Last winter one of these institutions happened to get my name and address, and with great foresight concluded that I was a fit subject for their educational course. Although I never responded to any of their communications yet they sent me : 220 Successful Advertisings A catalogue, a long type-wrllten (printed) letter, some testimonials, and a blank application form. A two page type-written (printed) letter and another blank. (Two weeks later.) An immense postal card that annoyed the postman. (A week later.) A two page type-written (printed) letter, some more tesUmonlals and another application blank. (Three weeks later.) A copy of the catalogue they first sent me with "a special offer." (A week later.) A rather drastic page type-written (printed) letter. (Two weeks later.) Another prodigious postal card. (A month later.) Then absolute silence. I guess they thought I was dead. My criticism of their " Follow Up System " was: The entire lot of matter was poorly written— it lacked argumenta- tive force and convincing powers. The catalogue was the best piece of literature they sent out. There was too much advertising ammunition wasted upon one who did not reply. Speaking about " Follow Up System," I think that three strong letters — about ten days apart — together with the cata- logue — are all that should be used. I have had a lot of mail order advertising experience, and I have watched these things pretty closely. In many cases a catalogue and a letter is about enough. Another point : Printed letters in the written form should only come from a first-class printer. A poor printer will turn out such a job as to "give the whole thing away." The space for the name and address can be filled in by the typewriter. Specific Talks on Mail Order Advertising, Talk Number I. BEST ADVERTISING HEDIUMS. (Author's note. The following twelve talks by Mr. IM.icDonaM ran as a series in Printer's Ink, and are here republished through the courtesy of •• The Little School Master^) The standard mediums with the largest circulations are the cheapest, although their prices may seem steep. Prove its logic How To Accomplish It. 221 with the rules of simple proportion. Apply it to every advertis- ing proposition that comes along and see how much better off you will be at the end of the year. Is it a magazine proposition ? Then take the standard of mail order mediums to reach households — the Ladies' Home Journal. If in it a hundred dollar space can reach so many people how many will be reached by the same cost with another publication ? If you know the other's circulation so much quicker can you get at the answer ; if you do not, so much worse for the paper under test. For every publication should give its circulation. The same way with "lists" of newspapers or separate newspapers that appeal to mail order trade. Competition and the insistence of advertisers will in time reduce advertising rates to an equable basis. In the meantime, the only rule is to take the standards in magazines and newspapers and judge by them the worth of all others. I have taken inch ads as well as pages in publications. On one mail order ad alone that passed through my hands about seven thousand dollars was spent. At least one hundred thousand dollars has been directed by the writer for mail order advertising, so it can be seen that I have given much consideration to the subject. I have found that the Ladies^ Home Journal z.\\^ the You Hi's Companion were the best paying mediums, McClures^ Munsey^ s^ Success and the Ledger Monthly., were also among those that brought good results. The selection of mediums is simply the exercise of that judgment one would bring to bear upon the buying of any bill of goods. For a retail house or any business carrying a line of goods appealing to a mail order trade, nothing can equal the catalogue. Properly gotten up and put in right hands it is a silent salesman that day and night works with main and might. It covers the ground as can no advertisement. But it should only speak of goods carried in stock for six months after issu- ance. Then follows the booklet, circular and leaflet. This form of mail order advertising is more fully treated of in another chapter. While I am a great admirer of the bold, big advertising spaces, I have noticed plenty of instances where small-sized advertisements on leaders have brouoht wonderful 222 Successful Advertising results. In proportion to their space they frequently proved more profitable than the larger announcements. A two inch advertisement on izyi cent handkerchiefs during the holiday season is a case well remembered. The daily advertisements of retail houses should occasionally say a few words about the mail order department. A mail order advertisement can as a rule be prepared weeks in advance. This is where it differs from the usual advertise- ment. And the earlier it is sent to the publication the better the chance — all other things being equal — is there for a good position. Talk Number II. BOOKKEEPING AND SYSTEM OF HANDLING LETTERS AND ORDERS. The bookkeeping of the average mail order department is not unlike the bookkeeping of an average business. The index name book where names are carefully indexed and classified according to territory is, however, a book peculiar to mail order departments. Under the heading A, may be subdivisions of different States and counties where Andersons, Amsdens, Andrews, Appletons, etc., live. Opposite their names can be memoranda of the size and frequency of orders. In this man- ner the worth of each customer is at all times apparent. In very large departments names under the proper subdivisions are classified in huge filing cabinets or cases similar to those used in public libraries. In the writer's eye is a system now in operation in a large department store. All letters to the firm are opened in the main oflSce. Demands for samples are then stamped to be immediately sent to the mail order office. Letters containing remittances in any form go to the head cashier of the house, who extracts the money and stamps the sum received to the credit of the mail order department, which department then numbers on a consecutive numbering machine the letters. Then they are alphabetically assorted and entered upon the register- ing book. How To Accomplish It. 223 Afterwards they are read and handed to the girls filling orders — according to the departments covered by the girls. Requests for samples of dress goods, linings, etc., are left with clerks in these departments who are expected to attend to the letters before the day is out. Before filling an order the girl makes out a card which shows the name and address of the sender as well as the amount, shipping directions and whatever notes may be valuable regarding any details of the order. This card bears the time stamp of the manager of the mail order department, so he can tell how much time the girl consumed in filling the order. This time stamp is a constant indicator of the mail order filler's efficiency. Having selected the goods they are sent from the counter to the mail order office, thence after examination and checking to the shipping department. Before the goods are sent to this lat- ter department the girl detaches from her card a stub, and the card itself goes with the merchandise to the shipping room. The shipping manager stamps on the card the hour and moment of shipment. So this card is a silent evidence of the prompt- ness of the mail order selling and shipping departments. If there is a slip up anywhere either in the delay of filling orders, insufficient goods to fill orders, or a superabundance or lack of funds in payment, it becomes a comparatively easy matter to write a letter to the customer that will straighten out matters. And it is highly important to see that the customer is satisfied in every detail. When there is even the slightest imperfection regarding the filling of orders a letter should be sent to set the department right in the customer's eye. Talk Number III. SECURING NAMES. No matter how good the literature — how strong the adver- tising ammunition — unless the right names are secured nmch is wasted. There are firms in large cities that make a business of sup- plying names to retailers. The well-established firms are pat- ronized largely by mail order advertisers of novelties, special- 224 Successful Advertising ties, etc., and are occasionally called upon by retailers and wholesalers about catalogue time. As a rule the retailer depends upon his regular list of cus- tomers for names. This list, which grows with the advertising of the mail order department, is the most valuable list obtainable. Local papers have been known to loan their subscription list to good advertisers. This courtesy was extended me by the Denver Times when I had charge of the Denver Dry Goods Company's mail order department. Subsequently I evolved this idea, which can be utilized by any one, provided the local express will assist. I went to the Wells-Fargo, Rio Grande, American and all the express companies running out of Denver and induced them to send a letter signed by the Denver Dry Goods Company and the express company to all the express company's sub- agents. Scattered throughout the Rocky Mountains were sev- eral hundred sub-agents, and each received a request for a list of likely mail order customers in his district, i^early all the sub-agents responded, and soon I had the satisfaction of secur- ing the best names from the territory to be reached. These names were carefully indexed. Mr. Catlin, the mail order manager of the Hub Clothing House, Chicago, originated a number of efficient methods of obtaining valuable mail order names. He addressed a letter to fifteen thousand express agents in as many different towns throughout the country. This letter made the proposition that if the express agent would send on the accompanying blank names of fifty persons whom he knew to be reliable, and who would be probable purchasers of clothing, he would receive a commission of five per cent, on all orders sent in by the people whose names were on his list. Nearly fifty thousand names were obtained in this manner, and tabulated by means of the card system. The practical results obtained from this list, however, were not as satisfactory as those obtained by some other methods. For example, at the Trans- Mississippi ExjDOsition at Omaha, a registration was made of married women, and Mr. Catlin secured twenty thous- and names from this registration, which are especially valuable in sending out catalogues and samples of children's clothing. How To Accomplish It. 225 A successful scheme for obtaining practical mailing lists is exhibited in a three-page folder, " The Hub's Proposition." This folder sets forth the desire of The Hub to obtain nimes of parties who are likely to be interested in their catalogue, and invokes the aid of patrons by oflfering them a fair remuneration for the services rendered. The folder displays attractive cuts of samples of men's and boys' garments, and agrees to furnish them at about the cost of production, provided the person addressed will fill out the accompanying blank and send in five names and addresses of prospective purchasers. The Hub then agrees to ship any of the garments advertised in the folder by express C. O. D., without any deposit, and at a reduction of about twenty-five per cent, from retail prices. This method not only obtains valuable names, but serves to introduce the goods in many communities where they were formerly unknown. An ordinary name index answers for a small mail order department. For a large department a system of files similar to that used in large libraries answers the purpose. These names should be carefully watched. When a person dies or moves the name should be struck off or the address corrected. Sending out literature to dead names or names that do not respond is a dead loss of postage, printing matter, time and effort. The rule in the best managed mail order houses is to mail to a new name for a year, and if no sale is made in that time this name is taken from the list. Talk Number IV. BEST ARTICLES TO ADVERTISE. This article is aimed rather at the small mail order con- cerns, although large firms can gather points. Many a man starting a mail order business is at a loss as to what to advertise. This epitome of many years' experience and observation may throw some light upon the subject. Handkerchiefs at a popular price like 123^ cents are great mail order sellers all the year round — particularly so during the holiday season. Ladies' wrappers at 98 cents or thereabouts are good sellers. Gloves for men and women in the vicinity 15 226 Successful Advertising of a dollar pull good trade. So are ladies' shirt waists during the summer season. Hosiery is fair. Boys' suits are well sold all the year round, but take care that the price is a moderate one. A fairly good boy's suit can be sold at $1.98, which price includes transportation. Through the summer season a boy's sailor suit at the same figure has been known to pull in lots of trade. Men's and boys' bicycle, athletic or sporting caps in the vicinity of 25 cents are trade winners. Ladies' tailor-made suits ranging from the cheap affair of wool repellent cloth at $4.95 up to the finest serges, cheviots, broadcloths, etc., at ;^20 and $2$ win patronage. Ladies' duck suits for beach and mountain wear are quick sellers through the short summer season. In the early fall and spring light weight jackets and capes for ladies and misses are good sellers, and throughout the winter heavy weight outer garments for men, women and chil- dren. Ladies' mackintoshes at $2.95 or thereabouts are quick movers. Do not climb too high in the scale of prices. Make the price as little as consistent with a worthy article. During the spring seed season packages of seeds (18 or 20 in a bunch) can be profitably advertised at 18 cents and 20 cents per bunch. Bulbs are fair sellers. Cheap watches sell rapidly; $1.50 is a popular price to move watches. A certain firm has made a great mail order success with a dollar watch. Cameras and camera outfits appeal to everybody, particularly during the summer season. Concerns have been known to make money out of men's trousers at $1.95, men's suits at $4.98, men's overcoats at the same figure and men's mackintoshes at $2.75. But as a general rule these latter goods are hard to move — not especially easy over the counter and much more diflicult by mail or express. Sewing machines, clocks, jewelry, eyeglasses, music, musical instru- ments and articles of household use, when easily priced and properly pushed are money makers. While Montgomery, Ward & Co. and Sears-Roebuck Co., Chicago, sell almost everything necessary for personal need or domestic use, do not jump at the conclusion that you can do the same. First study your territory and its people's needs. Then pick out some article for which there is a certain demand, such as a How To Accomplish It 227 handkerchief during the holiday season, a boy's sailor suit, a woman's shirt waist during the summer season, or a glove for all-year-round trade. Little points of local and climatic conditions should be studied. Again is repeated : Have prices as small as possible on goods of worth and wear. Talk Number V. CATALOGUE MAKING. Another leading subject is the catalogue matter. How to get up a catalogue with as little expense as possible — " Aye " as Hamlet puts it, "there's the rub." I have seen catalogues that were gotten up at no expense whatever to the house sending them out. How ? Simple enough ! A retail house can call upon the wholesalers, importers and manufacturers with whom it deals to give quarter, half and full page advertisements to the catalogue. Sometimes more than enough is thus realized to pay for the cost of the catalogue. Cuts can be secured the same way. But, broadly speaking, this is not true economy, for the house thus puts itself under obligations to the wholesalers, im- porters and manufacturers taking advertising space. And these obligations are as a rule met with compound interest. A catalogue should be planned well in advance. Estimates should be secured from printers, artists, paper dealers, etc., in time to permit a careful arrangement of copy and further plans. In giving out the work the good advertiser does not necessarily give it to the lowest bidder. He gives it to the writer, artist, printer and paper dealer who is responsible — who has a reputa- tion for turning out good work in quick time — provided his prices are right. In working up a catalogue give each depart- ment a representation according to that department's money making ability. No more, no less. On a small catalogue it may be well to have the printer estimate on printing, paper,, presswork, binding and mailing (which includes postage). But it has been my experience that on large orders it is wiser to get the paper estimate from some paper dealer. The printer could 228 Successful Advertising estimate on printing, presswork, binding, and mailing, although in some cases money can be saved by having the mailing figure considered by some mailing concern. As to text. Have it terse, direct, business-like. Give full descriptions of goods and always, always give prices. Prices clinch custom ; all else only lead to that pleasant point, A page introductory about the good things to follow is all right, so are short introductories to the beginning of chapters. As to illustrations. Whether they should be colored, half- tones, wood cuts or pen and ink sketches is a matter for you to determine, as you are the best judge of the individual case. For ordinary catalogues, pen and ink drawings are all right. They are inexpensive. They can be made for about a dollar each, or can be had in New York ready made for half and even quarter that sum. Wood engravings are more expensive, ranging from two to ten dollars apiece. No black and white illustration pic- tures an article with such strength, fidelity and thoroughness as the wood engraving. Half-tones and colored work still climb higher the ladder of expense. For garments and figures the half-tones will be always in demand. There is a daintiness and softness about a half-tone that adds a touch of fashion to any garment and a grace to any figure. Colored plates are in demand by some advertisers, but for picturing purely dry goods or department store matter, a fair comparison has demonstrated to my mind that colored work is not as strong and practical, therefore not so desirable as artistic black and white effects. As to type. If the printer is a good one let him decide that point himself. A good rule to follow is to have as few varieties on a page as possible. De Vinne, Jensen or Howland makes a good display. Small Pica, Nonpareil or Brevier answers the body purposes. Footnotes can be brought out in Agate (lower case). As to paper. Have the paper good. Your catalogue is your representative, and a shabby representative hurts any busi- ness. The same may be said as to the general effect of the cata- logue, which means that paper dealer, printer, writer and artist should do their utmost to produce a creditable catalogue, and in return get a fair recompense for what they give you. How To Accomplish It. 229 Talk Number VI. CONCERNING CORRESPONDENCE. It is truly extraordinary in this eminently prosaic age how methods of approaching persons influence trade. Take the soft, delicate, insinuating method and you sicken some robust char- acters, while pleasing those accustomed to the velvet side of life. Go at some people with a club and you scare them into giving you business, while others instantly show fight and become for- ever enemies. First-class mail order managers and credit clerks have the gentle art of correspondence down to a fine degree. Generally it is the " iron hand beneath the velvet glove " method that prevails. The mail order correspondent in the fullness of time comes to know the various shades of character in the various cus- tomers. By keeping these idiosyncrasies in mind he is better able to adjust grievances and in letters emphasize the points of goodness of his goods and mail order system. The mail order correspondent might well take a lesson in graphology or the deduction of character from handwriting. There are some books on the subject procurable from almost any library, and graphology is by no means an inexact science. The heavily marked letters without flourishes indicate the severely practical and frequently the close-fisted. Open letters, and letters showing flourishes, indicate a tendency to extrava- gance. The social status of the writer is often shown in no un- certain manner by the delicate aristocratic penmanship, while the inky, slovenly style tells another story. The great point is for the writer to put himself in the place of the reader. If by previous business relations, by inferences from penmanship, ex- pression, locality, size of order, or style of goods desired, the writer can determine the soft and hard points of the customer's make-up, then he can write a letter or series of letters that will play a symphony upon the right business keys. All Uncle Sam's letters— be they naval, military, or what not — are couched in a sententious and simple style. So are the 230 Successful Advertisings letters from many great business houses. Long experience may have determined that this method of corresponding is the cor- rect one for business purposes. But people are human and are moved by appeals to pride, vanity, anger, jealousy, etc., just as much as ever, and it does seem as though the writer who could inject into a letter something else besides cold business would be a step in advance of the conventional letter writer. Talk Number VII. PROMPTNESS AND THOROUGHNESS. The two watch-words in filling orders are : Promptness and Thoroughness. Gain a reputation in these points and much is accomplished. Tt makes no matter how good are the goods, how small are the prices, if the customer's desire has to cool before merchandise appears, a blow to business is the result. First-class mail order houses fill orders the day they are received. And they fill orders thoroughly. There is no skimping of full measurement, nor lack of desire to carry out the customer's desire at every point. It does not pay to substitute goods unless the customer has given that privilege. Up-to-date business is pretty brisk business. It tells of quick service, intelligent service, good goods and fair prices. When it does not something happens. And that something means that " the other fellow " gets the business because he gets to the heart of the customer and pocketbook better and quicker than you, by his promptness and thoroughness in filling orders on dependable merchandise, properly priced. Uncle Sam's postal service is excellent. Even second and third-class mail matter moves without loss of time. So does express matter. Therefore, when delays occur customers instantly blame the mail order department, and in most cases they are right. Some employees are naturally slack and shiftless. They let orders lie on their desks for a day or two before giving them attention. Such employees are weeds — hoe them out ! Many a mail order covers a large list of articles. Here is where that jewel — thoroughness — can be shown. Get every How To Accomplish It. 231 article in its completeness. If ten yards of cotton are ordered give full yards, not nine and eight-ninths. If three dozen packages of seeds are ordered, do not give thirty-five. If a spool of Clark's thread, a dozen of pens, two packages of safety pin books, each containing three dozen pins, a gross of thirty-six inch selected grain whalebone and a lot of other things are ordered in by the dressmaker in Poughkeepsie or Pawling, see that the order is filled to the letter and shipped the day it is received. Same way in filling orders on patent medicines or any sort of specialties. Keep the orders moving all the time — never let them hurry or worry you. As a rule, the people who are rushed to death are they who have permitted work to accumu- late upon their shoulders. The cool, collected employes accomplish a fair share of work, each day and the succeeding day finds them in the proper frame to do justice to further batches. Talk Number VIIl. GOOD MAIL ORDER HELP. Every mail order employee should be a clear and inde- pendent thinker — be ready to adapt himself to the emergencies that arise from time to time — be trained in the matter of filling orders properly and clever enough to extract the writer's mean- ing from the letter obscurely expressed. This means that the good mail order employee must possess brains above the average. In a mail order department are opportunities in plenty to exer- cise tact, patience and cleverness. Tact can be exercised, for instance, in the dress goods department of a retail house, when clerks are rushed with over-the-counter trade and the mail order employee is waiting to get a line of samples or a few yards of Henriettas. Tact can be exercised in the framing of a letter so as to soothe a soul already disturbed by an order misunderstood or sent astray. Tact can be shown in numberless ways. So can patience. Many mail order letters are neither Chesterfieldian in tone nor clear in meaning. Patience may unravel the latter and receive the former in a manner that will not upset business equanimity. Cleverness can be shown in 232 Successful Advertising expression of letters, in filling of orders, in the thousand and one business details that a year brings forth. No mail order manager need be told that it is hard to get good help. He knows this fact has been, is and will be so for a long time to come. And when a good mail order employee is secured, only just treatment and a liberal salary will retain him or her. In filling orders demanded by women, the best help are bright girls. They know the needs and peculiarities of their sex better than men and are generally better posted on the fads that fashion brings to the surface. But men make better managers. They have a clearer idea of broad problems of business and a better grasp on a number of details handled by a number of femi- nine subordinates. This is a rule to which there are exceptions as there are to all rules. It is work clean through in a mail order department, whether it be sending out phials of medicine or everthing that a department store carries. Mentally and physically every em- ployee should be at the best and active all the time. Personally the writer is not in favor of too many posted rules and regula- tions. I consider it better to have a few fundamentals well grounded in each employee's mind — the result of a short talk and a few day's practice. Posted rules are eye-sores to the intel- ligent, and none but the intelligent should find room in a mail order department. It is bad to mix up one employee's work with another. Each should have his or her sphere of action clearly defined and understood. Talk Number IX. HAVE A riAIL ORDER PLAN. Like everything else the start should be right. To start right is to start with a good plan, and the plan should be as well executed as conceived. From time to time as exigencies demand, departures can and will be made from the first plan, but back of all stands the original scheme. The requisites of a mail order department are : 1. A select list of names. 2. Intelligent mail order employees. How To Accomplish It. 233 3. A good head to manage the department 4. Plenty of goods to fill orders. With these requisites the general rules to follow are : 1. Fill all orders promptly. 2. Fill all orders carefully. 3. Answer all correspondence comprehensively and carefully. 4. Keep up the advertising. 5. Exchange goods, refund money and give your mail order customers the same privileges they would receive had they bought in person. 6. Keep right at it — systematically persistent. One of the annoying features will be the vague and foolish orders that will come in from time to time. Patience is a jewel in the mail order business. Always keep this jewel bright. One must be quick and accurate in deciphering the most diffi- cult handwriting — be able to disentangle from a skein of tangled expression the customer's desire, and must have enough mother wit to supply the right shade of ribbon or the proper caper in ruching when these details are lacking. Have a plan about advertising. Do not go at it in a half- hearted way and then give up. As Davy Crockett used to say, " Be sure you are right, then go ahead." The average adver- tising appropriation of a mail order department is three per cent, of the gross business. In starting in you should splurge a little, then tone down to a steady percentage of expenditure. See that the boxes and tubes to hold goods are of the exact size and weight. Postage money may be wasted otherwise. See that you have plenty of them, as you, your customers and the postman will be extremely annoyed when goods are poorly packed. It is best to make a price that covers transportation as well as cost to customers. As a last axiomatic injunction let it here be added : That the advertising matter be written, illus- trated and placed right to impress the right people with the right goods at the right prices. 234 Successful Advertising Talk Number X. MAIL ORDER TERRITORIES. This is a matter the importance of which has been overlooked by too many mail order tyros. Unless the territory is ripe for an article or comparatively free from the influence of other mail order concerns it is folly to there spend money for mail order purposes. The mail order territory of this continent may be divided into three sections, viz., the Eastern, Northern and Southern States, which are well supplied through the mail order departments of big houses in New York, Boston, Phila- delphia and a few other large Eastern sources ; the great Mid- dle West, which Chicago well covers, and that section west of the Rockies which is catered to by a few large concerns in Den- ver, Salt Lake, San Francisco and Portland. Now, Mr. Mail Order Man, be your prospective business big or little, look over the above paragraph and see how its information affects your case. For the average mail order concern — mind you, this applies to the average, not to the one with an article for which there is a world-wide demand with but one source of supply — it is not wise to attempt to gather business from more than its own and adjoining States. An Omaha house bidding for mail order business should attempt to cover only Nebraska, the northern end of Kansas, the eastern of Colorado, the Dakotas and such portions of adjoining States which would not come under the influence of equally large or larger concerns in Kansas City, Denver, St. Louis and Chicago. The nearness of these other bases of supplies to possible customers with the certainty of qualities and prices equally attractive would operate against the Omaha attempt. There was a time — and not so long ago, either — when a mail order department in the East could supply the mail order demands of the entire East and South. But that is of the past. Western and Southern houses have sprung up and have so well supplied mail order trade that many Eastern mail order depart- How To Accomplish It. 2?.fi merits have seen their trade dwindle to insignificant proportions. Climatic conditions are well to remember. In Oregon, where it rains practically nine months in the year, umbrellas, water- proofs and rubbers are great sellers. In Florida and adjoining States an all the year round demand can be counted upon for shirt waists, wrappers, etc. In Montana capes, wraps and overcoats can be sold during each of the twelve months. And it also may be remembered that certain articles in certain States are in greater demand than elsewhere. You can sell two revolvers in Colorado where one would be sold in Illinois and more cheap jewelry in the South than in New England. Talk Number XI. COMPILING MAIL ORDER LITERATURE. Mail order literature embraces many forms of catalogues, booklets, circulars and leaflets, to say nothing of the newspapers and magazines. The expenditure ranges from two to ten per cent, of that department's business, according to the judgment of the head, who should know his resources and expenditure better than any one else. The average expenditure is three per cent. Every retailer and wholesaler — yes, every novelty and specialty dealer with any kind of a business — should get out a catalogue twice a year. The spring and summer catalogues should be ready by the first of April, the fall and winter cata- logue by the first of October. With every catalogue should be attached a mail order blank. He who cannot afford a catalogue should have a booklet— if not a booklet then a circular of infor- mation — but in either case a mail order blank is most desirable. There should be illustrations in plenty, as well as terse descrip- tions of goods. Unless for seed or other purposes where colored work is necessary it is wise to have the illustrations in plain black and white. Wood engravings are better (therefore more expensive) than the usual line cuts. Most advertisers find that line cuts are satisfactory'. Illustrations which convey an accurate picture of the goods and suggest a thought as to their uses are the illustrations to 236 Successful Advertising use. Dead, flat cuts repel interest. There should be action in the cut as well as in the text. Business is full of action and all its advertising should be a reflex of its action. Next in import- ance to the catalogue is the booklet, after which comes the cir- cular. Glittering generalities do not win trade. It is the specific say-so with price that clinches custom. Leaflets are excellent advertising bullets. A leaflet speak- ing of a glove, cap, razor, pipe or anything retailable, well illustrated and well expressed, dropped in every letter and pack- age, is an accomplisher. Several of these accomplishers can go out with every mail order. The retailer should frequently speak of the mail order department in his ads. A cut of a postman or letter-box with something like this inscribed on it, " Let us fill your mail order?" "Why not do your shopping by mail?" etc., can be used with advantage. That it is folly to skimp on the paper and printing of mail order literature good advertisers agree. The same may be said of the artist's and writer's work. Talk Number XII. THE VALUE OF PERSISTENCE. Before speaking of the value of persistence, a word or two may be said anent the curse of persistence. When one is on a wrong tack the earlier it be known the better. Persistence is a good thing to have nothing to do with when little or no responses come in for an article that is well advertised and for which it is assumed there should be a prompt demand. If a certain style fountain pen to sell at one dollar is rightly advertised without bringing a profitable response it is safe to drop that pen and advertise something else. For the demand for fountain pens depends upon no climate conditions, nor is it restricted to any section of the land. Same way with lots of other things that appear good to advertise, but prove not as good as they appear. Much money is wasted in persistently advertising goods for which there is really no profitable demand. There is a time How To Accomplish It. 237 limit to a fair trial. And if the advertiser does not bring hard, horse sense upon this as well as every other mail order and advertising proposition he will be sorry. But persistence is a good virtue to study in many cases. The advertiser of pills must wait for ''the turn of the tide " before he sees results. The advertiser of a young mail order department in a field where there is competition must wait some time for the worth of his values to make an impression upon those who ^ were dealing with competitors. It takes time to wean away trade from others. It takes the steady, strong, systematic strokes of persistent advertising to do it. A mail order trade cannot grow in a night — the first orders filled should act as advertisers for succeeding orders. There is a form of advertising known as word of mouth advertising. Jones says to Smith : "Have you tried Brown's Rheumatic Solace?" "No — how does it work, and where can I get it?" "Oh, it's great! I bought a bottle three weeks ago, and to-day I have no rheuma- tism. You can get a bottle for a dollar from this address in New York." Or perhaps Mrs. Tinkham says to Miss Kelly : "Have you ever done any mail order shopping with Smith, Smith & Co.?" "No, I have always dealt by mail with Brown, Brown & Co." "Well, you try Smith, Smith & Co.