UC-NRLF 
 
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LIBRARY 
 
 OF THF 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Class 
 
Successful atibertising 
 
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^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 
 
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 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 
 .•<l)ird. irhirh /s liisl ,rilr,i,,l in twmUelhcen- 
 liirii iiiili'irii:/. To .-iiuid .:iill, (Vtufor a mo- 
 mcnl, is.fal.al. 
 
 Ax llie bnsiness-man is a busy man, what 
 he 7vant:i it! the subject-matter— not the intro- 
 ducloii/. 
 
 The idro!', siir/arsliovf, lir/p and advice 
 set.fovlh in this imv'k aim In l,r rl.or and ron- 
 CiV, .<'> 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^-//!<? best set of ideas. 
 
 Why? 
 
 This is the result of hereditary influences, later of school 
 and college life, and still later of the business education which 
 comes to the man of affairs. Here are three distinct sets of 
 
 'j 
 
4 Successful Advertising 
 
 influences and every advertising man with a reputation bows his 
 acknowledgments to each. 
 
 The advertising man should study his readers with great 
 consideration. Advertising, in a sense, may be defined as the 
 influence of mind over mind, therefore the psychological ele- 
 ment in advertising is a most important one. 
 
 So much for the birth and growth of ideas, which is but 
 very little indeed ! This great subject is beyond any writer — 
 beyond any human conception. 
 
 Now for the application of ideas. 
 
 Supposing we were to advertise — say a pen. All right. At 
 once the mental machinery resolves itself into a series of ques- 
 tions and answers : 
 
 What is the pen for ? To write. To write how ? To write 
 smoothly. Anything else? To write clearly. Anything else ? 
 To write with a perfect flow of ink. Anything else? It is a 
 durable pen. Anything else? It is a strong, yielding pen. 
 And so on until all information regarding the pen is extracted. 
 
 With this information before the ad writer he or she (for 
 there are quite a number of young ladies now in the pub- 
 licity field) selects the most important and there we have a 
 series of facts — and facts only. 
 
 So far so good. 
 
 At this juncture fancy steps in and lends an idea or two to 
 heighten up prosaic facts. Contrar}' to many opinions I believe 
 in taking the rough edges off" cold facts — sugar-coating them as 
 it were — with happy, brief expressions that have but an indirect 
 bearing upon the subject in hand. 
 
 Get the ideas right from facts regarding the pen. Then 
 get the ideas right from fancies conjured up regarding the pen. 
 See that these ideas make a distinct, positive and pleasant 
 impression. 
 
 After which hunt up the right words to express these ideas, 
 which brings us along to the next subject — the treatment of 
 words. 
 
How To Accomplish 
 
 The Superstructure. 
 
 Words. — Words are powerful, although but the expression of 
 ideas. The shortest words are best. The briefest sentences are 
 best. The ad writer finds that a clean-cut, distinct impression is 
 best conveyed by short words and short sentences. 
 
 Long words and long sentences are only permissible when 
 the subject is so exhausted by brief expressions that for the sake 
 of novelty elongated expressions are a relief. (This occurs 
 more often than the neophyte appreciates. Any old dyed-in-the- 
 wool advertising man, constantly writing upon a subject, will 
 bear me out in this). 
 
 The old, tried and constantly used words are best. Yet for 
 the sake of novelty the writer should occasionally use new 
 words. The best writers are those with the widest vocabularies. 
 Such writers are wide readers— not only of modern and old 
 English but also of French, German, Italian and other foreign 
 tongues. 
 
 Any one style — like anything else — becomes wearisome if 
 given the reader in large doses. 
 
 If the writer has versatility — and the advertising writer 
 worthy the name exercises it — he can speak effectively to his 
 audience in several styles. 
 
 Emerson has often been held up as a master of pure, pur- 
 poseful English. His clear, cold and crystal style serves as a 
 guide to an army of ambitious young writers. Yet, Emerson 
 often lapses (or takes flights) into a style bright with metaphors, 
 sometimes slightly involved, at times highly imaginative and 
 occasionally humorous. When writing his famous essays he 
 doubtless appreciated the importance of diversified forms of 
 expression, as no reader — no matter how sedate — keeps his mind 
 on a dead level all the time. It has moods and tenses. The 
 mentality would not be human — be a part of the human organ- 
 ism — were it not so. 
 
 Take any other great writer and you will be struck by two 
 
6 Successful Advertising 
 
 impressive facts, viz.: (i) That he possesses versatility; (2) 
 That he is absolute master of each style. 
 