— a new house that carries the best goods at lesser prices than your concern and a house that fills all mail orders more thoroughly and promptly. " So the story goes. Like the proverbial snowball, the well- managed mail order department gathers strength with its push- ing. "Persistence in advertising it, persistence in pushing, it and persistence in attending to all the little points of service accom- plish marvels of expansion in the fullness of time. FIVE. MISCELLANEOUS ADVERTISING. Choice of Advertising Mediums. This is the most perplexing question in the whole calendar of perplexing problems that the advertiser must confront — the selection of the best advertising mediums. By the application of that rule which should govern all advertising, viz., the application of hard, common sense, can this problem be solved. Even when it is apparently satisfac- torily solved, sometimes there arises a doubt whether or not there is some money thrown away in unwise selection. Tlie expenditure of the advertising appropriation is a most important one. With the usual up-to-date store this appropria- tion amounts to an annual expenditure of thousands — and in some metropolitan concerns hundreds of thousands every year. A clothing concern in a central New York town recently wrote me on this point. They advertised in the two daily papers and in several weekly papers in that vicinity. They asked me as to the best method of judging the value of the various mediums. I answered thus : — Take two equally good values — give them the same space in each of the daily papers. Have both ads written up in the same vein — have both illustrated with the garment adver- tised, and take very good care that both articles advertised are of equal value. Speak only of seasonable, necessary goods. Then tabulate the results. Later on in the week advertise the same garment in the two dailies, only transpose the ads. Tabulate the results. With the weekly papers do the same. In each case note carefully the 238 How To Accomplish It. 239 results. Should weather or other conditions cut sufficient figure to possibly affect the sale of each garment repeat this test advertising the week following. Results tell the story — abide by tliem. Stick to the paper that brings the business — drop the others. Advertising is not for fun — not for glory- — advertising is a plain business prop- osition to bring more business. You know, I know, and many others know that some people advertise for the pleas- ure of seeing their names in the papers. But with the rapid advance of advertising knowledge this class is growing hap- pily smaller. People now appreciate advertising simply as a lever to swing trade in their direction. That is its sole aim and object. In New York — in Boston — in other cities I have done this test advertising. It is necessary in intelligent advertising. Blind advertising is not intelligent advertising. Only the advertising that is thoughtfully, seriously, intelligently studied is successful advertising. In mail order advertising key your advertising in some way so you can tell exactly from which source you get your results. Supposing there was a mail order concern in the Lex- ington Building, which numbers from 141 to 155 East Twenty- fifth Street, that wished to do some magazine advertising. The plan would be to have say AlcClure" s Magazine answers go to 141 East Twenty-fifth Street, Munsefs to 142 East Twenty-fifth Street, Cosmopoliia?i to 143 East Twenty-fifth Street, Harper's^ 144 East Twenty-fifth Street, and so on. All the responses would come to the Lexington Building and the advertiser could tell in a moment which mediums paid him best for mail order trade. With this knowledge he could make his advertising dol- lars do better duty. Lots of concerns in advertising catalogues, etc., ask the readers to send for catalogue F., catalogue G., catalogue P., etc. Of course it is the same catalogue that all get, but the requests tell the story as to which medium pulls the best. It is a splendid plan as the requests rightly filed stand as silent evi- dences of the best publications in which to advertise. Now as to the choice of mediums to which you are a 240 Successful Advertising' stranger. Appearances in publications as in men are some- times deceitful — but the shrewd observer can gather a whole lot by appearances. When a stranger enters your presence you consider liis appearance at once. If he is well dressed, well groomed, easy in manner and conversation you are generally favorably impressed with him until you know him better to his credit or discredit. Same way with a publication. If it has a happy, healthy, well-fed appearance in its advertising col- umns — if its editorials and articles are original, bright and written by writers who understand their subjects (}'ou can tell that in a moment if you are any judge of publications) if its paper, typographical appearance and general get-up impress you favorably then it is a safe assumption that that publication has character, weight and circulation. If its advertising rates are reasonable you would be justified in giving it an ad. Then watch the results carefully. George P. Rowell & Co.'s Newspaper Directory is as neces- sary to the advertiser as is Dun or Bradstreet to the business man. I was with a big advertiser the other day who was making up his list of mediums. He would pick up a paper, glance over its reading and advertising columns for about two minutes — then lay it on a heap of rejected or accepted publications. Appearances helped him in his decisions. Of course, being an advertiser of some years' experience, he was familiar with most of the publications, but even some in which he previously adver- tised, he just then rejected because their appearances in his esti- mation were not as healthy as they once were. A publication is never at a stand-still in circulation and in- fluence. It is either traveling ahead or going backwards. This is a point that all successful advertisers consider carefully. They watch publications as they do their bank accounts and are all the time asking questions from every source regarding the progress of this or that paper. Here is a point that I have noticed lots of advertisers lame on. That is the choice of mediums to fit the articles being ad- vertised. High-class goods should be advertised in high-class publications — medium class goods in medium class publications How To Accomplish It. 241 and so on. While it is good sense to advertise bric-a-brac and champagne in the New York Herald^ yet it is a sheer waste of good money to advertise them in a paper that reaches the deni- zens of Avenue A. I am aware that in this article I am speaking to thousands of advertisers who are doing some tall thinking on the subject of their local publications. They are wondering if their dollars are spent right in this daily or weekly — if a clipping or increase of mediums would do them more good. To them I would say : — Keep the percentage of advertising expenditure down to the proper point — which averages in the vicinity of three per cent, for the established retail business — frequently give test ads and tabulate carefully the results — keep a close eye on the adver- tising and other features of these publications, and try and have a. pretty good idea of what they are doing for you. Advertising to Women, Women do all their own shopping. Women buy all the children's needs. Women buy practically everything needed for the home. Women have and exercise an influential supervision over every branch of buying for the person and home. Woman is the dominating factor for the average advertiser to consider, for without her he would not be advertising. There is this difference between advertising to men and advertising to women. Men are reached by a strong swift style — a style the reflex of their business life — a style that does not lose itself in a maze of details and wanderings into fashion- able features — a style sententious, business-like, pleasant and at times a trifle humorous. Women, on the other hand, are reached with an easier and more detailed style — a style which never loses sight of the value end of the article advertised while showing no hesitancy in going into deep details about material, brand, manufacture, color, shade and every little point about the article advertised. Women are exact in small matters, while men are prone to gloss them over, yet keeping a weather eye on important pro- positions. 242 Successful Advertising If a woman wants — say a wrapper — and looks up advertis- ing on such an article of daily household wear, she appreciates, after price, a very complete description of the garment — some- thino; like this : A $1.75 FLANNELEHE WRAPPER Cl IE NOW TO GO AT '*""^*'* This is a very fine quality of Flannelette Wrapper in the very latest style, with yoke, back and front prettily trimmed with one row of braid. It has reveres over shoulder, which is also trimmed with braid and a narrow edging of the wrapper fabric. The collar, cuffs and belt are also braid trimmed, wLile the inside vest lining, bound armholes, tight back and full flounced skirt also go to show the very complete garment. The colors are red, blue, gray, lavender, cadet and cerise, and again we repeat the price (marked from $1.75) which is $1.25 If there is any feature greater than price from the feminine viewpoint it is .style. Her garments must have st\le. Her home needs must have style. The wearables of every member of her household must have style in order to be satisfactory iu her estimation. No advertiser can afford to overlook the feature of style. The erratic productions of Fashion are only equalled by their number. Constantly they are pouring out upon a dazzled world, and at least twice a year a new flood of styles sweeps into a store to relegate old " creations," etc., to the misty realms of forgetful ness. Then let the advertiser follow closely the devious pathway of the will-o'-the-wisp Fashion — whose imperious mandates are blindly followed by every woman of every age, color and nationality, and yet who only exists in the mental regions of the leading designers of London, Paris, Now York, and other How To Accomplish It. 243 great commercial centres. Let him convey this fact fully to the mind of every woman who reads his publicity. And do not be afraid to talk about service — how the materials are right, the fit perfection, how every stitch and seam were scanned, how all the little trifles that go to make perfection were criticised on the basis that while " trifles make perfection, perfection is no trifle." And always — always tell her the pure, undiluted truth. Advertising to Men. When the clothier and furnisher dips his pen into the ink bottle to tell the world what varied attractions in price and quality are found within his establishment, he should always bear in mind that he is speaking to men. And in speaking to men there are a few rules that he should bear in mind. Men are different from women in this one regard — as far as reading ads is concerned. Men hate detail — women rather like it. You cannot give a woman too many details regarding an article which she intends to buy. Quite different with the masculine member of the genus homo. He wants a quick story interestingly told. There is more humor in his composition, consequently ajoke or a wee bit of humor helps the ad once in a while. But humor must be used right. It is so subtle a quality that few writers handle it properly. An illustration tells the story at once — the type takes a minute to give its meaning. A bright picture and a brief story is what men want in advertising, and the advertiser should study the best cloth- ing ads everywhere in order to get pointers. Among the best examples of Gotham clothing and furnish- ings advertising are those shown by Rogers, Peet & Co., Brill Bros., and Wm. Vogel & Son, in New York. The ads of these houses are mighty snappy and bright and are full of choice clothing information. Every ad should be specific. It should speak of a certain article or two articles, with price and full information regarding the same. It may start in with a sliort story told in a single paragraph — a famous quotation or some clever catch line. This is done to arrest attention and act as an introduction to the busi- 244 Successful Advertising ness talk which rapidly follows. Or you might start in with a plain, unvarnished business tale, which some men might prefer to the other sort of ad. In all events be brief, be succinct. Let every sentence convey an idea. If the idea has been expressed before express it in a new dress. The clever advertising writer understands this art to a point of perfection. It is hard to come out with a new story on the same old subject every day in the year. It re- quires study — it means work — as does every result nowadays. The ad writer of the Nebraska Clothing Company, of Omaha. Neb., writes the best clothing and furnishings "ad" in the West. It is funny — but his fun represents gentle, unadulterated humor, which naturally trickles through his " ads" and leaves a pleas- ant impression. The trouble with humorous advertising is that few can do it. Many attempt it, but the result is strained and far-fetched, and repels instead of attracts. Humorous humor is a delicate quality and should be handled delicately. Be perfectly natural, be vigorous when you feel like it, be easy when you feel like it. Speak your own thoughts. Be true to yourself in this regard. The more a man writes ad- vertising the more confidence he has in the power of his pen, and the more individuality and consequently interest will his advertising possess. I believe in individuality in advertising because so much advertising is forced upon the reader nowadays that only the dis- tinctive leaves an impression. I believe in honesty in advertising, because honesty is a necessary business qualification, that enters into advertising as well as every branch of business. Adver- tising is a fascinating study, which only the school of experience will thoroughly teach. Typographical Arrangement. A well-dressed advertisement, like a well-dressed person, commands attention by sheer force of appearance alone. Other things being equal, the well-displayed advertisement has an immense advantage over the other sort. Some newspapers and printing establishments have won a How To Accomplish It. 24-5 wide reputation by reason of the excellent printing they put forth. Clean-cut presswork and artistic (yet business-like) typo- graphy should always be considered as an important percentage of business worth by every advertiser. For display there is no type that has won the wide popu- larity the De Vinne has. Jensen type is also in demand, and the Howland is much in favor among advertisers. Our fathers saw more of Old English and Roman type than we do, and the business man of to-day has the strongest leaning towards type that catches the eye quickly and gracefully. There is not much room at present in advertising for the type all twists and curley- cews. Even Script and Italic are not used as they once were. Block type — the emblem of business bluntness — has lost much of its old-time vogue. The demand is for a display type at once graceful and business-like, and the De Vinne famously fills this particular bill. Pica for body type is a great favorite with many adverti- sers — especially the clothing advertisers — making a happy com- bination with the display De Vinne. Nonpareil, Brevier, Minion and Agate come in for everyday use. Pearl, the smallest type, is sometimes found in the small advertisements carried by the cheap mail-order journals. Every leading newspaper issues a "type-book " or "type- card," but the advertiser that selects from it a variety of type for his advertisement is liable to be very much astonished at the result. For type in the book or card does not always bear the same appearance when transferred to an advertisement where the surroundings are altogether different. The best plan is to so lay out the manuscript that the printer can grasp the salient points at a glance. White spaces act as backgrounds to bring out the printed matter in bolder relief, and therefore should be studied by the advertiser. If there is a cut at the upper right side of the ad, try and have another cut at the upper left side, as one balances the other. If there is a double headline in 3-line De Vinne on 246 Successful Advertising one side of the ad, try and have the same type heading on the other. If you have a double column department story for your ad, and all the other departments are set in single column, place the double column affair in the middle columns of the ad — at top if possible — and let the others group about it. If you have two double column talks, place one on the upper right side and the other on the upper left. Have all your depart- ment headings of a uniform type size. Study uniformity in your ads. A man to be a good ad builder must be something of an architect. He ought to have the organ of causality well developed. If you see a certain style of set-up that you would like to follow in your ads, you will find the printer will understand your desire at once if you paste on your copy a piece of that style with a request to follow that type arrangement. This is easier than marking type and much plainer to the printer than any other way. Drop in and see your printer once in a while. If he is interested as he should be in the appearance of the ads he sets up, he will welcome your visits. He appreciates an interchange of ideas, and both you and he will learn much from each other. Box rules, either light or dark, about a department or item make it stand out. When rules are thus used inside an ad it is always well to run a border about the whole ad. Borders give an ad the appearance of compactness and solidity, besides being attractive to the eye. If you can afford it get a font of type and a set of borders for your own special use. By so doing you give your ads an exclusiveness that will give }ou the advantage of distinctive- ness that your competitors do not possess. But do not get fancy or too ornamental. The plain, easily read is the best. It is the business type. You should dress your ads with the same busi- ness air as you would like to have your clerks and travelling men appear in, that is, eminently sensible and to the point, without any frills or ornamental nonsense about them. How To Accomplish It. 247 Illustrations and Their Uses. An examination of the advertising columns of any publica- tion will speedily determine the fact that the use and influence of illustrations is growing right along. It is not so many years ago that some advertisers used to snort at illustrations. Take Wanamaker's advertising for in- stance. Before Mr. Gillam took hold of John Wanamaker's advertising lever, no cuts were used in the Wanamaker an- nouncements. To-day they are lavish — the cuts are as carefully prepared and made to fit the text as is possible for cuts to be. Every Wanamaker ad — whether in New York or in Philadel- phia — has a goodly sprinkling of cuts. Bloomingdale Bros., Siegel- Cooper Co., Macy, Adams and all the big New York retailers use cuts — and use them lavishly too. Illustrated advertising, like illustrated journalism, has come to stay — it is here in response to a demand of the public to get at the story of advertising articles without waste of time. The illustration that does not express a distinct idea is a poor illustration. It should be clearly drawn by an artist with an abundance of ideas to be conveyed in the fewest lines pos- sible. The etcher and electrotyper should see that these lines are cut deep and clear. When there is a superabundance of detail in the drawing and a lack of depth and clearness in the workmanship of the cut, the result is disastrous as far as retail advertising is concerned. The average newspaper, city and country, is printed on a rapid press with poor ink on poor paper ; that is why so many cuts come out blurred and blotched. Some retailers keep the cuts indexed in their own advertis- ing offices, some ask the newspapers to file away the cuts. Some unwise merchants keep the cuts in old barrels and dry goods boxes. When contingencies arise the cuts are difficult or impossible to find. In large cities, where the matrix system can be worked, it has been found that the best plan is to have the matrices indexed in the store's advertising office and the electrotypes or stereotypes in the newspaper composing rooms. In small towns, I believe, the best system is to have the news- 248 Successful Advertising papers index the Qiits and the advertiser to be supplied with several proofs of each. When the "printer's devil " knows his business this is all right ; when that individual is careless there is constant trouble on account of cuts mislaid or lost. In Boston there is a greater demand for wood engravings than in any other city. But wood engravings are more expen- sive in production than the usual outline cuts known as chalk plates, zinc etchings, pen and ink drawings, etc. On good paper wood engravings show up more clearly the fabric of the suit or the grain of the wood than any other newspaper cuts. But the fine eflfect of a wood engraving is lost in the poor paper, ink and press work of so many dailies. Generally speaking the chalk plate or ordinary outline cut is the cut for the retailer. It costs little to get up. In the matter of advertising garments for men, women and children cuts are very necessary — almost absolutely necessary. A garment ad without a cut is not one-fifth as eloquent as an ad with the picture of the garment advertised. Garment cuts — and other cuts for that matter— should do more than merely picture the article being advertised — they should suggest the time and place for its uses. A man portrayed walking down Broadway, with a handsome covert overcoat, instantly suggests to the good male dresser of Danbury, Denver or Dover, a Saturday afternoon saunter in the principal street of his town cutting a swell in the same garment. An effective illustration, showing a couple of ladies on Fifth Avenue, on Easter Sunday morning, resplendent in stylish spring capes and skirts of the latest mode, in a moment strikes a note of admiration and keen appreciation in the mind of every lady in the city or rural dis- trict, who would like to appear to equally excellent advantage in the same outer garments. Columns of talk could not make this impression — but a few words deftly strung together describ- ing the garments and their prices, make the combination sure to win custom. The first great point in advertising is to under- stand the art of attracting attention, then retaining it long enough to tell )-our story. Cuts will help you as nothing else in this regard. It is like retailing. First induce the customer to come to your store then win him by the excellence of your How To Accomplish It. 249 values. Induce the reader to glance at your ad by your bright cut and happy catch-line, then retain his attention by the bright- ness and logic of your talk — keep him fastened to your ad until his head is filled with the tale you would impart You have noticed — I have noticed — every student or even casual observer of advertising has noticed the past few years, an evolution in cuts. The same evolution has taken place in the ads proper. This evolution is : Not so many years ago in the minds of many advertisers the proper caper in illustrations was a man falling off a preci- pice—a boy turning a handspring — an individual having his eyes pulled from the socket — a woman chasing a cat with a broomstick or some other idiotic caricature to give point to an equally idiotic joke or drivel. The point aimed at was " to be original." In the desire for originality all the canons of decency, common sense and art were forgotten — everything was swept aside to bring before the public eye a far-fetched and labored witticism or effort to be extraordinarily unusual. What nonsense — bosh — rot ! Nowadays there is very little of that. The eminently plain, beautiful and dignified now is justly considered in cuts as well as in ads, and it will be justly con- sidered unless advertising takes a swing back to its dark ages — of which there is no danger. The first-class artist can invest his illustrations with the proper amount of originality by the natural force of his indivi- duality. He will take a pair of shoes, a silk hat or a corset, and with a few strokes of his pencil give it a winsome, har- monious effect, brimful of suggestion and action, originality and thought, yet so easy and natural in its artistic effect that the most ordinary reader can in a moment grasp its points and uses. Originality cannot help flowing from the pencil of the good artist — he will naturally give an original turn to every picture he makes. All the while he is not straining for this effect, but rather following the natural bent of his artistic nature in repro- ducing the article and hinting a thought as to its performances. Same way with the advertising writer. In telling his tale 250 Successful Advertising he need burst no suspender-buttons in a wild desire to be origi- nal, because originality will naturally follow in the wake of clearness and conciseness, which are the first considerations he aims at. His mind, like the artist's, is trained in the direction of bringing out the best in the article being advertised — both have the creative faculty — the application of this creative faculty gives the illustrations and the ads all the originality necessary. Advertising Specialties. When a man invents something useful or ornamental or both which he wishes to place in hundreds of thousands of homes he gives first consideration, of course, to its advertising. When a wholesaler desires to push certain lines of goods before the public eye he spends considerable of his and his friends' time in considering the best method of doing the same. Let us suppose you are the manufacturer of — say a pen. You want to impress upon the mind of every man, woman and child who pushes a pen the superiority of yours to all other makes of pens. First and foremost get right down to natural laws. One of nature's laws is that very few people can think of more than one idea at a time. Some people can think of several things at once, but this class is not numerous. One good idea about your pen is enough to give them at one time. You can give them several ideas at one gulp. Maybe they will study over your ad long enough to digest all the various good features of your pen at one sitting, but nowa- days, when so much advertising is brought before the public, the one idea plan is the best. Spend a lot of time analyzing the good points of your pen. Get your associates to express themselves freely about your pen. Remember their observations. If they drop a good point about your pen make a mental memorandum of it. Advertising is a keen analysis of the good points of the article you advertise with the presentation of these good points in the right language, right dress of type and right mediums. Well ! you discover that your pen does not corrode as other pens. How To Accomplish It. 251 Thafs a good point. No writer likes a pen that corrodes easily — he prefers the other sort. Make up a short two-inch, four-inch, or whatever space ad you have decided to use, and let that ad speak of the fact that your pen does not corrode. You may add a short footnote at the bottom which says your pen possesses all the other pen virtues. Then you discover your pen is strong and durable. Thai's a good point. Writers abhor the weak, scratchy, thin pen that occasion- ally comes in their way and drives printers to drink and lunatic asylums. A poor pen can spoil the best thought ever conceived. Give another ad that will harp upon the strength and wear of your pens. Bring out this point in easy, natural language, and, if you want to, give a small paragraph, as before, speaking of the many other excellencies of your pen. But the main part of the ad — yes, nine-tenths of it should speak of its ability to stand good service. It writes easily — smoothly. Thafs a good point. There is not a bookkeeper or a writer in the land who does not appreciate the pen that glides pleasantly and smoothly along the paper in obedience to his thoughts. When you have prepared a half dozen good ads exhausting the half dozen good points of your pen, prepare another half dozen bringing out the same ideas in different language. Keep pounding away on this style and my word on it you will reap more benefit from your advertising than if you started in to give all the good points of your pen in one ad. One good idea easily digested in the brain of the reader is worth a dozen ideas imperfectly understood. That is demonstrated in everyday life. A man who attempts to speak to you of a half dozen subjects in the same breath would be set down as a lunatic. The salesman who utters one good idea perfectly expressed and then lets his other ideas follow in easy sequence is the successfal salesman — not the fellow who 252 Successful Advertising- fires point blank at you several partially expressed convictions regarding his goods. The age of saying that your pen, penholder, overcoat, leather seat, or whatever it may be, is the best because it is the best, is passing away. Simple reiteration of a statement cannot begin to approach in advertising force the power of logic. Simply saying a thing is best does not make it so in the minds of your readers. Such an assertion does not stand analysis. If the reader is a prospective customer he would like a little more meaty information as to why your article is the best. He natu- rally analyzes the merits of your goods and if you give him no information to analyze he is at sea. From my advertising experience, were I the manufacturer of a carriage, bicycle, bicycle seat, hat, glove or any specialty that I wished to popularize, I would first of all analyze my articles' good qualities, then present these good qualities in an easy, chatty way, with one good point at a time, and that good point well put — then let the other good points follow in due course. Of course, with a good-sized ad several good features could be given, because when you take a good-sized space the pre- sumption is you have a lot to say and you have room enough to speak of several good features. But for the average ad one good idea at a time properly pre- sented — to be followed next issue by another good idea properly put — will in the course of time make a clear, effective impres- sion on your customer, so that when he stops to consider about your specialty, he will have a recollection of several very pointed details cleverly put which somehow or other sticks in his memory. Individuality in Advertising. You read some advertising that somehow fails to interest. It lacks life, animation, individuality. It has about as much action as a wooden Indian — it fails to arrest your attention rightly because it has a dull, negative, leaden influence. There are two sorts of advertising — the negative and the positive. The first is lifeless, flat and repels interest— the latter How To Accomplish It. 253 is direct, interesting and sparkling with bright twists and clever thoughts. The positive style of advertising creates an interest in and sells goods — the negative does the other thing. The matter of injecting individuality into advertising is a subject that has always appealed to me to be a most important one, and this little talk will be an attempt to consider the question. Go to the theatre. You have no difficulty in telling the ''stick " from the actor. The actor has personality, magnetism, individuality — call it what you will — and he invests his lines with the full charm of the character he is portraying. The "stick" walks about, gesticulates and gives his parrot-like talk, and when the curtain falls the audience promptly forgets him. The Thespian with the individuality thrills the audience — his individuality is his principal stock in trade and he man- ages to derive fame and fortune out of it. Take it in business. A drummer enters your office to talk his goods. There may be nothing startling or unique in either the man's manner, appearance or conversation, but in ver>' short order he manages to fill your office with his individuality and when he goes away there is a large hole in the atmosphere which he has just vacated. Another drummer enters with equally attractive samples and prices but by reason of his dull, lifeless manner he absolutely fails to make an impression. In fact he bores you — repels you. Commercial travelers understand this perfectly, and always aim to make a direct, positive impression in every interview. The positive is what attracts, warms and makes friends as well as sells goods. Everybody prefers people who have corners that can be rubbed up against, who are "all there" on certain opinions. The cold, clammy, lifeless negative natures deaden all possible interest. This applies to advertising. Certain advertisers have achieved fame because their adver- tising was so surcharged with their individuality that ever}' ad they put forth was bright and interesting. What is individuality and how can it be best applied to advertising ? 254 Successful Advertisings Individuality is a thorough expression of one's own self without fear or favor at all times and under all circumstances. In everyday life most business men possess this individuality, but the moment their advertising pen touches paper, lo ! their individuality flies out the window or down the back stairs, and what they write is without a particle of their own selves — cold, lifeless, negative. Constant practice and an absolute disregard for the criticism of others — provided you are satisfied in your own mind that you are right — is in my estimation the best method to apply this individuality to your advertising literature. Self-confidence begets individuality. Slight successes warm the life of self-confidence — this self-confidence and past successes spur one on to greater successes until the goal of ambition is reached. One must have the creative power in order to fill adver- tising or any other literature with individuality. This creative power should be cultivated, and is absolutely necessary in preparing good advertising copy. Take the most successful advertisers of the day and you will note how full their advertising is of individuality and life and interest and all the other attractive qualities which good advertising demands. Look at Pears' on soaps, Wanamaker's on dry goods. Mur- phy's on varnish, and so on through the long list of bright pro- gressive advertisers, and you will at once note the individuality that crops out from every line they write. Each ad they place reflects the spirit of the concern back of it. The writer is satu- rated with just the knowledge he requires and his pen moves in exact obedience to his brain, which is teeming with the right ideas. The first duty of the advertising writer should be, to as nearly as possible understand the business for which he is to write, and then endeavor to interpret the spirit of the business, or in other words to inject into the advertising the concern's individuality and character. Most advertising is too common-place. It never rises above the ordinary-, and goodness knows there is enough of the ordi- nary. Even a slight sparkle of individuality is enough to lift a How To Accomplish It. 255 single ad above every other ad in a paper, and when this is done a very important step is taken. There is too little thought put into advertising. Do some thinking on your own account — let some of the results of this thinking be boldly put in your adver- tising. Keep right at it, and in the course of events you will find it will pay you in hard cash, besides giving you a pleasing fame as an advertiser whose ads are read and remembered, because they are above the ordinary. Regarding Ruts. Have you ever felt the narrowing, cramping influence of a rut? • If not you are an extraordinarily favored being and ought to thank your stars for being so lucky. If you have, you have gone through the average experience of the average business man. Ruts in advertising are very great obstacles to good advertising. A rut is death to vitality — snap and originality. A rut means the ordinary — the common-place — tlie average every-day half-dead-and-alive way of saying and doing things. Mental habits as thin as air and as light as gossamer become as heavy as iron chains and as tenacious as barnacles, and the vic- tim falls into a narrow, mechanical manner of preparing his ads or doing any of his regular duties. Ruts in advertising will be my present story. I know the importance of this topic because I have been in and am still in the harness myself and I have noticed the efforts of my brother knights of the advertising quill to keep their wits and pens in bright, crisp, apple-pie order in spite of the deteriorat- ing effects of an every-day existence. It is easier to get in a rut in a small town than in a large city. This is by reason of the greater variety of distractions which the large cities offer in the way of theatres and all sorts of amusements, social life and the many phases of business affairs that the day brings forth. I can conceive no better way to stay out of the advertising rut than by a regular study of the good advertising papers. A 256 Successful Advertising^ careful reading of the pages of good advertising talks and exam* pies, will help any advertising man in the direction of being broad, bright and interesting in his work. The next best thing, in my estimation, is to take the prin- cipal papers of such large cities as Boston, New York, Phila- delphia or Chicago and glance over their advertising columns every day. If the reader of this is a clothier I believe he can get most help from the New York papers — in other lines it is a tie between New York, Philadelphia and Chicago dailies, with the chances in favor of the Chicago papers. The Chicago ads are beautifully typographed and very cleverly worded. IMandel Bros., Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co., Schlesinger & Mayer and Siegel-Cooper's ads are full of good advertising points. Even a short five minutes' study of several such exam* pies of good advertising will give the advertiser enough points to last him for a week. A variety of duties can keep a man out of a rut. I find a pleasure in the preparation of these articles, because my mind is switched for the time being from the intense study of pre- paring advertising. Conversations with intelligent business men are of great help. In my advertising connections with great houses I always enjoyed my talks with bright heads of departments, because I believed they helped me much in being in the receptive mood so essential to good advertising. I remember dropping in on Mr. Mauley M. Gillam one summer day a few years ago at Wanamaker's. "Where do you get these bright thouo;hts you swing into your ads?" I asked. He smiled. " You see this blank piece of paper ? " I did. "You see this lead pencil?" I did. " From the bright department heads, and these two helps before me I manage to get all the thoughts you think bright." Although Mr. Gillam said nothing about his own crea- tive brain, I appreciated the point. He absorbed the ideas of the principal Wanamaker lieads, and after they filtered through his own brain they were utilized in conjunction with his own crealion.s. How To Accomplish It. 257 A man can stay out of a rut by a constant intercourse and rubbing against other business men. Hence you will notice that all bright writers are broad and catholic in their views and relations with their fellow men. The man who gets in a rut on advertising or any other subject has only himself to blame. When he is in that condition you will note how narrow, selfish and obstinate he is in his ideas and dealings with the world in general. The Advertising Specialist. In reading over the advertising columns of the various advertising and trade journals, the eye runs across the many ads of many ad writers, and it does not take a great deal of thinking to arrive at the conclusion that the ad writer is now a recognized institution in the business world of to-day. He is the product of modern business methods. That he has come to stay, goes without a murmur. It is not so many years ago that the advertising specialist was an unknown quantity. Business men never thought of him. He was engaged in other lines of endeavor. Business men struggled with the advertising problem as best they could with the limited sources of advertising information at their command. But advertising became of such vital interest to almost all phases of commercial and professional life that the wisdom of making the advertising department a separate and distinct department under the guidance of a good head, became very apparent. Thus began the evolution of the advertising specialist. Some became famous by reason of the good advertising they pre- pared and set forth for their houses. The contrast between the good advertising put forth by these few concerns and the ordinary or very poor publicity of other houses, stimulated the latter to the betterment of their adver- tising until almost every man or firm who did advertising to amount to anything, hired a man especially talented for that work. 17 258 Successful Advertising Some concerns could not afford to pay for an advertising man's entire time, but could for a portion of his time. Hence arose the practice of an advertising man dividing his time and effort among several houses. Of course, these advertising specialists, knowing so well the value of advertising, were not slow to use advertising in their own cases. The first qualification of the advertising specialist is com- mon sense. If he will put that homely but important quality into whatever he plans and writes, he is much more likely to succeed than if he tried to sell a business man a nicely plated gold brick, which is composed of nothing but a few words deftly strung together without consideration of the goods to be sold or the people the ad is supposed to reach. The business world is now educated around to that point where it believes that the successful ad writer must be a man who has seen considerable practical experience in preparing ads that have proven their worth by selling goods, and by his evolv- ing advertising plans that have been successful. If he has done these things with reputable, well-known houses, then it is fair to assume he can do it again with other concerns. There has been quite a lot of abuse heaped upon the head of the ad writer — especially when he first began to push himself to the surface — but within the last year or two this mud sling- ing has largely disappeared. This abuse has been the result of ignorance pure and simple on the part of these captious individ- uals who could never see any good in anything unless it was hoary headed with conservatism. But now as the ad writer has been in the field several years and proven his usefulness several thousand times to an army of business men, all opposition to him has about died away. The most successful business men were the first to recognize the value of the advertising specialist's services to their own cases and they are to-day his stanchest friends. Personally I like to see the general ad writing field being filled up with first-class men. I believe it makes things better all around. It helps to crystalize a profession, that a few years ago was in a vague nebulous state, into a concrete, definite force that means much in the great battle of business. How To Accomplish It. 259 The Advertising Writer. Here's a paragraph clipped from an advertisement occupying a rather expensive space in a New York daily : " A little women out in Oswego, 111. , tells about her husband having determined to see if he could not make her quit coffee drinking, which he believed to be the cause of her constant neu- ralgia and general nervousness, brought home several packages of , which he had discovered, by trying elsewhere, to be good." Which said paragraph points a moral and adorns a tale. The man who wrote was not the simon-pure ad-writer. Doubt- less he was a "good business man" — a man who could make a contract for newspaper space or could compute compound in- terest upon a given sum for a given number of years with ac- curacy and dispatch. But he knows enough about advertising to lose money in the game by flabby, elongated sentences and pointless paragraphs. A good advertising writer would produce something after this order : Coffee drinking brought on neuralgia and general nervousness in the case of a little woman out in Oswego, 111. Her husband discovered that was good, so he brought her several pack- ages as an antidote. Fifty-seven words in one paragraph, thirty-seven in the other, with the idea expressed quicker and clearer. Figure up the saving in the year's advertising bills alone and you have the salary paid the writer multiplied. Figure up the better business brought in by stronger, saner advertising and you will be amazed. Another example is this, clipped from a lengthy advertise- ment running in the New York dailies: " This was last December, and although every other physician had told him that they could not cure him, and although it seemed too good to be true, he began the treatment, for it was his only hope, and to the surprise of all his friends and the old doctors he im- 260 Successful Advertising proved from tbat day. He breathed the soothing, oily vapors into his lungs from veeek to week, and as a reward it healed them, and the doctors wonder." What a mess of bad grammar and involved words ! " They," a plural pronoun, evidently stands for "physician," a singular noun, and " them," in the last sentence can apply to " vapors" or " lungs." To think of paying good money for the advertising space consumed by such an ad ! Would it not be better to say some- thing like this ? — This was last December. He was given up by every other physician. Yet despite all he began the treatment and as his lungs received the soothing, oily vapors a cure became certain. It is not a question of nice writing — it is not a question of bowing to personal prejudice — it is simply a question of saying your say so pointedly and gracefully — saying it in the best busi- ness way possible. It simply resolves itself into a question of dollars and cents saved in the advertising bills and made by the effectiveness of the advertising. A great many people— extraordinarily many considering the age in which we live — have an idea that the advertising writer is one of the two following individuals : (i) He who with a few turns of his pen produces advertising so Iterling, original and forceful as to simply hypnotize business — whether the business be worthy of extension or not — and for which extraordinary services he commands a princely salary. (2) He who makes the most outrageous claims without any grounds whatsoever— a charlatan who should be derided and dis- couraged by all business men. The advertising writer is neither one nor the other. He is simply one who can produce better advertising matter than the average business man, because he has a natural knack in that direction and has fostered and brought to perfection that knack by continuous experience in that line, while the average busi- ness man's energies go in a dozen different directions. It is hardly necessary to here state that the advertising writer How To Accomplish It. 261 should be a grammarian — a stylist if needs be — should know words and their various meanings — should understand typo- graphical arrangements and express every meaning exactly as it should be expressed. That we all admit. But where the greatest value of an advertising writer to a business man comes in, is that the writer is the connecting link of information between the public and the business. In other words, the writer so understands the business man's constituency that he can talk to it in a manner clear and telling, and with enough ignorance to look at it with the new, sharp eyes of the public. The first-class advertising writer looks at a subject with the public's eye. He does not look at it with eye of the owner — such a gaze is too full of technical detail to be interesting to any except himself and a few on the inside of his business. Not only does the writer look at a subject with the eye of the public, but he gives it sufiicient study to be able to array telling and interesting facts in the most fetching manner. There is a bottle of mucilage on the desk on which I am now writing. The man who made that mucilage has probably given his whole time and thought to that business for years, and so thoroughly immersed himself in details that were he to pen an ad about his mucilage it would read something like this : PURE GUM ARABIC | f\ CENTS PER MUCILAGE 1 U BOTTLE. Extra adhesive because it is made of pure Gum Arabic. In all our years of experience we never used adulterated Gum*^Arabic, and all the ingredients of our ^lucilage were first classed and carefully com- pounded by special machinery under expert eyes. The advertising writer would say something like the ex- ample shown at the top of the next page, which will be found much more explicit. 262 Successful Advertising MUCILAGE THAT STICKS 10 CENTS PER BOTTLE. It's a clear, smooth-runiiin<^ liquid — easy to handle — just what is wanted on the business desk. It's superior to all other mucilages, as the Gum Arabic in it is absolutely pure. It is sold everywhere — used everywhere, and always satisfies because it is the best mucilage ever made. The last ad reads easier than the first because it is less bur- dened with technical details and is more forceful to the world at large, for it bears upon the points that at once appeal to those who use mucilage. And the advertising writer from the stand- point of an outsider sees the outside points of interest— if rom a brief inside study lie sees the manufacturer's points of view, and with the two points of view well in his mind's eye, he produces advertising that interests the outside world because the outside world's impressions, with some inside knowledge, is brightly put and pleases the manufacturer by benefiting trade and giving him ideas — new fresh and money-making. The business man that does not believe in the advertising writer has but an imperfect knowledge of advertising. And the business man who does not believe in advertising is as far behind the business procession as is the old express wagon in the rear to the band wagon in front. The Advertising Amateur. {After RuDVARD Kipling— a long way a/Ur— suggested by his poem " The Vampire.") A fool there was and he wrote an ad, (Even as you and I) To the rich and the poor, the good and the bad, (To tell them his store and his goods were the fad) But this fool neither wit nor experience had, (Never as you and I). Oh the cash some 7vaste and the space some waste And the work of head and hand How To Accomplish It. 263 Is lost because they donH ktiozv, you know, {And well we kno7v they never can know) They do not understand. A fool there was and his goods he spent (Never as you and I) His coin and work and his good intent (But nobody ever knew what he meant) For a fool must follow his natural bent, (Never as you and I). Oh the toil he lost and the spoil he lost And the asinine schemes he planned But all in vain— fools never know why {And well we knozv they'll never know why). They do not jinderstand The fool was stripped to his foolish hide (Never as you and I) From the business whirl he was cast aside (And nobody really cared if he died) ' To advertise wisely he vainly had tried, (Never as you and I). And it isn't the blame and it isn't the shame That stings like a white-hot brand : IV s coming to know that sotne never know why When in advertising they falter and die {Never as you and I). The How of Writing Advertising. Most New Yorkers read the Evening Jotirnal and most readers of the Evening Journal turn over to the last page, where in the editorial column matters of everyday practical interest are discussed by Mr. Arthur Brisbane in an eminently sensible man- ner. A case in point is the following clipped from a recent issue. ''ADVICE TO AN ADVERTISEMENT WRITER. TRUTH IS THE THING. ' The letter which we print here should interest a great many readers besides those engaged in writing advertisements. Large salaries — ten, fifteen, and in one instance as high as twenty-five thousand dollars annually — are earned by men who prepare attractive advertising matter. 264 Successful Advertising 'W. R. Hearst, Esq., Editor Evening Journal: ' Dear Sir — I am bookkeeper for a prosperous retail con- cern, and among other duties I have is that of preparing copy for our advertising. ' I wish to make as much as possible of my opportunity in this respect and would like a few pointers from those who are prepared to give them, so I come, as many others do, for advice. ' Will you kindly give the names of good helps in that line — publications that treat of the subject — and, most of all that I would value, is a few remarks 'straight from the slioulder' from you. ' Without a semblance of flattery I think the Evening Journal has done more for the common people in inducing them to thi7ik than any other agency before the public to-day. ' Permit me to say, Success to the Evening Journal. I enclose stamped envelope if personal reply is necessary. Please withhold correct address from above. ' Yours truly, ' A. A. D. * Sussex County, N. J.' The best way to learn to write good advertisements is to read good advertisements. We have heard Mr. Nathan Straus, one of the biggest of advertisers, say that the art of advertising is merely to present attractively the absolute truth concerning goods that are to be sold. We suppose that successful advertising consists in decid- ing how much you can say in praise of an article without damage to truth, and in saying what you have to say as attrac- tively and as convincingly as possible. Wliatever you do, beware of humorous advertising. The man who wants to buy an overcoat wants an overcoat and not a joke. You can never convince him that your coats are as good as your jokes, no matter how good your joke may be. Simply say as earnestly and solemnly as you can : ' I have good over- coats for sale cheap.' That is what the overcoat buyer wants to know. You may lead up to this statement as attractively as you choose, but that statement wants to stand out more dis- tinctly than any other part of your advertisement. How To Accomplish It. 265 Be earnest in your advertising. Believe what you say. Say only what you believe. Study the advertisements in this newspaper, little and big. They are the work of successful men. ' ' The ^ventfi^-yournal editor spoViQ well. Seldom do you find so much good advertising advice compressed into so few words. Truth and earnestness ! Think of them long and hard. Paste these two words in your desk so that every time you sit down to prepare advertising copy they will meet your eyes. They are synonymous with sincerity and thoroughness — two qualities inseparable from success. If you are earnest and truthful in your advertising you will undoubtedly be earnest and truthful with your employer aud business associates. Earnestness in your work will cause you to study how you can save your employer's money by the use of strong, succinct sentences, a study of rates and advertising mediums and a constant digging up of ideas. Study clearness of expression. Let the reader catch your meaning in the shortest possible time. Although compiling and studying ads in the same line of business is advisable to start a suggestion or a series of ideas yet do not depend too much upon outside aids. Train the mind to take the initiative and with its own strength follow fully a line of thought. The mind can be trained as well as the body. Will, memory and different brain qualities can be so strengthened and developed that what at first appears impossible presently becomes easy. The newspaper habit, the novel habit, the memorandum habit and various other mental habits get the mind in a rut — in a sort of crippled condition, as it were, so that it can only move with the crutches of outside assistance. This is bad. The mind of a writer should be free, fresh, spontaneous — in a condition to create and give proper expression to his own ideas. Granted that the new advertising writer's mental qualities are promising, then he should study the distinctive — the drama- tic features of his subject. This means analysis and a use of the perceptive qualities. After using his perceptions then he constructs, after constructing he judges. From start to finish 266 Successful Advertising his work demands the exercise of a round of faculties. The better equipped are his faculties by nature and training, the higher the quality of the work he turns out. Therefore it is inevitable that the advertising writer to turn out daily a certain amount of work must keep himself in the best possible physical and mental condition. If he dis- sipates, overexerts or underworks himself his work suffers. The mental self is at its best with physical comfort. The writer of advertising should study his readers. Much money is wasted by talking in a Harvard College style to a Bowery crowd, and many a Cambridge man has been disgusted with a too familiar tone. Three or four stirring display lines have been known to win a roomful, while a small paragraph with no head lines at all cut into trade as a diamond would into glass. Get into the atmosphere of your audience^ even if you have to get out of your own atmosphere. You do not want to talk to yourself, you want to talk to outsiders, — possible customers. And when you catch their eyes give them truthful, earnest statements. (In connection with the above is printed the following short article which Mr. MacDonald wrote for The Aavertisivg World issue of May, 1902, and which was reproduced by many adver- tising journals ) : Advice From an Adept in Attracting Attention. First of all the advertising writer must have something to say. If he has nothing to say and uses up a lot of words in try- ing to say it the result is labored to the readers as well as to the writer. Study the article to be advertised. Try and get at the point of view of the reader. Try and use the arguments that would influence him. He is the one to buy the goods. What you are trying to do is to sell goods. Presently you will find your ideas are presenting them- selves in some sort of order. And the more you think the clearer and clearer will your ideas become until they are so crystal ized that they are ready for expression on paper. At this point begin your writing. How To Accomplish It. 2(37 Just now you need not be so very particular about your choice of words. Simply write — using the words that come most readily and naturally. After you have given your ideas to paper resolve yourself into the stern critic. Concrete evidence of your ideas is before your eyes. Eliminate — condense — clarify ! Use short words instead of long. Use words well known instead of words that sound strange or strained. Use forcible words instead of weak. You will find that certain words add strength to your ideas, while others weaken. Keep a keen lookout for strong words. Do not be too terse. Say what you have to say — no more, no less. It's better to say too much than to say too little, providing you are giving facts. For the reader can skip what he does not wish to read, but he cannot supply omissions. Hew to the line of truth. There are enough truths about goods and prices to make strong impressions without using boomerang lies. Write — re-write and again re-write ! It is worth every thinking and writing effort. For advertising space is costly, and an idea poorly put may lose a sale — yes, several. The proper connection between the point of a pen and the brain is not always in perfect working order. Perfection in writing conies through practice and more practice. The Advertising Solicitor. This is a gentleman for whom I entertain so profound a consideration that never yet have I attempted an article upon the subject. He is a subject so deep, broad, and many-sided that no pen could begin to do justice to him. "There are some natures," says Dumas in speaking of 268 Successful Advertising D'Artagnan, "that resemble thunder and lightning." They are incapable of analysis, be their visit long or short, at any time or under any condition they leave an impress impossible to the conventional. Approachable and unapproachable, good advertising solicitors can approach anybody and talk upon any subject — rules and regulations have no barriers for them, as they fly over obstacles with the ease of a thoroughbred racer taking a four-barred gate — they are splendid socially and supreme in a business deal— they put themselves in instant touch with the mood of "the other party," whether it represents the deepest despair or happiest humor— in short they sympathize with every emotion for the reason probably that they have gone the psycho- logical path to the limit. Advertising solicitors are born, then developed by experience. Successful advertising solicitors are rare — so rare that pub- lications have been known to die when they lost the services of good men whom no expenditure of effort or money could replace. First of all, the advertising solicitor studies his paper — its possibilities and present resources. He shines when familiarizing himself with the idiosyncra- sies of advertisers — when overcoming their prejudices — when driving to their innermost convictions arguments in favor of his paper — when knocking argument over with counter argu- ment — when entertaining and demonstrating his many qualities as a man and a good fellow. He knows his paper inside, outside, topside, bottomside, right side, left side, round side, square and on the bias — he knows how partial Brown is to the upper right corner last page, and how Smith likes a position surrounded by reading matter opposite editorial page. He sees that Smith and Brown get what they want, and if there are any little luxuries in the way of special type, cuts or reading notices, you may be sure these gentlemen will get " all that is coming to them." He has mastered the tricks of writing ads — in many cases he can give ideas to artists, and not unfrequently does he give the advertiser business pointers of great value. But after all the advertising solicitor is governed by the same law that governs every person and business proposition ; the law of supply and demand. How To Accomplish It. 209 If his medium is good, business naturally gravitates towards it, and his personality helps along the gravitation. If his medium is poor, his abilities must be exerted to the utmost, and even then the results are anything but satisfactory. The Hustler. The aurora of morn illuminated the Oriental horizon with a radiance thatsaid, ifanything : "This is the sun's busy day." Shafts of morning light struck in a chamber window — fourth floor front of a Columbus Avenue boarding-house — and tickled the nose of the sleeper. Presently an alarm clock with a loud acclaim announced that it was seven thirty. The sleeper, awoke, scratched his head, looked dubiously at the clock, then turned over on his side for another snooze. Fifteen minutes later there was a rat-tat-tat at the door and the servant girl shrilly announced that breakfast was growing cold. The Hustler jumped out of bed. In his haste to dress he lost his collar button and broke his shoe lace. Hurriedly open- ing his trunk, he found another lace and button, but mussed his trunk up fearfully. In the excitement he tipped his ink bottle on the carpet — the landlady's pride — in rushing down stairs nearly annihilated a four-year-old toddler and a flight below stepped in a bucket of water which the scrub-lady considerately left there while on a tour of personal investigation. The Hustler tackled the breakfast. The full bill of fare was fruit, oatmeal, mutton chops, wheat cakes and coflee, but the Hustler only found time to swallow a chop, a wheat cake and a cup of coSee. Then rushing up to the hall rack he seized his hat and overcoat and was soon at a rapid pace to the elevated station. Up the steps he went like a sprinter — turned a nickel into a ticket — dropped the ticket into the chopper — then at the risk of his life caught a train. The guard swore, then slammed the gate. The Hustler hung on a strap and in a short while found himself at his place of business. The Hustler was a Hustling Advertising Man. He swept into his ofiice like a Kansas cyclone and so disturbed the equanimity of the new estimating clerk that she could accom- 270 Successful Advertising plish nothing that morning. Copy came in, but the Hustler was too busy to give much attention to it. He got in a wordy war with the office boy on the location of the waste basket, then hustled over to an artist with an idea, but forgot the suggestion in his excess of energy before securing the artist's attention. A man with a proposition sent in his card, but the Hustler was too busy to see him. A pleasant advertising solicitor on a clieap medium ignoring cards and office boys rushed in with out- stretched hand : " Know you are awful busy, old man, so am I, but thought you could give us a quarter page for an anniversary issue." Ah ! here was a tribute to the Hustler's hustling qualities. He felt flattered and gave his visitor the ad. A beautiful blonde programme siren with a voice that thrilled then engaged his attention. The Hustler pretended to be busy with important papers, etc., but he yielded to the hyp- notic spell of his fair visitor and gave her a liberal ad. The office boy rushed in with some proofs and two cards. "Show them right in — don't waste time — I am in a hurry," exhorted the Hustler, and the two visitors entered. One had a proposition which to absorb would at least take ten minutes. The other came to arbitrate a dispute on bills. They were strangers to each other. The Hustler rattled over his proofs — pretended not to see the men — then looking up with a well-feigned surprise, said : "Ah — good morning, gentlemen — what is it — lam in a great hurry this morning — my desk you see is covered with proofs of my new ads." The visitors, seeing the man so busy, took time by the forelock with a vengeance. Both began talking simultaneously and vociferously. The Hustler rattled the proofs, and appear- ing to read and listen, did neither. Presently he broke in on the conversation by calling over to the office boy : "Thomas, I must go down to Park Row, as I have an important appointment there in ten minutes. You must excuse me, gentlemen, and call in on me some morning when I am not so busy." How To Accomplish It. 271 Seizing his hat and coat he hustled out. In and out of newspaper offices rushed the Hustler. Up in composing rooms he appeared, rattling the compositors within an inch of their lives. In his eagerness to get to the sidewalk the Hustler could scarcely wait for the elevator and threatened to jump down the elevator shaft. Once the sidewalk was reached he rushed along like mad. Two advertising men happened along and noting the frantic eagerness of the Hustler, said : " Blobson is a wonderful worker — a great hustler." " He may be a hustler, but his ads are d d poor " ; which showed that the last speaker was more of a thinker than just a hustler. Onward, bumping against people — treading on pet corns and gouty toes — rushed the Hustler. In an advertis- ing agency went he, but so busy was the Hustler that no time could be given to anything. He had no time to sit down — he had no time to talk — he had no time to listen — he had no time to think, and when after a hard day of hustling the Hustler hustled down his dinner, he found he had to hustle down town in order to see that hustling farce comedy, " The Hustler." He hustled in the morning and he hustled at night, And he hustled all the day, He hustled at his business and at everything in sight, But he hustled no headway. The Jollier. When the Jollier sat down to the breakfast table he gazed admiringly at the waitress, then said : " Upon my word, Anastasia O'Brien, you are growing better looking every day. You look positively charming. How do you manage it ?' ' And Anastasia O'Brien, who was thirty-five if a day and as graceful as a cow, permitted a look of intense delight to lighten up her gnarled countenance while ambling off to the kitchen to procure the choicest article of fruit, the thickest piece of steak, the most delicious toast and the best cup of coffee for the agree- able Mr. Jollier. Plain John Smith, who was simply a gentle- 272 Successful Advertising man that promptly paid his board, had to worry along with a steak rather tough and coffee indifferent. Breakfast over the Jollier leisurely sauntered over to the elevated. He winked at the news girl on the corner, exchanged a witticism with the policeman, smiled as he received his ticket from the ticket seller and complimented the ticket chopper upon the skillful manner with which he chopped tickets. Stepping aboard the downtown train the Jollier was rather rudely jostled by somebody who appeared to be in a great hurry. Turning around two old friends met : The Jollier and the Hustler. The Hustler was in too much of a hurry to say anything, so ahead in the car bumped he, upsetting the equanimity of a stout gentle- man who was reading the Sun and hitting two young ladies together with a force that set their new Easter hats awry. Then the Hustler hung on a strap at the further end of the car. As for the Jollier, finding all seats engaged, he hung on a strap directly in front of a twelve year old boy. Gazing for some minutes at the youngster the Jollier concluded his study of the boy by beamingly saying : " Do you know, young man, that if I had your strong stout legs and excellent figure I would be inclined to stand up simply for the exercise given my lower limbs." The boy stood up — he knew not why. The Jollier sat down and was soon lost in Cholly Knickerbocker's talk in the American. Arriving at his place of business the Jollier speedily disposed of his morning mail and arranged for the day's duties. The Jollier was business manager of a weak weekly that needed just such a man to keep it alive and he did keep it alive with such vigor that its fat advertising columns were the marvel of the advertising world. The first advertiser approached by the Jollier that morning was in no pleasant mood. Business was bad and he saw no results from advertising in The Derrick anyway. But the Jollier only smiled : " Mr. Thompson, you know in what deep respect I hold your judgment. To have built up the large business you enjoy is an evidence of no ordinary mind. Little trade setbacks will come from time to time but a man of your calibre will never How To Accomplish It. 273 permit them to discourage you. Increase your advertising in The Derrick from half a column to a double half column. But why use arguments with you ? The ability you have displayed in matters of past grave import," etc. The Jollier jollied Mr. Thompson up and down the sweet nerve of flattery in a manner truly artistic, then came away with a double half column ad. Sigemund Goldstein was dubious about taking any more space in The Derrick. He had spent nearly five hundred dollars in its columns but could not say he saw any results therefrom. "Advertising is cumulative," opened up the Jollier. " Advertise to-day and you accomplish nothing — keep on advertising and a year from to-day you will be surprised at the number of orders you will receive " (and well Mr. Goldstein may be for he will receive none). " Ours is a high-class circu- lation — The Derrick swings high — ha, ha, good joke, Mr. Gold- stein — and you know from the high-class nature of your business how difficult it is to make an impression upon the aristocracy of customers. Speaking about aristocracy, Mr. Goldstein, I wish to say that your daughter Rachel created a sensation at the Levy reception last week. You ought to see how everybody pressed to pay her attention," and so on followed a stream of gufif about Goldstein's bewitching Rachel. The Jollier came away with a six months' renewal of contract. Terrence Gillhooly kept a Raines' Law Hotel, but that did not prevent him from running a cut of a building not unlike one of New York's leading hostelries in the advertising columns of The Derrick. His contract was about to expire and he determined not to renew it. So, Terrence informed the Jollier, but that gentlemau, through a long familiarity with similar cases, knew how to handle this instance : "Ah — Mr. Gillhooly — this weather is indeed delightful. How is the Buck of Buckingham? as Richard the three times used to say. As chipper as ever? What'll you have? Let's brace up on a little of the real thing. Say — barkeep — a little Irish whisky. Oh whisky, you are the devil, You've led me far astray. Over hills and over valleys, 18 Until I am far away. 274 Successful Advertising " These fine ballads of dear old Ireland touch me to the quick (a little more of the same, please). Tom Moore knew how to put the words together. Ah — yes, indeed (a little more seltzer, please, and a couple of imported medium cigars). I want to tell you about a compliment I heard this morning about Gillhooly's hotel. In coming down to business on a Fifth Ave- nue stage coach, one aristocratic looking gentleman said to his equally swell friend : ' I wonder what are the rates at Gill- hooley's hotel?'" (The Jollier talks to Gillhooly a straight hour in which time he puts ten drinks into that individual and gets him to renew his six months' contract with a double space.) Then the Jollier takes a cab over to Miss Gillmartin's — the little dressmaker. He always takes a cab when calling upon her, in order to " make an impression." He goes in ecstacies over one of her latest "creations," and comes away with a bunch of copy and a three months' contract. After which the Jollier takes out Mr. Johnson — who is somewhat of an advertiser himself — to luncheon. Two hours later Mr. Johnson is delivered in a happy condition in his ofSce, and the Jollier, before bidding him good-bye, pockets a half page ad .with a promise of several more to follow. Then the Jollier saunters forth for further victims. He fills up one with whisky and milk. To another he talks learn- edly upon the influence of a college course in shaping a young man's business success, (This advertiser has a boy at college.) Then he calls upon Mr. Smith and takes him up to Shanley's in a cab. After an excellent dinner a small select party under the tutelage of the Jollier goes over to Weber & Fields and when morning again brings with it breakfast and Anastasia O'Brien, the latter lady does her best to make right the break- fast of the nicest man in town. How To Accomplish It. 275 Getting to the Reader's Level. The successful advertising man must possess such qualifica- tions as : 1. Knowledge of human nature. 2. Originality tempered with horse sense. 3. A vast fund of information and experience. 4. The commercial instinct. 5. Knowledge of type and typographical effect 6. Ability to write quickly, easily, concisely. 7. A keen perspective faculty. He ought to appreciate the value of his employer's money ; the worth of advertising mediums ; he ought to know all about illustrations ; how to get the best work from artists and printers, and a whole lot of other things. I place knowledge of human nature first in the above cate- gory, for without it the advertising man is useless. And that brings me right near the subject of which I wish to treat in this paper, viz., how to get to the reader's level — how to interest the reader in your story — how to induce him to buy your goods — how to move him by wit, argument, anecdote, illustration or typographical appearance. It is a fine study. You must put yourself in the place of your audience. You must search for his strong and weak points — you must be constantly putting him through a most searching analysis. For if you do not know your man — or woman — you may be rubbing the fur the wrong way, and repelling instead of attracting a possible customer. At dinner, the other evening, in an uptown hotel, a young man spoke of a clever ad that appeared in that day's Evening Post. "It's wonderfully clever !" he exclaimed enthusiastically, to the lady sitting beside him. She expressed a desire to read it, and between the courses it was peeped at. She was mightily interested in it, and so was the elderly gentleman next to her, and soon the whole table read the ad. It was a short ad — about two hundred lines, single column, without an illustration, and 276 Successful Advertising "with but one headline ; but the text was so entertainingly written that it was read with interest by a group who had no earthly desire for the article advertised. It influenced these men and women to the point where they were guilty of a slight breach of table etiquette. Now, if that ad were interesting enough to be read by people who had no use for the article advertised, it must have been doubly interesting to those who desire such an article. But that same ad would be lost in papers with less cul- tured readers. An East-Sider fresh from his daily toil — a police- man direct from his beat, or a longshoreman from the docks enjoying his favorite paper with his after dinner pipe, would not be likely to revel in any piece of fine advertising writing. If he became interested in an ad it would be because he wanted a bargain pair of trousers or a cheap pair of shoes. In such a case he would want the value to stick right out before his eyes in bold type, and be told in a manner unmistakable in its bargain strength. He is not looking for literature — he is looking for bar- gains. The thrifty German riding uptown in the elevated is likely to become interested in his Zeitung' s advertising columns. His attention would be attracted to — and he would carefully read — all about a special sale of underwear and hosiery. Our German friend would read this hosiery and underwear ad if he contem- plated buying hosiery and underwear, thought he could afford the money and if he felt the advertiser was honest in his state- ments. A few grammatical errors would not bother him. That same ad in some high-class German weekly would provoke criticism by reason of its looseness of construction. The effectiveness of the ad would be thus lost — which reason would hardly ever operate against the effectiveness of an ad in a "popular" publication. When I took charge of Hayden Bros.' advertising in Omaha, the first thing I did was to get myself acquainted with the class of people I had to reach. I used to walk through the first-floor aisles and note the men and women buying — stand near the main entrance and study Nebraskans as they came in and out — - How To Accomplish It. 277 aud occasionally walk through Faruum, Douglas, or any of Omaha's streets to receive impressions. I noticed that women were, as a rule, not too well dressed — that jewelry was conspicuo-us by its absence — that men paid but little attention to style — that money seemed hard to get — in fact, it was the hard summer of '94, when farmers were so hard up that in several cases they killed their horses and fed them to hogs rather than keep them. People were so occupied with saving and making the mighty dollar that they had no time to read nice advertising. They were influenced by ads that would drive home the strongest sort of bargain arguments, and prices had to be pretty small to be interesting. So I gave Omaha people the hurrah, straight-from-the- shoulder, page, half-page and quarter-page advertising, with plenty of meaty items and small prices, and Hayden Bros, said it was a success. Just so with Denver, Salt Lake, Portland or any part of the West during the three or four years of financial depression — the flashy, noisy style of advertising was the style that attracted. Personally, I like nice advertising — the clean-cut — the logi- cal — the witty — the advertising that attracts the eye and is a delight to the mind. But what is the use of writing such adver- tising when it fails in results ? Now, in New York, such adver- tising pays well. Why ? Read the answer in the thousands of intelligent masculine faces you see everywhere in and about New York. In the street cars, ferr>'boats, waiting rooms and suburban trains you notice an army of clean-cut, nicely dressed men of all ages, whose appearance bespeaks wealth, leisure, taste in dress, nicety, discrimination. You must appeal to them with the nicest sort of advertising. That explains the reason why Brill Bros., Wm. Vogel & Son, Rogers, Peet & Co., and other Gotham concerns are so successful with their nice advertising. They have the audience to speak to. Therefore, Mr. Budding Advertising Man, give careful con- sideration to your audience before you speak your little piece through the advertising trumpet. Find out whether your audi- ence is rich or poor — whether it is well educated or not — whether it is keen and appreciative, or dull and drowsy. 278 Successful Advertisings Another ver>' important rule : Always be good-humored. Never allow a suspicion of annoyance, surliness or jealousy to creep into your advertising literature. The public likes to laugh — to be tickled— to be pleased. And when you try to please them with your bargain stories— it makes no matter what your subject is — you can be all the more successful when there is a vein of good humor running through your talk. Use Short Words. Frequently the traveling optics of masculine and feminine students of advertising, in studying typographical arrangements of intellectual publicity; productions profound in their ponder- osity, are reminded of the wisdom — yes, necessity — of the advice contained in the following triple-word selection : — Use Short Words ! The quintessence of truth boiled down to such an infinit- esimal degree that the remaining sediment is composed of jewels exceedingly rich, rare and recherche — withal microscopic — is owing to the advertising gospel centered in this following com- bination of two consonants and a vowel : — Use Short Words ! Advertisers ! Why ruthlessly ransack the dictionary — why rake up from the remotest recesses of mental ramifications words obsolete, words heavy and hoary with antiquity, words tongue- twisting and brain-destroying in their polysyllabic longitude, words that the Anglo-Saxon hurled upon William the Con- queror and words that empty every box in the compositor's case, when before your sagacious gaze lies this advice : — Use Short Words ! The mental calibre of your audience is a serious considera- tion — too serious to ever fall into inoccuous desuetude. It must be alwa)'S retained in its completest energy within the confines of your think tank, and no matter how intellectual or otherwise your audience may be, forget not to Use Short Words ! The presumption is that when an advertising expression is at tlie point of your pen you should immediately concentrate How To Accomplish It. 279 all your mental qualities in giving said expression the happiest and concisest form. For itispossible to manipulate the English language in such a manner that the manipulation will bring joy or pain to the reader. And never — oh, never! — fail to attach extreme significance to the following time-honored and truth- proven advertising adage : — Use Short Words ! Advertising space is valuable because of the immovable, irre- vocable and inevitable law of supply and demand. Affluent pub- lishers and cold, calculating business managers quite some decades ago discovered that paper cost considerable cash ; type could only be obtained by displaying and then depositing the shim- mering simoleons, and compositors callously called for shining spondolux each succeeding Saturday. Even the production of a weekly was no weak enterprise. Therefore the advertiser was " soaked so good and hard" that the only opportunity evident to that interesting individual to get ahead of the game in pre- paring his publicity paean was to Use Short Words ! By earnestly adhering to this mode of procedure he not only renders himself more intelligible to his readers, but also pro- duces a greater number of words for their edification at a cost more commensurate with the proportions of his bank account. Beware, gentle reader, beware ! of the unfortunate and utterly ridiculous habit of using words of elongated measures (which convey a rivulet of ideas but a Niagara of noises) when into your ear is dinned this advice : — Use Short Words ! The above Mr. MacDonald wrote for Fame^ but " between the lines " of jaw-breakers appears the force of the lesson : Use Short Words : All understand short words. Short words drive home points that long words never do. Short words hit — long words miss. Short words are the every day words — long words belong to the dictionary. Short words make the advertising story remem- bered — long words cause it to be forgotten. In the selection of words it is best to Use Short Words ! i80 Successful Advertisings Printers' Ink Interview, J. Angus MacDonald, Formerly Advertising Manager for Jordan, Marsh & Co., Boston, Compares New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston and Western Advertising by Careful Study— New York Needs a Com- bination of Wanamaker and Boston Styles— Philadelphia Style Wouldn't Go in Chicago, or Vice Versa— Prices Are Trade Magnets- Cuts Are Worth Double Price, But Ought Not to Cost It. The largest dry goods store in America, with one or two possible exceptions, is Jordan, Marsh & Co., of Boston. It does about $200,000 of advertising annually and locally. Its adver- tising is largely of the catalogue order — that is, composed of descriptives and prices and pictures. It fills full pages of the Sunday Herald and Globe, and it fills anywhere from a half- column to a half-page in the regular daily papers. It's good advertising — in Boston. It's well written, it's well managed and it's well typo- graphed. I used to go into Jordan, Marsh & Co 's when Angus MacDonald was their advertising manager, and watch him sit in an office whose walls were entirely obscured by advertising proofs of the eighty odd departments which he marshaled into one glorious and conquering whole. He used to tell me how he not only studied everything there was to learn about " mer- chandising," as Mr. Gillam would say, but also absorbed the writings of the leading authors, both modern and ancient, for the purpose of acquiring style, finish and polish, versatility and the ability to make 500,000 different people with difierent tastes and different educations read what he might have to say about anything from hairpins to sideboards. Occasionally he used to fill a page of some of the Boston dailies with articles of more than passing interest on other sub- jects than dry goods, writing from pure love of the thing and to exercise his literary ability. With one assistant, he was handling an advertising depart- ment as large as Wanamaker's, where they employ a dozen men for this work. How To Accomplish It. 281 He was overworking, of course. One day he broke down, and his doctor sent him to Florida. STUDYING THE EAST AND WEST. He stayed South two months, and travelled back North very slowly, stopping to make a study of advertising in Phila- delphia, Washington and New York, and then went West, study- ing advertising in Chicago, Omaha and Denver. He stayed West long enough to do some brilliant advertising for some of the big concerns out there, and incidentally to breathe in Rocky Mountain ozone. With rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes, he loomed up in New York the other day, I saw him on Broadway, and I nailed him for an interview. I asked him what he thought of New York advertising, Philadelphia advertising, Boston advertising and Western advertising ; what kind of advertising was the best ; whether Gillam would Gillamize Gotham, and whether he himself intended to settle down in New York. I found that he was here at the request of one of the big department stores and that he was studying out a plan and style of advertising that would combine the best in advertising elsewhere and best applicable to New York. I believe every dry goods man in the United States, every retail dealer who does a line of advertising, will find it full of suggestions and observations and analytical deduction of interest and value. " Which city does the best advertising? " I asked first. " It is a question in my mind whether Chicago or Phila- delphia. Boston advertising is good for the Hub." " What's the difference between Philadelphia and Chicago ? " "Philadelphia is all Wanamaker. Chicago is everything but Wanamaker.' ' " Do you think the Wanamaker style will go in Chicago ? " " No, and the Chicago style would not go in Philadelphia." " Will the Wanamaker style be ' a go ' in New York ? " " It would take the seventh son of a seventh son to answer that question. Wait a year or two, and Mauley Gillam will answer it for you. However, if you pin me down, I will tell 282 Successful Advertising you what I think on the subject. Now Philadelphians are quiet, easy-going people whose minds run in placid channels. For them, the conversational style of dry goods advertising was a boon, as it contained no startling announcements or surprises. There is no other large city so peculiar in that respect as Phila- delphia. Now the New York public is quite different. Why wouldn't it be a good point instead of giving the New York public the Philadelphia style — give them, say, a cross between the Boston and Philadelphia style? You see, Boston's advertis- ing is more crisp, terse and forcible than the Wanamaker con- versational method. Now, why not have a combination of the two — a style that New York would call its own, and contain the cream of Boston and Philadelphia style ? Facts and figures, and good old-fashioned New England logic, deftly mixed with pleasing, artistic Wanamaker announcements, ought to make a taking combination in New York." NEW YORK CAN IMPROVE. "What do you think of New York advertising?" " I think it capable of much improvement." " Does the crowd come to bargains ? " " Yes, sir. You spread before the public genuine bargains and they * come and partake ' every time." " Do prices attract ? '' " Prices are the real magnets, especially in dry goods adver- tising. Women always read and comment on the prices. They are sharp judges and quickly scent values." " Does the public always believe newspaper ads ?" "The average person believes in the announcements of reliable Eastern houses. There is no question whatever on this point. Out West, where everything is viewed through golden spectacles, the public take advertisements with grains of salt ; but the fact that they respond shows that they have some belief." " Who chiefly patronize ads ? '' " Women. Nine cases out of ten it is the woman who reads and remembers an advertisement." " Don't men respond ? " How To Accomplish It. 283 "To a degree, yes; but they haven't the time nor the economical instinct that their wives, sisters and daughters have." "What do you think of cuts? " BELIEVES IN CUTS. " I am a firm believer in cuts. An illustrated ad is far more effective than any other. A picture always attracts, and tells the story quicker and is more effective than mere type." " Are cuts worth double rates? '' " I always hate to pay double rates for cuts, as I think that charge an imposition, but frequently it pays to do it." " How much advertising space should a store use in a news- paper ? ' ' "That is a hard question to answer. Jordan, Marsh & Co.'s page ads are almost weekly occurrences, whereas Lord & Taylor's total ads for six months scarcely amount to a full page, Siegel, Cooper & Co., in Chicago, with the biggest store in the world, use a page nearly every Sunday, while the Denver Dry Goods Co., in Denver, with about 200 employees, use about the same amount of space in the Denver papers. It is simply fol- lowing the pace you or your neighbors set." Anable Atherton. This appeared in Printer's Ink in August, 1895. Anyone familiar with New York advertising can tell whether or not my judgment was correct — J. A. MacD. Booklet Advertising. Within the past few years booklet advertising has become wonderfully popular. Every line of business now appreciates the benefits to be derived from booklets, and although many booklet efforts sadly miss the mark of excellence, yet some are beautiful specimens of literary, artistic and typographical skill. As I said before, every branch of business can use the booklet to advantage. It is the mean between a circular and a catalogue. Generally the former is valueless because it says too little, and is done to death, and the latter is too expensive. The booklet can tell your story well — it can detail your business as 284 Successful Advertising no circular, poster or newspaper ad can — it does not cost so very much, and if gotten up rightly is likely to be welcomed by the recipient. Take for instance a summer hotel. The proprietor at this time is looking about him for some good way to advertise his resort. The newspapers and magazines are good — he knows that by the past experience of himself and others. But they are mighty expensive, and he can say very little about the merits of his rooms and table— the accessibility and situation of his hotel — the surroundings, etc., etc. The road out of the difficulty lies through the booklet. Let him get up a twenty-four or thirty-six page booklet of medium size, with half-tone illustra- tions showing exterior and interior views of his hostelry, inter- spersed with bright, interesting letter press. Let him have this booklet attended to by a good writer, artist and printer, and he will find very satisfactory results from the same. An edition of five, ten or twenty-five thousand — as the case may require — can be issued, and the lot sent to a list of selected names which he can procure from metropolitan concerns which make a business of securing such lists. Take again a shoedealer. He has a good store, good stock, and a satisfactory trade. His spring stock in footwear shows many styles that are new in his district. His spring and sum- mer stocks will be more complete and interesting this season than ever before. He is burning with a desire to let his vicinity know all this. He can do it through the booklet. Let him get up a neat, illustrated booklet with a tasty cover — if in colors so much the better — have every page illustrated with two or more footwear designs. Speak in an entertaining way about the new stock and the popular shapes, and put it in the hands of every man and woman in his town and vicinity. If the booklet is gotten up as it should be, it will not be thrown away. On the contrary, every member of the household will glance at it to get a few pointers on shoes. Same way with clothing. There strayed to my hands last fall a booklet on fall and winter styles in clothing and furnish- ings from the celebrated Gotham concern, Rogers, Peet & Co. I have that booklet yet. I did not save it from the fact that I How To Accomplish It. 285 am an advertising man and love to look over good specimens of advertising. No, I can honestly say I did not, but rather from the fact that it gave me several valuable pointers regarding a winter wardrobe which several young friends and I have used to advantage in securing clothing and furnishings. It is my belief that men keep these booklets and occasionally glance in them when they want a pair of trousers, a pair of shoes, or anything to add to their wardrobes. ^ The department store can well utilize a series of booklets speaking of its different departments. Prices should always be given in booklets as well as full descriptions of the goods. There should not be too much talk. The sentences should be short and full of point. The paragraphs should not be too long. Better have two or three paragraphs on one suggestion, than one long-winded paragraph on the same thought. Short sentences — short paragraphs — but long enough to give full meaning to every thought, should be the writer's rule. If the paper permits use half-tones or wood engravings. In the eyes of some they may not be as artistic as pen and ink drawings, but in the eyes of the many they are stronger and bring out the points of the goods better. When you start to get up a booklet, start with the idea to get up a good one. It does not pay to scrimp on the paper, printing, illustrating and writing. A booklet is supposed to be kept and remembered, and to be thus kept and remembered it should be attractive in appearance and contents. The newspa- per is for a day, the magazine for a month. All advertising is short lived, but that which lives longest is probably the booklet rightly gotten up. When a retailer issues a booklet he should be careful to speak only of the lines which he is certain will remain in stock for at least six months. Most newspaper advertising refers to goods that will be disposed of over the bargain counter inside of a week. Booklet advertising speaks of the lines you will carry^ right through the season. 286 Successful Advertising Spend Money to Make Money. " Mr. Allen told of a conversation that he had with Mr. Duke, in which Mr. Duke complained of the large amount that his firm, Duke, Sons & Co., had to expend for advertising. 'Mr. Duke told me,' said the witness, 'that in 1888 he spent ^508,000 for advertising,' Mr. Allen went on to say that other cigarette manufacturers to whom he talked had correspondingly large expenses, and that he urged upon them the advisability of combination. Mr. Duke, he said, said to him that a consolidation would be a good thing, as doing away with competition in advertising. ' What was the purpose of the formation of the American Tobacco Company ? ' asked Mr. Fuller, on cross-examination. ' It was to save the large expenses of individual advertis- ing,' replied Mr. Allen ; ' to save expenses on salesmen, to save office expenses, in general to promote economy in the man- ufacturing and distribution of the products of the companies combining.' " From report of Tobacco Trust Trial ^ New York S/ai. One thing is certain. If James B. Duke, President of the American Tobacco Company, did not spend $508,000 in 1888 for advertising, Duke's Cameo Cigarettes would not be so well known to the cigarette world and lots of chappies would be puffing to-day in place of Duke's Cameo Cigarettes the Sweet Caporal, High Admiral, Vanity Fair, or some other brand. The above clipping gives a little bit of light on the sums spent by well-known concerns in advertising. Advertising is vital to nearly every business to-day. When a man or firm wishes to push a specialty a liberal appropriation is usually made for advertising purposes. When this liberal appropriation is not made the enterprise dies an early death. Perry Davis began his great Pain Killer business by ped- dling bottles of Pain Killer from door to door. When he got a little ahead he began advertising — his sales then began to increase with the better knowledge of his Pain Killer and in How To Accomplish It. 287 proportion to the increase of business Mr. Davis enlarged his advertising appropriation. I believe Dr. J. C. Ayer started in about the same way. Even in their early days these men appreciated the power of advertising. But Davis and Ayer started their business many years ago. Conditions have changed since then. Modern times demand modern methods. And advertising plays a mighty part in mod- ern business methods. Fortunes are annually spent by big con- cerns in publicity. Enormous salaries are paid trained special- ists to direct the expenditure of these fortunes. This is meet, logical and just. One of the first axioms that the business fledgling learns is " To make money you must spend money." The day has gone by when one can conjure up dollars with little exertion and expenditure. There are too many aspirants in every field. The aspirant with the cleverest brain and the bank account to match "gets there" first. His clever brain will tell him how much to spend in advertising — in management — in salesman- ship — in manufacturing — in each detail. He buys brains to help his. He knows that hard cash will buy ever>'thing — men, papers, machinery — whatever maybe necessary for his business. If I cared to mention some of the amounts tliat passed through my hands to pay my client's advertising bills the quo- tations would startle you. Very few people outside of those actually engaged in advertising have anywhere near an approx- imate idea of the fortunes spent in advertising. It is safe to say that over ^500,000,000 are annually spent by American ad- vertisers. If Mr. Duke started in this modern age to advertise his cigarettes as did Messrs. Davis and Ayer fifty or sixty years ago with their patent medicines where would he be to-day ? James B. Duke appreciated the truth of the adage "To make money you must spend money." He was not afraid to spend it in whatever direction he thought necessary to the ben- efit of his business and in this connection gave advertising its due credit. When he arrived at that point where he was spend- ing half a million dollars a year on advertising alone he 288 Successful Advertising thought of a scheme to reduce the advertising and other expenses. Hence the trust. When the trust was formed there was no occasion for such extensive advertising because the field was swept clear of rivals. With greater competition comes a greater dc7nandfor adver- tising. When you enter a field that is already well filled you should do a tall lot of advertising to put your business in the front. When you enter a field in which you stand alone you should advertise too, so as to let people know that you are ready to serve their wants in a particular line, but it stands to reason that the advertising need not be so fierce and aggressive as when the field is already well occupied. Itisall very well to give a few platitudes on thrift and say, " A fool and his money are soon parted," but more failures in business can be attributed to niggardliness and greed than is generally supposed. A reputation for being stingy is about the worst reputation a man can have. It hurts in business and in social life. Success does not love the stingy. She flutters about the liberal — the generous hearted — the people who have good red blood in their veins. Intelligent thrift is all right. But stupid thrift— the thrift the fool uses when he "saves dimes and loses dollars" — the thrift that "saves at the spigot and wastes at the bunghole " is idiocy. And yet how many practice it and pat themselves on the back for being economical ! When you start in to do some advertising, do it right. Do not go at it in a half-hearted way and grow frightened and stop before the battle is half fought. If you are satisfied you are right, go ahead ! And to advertise right means the expenditure of good money. It means cash paid to mediums in which to place your ads, to writers to write your ads and to artists to illustrate your ads. Each of these needs, if worth anything, demands a fair payment. How To Accomplish It. 289 ** Dry Goods' Economist" Interview. How J. Angus MacDonald Uses His Space— What Attracts Most Atten- tion—*' Tell the Truth "—How to Train a Young Man to Write Ads— As to Criticism. Some helpful advertising hints, pertinently put, were fur- nished an Economist representative the other day in the course of an instructive chat with J. Angus MacDonald, the man who frames and fashions Bloomingdale Bros.' ads. Though young in years, Mr. MacDonald is a veteran in this field, and his obser- vations disclose some of the methods which invest the Blooming- dale ads with their trade-drawing power. From a typographical standpoint the ads of this store, as they appear in the daily papers, look crowded, and if judged by printers or ad writers generally, would not be accorded so high a place as the ads of some of the other big stores. Questioned upon this point, Mr. MacDonald smiled and hesitated, as if he had heard the criticism before. Then he said : "We buy space in the newspapers in order to use it ; and that is just what we do with it after we buy it. I believe in the 'open' ad display where it is feasible and expedient ; but experience has taught me that in appealing to people who purchase at retail, especially women folk, prices cut the most effective figure, and the more prices you give them, and the bigger the list of articles, the better they like it. " I believe, too, in using art and literature when compatible with the end aimed at, but when their use means a sacrifice of financial results, they should be tabooed. Speaking of art and literature, I am reminded of what Paul Dana, the editor of the Sun^ had to say upon this subject at a dinner which I attended. Referring to the work of the advertiser, he said that he occupied an enviable position as compared with the author or the artist. The author, he said, was compelled to stick to literature, and the artist to art, whereas, the advertiser had the privilege of working in both fields — as well as in a third field — the field of business. " This is true, and perhaps it is this very license that makes some ads ineffective as business- bringers." 19 290 Successful Advertising After some further remarks upon this phase of the subject, Mr. MacDonald observed : " I suppose that our greatest success lies in the fact that we always know what we are doing." Parenthetically, it may be here remarked that the whole secret of successful advertising is embodied in that simple sentence. Reverting to the typographical make-up of Bloomingdale Bros.' ads, Mr. MacDonald said: "The wants of several mil- lions of people are numberless, and the better we cover the ground in calling attention to the extent to which we can sup- ply their needs the better the ad serves its purpose. Our cus- tomers, and the general public as well, have become accustomed to this style of advertising, and it is just as characteristic of this store as are other exclusive ideas which we utilize. "Don't misunderstand nie. I don't believe in crowding matter into an ad to such an extent as to make it difficult to read ; but I do believe in offering the public the greater variety from which to make selections. We think that we have reduced this end of the business to a science, or as near to that point as possible. " If our ads elicit adverse criticism on the part of those who think they know better than we do how trade should be appealed to, why, we don't mind it. It is results that tell. Criticism against successful methods is unavailing. Take, to go outside of the pale of the subject for an illustration, the work of the late Burne-Jones. He was bitterly assailed for years by fellow-artists and the critics, and yet, without varying from his methods, he came to be regarded as one of the foremost artists of his day. Pardon the comparison, but so it is with us. We may be criti- cised, but we get the results ; and that's what we are after." " What is the most attractive feature of an ad to the average run of shoppers?" the Economist representative asked Mr. Mac- Donald during a brief lull in the talk. " Prices," was the quick reply, followed with " I mean com- parative prices, showing at what price the goods were sold and the price at which they are being offered." In Mr. MacDonald's ofTice, up on the fifth floor of the Bloomingdale Bros.' store, a sign depending from the ceiling How To Accomplish It. 2!3l bears in large, plain black letters the words, "Tell the Truth," It was this sign that suggested the next question : "What do you consider the most vital principle in advertising?" To this question Mr. MacDouald replied: "We believe in doing everything we promise to do, and just as we promise to do it," which, it will be noted, was but another way of saying "Tell the Truth." "Two most successful retail advertisers," he continued, "John E. Powers and M. M. Gillam, both of whom at different times wrote Wanamaker's ads, rigidly adhered to this plan. They were both thoroughly clean and honest, and their charac- ters were reflected in their ads. From any standpoint, business or moral, it's better to tell the truth ; for if you don't it will soon be found out. And the advertiser who doesn't live up to his professions must fail." Asked for some advice to give to the advertiser in the small town, Mr. MacDonald said : "In the first place, I would advise him to get hold of a young man with the intelligence that suggests a proper capacity and ability to do the work once he has mastered the elementary facts. I would, after a proper course of instruction, place him not only in charge of the advertising, but of the window dress- ing and interior decorating as well. In this way these three departments would be, as they always should be, in complete harmony. Each department would support the others, and the result, assuming that the work be intelligently done, would be the result that always attends careful, wisely directed, sys- tematic effort. " Then, too, I would have the young man hold frequent con- ferences with department heads and buyers, requiring him at the same time to become thoroughly familiar with the kind and character of the stock carried in the store. As for suggestions to utilize in his work, I would furnish him with a copy of the Economist and require him to consult it for ideas. " A young man systematically trained in this manner, pro- vided always that he has the native capacity to do the work as it should be done, and is prolific of original ideas, would soon prove himself invaluable in increasing the store's business. It 292 Successful Advertising should be early apparent whether or not the young man is cut out for the work. If he isn't, he should be dropped at once." In expressing- his opinion why so many ads fail of their purpose, Mr. MacDonald said that it was due to the fact that the writers went off at half cock, not having devoted sufficient atten- tion to the proposition before them, whereas, if they gave the subject the study and attention it deserved, success, instead of failure, would result. "That explains the value," he said in conclusion, "of knowing what you are doing." — Dry Goods* £conomisi, July 23, 1898. The Humors of Advertising. When I was a boy I used to work in a country newspaper office. My chief duty was to "write up the mail," and inci- dentally I found time to set up a few sticks of type in the run of a week. As the forms were being made up one particular week our principal advertiser in the office — a fussy little merchant — came rushing in the office and wanted to know if we could not squeeze in the locals a small paragraph referring to a recent acquisition to his stock — a new importation of American boots, shoes and rubbers. I took the paragraph and soon set it in cold type, and with- out the formality of a proof-reading it was soon embedded in the waiting forms. The hand press was soon in operation and in the course of the day the edition was run offi What was the horror and consternation of the proprietor, editor, reporter, business manager and advertising manager, merged in one individual, when the worthy advertiser came in the office next day in a towering rage and demanded that some- body be hanged, drawn and quartered because his carefully drawn-up paragraph read : " Mr. begs to announce that he has just received a new importation of American boots, shoes and rubbish." An inves- tigation followed and I came very nearly losing the very impor- tant position I then held. A few weeks later the above-mentioned editor-in-chief was honored by a visit from his best girl. She was a fanner's How To Accomplish It. 293 daughter — a sweet, unsophisticated young thing, who was soon lost in wonderment in the mysteries of a newspaper office. Her Adonis was very much engaged that day, it being the day of going to press, but with nnich grace and patience he began explaining the dictionary of "quads," "takes," "forms" and other terms peculiar to the business. "And, George, tell me what's this?" she asked, sweeping her muff across three columns of set up editorials. The type was not locked — been simply wet — and it was swept by her muff into inextricable confusion over the cold stone and the floor. He glanced in horror at the catastrophe — for it meant a delay of twenty-four hours in getting out that week's paper, and then said with much feeling : " That's pi, by gad — pi that the whole office force and the paper's three thousand subscribers will have to eat for a whole week." As advertising manager for a certain department store I used to be occasionally much amused at the breaks of the head of the hat department. One day he came up to the advertising sanctum in great glee. "I think this is a corking good heading I've written," he said. " Let me read it to you : " ' Fathers and Mothers, if you have children, prepare to bring them around to our great sale of children's hats and caps to-morrow.' " He was asked how it was possible for readers to be fathers or mothers without having children. The cigars were on him. A piece of advertising copy once left my hands with this soul stirring caption : "A Mine of Bargains." When it came back set up it read : "A Mire of Bargains." A furniture heading was prepared by the writer with this display head : "Paltry Prices." The printer made it read : " Paltry Pieces." 294 Successful Advertising Once an advertising writer in a great hurry attempted to write : '* Here are High Values and Low Prices." What he did actually produce was : "Here are High Prices and Low Values." You would scarcely believe it, but the cold fact stands behind the following paragraph : Alpine 75 Hats These Alpacja Coats are worth $1.25, but we offer them for 75c. In this lot are some black Sateen Goats- color guaranteed. All sizes. Do you see the joke — or the double joke ? Notice how the printer calls coats "goats." and how he said "Alpine Hats" instead of alpaca coats. This occurred the other day while I was working on a New York department store ad. Most of the errors are caught by the advertising man before the ads go to press. A friend of mine, who is a writer on a New York daily, told me last evening in a rather perturbed state of mind, how he turned in a piece of copy relating to " trust magnates." "And what do you think?" he said. "The confounded printer made it read ' trust maggots.' " Some of the errors are perfectly absurd. For instance, I saw the proof of a ribbon ad the other day that said a yard of ribbon would cost $300. Of course the price was 30c. Occasionally a mistake gets in the papers. The other day I saw advertised a lot of Lamb's Hair hats at l5-00 each. There are no such things as Lamb's Hair hats, but there are plenty of CamcTs Hair hats at $5.00 and thereabouts, and I am certain the advertiser meant Camel's Hair hats. "The proper measures to take," etc., etc., is what a friend of mine wrote. When it appeared in type it read, "The proper How To Accomplish It. 295 mec)^cine to take," etc., etc. One day last summer I saw in a nw«>ll out of town paper au ad, the headline of which said : " Have you seen our hollar shirts ?" The tale of these shirts went on to say that they were very -^exceptional shirts for a dollar. I remember I once wrote : *' After an exhaustive study of the markets," etc. The printer made it read : " After an exclusive study of the markets,'' etc. I caught it in the proof, corrected it, then had the pleasure of reading in the paper : " After an exhasive study of the markets," etc. To this day I do not know what the word "exhasive" means. Neither does the printer, for I asked him. " The trust maggots " mistake reminds me of an error that occurred some years ago. I wrote an article for a "high-class monthly," in which I said something about "the local mag- nate." I could scarce believe my eyes when I saw it read — in the magazine, too ! — " the tall gate." Errors of prices are very common, which is not to be won- dered at considering the pages of items and prices which depart- ment stores are constantly putting forth. I remember an instance when the advertisement of a con- cern appeared in the daily papers without the name or address of the concern. This was done through some neglect in the composing room. Yet although it appeared in the morning in this shape there was quite a crowd of buyers in the department thus advertised. Inquiry among the shoppers elicited the fact that they recognized the concern by the style of set up. Accidents will happen not only in the best-regulated families, but also in the best-regulated advertising departments and news- paper offices, and though some are extremely irritating, yet some are mirth provoking — viewed from the standpoint of the man who does the laughing. 296 Successful Advertising Honesty as a Factor in Advertising. Barnum once said : "The public likes to be humbugged." I question vety much as to whether that absurd humbugging era ever existed — if it did it has been relegated with a lot of other things to the dim and misty past. In this age the man who humbugs people does it once — if he is very clever he may be able to do it a second or possibly a third time — but then he finds his humbugging race is run, and he begins to wish he had tried honest methods, and given a full dollar's worth for every dollar he received. I went around the ether evening to Madison Square Garden to see Barnum's Circus. After firing a quart of peanuts in the beautiful mouth of the hippopotamus and watch- ing the camel "get a hump" on himself as he rose in his majesty to look upon the crowds about him — after gazing upon the zebra, tapir, lions and other animate affairs, and after watch- ing Roman chariot races, bareback riders, trapeze performers, tumblers and clowns for a good two and a half hours, I departed with the rest of the crowd highly satisfied I got my dollar's worth of entertainment and instruction from " The Greatest Show on Earth." There was no humbug there, and when Bar- num's show opens up in Madison Square Garden next year I will go around again and see it some more. Why ? Because I was satisfied with it. Because I came away feel- ing that I received my dollar's worth. And that is the secret of successful retailing nowadays — the sending away people from your store highly satisfied with themselves in patronising you. You cannot do it by humbugging methods. Competition is too active and keen nowadays to allow a man to give otherwise than honest values. Now the true secret of successful adver- tising, is to accurately mirror the daily or weekly happenings in your store. It is simply a reflex of your business methods — a big plate glass window through which the great buying public can note your goods, various prices and business methods. And when the advertising becomes "highfalutin '' or exaggerated, it is a magnifying glass that multiplies faults which visitors speedily discover to your after regret. How To Accomplish It. 297 There was a time, we all know, when exaggerated and out- rageous advertising was the order of the day. That was during the dark ages of advertising, when advertising was new and people had not become fully acquainted with it. Then it was an easy matter to gull people, but "a burned child dreads the fire;" and once the people were gulled they rather looked upon all advertising with suspicion. But the bright advertisers soon found that honest, straightforward advertising won customers' attention and retained it, and by persistently being honest and straightforward in their methods and advertising they built up for themselves big businesses. And to-day the list of honest advertisers are longer than ever before — for the simple reason that it is best business policy to be honest. The advance of popular knowledge regarding advertising has quite kept pace with the ability of the advertiser to satisfy this knowledge. The public scent the lie or hyperbole in an ad now as quick as they look at the print, and once a man or firm gets a reputation for gross exaggeration it sticks like a poor relation. A hundred good, honest ads cannot wash away the mischief done by a lying one. Therefore, be careful in your newspaper talk. Write and edit your advertising with due regard for the popular demand for honesty, candor and common sense. ** Profitable Advertising" Interview. Opinions of a Well-known Advertising Man— Wliat Jordan, Marsh & Co.'s., and Bloomingdale Brothers' Former Advertising Manager Has to say in Relation to Advertising— Some Pertinent Pointers for Advertisers. I enjoyed the pleasure and profit of a professional interview with J. Angus MacDonald for the first time yesterday. While on Boston papers I had met him informally many times, but never under circumstances when I could draw him out on the subject of our profession and study — those ideas and methods which have long individualized him as one of the strong men — and the personality with its cold, cutting, sledge- hammer force and logical acumen, which have in a few short years landed him in the front rank of our great and important profession. 298 Successful Advertising When I told Mr. MacDonald that I would like an interview for Profitable Advertisings he modestly retreated and pleaded pressure of business, but after j^ersistent urging he most courte- ously invited me to his sanctum in the great Lexington Build- ing, and there in his unique den, piled high with papers and books, the desk scarcely recognizable as such from almost total burial in a white mass of papers, letters, advertising and other accoutrements of a very busy man's business retreat, I elicited the following answers to my brief queries, which I now append minus all verbiage and cigar smoke with which the interview was liberally punctuated : "What, in your estimation, Mr. MacDonald, is the first requisite of an advertising man? " "The advertising sense. It is indefinable. Very few pos- sess it. The good reporter possesses the nose for news. He cannot quite lay his hand on that quality, although it is his first necessity. It shows itself in his work. The good advertising man may appear like every other man — usually he appears very ordinary — but his peculiar ability and adaptability shows itself in his work. You can tell a good ad when you see it, yet when most people start to prepare an ad they fail to give it that incis- iveness, character and virility which it should possess. The advertising man who knows his business knows how to do this. It is an inborn talent, and he scarcely knows how to explain the methods and style which he puts to his work." " It is not literary work ? ' ' " Not by a long shot. It is beyond literary work, because it is more valuable from a commercial point of view. The literary man would need a column in which to tell his story. The advertising writer can compress it into one-half that space " "What beyond this advertising seuse should the advertising man possess? " " The commercial instinct which enables him to rightly determine the value of mediums and his employer's money. A knowledge of printing — the use of types. He should also have the artistic sense highly developed, so as to get the best work from artists by appreciating and being in sympathy wuth their work. He ought to be something of an architect, so as to How To Accomplish It. 299 plan and arrange systematical and striking ads ; he ought to have a well-trained niind in this respect. He must be a thinker and a student of people and affairs. He must have a head teem- ing with original ideas, and of course be able to express his ideas in the most fitting language." " What are the most important features of an ad?" "Ideas, words and arrangement. Ideas come first; they should be rightly expressed, the whole should be properly arranged with type and illustration." "What city does the best general advertising, in your estimation ? " "Chicago." "Why?" "There are several reasons. The first is, the writer has a more free, unconventional scope to his pen. He is not limited by tradition as he is in most Eastern cities. Then, again, the presswork and printing of the Chicago papers are beautiful, and the illustrations very artistic." " How is New York general advertising?" " It has improved very much within the last two or three years. The advent of John Wanamaker, and Siegel, Cooper Co. has helped on this. There is one branch of New York adver- tising that is exceptionally good, which is clothing advertising." "And Boston advertising? " " Being an old Boston advertising man myself and knowing all the advertising boys down there so well, I do not feel like posing as a judge on their work. In the main it is very good. Jordan, Marsh & Co., Shepard, Norwell & Co., Houston & Henderson, and Filene's represent good advertising in general retail lines." " And in specific retail lines ? " " In furniture we all consider that the ads of the Paine Furniture Co. are the best anywhere." " How is general advertising throughout the country?" *'I have never known it at a higher plane of excellence than it is to-day. Of course this is due in a very great measure to the teachings of Profitable Advertisings Brains^ Printers* Ink^ Fame^ and the other advertising journals, as well as to the writings of leading pdvertising men." 800 Successful Advertising " Will this advertising knowledge continue? '* " Most assuredly. It is a good thing all around — for the merchants, the advertising writers, the papers, the artists and the whole army who deal in publicity in any form. It indicates an appreciation of public taste. The public now keenly dis- criminates in advertising. Years ago the ordinary slip-shod, conventional ad was enough. To-day only the carefully pre- pared ad, which represents thought, character, point and intel- ligence is read." " Is the advertising expert in demand?" "I should say so. He is to-day considered more than ever in the commercial world. That is only logical. If he knows his business he is of great assistance to every advertiser — big and little — who wishes to make his advertising dollars go farthest. It is a simple business proposition. The lawyer helps his clients on some knotty law point; the doctor helps his patients through their illness; the advertising 'expert' helps his clients— but I don't like the word 'expert' though— helps them through their advertising." "Don't you like the word ' expert ' ? I notice you avoid it on your stationery and advertising." "The word is all right, but it has been misused. It has been prostituted like the word ' bargain.' I call myself the 'Practical Advertising Man' because I consider a practical knowledge of a subject essential to a mastery of it, and I flatter myself I have been so steeped in advertising knowledge that I have a practical knowledge of all its phases. Speaking about 'experts,' to return to the subject of a moment ago, here is a practical demonstration of their demand." Mr. MacDonald pointed to a mail of about twenty-five let- ters which were just then brought in by the carrier, and then to another stack of opened letters a foot high on his desk. On a rack back of his chair were files of various publications from all parts of the country. Mr. MacDonald started in opening his mail, and kept up a running fire of comment all the time. "Advertising should be thoroughly studied. It is a hard, serious, exhausting study. Each case should receive individual How To Accomplish It. 301 attention. The conditions surrounding each case should be carefully considered. Cold, hard sense, facts and logic should be brought into play. An advertising man should be a good business man. He should be more than the average business man, because he should have some literary talent and a bold, original mind. He must be fertile in ideas. He must be a deviser, an organizer, a writer. He must be a close student of humanity. He must be able to analyze the motives of people who buy so as to play upon these motives. Clearness in express- ing ideas should be studied. Typographical effects should be mastered. The knowledge of words, of types, of illustrations, and of mediums should be at his control. Economy in space should be understood. It is a comparatively new field of endeavor — this advertising business is — but it is a very complex field to enter. It is easy when you know how. Till then it is brain racking. The acquirement of details is a matter of patience and persistence. Both patience and persistence are cardinal virtues in this business." Robert Freeman Hunter, In Profitable Advertisings June, 1897. Foreign Advertising — A Little About It. There's one thing certain ! Foreign advertising must take its hat off to American advertising. Foreign advertising generally is very poor. English adver- tising is the best in foreign advertising, but English advertising is not a circumstance to our own American advertising. English advertisers seem to lack typographical taste, as well as clear expression and logic in presenting arguments. I was looking over the Paris edition of the New York Herald the other day, and could not but help comparing its ad- vertising columns with the advertising columns of this city's issue. In the New York Herald you see literary and artistic merit, representing every shade of ingenious effort — pages of it. In the Paris edition you will find but a small showing of adver- 302 Successful Advertising tising, and that principally composed of stilted aud conveuLioual cards of business houses, hotels, etc. Same way with the adver- tising columns of such continental leading publications as The FUegende BltBtter (the best comic weekly in existence) published in Germany. Look through the Russian and far Eastern papers and you will find this dearth of advertising activity. Why ? Goodness knows ! In the editorial and news col- umns you will find polished diction, deep thought, philosophy, wit, pathos, art, poetry, and every other intellectual output represented, but all this stops short at the advertising columns. It is not that business competition does not exist in foreign lands as it does in America. It is not that there is a lack of good writers, artists, and business men to produce good advertising. It must be that the value of good advertising is not instilled into foreign minds as it is in domestic mentalities. It is my belief that the recent improvement in English advertising has been due in a large measure to the circulation in that country of American advertising ideas. Porto Rico is claiming a good share of newspaper space these days, and although Porto Rico is at present under the American flag still that country's advertising is set in a con- glomeration of types of different sizes and styles. No arguments are used to lure people into the stores, and all lines of goods are named together. Oil stoves, women's wrappers, watches, lady's skirts, etc., are spoken of in one breath. There promises to be a large aud growing future in Porto Rico for the advertis- ing writer. A friend of mine in Manila sends me occasionally copies of its daily paper, and there is no evidence in its columns that the writer of publicity is making himself felt to any alarming degree. And once in awhile a client of mine in the city of Mexico sends me a copy of a Mexican paper. Talk about paper and press work, let alone the thought and concrete work shown by the ads ! Why, sir, it is Ah ! here is where my pen fails me. Give me the American papers every time. Their news, editorial and advertising columns represent enterprise, ability, How To Accomplish It 303 push, progress, outlay of time, energy, brains and money — in short every conception the human brain is capable of conceiving and every work ingenious hands can produce. Real Estate Advertising. The author had the right idea about real estate advertising when he penned the following advertisement. It lacks, how- ever, that great essential : Price. Real Estate is the Basis of Wealth. Savings lead to wealth ! Good investments bring riches ! Prosperity fosters contentment ! Own your own home and be happy ! Be wise and buy Chelsea lots while prices are low and terms easy. Do not be afraid to go into debt for a good thing. Clear titles. Deferred payments on Chelsea lots will make you sad. Come and see this ideal suburb with its unusually wide avenues and fine modern residences. It possesses all the advan- tages, such as churches, schools, social advantages, electric lights, water mains, sewers, etc. It is a fifteen minute ride on a North End trolley car. To speak of the accessibility and advantages, as well as the price of a piece of property, is the proper thing for the real estate advertisement to do. Thousands upon thousands of families pay rent year after year without a thought as to the foolishness of that method, compared with buying real estate on the instalment plan or joining a building and loan associa- tion with a view to the future possession of one's own home. Every head of a family should well consider this point, and every rightly constituted head of a family would, were his 304 Successful Advertising attention only attracted to it by a short, sensible argument. We are all creatures of habit — all influenced by environments — all walking the dreary tread-mill of routine until some sharp, sud- den circumstance or friendly hint puts us on an easier — or rougher — road. Advertising real estate is susceptible to so many strong selling arguments that when properly gotten up it should be extremely interesting to the ambitious solid readers of any newspaper. "When considerably younger than the present writing shows me to be, I wandered out in the Pacific Northwest. I bought — on the instalment plan — a couple of lots in a small boom town, but which, according to the newspaper advertisements, had the future possibilities of a Chicago, San Francisco and Tacoma rolled in one. This boom town had a weekly paper and an imposing array of streets, avenues, projected street car lines, steam railroad facilities, etc. (on paper). Its weekly paper was an assured fact, for had I not read and re-read several copies of the sheet, which — according to present memory — seemed to contain nothing but interviews from eminent men who were going to locate there, promises from transportation magnates as to what they were going to do and a lot of glittering general- ties, exceedingly gratif}'ing to investors who wished five hun- dred per cent, profit on their land investments. This weekly paper was a great comfort to me. I had paid up about seventy-five per cent, of my payments when I had occasion to visit a nearby city. While on this visit the steamer passed the town wherein my lots were located. It ran near enough to enable me to see that the town consisted of a wharf, a couple of small buildings that looked like outhouses and the forest primeval ! I was shocked. The purser noticing my chagrin, and spotting me for a tenderfoot, laughed a most sar- castic laugh and made a remark befitting it. " Well, where do they print their weekly paper ? " I asked. " In the city you are going to visit," he replied. I paid no more money on that property, and I do not think any other investor did after he saw with his own eyes the town and its possibilities. Although put to base uses, the advertis- ing that so impressed me was a good illustration of the power How To Accomplish It. 305 of printer's ink. At that time hnndreds upon hundreds of lots were sold to Eastern investors who never saw their property, but who were influenced by the advertising. Later I sold lots on my own hook in an all-right Western town after this style : — Space was taken in the local papers announcing a grand free excursion on Sunday to a barbecue at beautiful Bright- onside, which was going to be the most popular suburb, which was convenient to trolley cars and steam trains, and which was selling swiftly at ^175 per lot — $$ down and ^5 per month. Bach lot contained 25 x 100 feet. These events took place on Saturday afternoons as well as holidays, and were extremely popular with the working people. I remember how one afternoon I personally sold fifteen lots. The barbecue and free excursion were wonderful assistants in pro- ducing the right impressions upon the would-be purchasers. Here is a good way to advertise a farm. It is to the point, yet complete with every detail, including price : For Sale— Half Section— choice first- class stock and coarse grain farm, one hundred and sixty acres under cultivation, sixty acres fenced for pasture, frame dwelling house, stables, granaries, and two good wells, within two and a half miles of railway station. Clear title. Price, ten dollars per acre. Half cash, balance on time if required. Liberal dis- count for all cash. John Johnston. The wise real estate buyer has learned (probably through bitter experience) the importance of sound title. Do not forget in your real estate advertising to state the fact that the title is clear and sound. 306 Successful Advertising Advertising Action. This caption is all right at the first glance — yet not all right at the second look. Advertising action is intended to mean ac- tion in advertising, not advertising action vs. advertising some form of activity such as bicycles, automobiles, surreys, etc. But if the caption is not altogether all right, the preceding paragraph is, as it illustrates what this article wishes to em- phasize : Action in every form of advertising. You will notice a thread running through the first paragraph from "this" to " etc." So should it be in every advertisement. Some advertisements are lifeless. They are as animated as a kid glove on a wooden hand. As a rule they fail to arouse atten- tion. Even should they secure attention they fail to hold it, as they lack the logic, grace, wit, philosophj', style or character contained by the advertisement that arrests and holds attention. Various great authorities — and they seem to be a unit on this point — say that an advertisement should say something about the goods and say something about the price. True. But did you ever know a successful drummer who simply said to his prospective purchaser : "Here are spring busi- ness suits at $7.50 apiece" — that and nothing more? Not on your life ! The successful drummer selling suits, or any old thing, knows a joke or two, an argument or two, a res- taurant or two, a theatre or two, and a whole lot of other things that put the p p. in a pleasant buying mood. It's a poor drum- mer that does not know how to weaken the barrier of reserve that every business man throws about himself at times, espe- cially when the genial knights of the grip come around. Back of all the cold business rules ever conceived is the great wall of human feeling. The advertiser must take this in consideration with every advertisement he writes. Action, go, spirit, dash, life — call it whatever name you will — must be in the advertisement penned to catch dollars. It is the quality to which human nature always responds. What made the most successful How To Accomplish It. 307 novels ? Action ! If you do not think so, read Dumas, Scott, Dickens, Kipling and other great masters. What makes the most successful newspaper "stories?" Action ! Which form of poetry to-day seems to be most popular ? Ballads ! And what do you find in ballads ? Action — plenty of it! What quality is most demanded of young men to-day in business ? Action ! If a young man has no go he soon goes. Advertising is a reflex of the business world — the business world is full of action — it is a warfare for dollars and cents, and advertising, to accurately mirror business, should have plenty of action about it. Action harmonizes with quick reasoning. A paragraph full of logic is full of action ; for the strength of the logic is a cable that grips the mind at the first word to carry it along to the final. Good illustrated advertising illustrates action. Look at the illustrations in the advertising of Pears' Soap, Ivory Soap, Sa- polio, Ayer's or Hood's Sarsaparilla, etc., and you will notice go in every picture. It is hard to swing action in an advertisement unless the writer is familiar with, and enthused over, his subject. It means work — plenty work ! Yet the reader demands action, and the advertiser should supply it. Street Car Advertising, Street-car advertising is good advertising. It reaches the people — it makes an impression, whether the impressee is in the receptive state or not. Instinctively the eye follows the rack of advertising signs, and the brilliant, bold, clever and even aesthetic card will have an opportunity of getting in its work. The first three adjectives qualifying " card" in the preced- ing sentence are the adjectives for the street-car advertiser to keep well in mind. If the card is brilliant, like Siegel-Cooper Company's candlestick holiday card ; if bold like Hearn's card, or clever like Sapolio's card, the attention is enchained. But the aesthetic card is unbusiness-like. There must be some force about a street-car card. Force and sestheticism do not well jibe. 808 Successful Advertising Street-car advertising, I imagine, is more valuable for soaps, patent medicines and proprietory articles generally than for retail lines of business, yet I have no doubt that were a depart- ment store, a furniture house, a clothing concern or almost any line of retaildom to begin a systematic method of street-car advertising it would pay handsomely. I remember that while advertising manager for a department store outside of this city, I conceived a very elaborate method of street-car advertising after this order : — Have the cards changed daily. On Sunday have a card with a general announcement of the Monday bargains ; on Mon- day show a card telling of the dress goods values that day offered ; on Tuesday a few display lines on the sale of furniture; on Wednesday talk about the shoe selling ; on Thursday about the cloak chances and so on — a fresh card ever>' day. All this was to supplement the newspaper advertising. I remember that the late Mr. Carleton, of the then firm of Carleton & Kissam, and the writer fussed about the matter some time, but the plan in its completeness was killed by higher authorities when it left my office. Yet I still think the plan a good one. Newspaper advertis- ing is the best retail advertising, but even the best advertising can be made more effective with the aid of the next best. I have traveled all over this continent, and it has often struck me that were I a national street-car advertiser I would have different cards, suitable to the view points of different localities. The card that would appeal to the cultured Boston- ian would be lost on the rough and ready miner, cattleman, prospector or business man of Butte. Practically the same dis- tinction can be made between Salt Lake and New York, or San Antonio and Detroit, and so on. Were I a manufacturer of umbrellas or waterproofs I would seriously consider the advisability of advertising in the street cars of Portland, Ore., where it rains so much that the old set- tlers are termed *' webfooted." Had I a cod liver oil or a cure for consumption I know it would be a good idea to advertise in the street cars of Denver and Colorado Springs, where consump- tives are so numerous as to impress every visitor. Smith How To Accomplish It. 309 & Wesson could advertise their six and seven shooters with advantage in the streetcars of Butte, Helena, Spokane, Tacoma, Seattle and Port Townsend, as from these towns parties are being constantly formed to go to unfrequented mining, lumber- ing and gaming regions. The man who does street-car advertising must depend a lot upon the literary and artistic ability of him who prepares the cards. Brevity is at a premium in street-car advertising. The advertiser who overloads his card with too much talk or too many " art ideas" makes a mistake. The street-car card accom- plishes its mission when it can be seen at a glance and its full purport understood inside of thirty seconds. Jingles are exceptionally valuable. Short proverbs are also good. Bold, clear and easily read type is the type to give expres- sion to street-car advertising. Outdoor Advertising. A large world can be covered — the great outdoor world — by three sheet, six sheet, nine sheet, and other size posters, as well as "snipe" sheets, lithograph and ordinary printed sheets, tin signs, wooden signs, and signs of every size and sort. To the general advertiser outdoor advertising is particu- larly worthy of consideration. It will prove a great aid to maga- zine and newspaper advertising. To the retail advertiser outdoor advertising plays a dis-^ tinctively second part to newspaper advertising. Newspaper advertising gets right next to the heart of the retailer, for it gets right next his business by giving prompt and traceable returns. Not so with outdoor advertising. Circumstances have much to do with cases. The retailer so located in a section of his town or city that he does not receive the full benefit of local newspaper advertising should deeply ponder over the advisability of doing some outdoor ad- vertising in his vicinity. When the retailer (or any other advertiser for that matter) 310 Successful Advertising starts to buy some outdoor advertising space, he will find that what he is asked to pay is by no means what he is obliged to pay. Prices fluctuate. I remember how I once secured a year's rental on the side of a house for a five dollar bill when I was asked fifty dollars. There are no fixed charges for such spaces. If the advertiser is a good business man he will get the space at a reasonable figure, if he is not, he stands an excellant chance of paying an exorbitant price. In large cities these spaces are controlled by agencies, con- sequently there are fixed charges, but in small towns and rural districts the question of price frequently resolves itself as to whether the advertiser or owner of the property first yields. Having settled upon the question of price, the next point is to get a painter or billposter with suitable paper, and here the eternal question of price again shows its head. If the advertiser is a merchant in a small town, he will find that the best plan is to get some ready made posters from one of the large poster concerns in New York, Chicago, Boston, Cin- cinnati or Cleveland. At a small cost his name will be printed on a lot of twenty-five, fifty, a hundred or five hundred, and pre- sently the good citizens of his town will learn that "John Smith is Showing New Styles in Hats." If the advertiser is a merchant in a large city he will find that it pays to have a special poster design drawn to his order. After which a lithograph and printing establishment will print him as many as he wants, and the local billposting firm will post his spaces — all at a reasonable rate, too. The general advertiser goes at the matter in a wholesale way. He usually has a design drawn by a well-known artist — has several thousand or several hundred thousand struck off, then he makes arrangements with a national billposter to cover certain sections of the country. This is usually done in con- junction with newspaper and magazine advertising to popularize his goods and assist dealers in making sales. Paper signs are supposed to last a week, or two weeks, or perhaps a month — according to the demands on the spaces they occupy. This is an important feature of the contract, and the advertiser usually investigates this point himself. How To Accomplish It. 311 Painted signs, as a rule, have no such contract, for the original painted sign is supposed to last for years. It is a pretty well accepted proposition among advertisers to-day that all outdoor advertising is but an aid to advertising with printer's ink. That it is a good aid is self evident. Advertising Does Not Increase the Cost of Goods to the Consumer. In answer to the question from The Dry Goods Chronicle^ as to whether or not advertising increases the cost of goods to the consumer, I said : — If by this question you mean the simple proposition whether the expense of advertising an article increases its cost to the consumer, I answer in the affirmative. If you ask the more involved question : — " Has modern publicity in the aggregate the tendency to increase the aggre- gate cost of advertised articles ? " I answer in the negative. L/Ook at the first proposition. Be it a soap, perfume, dress- shield, dictionary or what not, in computing the percentage of profit, the cost of manufacture, storage, with the selling and advertising expense must be taken into nice consideration. Having arrived at an estimate as to the entire cost of produc- tion and handling, the seller insists upon a profit of ten, twenty or thirty per cent., as the case may be. The one to pay for this profit as well as the cost of production, storage, with the selling and advertising expenses, is the consumer. The second proposition is quite another matter. The mass of advertising to-day represents a force that accentuates every law of competition. The publicity of prices forces prices to stand on their own selling merits, and when smaller prices are advertised on the same line of goods, all selling force is taken out of higher figures. There is scarcely a line of production not advertised by two or more competing concerns. Ivook in the magazines and you will find cigars, furniture, clothing, shoes, etc., advertised by rival houses. Is there a woman in New York to-day who will say that Wanamaker's, Adams', or Macy's advertised offerings 312 Successful Advertising are dearer by reason of advertising? Money can travel farther to-day than ever. Retail houses cut each other's prices on advertised articles. Goods advertised are the cheapest. The cost of advertising leaders is borne by the main establishment, and from my experience and observation, I would say that the benefits to the purchaser in purse and convenience far outweigh the cost of advertising. The second proposition swallows up the first. The inevita- ble conclusion is that advertising does not increase the cost of goods to the consumer. Referring to the above, I would like to say that in the course of a lecture on advertising, delivered by me before the Prospect Union, Cambridge, Mass., I touched upon the same subject, and at the conclusion of my talk, I was struck with the interest with which the Harvard College contingent and Cam- bridge and Boston business men present discussed this very point. It is an interesting point in economics for Harvard young men or any other young men to consider. But advertising has come to stay. The Unreached Masses. One evening recently while walking down Washington Street, Boston, with the advertising manager of one of the Hub's leading enterprises, the question occurred to us : " How many of the thousands about us are unreached by advertising ? " We discussed it. To the right and left stretched side streets showing hotels, apartment houses, tenement houses, private houses, small stores, saloons and restaurants, out of which poured streams of human- ity to be swallowed up by the greater streams of the streets. Up and down brilliantly lighted Washington Street wan- dered another and better dressed crowd — some for a promenade, some to the theatre, some to their homes, some from their homes — all apparently without thought of advertising. Nearly all familiar with newspapers, but to what degree ? Some take up a newspaper to glance at its sporting and athletic page — that and nothing more. How To Accomplish It. 313 Some take up a newspaper to see its locals — that and noth- ing more. Some take up a newspaper to note its political news and views — that and nothing more. Some take up a newspaper to while away a moment. Some — not many — never read a newspaper. Does the advertisement compiled so carefully and costing so much strike home to these people ? Hardly. Some take up a magazine long enough to look at its pictures. Some take up a magazine long enough to read a story or special article. Some never read a magazine from the first day of the year to the last. Upon them what influence has the advertisement ? Echo answers " What ? " Some cannot read. Some can read, but do not. Some are so distracted by pressing personal matters that the advertisement makes absolutely no impression upon their minds. Even the bludgeon-like advertising that comes, under the heading of electric signs, bill boards, fence and dead wall advertising has no effect upon a great number of people for the simple reason that familiarity not only begets contempt, but also breeds forgetfulness. The stranger in Union Square the first night would be instantly struck by the fine electric adver- tising signs. The second night the impression would be less vivid. The third still less, and inside of a month, amid the clang of cars, the whirr of the cable, the hum of the city and the lights of the streets and stores, his mind would be as unimpressionable to advertising as though he were walking through a Jersey meadow. The vast sums spent to reach him and thousands of others represent money absolutely wasted. Some are influenced by the advertisements all illustrations — with such it is abortive to try and reach with advertising purely literary, no matter how lucid or logical. 314 Successful Advertising Some have minds running in so mathematical a groove that they are only affected by advertising heavy with argument. Some are so frivolous that only airy persiflage appeals to them, and others have artistic natures so exquisite that they shudder at a single line of typographical malformation. The point of view of every man or woman is constantly changing. The argument that appeals to the youth of seven- teen hardly hits the man of forty, while he is persuaded by that which unconcerns the man of seventy. The object of advertising is to influence the mind — that which to a very large degree is the result of environment and personal influences. When it does not influence it is not adver- tisino-. And it is clear to any dispassionate observer that there is a lot of scattering shot in the constant volleys of advertising. Brains Interview. An Interesting Talk with a Hustling and Clever Ad Man of One of New York's Greatest Stores. In all the New York newspapers of Thursday and Friday, recently there appeared a white-on-blaclc cut of a bursting bomb. There was nothing to show whose bomb it was, or where it would burst, but a man of Brains found out about it on Satur- day — a day ahead of the public announcement of the time and place of the explosion. He happened to drop into the ad office of Bloomingdale's big store and found Mr. John Angus Mac- Donald, the ad man, busily loading the bombs. In other words, he was making up the big Bloomingdale ads for the Sunday • papers, and at the head of an announcement of a great clothing sale the bomb was creating an awful wreck of clothing values. The store of the Bloomingdale Bros, is an interesting place. It is immense in size, covering the whole block on Third Avenue, between Fifty-ninth and Sixtieth Streets. Within its walls can be bought almost every article needed by man or woman in the journey from the cradle to the grave. It has eigiity departments, each one a whole store in itself, and it takes 2200 employes to conduct its tremendous business. As one rides to the top of the building in one of the elevators, How To Accomplish It. 315 one catches glimpses, on the different floors, of a surprising variety of articles. On the top floor is a photographic studio, and an art gallery of several rooms, elegantly furnished and brilliantly lighted. The collection of paintings in these rooms would do credit to any gallery in the land, containing as it does examples of the work of the greatest artists of the world, many of which cost immense sums of money. On the roof is a roof garden, a large greenhouse filled with all kinds of flowers, plants, palms and the like. In the basement, among other things, are a fully stocked grocery store, a cafe. and restaurant, and a wine, liquors and cigars department. This big business, one of the most prominent and prosperous in America, has been built up in a comparatively short time, by persistent advertising on an extensive scale. This firm spends a large fortune every year on newspaper advertising, and it makes its ads the most prominent feature in every New York newspaper. Mr. J. A. MacDonald, the ad man, is a Nova Scotian by birth, and was for two years Advertising Manager for Jordan, Marsh & Co. in Boston. His health failing him, he went South, thence to Omaha, and from thence he went to Denver. His experience has been wide and varied, and he has a large store of solid, practical information about advertising. News- paper advertising, he thinks, covers about the entire field. " Of course there are other methods that pay," he said, "but the per- centage of profit, as compared with the profit from the same amount expended in a good newspaper, is very small. Posters are the latest thing in advertising ; we have used them somewhat." "Do they pay?" "I think they reach a class of people that perhaps would never see the newspaper ad. Many men have not the time nor inclination to seek out what they wish in the ad pages of a newspaper, and a pretty poster showing a handsome suit of clothes or a shapely hat is likely to catch their eyes and bring their trade." "How about advertising in programs and the like?" *• That isn't advertising." , "What is the best thing to say to the program solicitor?" "Say 'No!'" 316 Successful Advertising " It's a plain business proposition. You buy of us because we give you the worth of your money, but that is no reason why you should ask us to buy something of you which will mean a loss of money to us." " Do you use the same ads in all the newspapers ?" " No. That is to say, we advertise different things in the different papers." "Why?" " Because they reach different classes of people. This is a matter which every advertiser in New York and every other large city ought to carefully consider. In a paper that goes to the masses, the goods the masses want at the prices they can afford to pay should be advertised. In the high-class papers, that is to say the papers that the wealthy and highly educated read, altogether different articles should be advertised. For in- stance, a merchant who advertised a sale of 19-cent underwear in the Sun and Herald^ and a sale of champagne and other high- grade wines or costly books in lesser grade papers, would hardly hit the nail on the head." " How do you determine the comparative value of mediums ?" " By past experience. And we frequently use test ads." " Do you change the language of your ads in the different papers? That is, do you word an ad of the same article differ- ently when it is to go in several papers which reach different classes of people?" asked the Brains man. " Frequently, but I believe an ad should ever be a plain, business talk — perfectly clear to the upper five and the lower ten. I find everybody as susceptible to clever headlines and phrases — but I give first consideration to clearness of expression." " What do you think about cuts?" " Cuts are one of the most important parts of an ad. They not only catch the eye, but they show what the article looks like — at least they should. The cut tells the ordinary reader more about what the article really is than the description does. Of course you know what a vast number of cuts we use. Every newspaper has thousands of ours." " How do you keep your great accumulation of cuts so that you can lay your hand on one if you wish to use it again ?" How To Accomplish It. 317 ''We don't keep them at all. As I said, the newspapers attend to that. They have an elaborate system for keeping their customers' cuts, and they can at once lay hand upon any ad cut they have ever used, but I keep a close record of the cuts, and can always tell which paper has any particular cut." — Written by Leroy Fairman in Brains^ November, 1896. The Salesman and the Ad. When you hire a salesman you flatter yourself you have a pretty good idea as to his capabilities. You have thoroughly satisfied yourself in your own mind as to whether or not he was a competent and reliable man for the position you had to fill. You have looked into his references, you have talked with the man, you have studied his record, with a view of becoming thoroughly satisfied that he was qualified to impress your patrons and sell them your goods. Perhaps you pride yourself upon your ability to pick out the right sort of man for the right place — do you not ? Has it ever occurred to you that your ad is a salesman — one that should always be sleeplessly energetic, active and loyal to your interests ? Have you ever subjected your advertising to a merciless, logical analysis as to its good and bad points ? Have you ever tried to divorce yourself from yourself as the author of your ads and stand in the attitude of the everyday newspaper reader ? You know— we all know — how hard it is to do this. We live in a little world of our own, we have in our little circle of friends, who by reason of their being our friends say only the kindest words regarding our advertising attempts. ' ' That head- ing in your last week's ad was remarkably clever and original," they smilingly say, and they pat you on the back and approve of the advance proof of your next effusion. Man is only human, and you are no exception to this rule. This constant "jollying" puts you in immense conceit with yourself and you "jolly" yourself along with the idea that your advertising is all right. But does your advertising pay as it should ? Sit down some day where you will not be disturbed and ask yourself this ques- tion seriously, honestly, coldly. 318 Successful Advertising" That is the only end of advertising. It is a cold business proposition. Advertising is for no other purpose than to swing trade your way. It is not to gratify the moment's idle vanity of yourself or your friend who may be lost in ecstacy over a say- ing more or less clever or a witticism that you may have evolved from your brain. Let the same thoughts that actuate you in employing sales- men actuate you in preparing advertising. Your salesmen should be well dressed and make a good impression. So should your advertising. It should be well dressed in typographical arrange- ment, in illustrations, in borders. Your salesmen should be alert for business, and ready with the right word in the right place. He should be gentlemanly and intelligent. He should be logical, sensible and convincing. So should your advertising. The text should be patterned on the lines followed by the suc- cessful salesman. It should be logical, sensible and convincing. The good salesman is adaptable. He can adapt himself to all sorts and conditions of men and women without effacing his personality. So should your advertising. It ought to have in- dividuality to distinguish it from the great mass of advertising, but also ought to be framed to appeal to all sorts and conditions of people. The good salesman aims to go through his daily duties to the greatest profit of his employer in an intelligent, courteous and sensible manner. He secures the customer's attention and holds it by the qualities above mentioned, while he shows and speaks of the goods. So should the advertising. Its end is to call attention to your offerings and retain this attention until the story is told. This attention is best secured by the most direct and simple language aided by the accessories of type display and illustrations. Be Optimistic in Advertising. The commercial value of a cheerful, happy disposition is everywhere acknowledged. The traveling salesman with his bright, cheery face and his bundle of jokes and stories is every- where welcomed to his employer's benefit, and the salesman be- hind the counter sells many a good dollar's worth by the virtue How To Accomplish It. 319 of an amiable and cordial disposition, A laugh, smile or bright word has helped countless thousand sales, while on the other hand, the depressing influence of the pessimist has dampened the ardor of many an intending purchaser and spoiled many a possible sale. Now, if the optimist is so welcome in every day face-to-face commercial life, and the pessimist is equally unwelcome, it stands to reason that all advertising should be optimistic — that it should breathe the spirit of hopefulness and expectancy of quick-selling and satisfactory trading. The optimistic spirit is infectious — especially so in adver- tising. Once you give people the idea that all is we'll with you, that business is lively, that customers are flocking to your doors and dollars are coming in your direction, then you are all the more likely to be successful. Human nature is peculiar, and one of its great peculiarities is to be attracted by the successful. Success wins greater successes. The successful business man finds it easier to sell, goods than his less successful rival, who may even have better values to oflfer. It is not necessary to lie in order to be optimistic in your advertising. All that is necesary is to be good-natured and happy in your statements, to utter nothing that may savor of disap- pointment, envy or anger. Never jump on your competitor in your ad. The moment you do this you give the fact away that competition is hurting you. Let your ads breathe the Wana- maker air — good will towards all, malice towards none. In the West the optimistic spirit is cultivated to an unusual degree — this feeling of light-heartedness has lightened many a weary load during the recent few years of commercial depression. When you read the ads of the Nebraska Clothing Co. you will at once observe their optimistic strain. These ads were written and printed by a concern who always seem to be par- ticularly pleased with themselves, and everybody in Kansas City and Omaha, because their trade is so good, and once in a while their bubbling feeling of happiness finds vent in a humor so clever that the brightest wits of the day cannot discount it. They have built up a big business by being so optimistic in their advertising. Why can't you? 320 Successful Advertising The Rubiyiat of O'My Advertiser. (Rendered with due consideration to Messrs. Omar Kayham, Bdward /itzgerald and Richard Le Galliene.) Oh ! come Dear Sir — the spring is in the land. Take pen and ads and book of rates in hand ; Come ! sit with me in the ofl5ce shade ; Come ! let's figure what the winter's made. I dreamt I heard the nightingale singing in the bough >- "Their ads say the opportunity is here and now, For bargains bright abound on every hand, Brighter bargains do not exist in all the land." Yes ! Biz was good. But why other wise ? We spoke out loud to all that use their eyes, And they without eyes couldn't but help hear, Because. The clink of Dollars Saved struck the ear. The Advertising ? Ah ! that was good my man, It told with vim how prices hit hard pan. It praised our Goods up to the skies — Allah ! but ad writing much the fancy ties ! The type De Vinne and the Gothic bold Much helped us the reader's eye to hold, Small Pica also — but how the Printer swore ! When late copy caused his turban to be tore. He bowed his beard in the Dust of Spring, Then tore it — (the whisker is of which I sing), But set the Ad. By the Prophet a quick job And a good one ! Types from the case did bob. Lo ! the Comp's the man to have my bread and wine, When he my ad sets up strong and fine, His brain and hand are full of wit and skill E'en if he at times the adsmith would kill. And the Boss? Well, sometimes a price goes wrong, Then he in rage does a violent song And dance, until the day follows day, When the papers all this damage pay. So ! Thus winds the advertising life life around, Mahommed only knows the phases that abound. The Good of Yesterday is past. But of to-day ? Allah ! To-morrow will another story say. How To Accomplish It. Advertising a Publication. Daily there travels to this desk various letters, circulars, cards, etc., purporting to advertise various publications. Some of these bits of mail contain a great number of words — some very few words — but in brief the essential information that most of them give is: "Our circulation is constantly increasing, therefore ours is a good advertising medium." What the exact circulation is, was, or is likely to be is a subject often surrounded by heavy silence and Egyptian dark- ness. And upon that point is the advertiser most desirous of obtaining information. There are three things a publisher is most anxious to obtain, viz. : Advertising patronage, circulation and influence. The first naturally follows the latter two. A publication with a limited circulation may have a wide influence by reason of the force of its editorials and other newspaper excellences. Its field may be limited, hence, it has a limited circulation. A publica- tion may have a wide field with a wide influence and circula- tion, and frequently not get the advertising patronage due it, be- cause advertisers are not made acquainted with its exact circula- tion and approximate influence. I have always believed such matters should be made known to the advertiser who, as a rule, is a clear-headed business man, thoroughly familiar with the exact measurements, weights, and numbers of whatever else he buys. This is a commercial age and a man wants to know what he is giving his good money for, and in ever^- case he wishes a good money's worth. If the publication has not much of a circulation, boldly tell what that limited circulation is, state what particular field is covered, and how well it is covered. This information will be respected and accordingly appreciated. If it has a big circula- tion, with a wide influence, say so in every good advertising way and get all the business that should come to it. Newspaper directories are relied upon by advertisers and the American Newspaper Directory in particular. 322 Successful Advertising The argument has been often brought to bear upon the ad- vertiser that " were our paper to state its exact circulation, our rivals would give false and higher figures." This argument is unsound as truth is contagious, as well as a lie. The publisher standing behind truth can reiterate it again and again with the eloquence of sincerity, and occa- sionally nail the lie to the other fellow's mast. For lies con- stantly discomfit liars by coming to the surface. The honest, straightforward publisher need have no fear in occasionally pub- lishing and proving the other fellow's mistatements. Adver- tisers as well as the community at large will appreciate such action. Whether it is the letter, circular, card, copy of paper or the bright advertising manager who solicits advertising for a publi- cation, let the gist of the story be : — I The exact circulation of our paper is {giving figures.) ">P It circulates among {such a7id such a 3j class) Its advertising abilities are at your y% disposal. fC. You should use it because {give short ''easoji here.) i J Assuming that the publication is sincere in its circulation and influence statements, its next step in bidding for advertising business is to suflficiently familiarize itself with the advertiser's business and render such aid in the preparation of advertising, the giving of good positions and reading notices as will make the use of the paper an object to the advertiser. Cleverness can be shown by giving an acceptable variety to the story — tactful persistence should be observed in its presen- tation — a due allowance ought to be made for the advertiser's How To Accomplish It. 323 peculiarities — but one thing is sure if the medium amounts to anything and that is : success. Considering that every advertiser who amounts to anything reads one or more advertising journals, it does seem an exceed- ingly wise policy to reach his attention by taking space in his advertising paper. In advertising a publication with a view to obtaining sub- scribers, the time honored plan of sending out sample copies and oflfering special rates for three or six months is good. The New York Sun, Boston Globe and Philadelphia Ladies' Home Jour7ial advertise extensively in other publications and the plan is a good one. Prospective subscribers can be secured by good circularizing, and many large papers advertise their features by billboards. But after all that is said and done on the subject, a sentence will hold all the milk in the cocoanut. So here is the sentence :— Get Mp a good paper, then let readers and advertisers know it Advertising a Patent Medicine. When a man is sick, or thinks he is sick, he is seized with an intense desire to have somebody — sometimes everybody — sympathize with him. If he has the grip, he wants his nearest friend to tell him all the unpleasant symptoms of that unpleasant malady — how the body is languid, the brain fevered, the appetite on a vacation, and the whole system in a generally unstrung condition. There was an old colored preacher who once solemnly assured his congregation that no matter how hard were their trials and tribulations there was one place where could always be found sympathy. "Anddat place," he concluded, "my beloved bredern, is in the dictionary." Just so with the sick man. When he looks for sympathy and imagines his friends do not give its precious drops, all he has to do is to look in the average patent medicine advertisement and there revel in the terrors of his disease, so vividly por- trayed. If his stomach refuses to perform its accustomed duties, » } 324 Successful Advertising he finds a dolorous consolation in the fact that " constipation, biliousness and an evil smelling breath are but precursors to a long train of evils that may conclude in that dread scourge con- sumption, that torturing trouble rheumatism, that unsightly and loathsome disease scrofula," or in some other equally pleas- ant finale. And that is the right way to advertise a medicine. To picture with fidelity on one hand, the miseries of sick- ness, and on the other the joys of health, means not only to help sell the remedy, but is also an act of altruism by strengthening the energy and determination of all sick readers in their desire to grow well. While it is true that pure logic is the backbone of almost all patent medicine advertising, yet some preparations rely to a great degree for advertising success upon reiteration, pure and simple. Even to a thoroughly healthy person, with a thoroughly healthy mind, reiteration is resultful, and upon a mind so worn by illness that it is unable to think and analyze with its accus- tomed clearness, the simple repeating of I SMITH'S PILLS TONE THE 5YSTEM. g %&:&:g:g?&:&:gg-:&:g;g-:6g;g:egg:&g&g-:g-:g-:&;g^:eg&:6666^ Makes an impression likely to long remain. Testimonial letters are always good. That Jones' physical condition is altogether difierent to Smith's organism, does not make such an impression upon Mr. Smith as the fact that Mr. J. was cured of the same distress as is now bothering Mr. S. As Smith reads the heartfelt letter of gratitude upon Jones' recovery to health, he instinctively feels whatever anguish the writer went through — he sympathizes with every symptom (for he is now undergoing the same tortures), and Jones' letter can- not but make a strong impression upon Smith in favor of the medicine. It takes a fortune to advertise a patent medicine. I know a concern that spent $30,000 in advertising a very meritorious medicine, but even that good-sized fortune was found to be How To Accomplish It. 325 inadequate. The man who starts in with less than $50,000, stands an excellent chance of sinking his money before the returns begin to cover the outlay. It may be that by restricting himself to a state or a portion of a state he will succeed in turn- ing the tide his way with a few thousand dollars, and from future profits cover larger territories, but it is best to have an ample capital in reserve for every contingency. The details of patent medicine advertising are enormous. Not only must the newspaper, magazine, booklet, circular, card and out-door display advertising be kept up, but the druggists must be kept sufficiently interested to display and push the remedy. This last feature alone requires a force of traveling salesmen. "Patent medicine advertising is the easiest kind of adver- tising once you get it going," remarked a young advertising manager of a patent medicine concern. I instantly disputed his assertion. It takes a long, up-hill fight to establish a patent medicine, and after it is established it takes the same vim and vigor to hold it. For competition in this field is keen, and it is truly a fight in order *' To Have And To Hold." There are plenty of instances where patent medicines were put upon paying foundations, but only to die of dry rot after reaching staggering success. Advertising Face Bleaches, Powders, etc. One pleasant summer afternoon, while seated in my office, a gentleman entered. He soon told his story. He had just secured control of a certain line of cosmetics — not even locally well-known, but possessing merits which should be well-known and he was willing to back this advertising desire with several thousand dollars. After some consultation we decided upon a plan of action. He went back to his office and sent me several samples of his goods. In the meantime I framed a letter which my typewriter soon struck off and sent to about a hundred well-known actresses and prominent women, who looked upon advertising as a highly desirable element of their daily existence. 826 Successful Advertising This letter was to the effect that the cosmetic — a sample of which went with the epistle — was highly meritorious and was about to be widely advertised, and that if, after a short trial, the preparation was found to be as represented a few lines to that effect would be appreciated with the intention of using the testi- monial in our advertising. Naturally the writer herself would gain some free publicity. Nearly all responded — without much delay — and most of them sent their photographs. A booklet was prepared from this material and quite some space was bought in the principal metropolitan papers. The advertising at once " struck oil," the sales bounded up to the degree where it was necessary to secure added facilities for the preparation and marketing of these cosmetics. Success instantly came and remained ever since. To-day a large floor space on Broadway is necessary to this ever increasing business. The advertising is kept up in the leading New York papers. Such in brief is the advertising story of one of the most popular preparations to aid and enhance feminine beauty to-day on the market. I can conceive of no better way to advertise this line. It costs nothing beyond the asking to get a testimonial from a "public beauty" — public people as a rule are only to ready to rush into print upon the slightest provocation — and odd as it may seem, no one can so influence her more retiring sisterhood, striving for outword charm and beauty as the woman constantly in public prints and constantly in the public eye. The desire to be beautiful is ingrained in the very soul of womankind. It is the power over man that has never failed since the days of Adam and Eve. To enhance this beauty — to prevent the progress of time, of care, of disease — to be always charming, witching and youthful is an argument that is irresti- ble. Where is the woman who can withstand it ? See the crowded "beauty parlors" — ask the always busy masseurs — ask the thousand and one "beauty doctors" who flourish from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the answer will be that woman zvants to bf beautiful. There you have the keynote of advertising face bleaches, powders, etc. "Your money back if you want it" idea is good, so is How To Accomplish It. 327 discriminate sampling. Literature in the shape of a booklet or circular properly written and typographed should accompany every box and bottle and the appearance of literature and package throughout should be dignified if not artistic, for is it not going into that place we all hold sacred " tni ladies' boudoir.'''' Advertising a Hotel. In the Netv York Evening Telegram appears this rather neat way of advertising hotels and restaurants. The stranger on Manhattan Island is frequently in a quandary as to which hotel to stop at. A list (like this) is of decided value to hotels and strangers — in fact to everybody having anything to do with hotels. HOTEL ROLAND park &^Madisora\S] HOTEL WELLINGTON ofl??euIuee. Service a la carte. 7th av. and 55th st. Theatre Suppers. Good Music. Broadway Central m^^^^^^t^ . RnrrAff HnnCP ^*^^t' ethav.&SSthst.Alc.alldav. Lruil&ll llUU3Wxz that loses not one iota of strength when considered in its relation to summer, winter or any other season resort. How to advertise ? If I owned a resort, as Mr. Bradley owns Asbiiry Park, I would employ a competent advertising man for the season and two months before the season opened. These two months could be given to a preparation of "copy." This "copy" would include news items and advertisements. At the beginning of the season the papers would blossom out with these efforts and throughout the season the advertising man would be kept busy in his efforts to keep up the publicity. The advertising man should endeavor to enthuse hotel proprietors, boarding-house keepers, restaurant managers and entertainment enterprises in walking the advertising march with military precision. He could do it — the right kind of a man ! When the season is fully under way and the newspaper correspondents begin to come he should be expected to " take care of them " in the way of accommodation, information and entertainment. Should they run short of something to write about he should smile, bow, and with a Chesterfieldian air hand- out neatly typewritten stories so well constructed and with such a back ground of actuality behind them that they will be grate- fully received on the spot. If needs be the advertising bureau could prepare the advertising of the various hotels, boarding- houses and attractions as well as provide suitable lists of names to which this advertising may be addressed. Advertising a School. The principal prop to the advertising structure in this case is the catalogue or booklet. (Whether it is a booklet or cata- logue, it is usually called a catalogue). Naturally its prepara- tion is a matter of more than passing care and study. The author of such a work first analyzes the good points of an educational institute. He propounds a series of questions after this order : — How is the location? It is on high, dry ground. How are the health conditions ? Very good. There are no malaria, typhoid or such fevers as are induced by impure air, 23 354 Successful Advertisinof poor water and defective drainage. As a rule, the healtti of our pupils is excellent. We have a doctor on the premises. How are the surrounding conditions — scenic and otherwise ? The scenery is beautiful. (Describe the scenery). The town is three miles distant. (Describe briefly the immediate sur- roundings). How is your place reached? (Describe the various railroads running to your vicinity). What comprises your course of studies? (Detail them). Who are your teachers and what are their qualiScations? (Detail this fully in answering). What are your terms? (Give terms for full course and special course. Include with this living and incidental expenses). In what special features does your school excel others? (Study this carefully for it is an important advertising argument). How long does it require a student to take a course? (Answer fully). How many pupils do you usually have? (Answer). What recreations can you give pupils? (Answer in detail as this is a feature in which youngsters are interested). When are your vacations and holidays? (Tell them). The catalogue maker writes down all this information and whatever else he may consider important. He studies the sub- ject again and again — adding a fresh thought here — eliminating a paragraph or sentence there, and presently he has the facts desired in complete get-at-able form. In the meantime he has some illustrations made — usually half-tones — showing interior and exterior views of the institution. Then he proceeds to write out in full his catalogue. His first draft is rarely satisfactor} — his second better, but still not up to the mark — the third is near perfection, and about the fourth or fifth time he feels that the letter-press is all it should be. The pictures are worked in where they should go — the final typographical and literary touches are marked, then it goes to the printer. At this juncture let me emphasize the importance of giving the book to A Good Printer. How To Accomplish It. 355 A poorly printed catalogue of any thing is a poor salesman. It misrepresents instead of represents. The printing of advertising matter emanating from an educational fount of any kind should be scholarly, dignified, business-like and impressive. A poor printer cannot give such printing. Before the catalogue is ready, take out the vital points and compress them in one, two or three-inch ads. Write and rewrite these ads with the utmost care, for they go where every agate line is expensive and where every line counts. The advertising for publications usually goes through advertising agents — the best course. Having gotten through with the catalogue and advertising, the next point is the correspondence — a most important point, for few pupils come until several letters have passed. Advertising a Bakery. Very few bakers think it worth while to advertise. In fact, most bakers never give advertising a thought, save to wonder at it with the peculiar outside view of those who know nothing whatever about the subject. Which view is gen- erally expressed in the stupid query : " How in the world does Smith get back the money he spends in advertising?" The self-same Smith may annually spend a small fortune in advertising, but he makes this outlay return a handsome dividend. Advertising pays Smith because advertising makes known the merits of his offerings. As an inevitable, logical result more people know about (and naturally patronize) Smith and his bake shop than are acquainted even with the fact that his rival, and non-advertiser, Brown, is in business. Generally the progressive advertiser is a progressive busi- ness man. Because he is the latter, he is the former. His estab- lishment, foods and business methods are superior to his rivals'. With good advertising, good business methods and a good establishment in his favor, the progressive man has every favor- ing wind of business in his sails. People micst eat ! The baker must be patronized. 856 Successful Advertisings The glove man, the shoe man, and even the clothing man may be passed by, but the baker — never ! He is a constant necessity. The baker is as important an institution in a com- munity as a supply of drinking water. In a community are nearly always several bakers. If their products, business methods and establishments are on a par, the only way for one to take the most prominent place is by advertising. How should he advertise? Doubtless he can use his local paper to advantage. If so, he can tell his fellow-townsmen (and their wives) in several kinds of ways about the light, flaky, crusty pies he makes ; the delicious, wholesome bread he bakes ; the crisp, palatable biscuits he turns out, and the hygienic conditions, as well as the up-to-date machinery and methods employed in producing these various foods. He can speak of prices as well as any other advertiser, for does not every household consider the financial end of any sort of an investment ? I know a baker in New York City, who has "a bargain day" — which day happens to be Saturday, and I further know that this "bargain day" is a pronounced success. Women come scores of blocks to his Saturday sales and secure their Sunday supplies of bread, pies, cakes, biscuits, rolls, etc. Some of the conditions under which a bakery is run are abhorent. Right here in highly civilized New York City are bakeries — the sight of which would effectually kill the appetite of a pile-driver. The up-to-now baker could talk — with interest to his patrons and advantage to his business — of the cleanliness of his workers, machinery, workrooms, store, delivery, and every phase of handling his breads and other foodstuffs. Circular advertising, novelty advertising and card adver- tising can be used from time to time to supplement his local newspaper advertising, which is the best, for it gets before most of the people to whom he wishes to sell. How To Accomplish It. 357 Financial Advertising. Advertising Stocks. — Now-a-days there is a tremendous lot of financial advertising spread broadcast. It looks at you from the columns of your morning paper — it is in evidence in your favorite weekly and it is also carried by about every magazine. Persuasive prospectuses, carefully constructed circulars, and well-worded letters travel in large quantities through the mail. This branch of advertising has developed into a great busi- ness by itself, and will see still greater development. The wealth and restless energy of this country are constantly pro- jecting new enterprises in the form of stock companies. In order to sell stock in these enterprises, advertising must be done — the only exception is where the stock is taken in blocks by persons rich enough to do so and sufficiently familiar with the situation to make advertising unnecessary. The advertiser of stocks apportions a certain amount of money for advertising in publications — for prospectuses — for circulars or booklets and for correspondence. He selects the papers that he thinks will reach the most desirable people who may be induced to invest. In preparing the advertisements he is guided altogether by the nature of the investment — whether ultra-conservative or otherwise. He mentally dwells upon the promising profits of the enterprise, and substantiates this with facts and figures. He speaks of the ability and personnel of the officers and directors. He tells the amount of the capitalization under which the company is incorporated, the par value of stock (whether common or preferred), and its selling price. In fact, he gives in a well-written summary the ideas that are detailed more fully in the prospectus, which will be sent to who- ever responds to the advertisement. His advertising campaign is usually well considered and executed — generally with the assistance of an experienced advertising man. Advertising Bonds. — There is a form of advertising much more conservative than advertising stocks. Bonds are sup- posed to be gilt-edged investments that do not require any great urging to sell. The value of a stock may be doubtful, but the 358 Successful Advertising value of a bond is always something — backed by securities to make it so. In advertising bonds, adjectives are at a discount, and, as a rule, but the bare facts are given. This applies to the prospectus, circulars and letters that may be sent out regarding the bonds. Prospectuses.— To write a good prospectus requires such a high order of capacity that few writers are competent for the task. It must be ample in information, yet concise in con- struction — enthusiastic in its tone, yet conservative in its utter- ances and suggestive of profitable possibilities beyond the actual statements made, yet never at any time stepping beyond the boundaries of actual facts. Usually the writer first mentions the company, then its capitalization, the state under which it is incorporated, the par value of shares, the price at which these shares are offered, and the nature of these securities. Then he gives the names of the officers and directors, and whatever remarks he thinks advisable regarding the standing and ability of these men. Then he tells where the enterprise is located — its nearness to railroads or ocean ports and bases of supplies. He gives some history and geography regarding the proposition, then proceeds to give some facts as to the profits. After which he recapitulates in a paragraph or two the arguments before given, which, together with the price, makes the prospectus a whole and convincing plea for the proposition. Frequently with a prospectus are gotten up a number of circulars for the use of various sub-agents or "fiscal agents," who agree to push the sale of the stock for a certain considera- tion. And a " follow-up system " — consisting usually of three strong letters — is generally put in operation to clinch the results of the advertising, prospectus, circularizing and letter writing. Bankers' and Brokers' Advertising.— The advertising of bankers, brokers, fiscal agents and those who sell bonds, stocks and securities generally varies to a great degree. There is no question that advertising is valuable to them and appreciated by the great mass of people ready to enter in upon financial and speculative enterprises. There is also no question but that dignity must be a feature of such advertising and extreme How To Accomplish It. 359 judgment used in the construction and placing of advertising. Some of the world's highest intellects are engaged in financial enterprises, and as advertising now is a most important factor in such operations, it stands to reason that the advertising put out by Wall Street, New York ; State Street, Boston, and other financial centres must be a product carefully considered and eminently qualified to fit financial needs. Advertising Banks and Trust Companies.— The growth of this form of advertising within the past few years has been most marked. Appeals for business are now made by advertise- ments in newspapers, weeklies and magazines, as well as by cir- culars and booklets, to the world at large, by banks and trust companies. They solicit savings accounts, check accounts, issue letters of credit, and some say that they are ready to look after properties as administrators, executors, guardians or receivers. Some advertise to offer advice on investments, and others speak of the importance of having safe deposit boxes. Every form of banking business is receiving an advertising impetus — an impetus quite in harmony with twentieth century conditions. Banks and trust companies have something to offer the community, and this something can be advertised as well as anything else. Great care, however, should be taken to see that the advertising is dignified and clean-cut. Familiarism and sensationalism are as far removed from banking business methods as they can possibly be from any business or profession. Banking by Mai!.— Under this caption, in Advertising Schemes^ elsewhere in this volume, is a well defined plan of banking by mail. There is no question but that this idea will meet with favor by many banks and investors. Value of Advertising Novelties. Every advertiser must at some time or another appreciate the fact that advertising novelties possess marked advertising (and consequently commercial) value. While this form of advertising by no means compares with substantial advertising like newspaper and magazine publicity, yet it is distinctly valuable. 360 Successful Advertising The presentation of advertising novelties can, from time to time, be well considered by every advertiser — big or little — local, retail, mail-order, or general. To detail this more closely, it may be said : The retailer opening a new store can give out advertising novelties as souvenirs of the occasion, and by doing so achieve a distinct hit. The retailer with each anniversary of his business can give out advertising novelties that are appropriate to each occasion, and each occasion will be heightened by so doing. The retailer, during openings of milliner^-, feminine gar- ments, dress stuffs, etc., can add to the impression made by each opening by a judicious distribution of advertising novelties. The retailer, during the warm summer months, can present his patrons with fans, thermometers, umbrellas, etc. — each article bearing his advertising, and of such timely value that it will be kept by recipients. At other seasons of the year he can also make good business hits by distributing seasonable advertising novelties. The retailer, during the progress of an important sale, can add to its effectiveness by giving out some desirable advertising novelty. Other local advertisers, like the printer, hotel and restaurant man, butcher, baker, stationer, etc., can give out advertising blotters, calendars, stationery, pens, small order books, memo- randum books, and other little knick-nacks that are not so very expensive, but which are frequently exceedingly beneficial, in creating pleasant feelings in the minds of patrons. The mail-order advertiser can better attract attention and hold trade by occasionally sending out advertising novelties in the shape of coin-holders, return-postal cards, return-order blanks, match-boxes, lead-pencils and other articles, which may appear trifling to some minds, yet which exert a general bene- ficient influence in increasing trade. Newspapers continually add subscription and advertising patronage by a systematic sending out of advertising novelties which, in conjunction with other advertising and business methods, " do the business." How To Accomplish It. 361 The general advertiser — such as the national or international advertiser of foods, soaps, perfumes or patent medicines — finds it good business policy to give out, from time to time, advertis- ing novelties in order to assist the execution of his general advertising scheme. The man who attempts to build up a business by the dis- tribution of advertising novelties alone, stands a poor show of succeeding. But he who assists his newspaper, magazine and stronger forms of advertising with the timely and appropriate distribution of advertising novelties, can well deserve being called a good advertiser. Measures in Which to Set Advertisements. In setting up advertisements the matter of measure — in other words, the width in which the advertisement is set, often resolves itself into a very important proposition. A measure is a column wide. A half measure is a half column wide. Other proportions in measures equal the same in column widths. All measures look alike to the inexperienced or careless advertiser. His favorite measure is a full column wide. He neither understands nor appreciates the effect, economy and im- portance of expanding to a double, triple or quadruple measure under certain conditions, and of contracting to a half or third measure under other circumstances. The more one becomes familiar with advertising the more does he appreciate this detail of preparing publicity. The average — mind you, the average advertisement, can be set in full measure — a column wide. Were all advertisements set in this measure the following criticisms could be justly ap- plied : — There would be a sameness to the advertising which would operate against its eflfect upon the public mind — upon its business- bringing powers. There would be extravagance in instances where the items or paragraphs would not fittingly fill out the space taken. There would be a too crowded condition of affairs when the items or paragraphs would be packed too solid in the space taken. 362 Successful Advertising Imporxant advertising subjects frequently demand double, triple (and more) measures. When these wide spaces are not given the advertising suffers and a business blunder is the result. In retail and general store advertising such light and not particularly profitable articles as notions, books, ribbons, linings and knick-knacks for household needs can frequently go in half measure. Here is an instance of half measure matter under a measure heading : — f DINNERWARE CHEAP! | fX 5-inch PLATES, pie size, C/^ --•-->- x.t . rm^c ^ -^ 'k each •'*' - Deep SOUP PLATES, y^ ^ each '^ ^ W 6-inch PLATES, tea size, /C^ W each "^ CUPS and SAUCERS, pair 8c ^ FRUIT SAUCERS, each 3c '!* 3K 7-inch PLATES, break- 'J^ ^ fast size, each '^ Above the matter is compact, readable and business like. Notice the same matter all set full measure. Thus : — f DINNERWARE CHEAP! I ^ 5-inch PLATES, pie size, each OC ^ ^ 6-inch PLATES, tea size, each Oc W ^ 7-inch PLATES, breakfast size, each 7c Jg p 8-inch PLATES, dinner size, each 8c ^ ^ Deep SOUP PLATES, each 7c ^ ^ CUPS and SAUCERS, pair 8c j^ ^ FRUIT SAUCERS, each 3c jti In the above case the matter is neither compact, readable nor business like. The abnormal white space indicates loose- ness — yes, extravagance. Besides the eye is not assisted by the space wasted. On the principle that certain portions of the advertisement should be set in Agate or Brevier on the score of economy, so should it be set in a less space than a full measure. On the other hand, it pays to break rules and jump across single, double, triple or even quadruple column rules in order to give proper display. How To Accomplish It. 363 The experienced advertiser knows when such conditions arise, and adjusts his advertising widths, or measures, ac- cordingly. Manufacturers and Wholesalers Should Help Retailers with Advertising. Years ago the sale of a patent medicine by a druggist was regulated by the amount of advertising done in his territory by the proprietors of the patent medicine. If it was liberally advertised the druggist had for it a ready sale, if not it had little or no sale. The same condition of affairs prevail to-day and will always prevail, but the rule is being widely extended. The retail clothier finds without any advertising on his part, that there is an active demand for clothing with a certain label. This is because the manufacturers of this clothing dis- tribute broadcast from their headquarters — be they in New York, Rochester, Chicago or some other great manufacturing centre — advertising that creates a demand for this clothing everywhere. The national advertising of certain makes of shoes has given them a reputation that exists wherever advertising reaches. This means an insistent demand for these shoes and naturally retailers are obliged to supply this demand. Certain brands of shirts and neckwear are so well-known through widespread advertising that the haberdasher with any degree of pride would be ashamed to admit that he has not these goods in stock. Therefore he is obliged to carry them — the public continually cry for them — the manufacturers and wholesalers are always working at pressure to supply the demand and the entire business operation is telling testimony as to forceful and far-reaching effects of advertising. As for foods, why the advertiser of Presto or any other food touches the advertising button and presto ! it straightway has a national reputation and every grocer throughout the land hears a loud call from his customers for a particular food and he feels himself called upon to lay in a supply. The old time methods of employing commercial travelers 364 Successful Advertising to induce, beg, implore, cajole, threaten or entertain retailers in order to carry certain lines are rapidly becoming superseded with this application of broadcast, yet systematic advertising. This movement is capable of almost indefinite application. Practically everything eaten, drank, worn and used is suscep- tible of advertising by the manufacturers with the view of creating a demand that retailers will feel themselves obliged to meet. Regarding methods. Let us take the case of a Broadway manufacturer of clothing. He advertises in the magazines and newspapers. He issues booklets and all sorts of literature. He gives out ready-made cuts and advertisements to retailers to use in their local advertising. He supplies ideas on window dress- ing, interior displays, sales, openings and every imaginable sub- ject interesting to the retailer and calculated to sell his clothing. He may spend a royal fortune every year in so doing, but he finds that after deducting the old time expenses of drummers, presents, discounts, rake-offs, entertainments, etc., and consider- ing the immense volume of trade now done, his advertising expense — great as it may seem — resolves itself into an invest- ment that pays a handsome dividend. Advertising a Pliotograph Studio. The proprietor of a New York photograph studio and the press agent of a metropolitan theatre met and talked after the manner of their kind. After a while the photograph man gave a good imitation of a man doing a thinking act. "Why so contemplative ? " asked the press agent. " I am struck with a great idea " said the producer of photo- graphs and as he continued his conversation he showed that he was also a producer of ideas. "See yon fair damsel, blithely tripping along the Rialto ? See the several bevys of beautiful womankind that pass by ? Seethe swagger stride of every actor that moves along? See the " "Cut it out! What's your idea ? " " Not so fast — not so rude, young man ! This is a good How To Accomplish It. 365 idea for you — for me. All these people — these renowned actors and famous actresses — want their photographs in as many papers as they can enter. They want publicity — photographs. They want photographs — publicity. They want — well, we'll give it to 'em." " What ? How ? " asked the press agent. " You send me twenty leading people from your unequalled star cast. I'll give them each a dozen photographs for nothing. They'll jump at the offer, of course. Then I'll give you two dozen photographs of each actor and actress with the under- standing that you'll send my photographs — and my photographs only — to the papers and magazines with your regular press notices. When these photographs appear my name '11 appear on each and presently it '11 be known to hundreds and hundreds of thousands of readers as that of a leading artist in the photo- graphic line. Oh ! This is a great idea, my boy." "Good idea — I'm with you" enthusiastically said the press agent. " I'll also give you a half dozen large sized crayons if you will distribute them judiciously about your foyer," continued the photographer. The ideas as conveyed in the preceding conversation were put in execution by the photographer, aided by his friend and collaborater the press agent. The magazines blazoned forth without charge the name of the photographer every time one of his photographs of a dramatic star appeared. The daily papers literally advertised his script cognomen without charge or ques- tion. The theatrical world saw his name and picture and was much impressed thereby. His business grew to the point where he presented his very good friend the press agent with as hand- some a tailor made suit as you could find on Broadway between Twenty-third and Forty-second streets. This is no sketch spun from the thought-webs of the imagination. It is based upon a fact and contains a pointer worthy of consideration by any photographer in any town or city where there is a fair theatrical contingent. The photographer who manages to show pictures of local interest in the principal show windows, hotel offices, railroad 366 Successful Advertising: depots and public places of his town usually does the lion's share of the town's photograph business. When it comes to newspaper advertising he need not take much space, but the little space he does take can be filled up by convincing talk as to the artistic merit of his photographs. He can quote prices. He can make a special bid for children's trade on Saturday and tell mothers that he is always fortunate in getting the best expressions and happiest results in such cases. He can say that cloudy days are as good as sunny days. He can give an idea of the time required to produce a dozen finished cabinet photographs. He can afford to cut prices on a line for a week or so — just to stir up trade. He can talk about the bright, cheery atmosphere of his studio. In short he can find lots of interesting points to talk about in his advertising. He can circularize at special seasons of the year. At the beginning of the holiday season he can well send out a well worded circular calling attention to his facilities for producing in short order, holiday photographs and their desirability as Christmas presents. In June he can send out with profit a cir- cular calling attention to his ability to photograph satisfactorily picnic groups, lawn groups, yards, houses, schools, conven- tions, etc. Advertising a Laundry. New York laundries are excellently advertised as far as wagons, windows, machinery and offices are concerned. They do little or no newspaper advertising. Occasionally some send out circulars or large postal cards. As a couple of hundred dollars capital will start a man in the laundry business, there are hundreds of small laundries in Manhattan alone. Yesterday I was talking with a man who operates one of these small laundries, and here is about the gist of our conversation. He said : " I have been established only ten months in my present location, but I call my laundry the 'Old Hickory' Laundry. I have a double reason for this. New York has a shift- ing population, and many people will think from the name that How To Accomplish It. 367 my laundry was established in Andrew Jackson's time. Others will imagine that my process of cleaning clothes will make them last, for hickory is the name of a wood that lasts — don't you see ? I do a nice little business on Fourth Avenue, and keep my windows, office and work-room as attractive-appearing as possible. I never did any advertising, but I feel as though I should." "Regarding the advertising," was my answer, " I would advise you to get a list of the names of all families, together with lodgers and boarders in your vicinity — say within three blocks east, west to Broadway, six blocks north and six blocks south. Circularize these names once a month. Have these cir- culars briefly, brightly and logically worded — each with a good illustration suggestive of your business. The reason I speak of boarders and lodgers is that in this, a great boarding house region, is a shifting class that hardly ever thinks of laundry work until a bunch of soiled clothes is a reminder of its necessity. A cir- cular will do effective work with this class. Newpaper adver- tisirg is not advisable in your case, for you cover but a small portion of the city, while the daily papers cover the whole city and its environments. There would be so much waste circula- tion that such advertising would prove too expensive. Syste- matic monthly circularizing with the good work of your grow- ing business will cause a further and rapid growth." But if this laundry cannot advertise to advantage in news- papers, there are thousands of laundries in small cities and towns that can use newspapers to advantage. In such an instance a laundry generally bids for trade from the entire town, and as the local paper does likewise it stands to reason that the paper is its best advertising aid. I have been told that a laundry business is usually very profitable. I see no reason why the appropriation of a laundry business should not range from three to five per cent. There maybe weeks when this systematic advertising does not seem to pay, but looking back on the year's advertising the manager of a laundry about to open a new year of business is invariably- found to express himself thus : — "Advertising is all right and I am going to keep it up another year." 368 Successful Advertising Some laundries advertise that they will darn socks, put on buttons, sew tears, etc. Others talk about the exceeding care with which they handle delicate laces, embroideries and such filmy features of the feminine wardrobe. Others speak of the unap- proachable manner in which they handle shirts, collars, cuffs, etc. All such points are very valuable to study as advertising arguments. The question of filling up advertising space with business- bringing talk is a question that almost any advertising writer can answer, and the wise laundry man will put himself in touch (to stay) with that individual. Advertising Leather Goods and Harness. The harness store in a town nowadays is usually the re- pository of all kinds of leather goods, such as pocketbooks, shop- ping bags, traveling bags and trunks, card cases, cigarette cases, writing tablets and needs of such order. The advertising of such goods can be made readable and profitable. The advertiser can, from time to time, give out ad- vertising novelities made by himself to illustrate his hand craft. An anniversary or holiday souvenir in the shape of a card case is something not be despised. It will be remembered and ap- preciated by the recipient lucky enough to get it. As for the local newspaper advertising that should be the mainstay of the advertiser. Constant study of his goods and prices and an intelligent expression of the results of his studies represent the sum total of his advertising labors. The worth of the advertising exactly mirrors the ability of the man who does it. If the advertising is bright, logical and convincing then there is an able man directing it: — if weak, wishy-washy and purposeless then there is an incompetent at the advertising helm. Having settled down upon a plan of advertising which should mean the expenditure of from two to five per cent, of the business and should include newspaper (principally newspaper), circular and novelity advertising — then the advertiser should proceed to analyze the good points of the offerings and present them to the public. How To Accomplish It. 369 Generally, the two principal points about leather goods are, or should be, durability and appearance. When a man buys a harness he wants a good strong harness, that will stand plenty wear and tear and present an attractive appearance. The next feature is price. If there are any further features they are in varieties to choose from, courteous attendence, a pleasing, well lighted store and prompt deliveries. Traveling necessities made of leather should also be durable and presentable. A trunk is an article that oftentimes passes through strenuous periods and if it is not strongly built it becomes a misadvertisement for the dealer who sold it. The advertiser of these goods can say something fresh and good in every ad. Let him put himself in the place of a sales- man in the store talking to a customer and he is then in the right attitude to write advertising. Advertising Assistance From Papers. Papers should give all the assistance possible to advertisers in the construction of their advertisements and in making profitable their advertising. This idea is slowly, but surely, taking root. Many dailies, weeklies and monthlies have well organized departments which are ready to furnish ideas, ads, illustrations and set ups to advertisers. One of the most successful newspapers — in the point of advertising patronage — to-day in America is the Washington Star. The enormous amount of advertising it carries is due in a large degree to the well-known Star Ad Writing Bureau. A few years ago this bureau sprang into existence and under able management developed Washington advertising to an unusually prosperous degree. What could be done in Washing- ton could be done in any other city. Advertisers are hungry for ideas — for ads — for assistance in their advertising drudgery. Some daily paper in New York will make a hit with a well equipped ad writing and ad illustrating bureau on its staff. Then Boston will wake up. Then a whole lot of cities and towns will fall into line and from this cause alone American advertising will receive a mighty impetus. 24 370 Successful Advertising I remember liow a few years ago while out in the Rocky Mountains for health purposes I went to a town not so many miles away from Denver. I was in town a day or two — mop- ing around, a perfect stranger — when an idea struck me. I immediately jjroceeded to put it in execution. I walked over to the office of the local paper and asked if I could see the busi- ness manager. I found that individual sitting in a chair and smoking a cigar. " Well sir ? " he said interrogatively. " I want to see you about a plan I have for the development of advertising in this town and so increasing your advertising." He looked at me with amazement, suspicion and disgust combined. " Don't think you can do anything in this shop. What is your scheme — programme, coupon, want ad scheme or what is it?" " It is nothing of the sort. There is no ' scheme ' about it. It is a sensible and dignified way of increasing your advertis- ing. It is to give such advertisers as you have assistance in the way of preparing their advertisements, helping them to get up and run sales and in general make their advertising more profi- table. As their advertising will be more profitable your adver- tisers will increase it and your paper will reap the advantage. More advertisers can also be developed by a persistent and intelligent exposition of the good of advertising and a willing- ness to give them every help possible." "Oh, you mean to become an advertising solicitor on my paper?" he asked. "I do not mean to become a solicitor on your paper," I answered. "I am obliged to remain in this region for a few months and could put in my time more profitably to myself (and you) if we could make an arrangement whereby I could go to work on the above lines." I then told him of my advertis- ing experience and detailed my ideas very thoroughly and finally he said : " Come in to-morrow and I will let you know. I want to talk it over with the owner who is also the editor." I dropped in next day and the manager opened up : How To Accomplish It. 371 "Your scheme is not feasible. It can never be worked If you write an ad for Jones his rival Smith will want to know about it. Everybody will know — or think they can know — what everybody else is doing." " If that bank across the way carries my account is that any reason why everybody who banks there should know the size of my account? Don't you suppose that banks are silent sometimes? Don't you suppose that your business developer can keep certain matters quiet ? " I thought I gave him a great argument, but he answered : — " No, your scheme is not feasible. Good day." This was over seven years ago. The plan I then advocated is in operation in that and several hundreds of other towns. I have personally advised the operation of this idea to scores of publishers and in my correspondence with many others h .ve urged it. Here is the case in a nutshell : — Advertisers want ideas — help. They zvant to make their advertising profitable. The paper that will assist them in this will see its advertisers appreciative and its advertising columns grow by reason of this development of advertising, Reading Notices. Reading notices, when rightly written, are business bringers. A clever puff can do a lot of good to a business and by the same token a malicious notice can do it a lot of harm. Adver- tisers generally feel that they are entitled to a number of read- ing notices in proportion to the patronage given and the papers usually grant them. Retailers and all local advertisers should be well treated by the managers of local papers. Business doings possess news value. The new arrivals in spring silks at John Smith's store are subjects of interest to women. The new machinery installed in the Main Street Laundry is a subject often as nmch discussed by the town's business men as the speech of a spellbinder. How often in looking over the "locals" in the paper do you run across something like this?- — Latest styles in Spring millinery now at The Leader. 872 ' Successful Advertising How much better would something like this be ? — Yesterday the Argus man, in his rounds, learned of the arrival of new shapes in Spring millinery at The Leader. Being a mere man he did not presume to look at and judge of these Hats, Bon- nets and Toques with the same eyes and judgment exercised by the feminine patrons of the The Leader, but he is positive of one fact, viz : That there is a large and very attractive display of pretty headgear on view. The prices too are attractive for they are in harmony with the low price policy of this establishment. Here is another instance of the reading notice rarely read :— • Johnson the watch maker does repairing. Which could be written so as to say something — after this order : — If there is anything the matter with your watch or clock, why not visit Johnson the watch maker? There is very little about a clock or watch that his repairers do not understand. Johnson will call and deliver free of charge. If you are in a hurry ring him up, telephone 279 West. Occasional endorsements of reputable advertisers are not out of place by the best newspapers and the best newspapers from time to time fully extend such endorsements. Headlines. The headline is the first bid for business. It is the eye-catcher — the attention-attractor — the life and essense of the ad. If it is successful the advertisement is read. If it is unsuccessful the time and money spent on the pub- licity is wasted. Therefore advertisers should study headlines. Among the highest paid men in metropoliton journalism are the headline constructors. They aim to present the news of the day at a glance in the display above the "stories." Their headlines are pithy, purposeful, striking, scintillating and sensible. Every advertiser can well study their efforts. They are brilliant with dramatic effect. They play upon the reader's emotions. They are alliterative and read before realized They How To Accomplish It. 373 never waste words. They go to the heart of the subject and go as straight as a bullet. They say something. Commonplace advertising floods everywhere. It neither attracts nor repels the reader's eye. If the reader has time, or is particularly interested in the article advertised, he reads the advertisement — if not — it has not even a moment's significance to him. Not so with the advertisement topped with an interesting caption. By sheer force of its advertising worth it wins atten- tion. The duty of the headline there ends. It is the advertise- ment proper that holds the attention after being won. The good headline possesses a distinct financial value. Its mercantile importance is proven by the increased business it influences as compared with the trade brought by the ordinary advertisement capped with the ordinary headline. Advertising in Publications. Daily Papers. — For retailers the best advertising is in daily papers. The returns are prompt. They can be easily traced. Within twenty-four hours from the time a merchant inserts his advertisement in his local paper he can tell whether or not it paid. If he has a good store system and watches his advertis- ing closely he can tell almost to a certainty the exact returns from this advertising. Daily papers so far supersede all other advertising mediums for retailers that many merchants spend the full per cent of their advertising appropriation in their columns. Advertisements for daily newspapers should be set up at least a day in advance of their publication. Final price and other corrections can be made in the final proofs But it is advisable to have these corrections made in advance of this and so obviate any possibility of errors creeping in the advertise- ments. When advertisements are ordered for insertion it is usually when the advertising and composing stafis of the daily are at their busiest (and the force of a daily newspaper is a pretty busy crowd at all times.) To make corrections at the last hours— when pressure is at its highest— is obviously poor judgment. 374 Successful Advertisings To the local advertiser of any degree and description the daily newspaper may be set down, in nine cases ont of ten, as being his chief publicity prop. It covers his field — reaches the people he wishes to reach and through it he can tell his story more economically than through any other medium. The mail order advertiser wishing to advertise in a certain town, county, State or territory can do so through the daily paper which not only covers the town from whence it is issued, but also a large section of the country outside of it. The general advertiser wishing to cover certain sections of the country will find the same rule operating in his case. ]\Iany a general advertiser covers a certain portion of the country at a time, and covers it well, with the assistance of daily papers. When that portion is well covered he proceeds to cover other portions in the same way and presently he finds that his goods are on sale all over the continent. Weekly Papers. — Country weekly papers are excellent for retailers located in their towns and vicinities. Where the weekly alone is published it is a splendid advertising medium. As it has the entire advertising field of its section to itself its value to the local, general and mail order advertiser is most obvious. When there is a daily published in the same town the weekly is also a most desirable advertising medium, as the daily and weekly together make a strong advertising combination for the advertiser to cultivate. The country weekly is the most highly prized and closely read of all papers published. It's chronicles of local doings are scanned by every member of the family. It is an essential institution in its neighborhood— at times, far beyond its neigh- borhood — and for this reason alone is a most desirable advertis- ing medium. What it lacks in quantity as a medium it there- fore makes up in quality. Great weekly papers like the YotitJCs Companion, the Satur- day Evening Post, Collier s Weekly, Harper's Weekly^ etc., are so generally recognized and generously used as advertising mediums by mail order and general advertisers that it is almost unnecessary to here say anything regarding them. The qucs- How To Accomplish It. 375 tion of the use of each is best determined by the advertiser him- self after considering the article he wishes to sell, its price, the people he wishes to sell it to and the advertising rates as well as the quality and the quantity of the weekly's circulation. There is no question but that such papers are more carefully read and preserved than daily papers. Magazines. — The general and mail order advertiser nmst consider the use of magazines. They go everywhere, are care- fully read and long kept, have enormous circulations and exercise a tremendous influence not only from an advertising viewpoint, but also from every point of view in moulding human thought. The retail or local advertiser is the one adver- tiser who never bothers about magazine advertising, unless he has a mail order adjunct to his business, through which he wishes to make the world at large his customers. One point about magazine advertising is that the advertiser must get his copy in early. The daily or country weekly advertising rule of getting in copy a day or two in advance of publication must be quite forgotten in dealing with magazines, which demand copy long in advance of publication. The date of closing of forms var>' with the various maga- zines. Some magazines are excellent for high class articles — others for popular priced goods and others for very cheap goods. When an advertiser considers magazine advertising he con- siders, as a matter of course, the character of its circulation as well as the character of his goods. He makes one fit the other. Religious and Other Class Publications.— To the advertiser wishing to reach a certain class of people he can generally pick his choice of mediums from several papers appealing to that class. About every religious denomonation has its paper or papers. About every political party has its paper or papers. Medical men have papers carefully edited for their sole perusal. And so on through almost every line of conviction and endeavor. Without attempting to enter upon a dissertation regarding the worth of the various mediums of this nature it can be said that they are extremely valuable advertising mediums to busi- ness men with articles that appeal to certain classes. 376 Successful Advertisings Trade Papers.— Manufacturers, wholesalers, importers, brokers, commission merchants and those live business men who wish to make their business known in their respective fields find trade paper advertising invaluable. The great adver- tising incomes that some trade papers enjoy is the best proof of this. Trade papers have great circulations and exercise wide influences upon the retail, wholesale, manufacturing and import- ing lines — upon the specific lines of action that they cover. Advertising Confectionery. The advertising of sweetmeats — over the counters and through the mails — have received quite an impetus within the past few years. There is no earthly reason why candy cannot be advertised as well as anything else, and candy retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers, are rapidly realizing this fact. Such adjectives as "delicious," "piquant," "palatable," "pure," "tempting" "choice," "toothsome" and "mouth- watering" are called into great requisition by the advertising writer when he wiggles ink across paper in his efibrts to give publicity to saccharine specials. SATURDAY SPECIALS! IN ASSORTED CHOCOLATES. Choice assorted Chocolates — made espec- ially for our trade — therefore we know them to be fresh, pure and luscious— when down ^ —q^ town to-morrow get a pound box for ^^ IN SPECIAL MIXTURES. If you are looking for sweetmeats particu- larly toothsome see the alluring assort- ments of Bon Bons, Chocolates, Caramels, Wafers Glaces, Fruits, etc — that we , _ offer to-morrow at per pound box 45 CALKIN'S CANDY STORE. How To Accomplish It. 377 Every town — no matter how small — has its confectionery store, which should be advertised. Friday evening or Saturday morning are good times to advertise confectioner)-, (i) for money is plentiful on Saturday (2) many Saturday shoppers like to bring home a box of candy (3) the store is usually open Sat- urday evening (which, of course, is the best evening). The local paper should be a good friend to the confectioner. For it should carry the bulk, if not all, of his advertising — set it up in good shape — give it a good position — give him such assistance in the way of suggestions, writing and illustrations as may be valuable from time to time, and in short, be of service to the confectioner and itself. Speaking about local papers, it is wonderful how many dif- ferent kinds of advertising and business managers there are. Some such men are of distinct value to advertisers, as they are bright, cheerful and helpful, while others are not. The de- velopment of advertising in a town rests almost altogether upon the managers of the local papers. I have seen some ' ' mana- gers" who, if they were hired to turn away business from their papers, could do the turning away process no better than they daily do in the course of their "managerial" duties. However, this phase of advertising is discussed elsewhere under the cap- tion of " advertising assistance fro?H papers!''' The advertising of a confectionery store should be put on a systematic basis. Once the " plan of operation" is decided upon, then about all the labor of running the advertising con- sists of writing the advertisements and passing upon the proofs. This is worth the proprietor's attention, but if he (or she) has neither the time nor inclination, the bright young lady who weighs out chocolates with a smile, may be induced to attempt the advertising writing. I have noticed that young ladies are very superior advertisers of candies. Why this is so I do not know, unless it is due to the fact that they make a deep study of and like to contemplate candy, very much as a man likes to consider and study cigars. Boxes, paper bags and packages that enclose candy should be exceptionally well printed, with the concern's name and address. A catch phrase is a good idea to use on all packages, 378 Successful Advertising stationery and advertising. Whatever circular or card adver- tising that is sent out should also represent excellent printing. On such occasions as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, etc., special sales should be gotten up. Newspaper advertisements and store displays are then in order. Advertising Suggestions. Bigness and generosity always attract humankind, especially ■when that humankind is womankind. So in your bargain stories, give plenty of items and prices. Newspaper space is too valuable to be wasted with poor, pointless advertising. Let every word in your ads tell, let every sentence convey a clear cut idea. In advertising to women, don't waste words — with men, be briefer still. Men hate detail, women rather like it ; but its rather expensive to indulge in muchly. The advertising man should know type and its uses. Many a good ad is spoiled by poor typographical arrangement in the hands of a hasty or careless printer. Retailers, always give prices in your ads. They're to the initiatory folk what the train is to the engine ; the noise and fuss only serves to swing them into view. Don't be hypocritical in venting your ideas on paper. Many a good idea has never gone through the sieve of criticism be- cause the critic was too small-minded to appreciate its worth. Always be good-humored in your ads. Good humor is like sunshine, it lightens up many roads ; it is always pleasing and attractive, and is a great lift on the road to advertising success. The ability to prepare a "write-up" on every subject is pos- sessed by few. The line between too much advertising and too little advertising is a thin and narrow one and discoverable by only really clever advertisers. Retailers, in your ads give plenty of quotations. Don't have a Niagara of words and a rivulet of items and prices, that's too suggestive of a poor house pudding — lots of wind and very few plums. Don't expect results from your ads in a moment. "Rome was not built in a day," and it takes time for your arguments How To Accomplish It. 379 to simmer in the brains of people who are occupied with aflfairs of their own. Ideas come from all sources. The office boy's glance may mean an inspiration ; the fluttering of leaves may suggest a train of thought. Quick perceptions see them everywhere and utilize them in advertising. Size up an advertizing medium as you would a man. If the publication has a well-fed, sleek, healthy appearance, it is thriving, and as a publication rarely thrives unless it has a right to, then it deserves consideration. Brevity is the soul of wit ; 'tis so in advertising. Study brevity as you would spend money ; endeavor to lesson your flow of words as you would your flow of cash, yet see that the flow of both is sufficient to do execution. Top O' Column is all right and so is Next to Reading Mat- ter, but the main point, after all, is the ad itself. See that it is strong in argument, beautiful in appearance and satisfactory in general. Then try and get it a good position. When an idea strikes you, jot it down. When another comes along, pin that down, too. In this way the bright adver- tising writer can keep his ideas constantly on file for reference, instead of their going astray through memory's window. After all, the greatest study of mankind is woman, with man as a side issue. The advertiser should never overlook this point. When he conquers Her Serene Highness, the American Woman, he is on the highway to success. Ideas move the world. Every action, great or small, has its root in an idea. In writing advertising use ideas. If you can't think easily, or are too busy to think, get some one to do your thinking for you. Here's where the modern ad writer comes in. Make your sentences short, likewise your paragraphs. Re- member the egg in this, it is a small affair, but very meat>' and easily digested. Hard horse sense is the prime requisite of an advertising man. From the first preparation of copy till its final appear- ance in a newspaper this qualification is demanded. The perceptive faculties must be well developed in an ad- writer. He ought to grasp ideas from every source, to see 880 Successful Advertising points that escape the average, all of which he can utilize in his profession. In preparing an ad be your reporter first and editor after- wards. As reporter, get all your best thoughts on the subject down on paper, as editor, trim, polish and elaborate until your ad is perfect. Take a thought and express it quickly and easily with one sentence. Treat the second the same way before you venture upon the third. Let each idea stand by itself, never intermin- gle or jumble them up. Be natural. Be honest. Be sincere. Be all these to your- self in writing your advertising. The public will recognize these qualities for they are human and touch all. In the average body of the average ad Small Pica lower case answers very well. It makes a clean appearance, is easily read and is used by good advertisers like Rogers-Peet Co. and others. Advertising is analysis. It is an analysis of the good points of what you have to offer. Analyze your offerings carefully, bring to light all the good points and let the full glare of publicity shine upon them. The advertising writer is like a sponge, he absorbs every idea within reach. If he does not use suggestions the moment they come to him, they are absorbed in his mental receptacle, to be fished out when occasion req^^ires. When you set out to prepare your ad have a mental picture of the space you are to fill. Fill this space right, with neither too many words nor too little. The organ of casuality (as phrenologists call it) is very necessary in an ad-writer. When you see a particular style of set-up that you would like to apply to your own ad don't bother marking type. It is quicker for you and easier for the printer if you paste a bit of that style on your copy with the words '' follow this style." The advertising writer must use his imagination. Imagina- tion is the sun that lightens up dark places. It lends a charm to prosaic subjects. Bare facts are pills that are more easily diges- ted when covered with a coating of a good writer's imagination. It takes time to make impressions. The first appearance How To Accomplish It. 381 of your ad may be scarcely noticed, the second noticed but not remembered, the third may make a slight impression, but the succeeding insertions impress by present and past appearances. Clearness, brevity and point are the triple virtues that the advertising writer must remember. Originality in expression, beauty in typography and all around nicety are minor virtues, yet all are good and should somehow be squeezed in the ad. It is not a bad plan to once in a while go around and inter- view the compositor or head of the composing room where your ads are set up. An interchange of ideas is mutually advanta- geous and welcome. To write a good ad you must have a keen interest in the goods tbemselves. Handle them, fondle them, get acquainted with them — consider the richness, beauty and many attractions — then when you have imbibed the right sort of impressions let them flow naturally from your pen. Punctuation. Punctuation that will help advertising in being clear, crisp, concise and convincing is the punctuation most used by the good advertising writer. Periods are used with great liberality. For short sentences are best. Commas are also much in demand, as they indicate the con- clusion of a thought but not of a sentence. Commas are used thus : — Style ^ quality and value are here. Reliable^ handsome.^ but low priced. Before a quotation of one sentence, run in in a paragraph, use a comma, thus : They all cry, ^' time and tide wait for no map.''^ In sentences containing two clauses, connected by a conjunction, the clauses should be sepa- rated by at least a comma. If the clauses are unusually lengthy or not connected with a conjunction, use a semi-color, or prefer- ably a dash. Better still make two short or medium sentences out of the rather lengthy sentence. Colon. and dash comes in at the end of such paragraphs as : — Read carefully every line of the following : — Dashes are preferable to colons and semi-colons in writing 382 Successful Advertising advertising, as tliey make ideas not terminated by periods, stand out in bolder relief. To illustrate this, here are two forms of punctuation for comparison on the same subject : — Men's English Squares, Knots, Imperials and Four-in-Hands ; in li,e;ht or dark effects ; ex- quisitely finished ; equal to what would usually cost 'jc^ you|i.oo; here for . . . J Ok,, Men's English Squares, Knots, Imperials and Four-in-Hands — in light or dark efiFects — ex- quisitely finished — equal to what would usually cost '7^^' you $1.00 — here for . . . # ^C. Quotation marks are used to show that the writer is not the author of that particular word, phrase, sentence or excerpt quoted. If a mark of exclamation or interrogation is used at the conclusion of the quotation that is not part of the quota- tion, then this mark should be outside the quotation marks. For instance : — They call them " valnes^\' Exclamations are preferable to periods at the conclusion of sensational sentences like : — This will be the Sale of the Season ! The advertising writer is not long in harness before he finds out that his great task is to say somethings which when said, almost any printer will properly punctuate. How To Accomplish It. 38-3 PROOF READER'S MARKS. WHEN THE SIGNS HERE GIVEN ARE EMPLOYED AS DIRECTED THEY WILL BE READILY UNDERSTOOD IN ANY PRINTING OFFICE. X Change bad letter. J. Push down space. 9 Turn letter right side up. ^ Take out {dele). K Left out ; insert. #■ Insert space. V Even up the spacing between words. i^ Less space. Z Close up entirely. O Insert a period. y Insert a comma. Q Insert a colon. ^ Insert a semicolon. yy Insert an apostrophe. 384 Successful Advertising Proof Reader's Marks Continued. ^ Insert quotation marks. / Insert a hyphen. ^/ Insert one-em dash. /^/ Insert two-em dash. o Insert em-quad space. i: Move over. \\\ Straighten lines. II Change alignment. 1 Make a paragraph. tet or .... , Let it remain ; change not necessary. w.f. Wrong kind of type used. font. Kind of type required. tr. Transpose. rom. Use roman letter. How To Accomplish It. 385 Proof Reader's Marks Continued. iial. Use italic letter. Caps. Use Capital letter. s. c. Use small capital letters. /. c. Use lower case or small letters. overrun. Carry over to the next line. Qy. or(f) Doubt regarding spelling, etc. Indicates italic letters. == Indicates small capital letters. -=^ Indicates CAPITAL letters. Indicates black lower case letters. Indicates BLACK SMALL CAPITAL letters. Indicates BLACK CAPITAL letters. 25 386 Successful Advertisin,^ PROOF BEFORE CORRECTING. ^-C^f £ J liA ^ Thousand pairs of |stylish[wQmen's]and ^'^. serviceable Shoes, of Patent Leather, in zcr^- b)/(tton and lace/^^re embafced in this ^/c A Oj offeri)/g. They have hand turned^and welted/-/ _L solesjT^ come in)this Autumii^most |shape^ [ ^^jl •Jj lasts. ^ All sizes are here, and while we § anticipate a big big rush^we yet havemade ^ "^ (^«on. ample prep arations to meet it, so we can tLcJr promise ng Nvaiti^T) Caj^s. 5" (.This is an unusual opportunity, brought ^^^^ c5 ab)!(out through a fortunate purchase/ and w 3 we cornjnend it to every woman who is looking for a high grade pair of shoes at /^/ the IjwesT price possib le. <^ c , [^ ^ You can save from §T00 to ^UoO^ z^a-^ per pair by taking advantage of this special^ sale price, which is [51 .85 per pair. ] ^4^^ How To Accomplish. It. 387 PROOF AFTER CORRECTING. A" I Of women's stylish and ser- Thonsand ^.^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ p,^,„t PSirS Leather, in button and lace, are embraced in this otTer- mg. They have hand-turned and welted soles, and come in this Autumn's most shapely lasts. All sizes are here, and while we anticipate a big rush, we yet have made ample pre- parations to meet it so that we can promise NO WAITING 1 This is an unusual oppor- tunity, brought about through a fortunate purchase, and we commend it to every wo- man who is looking for a high-grade pair of shoes at the lowest price possible. You can save from $ 1 ,00 to $1.50 per pair, by taking advantage of this special sale price, which is INDEX OF SUBJECTS. A A General Talk on Mail Order Advertising 215 A Live Department or Business Always Vigorous, Keeping 113 A Reason for that Sale, Have 128 A Sick Department, Building Up no Action, Advertising 306 Active Every Month in the Year, Keeping Retail Business 85 Ad Building i The Foundation: Ideas i The Superstructure : Words • • 5 Prices 9 The Essentials : Displaying Items and Prices 12 Preparing Advertising Copy for the Printer 15 The Embellishments: Types 18 Illustrations 22 The Completion— Merchandise and Audience • . 24 Ads, Making Up Large 93 Ad, The Salesman and the 317 Advertising a Bakery 355 a Circus 335 a Department Store 89 a Dressmaking Establishment 152 a Drug Store i44 a Grocery I45 a Hotel 327 a Laundry 3^ a Merchant Tailoring Business 150 a New Store 107 a Patent Medicine 323 a Photograph Studio 364 a Printing Establishment 348 a Publication 321 a Resort 352 a Restaurant 329 a School 353 a Stationery and Newspaper Store 153 a Town or City 350 389 «90 Successful Advertising Advertising Action 306 All the Year Around, Retail (Division Number Two) .... 27 Amateur, The 262 April 58 Assistance from Papers 369 Autumn 78 Be Optimistic in 318 Booklet 283 Books 142 China 123 Cigars, Pipes and Smokers' Articles 147 Classified 345 Clothing 98 Confectioner>' .... 376 Copy for the Printer, Preparing 15 Dental 342 Does not Increase the Cost of Goods to the Consumer .... 311 Dog Day Clothing 74 Early Summer • 63 Educational Features by Mail 218 Face Bleaches, Powders, etc 325 Financial 357 Fish and Meat Market 161 Floor Coverings 123 Foreign 301 Furniture 120 Furs and Fur Garments • I57 Glassware 123 Hat and Cap ' ' • i55 Hardware 136 Holiday 80 Honesty as a Factor in 296 House Furnishings 123 in Publications 373 Individuality in 252 Infants' and Children's Wearables 156 Jewelry and Optical 138 Lamps 123 \