 To instance : — 
 
 Kipling wrote " Gunga Din." What could be more force- 
 ful — with uncut edges — than "Gunga Din?" Contrast the 
 robust "Gunga Din" with the exquisitely finished, haunting, 
 swinging " Mandalay." 
 
 Dickens wrote Alfred Jingle's expressions. What could 
 be more jerky and suggestive — with great gaps between the 
 suggestions — than Jingle's jingle ? On the other hand, Dickens 
 wrote most feelingly on the death of Little Nell, and if there is 
 a more exquisitely finished sketch of its nature in existence, 
 where is it? Why, the name of Dickens is synonymous with 
 versatility — a versatility that touched every emotion of the most 
 cultured and every feeling of the most illiterate ! 
 
 As a supreme instance, take Tennyson. I call Tennyson a 
 supreme instance, as a pure and lofty style sustained almost 
 thoughout. Yet, if you wish to appreciate Tennyson's versa- 
 tility read "The Brook," after a perusal of "In Memoriam." 
 
 It is self-evident that all famous writers are masters of more 
 than one style — probably in obedience to the great natural law 
 that the human mind demands variety. 
 
 A constant use of cold water begets, in the course of time, 
 a desire for some other beverage. A constant use of some other 
 beverage (perhaps more ardent) induces a thirst which only cold 
 water can satisfy. Cofiee is all right at times. Milk is all right 
 at times. Beer is relished when the appetite is ready for it. 
 These observations are made to illustrate the fact that, as the 
 physical system demands a variety of beverages, so does the 
 mental system demand a variety of ideas, expressed in varied 
 styles. 
 
 Thus, should the advertising writer be versatile. 
 
 Ideas should be expressed with force yet with grace. 
 
 Force is the first essential. 
 
 Business represents progress, viz. : force — advertising mir- 
 rors business, i. e.^ force — and as a logical consequence 
 advertising should be forceful. An expression cannot make an 
 impression unless it possesses force. 
 
How To Accomplish It. 7 
 
 After force comes grace. 
 
 Force alone in an expression — no matter how closely it 
 conforms to the laws of grammar — gives that expression a dis- 
 tasteful crudeness. It may be a rough diamond, but diamonds 
 are all the more valuable after having been cut and polished. 
 So is too much grace distasteful. To express it perhaps better, 
 too much grace is nauseating. In a sentence, give force a 
 slightly greater consideration than grace. Were I pinned down 
 to a mathematical point, I would say, give force two- thirds of 
 the sentence and grace one-third. 
 
 Study grasp. 
 
 In other words, know your subject. 
 
 Grasp is a quality that every ad writer should have. If he 
 knows his subject thoroughly, and is not afraid to express him- 
 self (this confidence is a matter of time and getting acquainted 
 with his own ability) he instantly instills confidence and 
 impresses the reader with the force of his convictions. If he 
 lacks ideas, or the ability to express ideas, or is minus both 
 essentials, the world that reads his advertising considers it con- 
 temptuously — if at all. Grasp — another name for strength — in 
 itself alone never fails to command a respectful hearing. 
 
 Let me institute a short comparison between the salesman 
 and the ad. The good salesman and the good ad both show an 
 appreciation of words and their effect. Neither says too little, 
 neither slops over ; both are pointed, interesting and business- 
 like in their remarks. 
 
 Take the most successful salesman or business man of your 
 acquaintance. Stop for a moment to analyze his style of deal- 
 ing with men — his delivery — his "way of putting things." 
 After subjecting him to a five minutes' analysis, you will 
 conclude : 
 
 That he is natural in his utterances. 
 
 That he is spontaneous in his utterances. 
 
 That he is easy in his utterances. 
 
 That he is business-like in his utterances. 
 
 That he is devoid of frills, foibles and fakerism, that he 
 gives you the impression, in short order, of knowing what he is 
 talking about, and that the great charm of naturalness and off- 
 
8 Successful Advertisin^sf 
 
 liandedness accompanies liis remarks. He is specific, intelligent 
 and satisfactory. 
 
 Now the language of your advertising should be so. It 
 should be specific to the degree that it gives necessary informa- 
 tion in a business-like style. 
 
 The good salesman is original because his fund of 
 experience and observation gives his conversation a charm 
 peculiarly its own. He can invest his tale of samples with the 
 pulse-quickening details of their superiority, their low-priced- 
 ness, and their success with other houses, in an original manner, 
 because these details are peculiar to the lines of goods he carries. 
 
 The good ad is original because it tells the tale of your 
 values in a manner peculiar to itself. If you have a real, hearty 
 interest in your goods and can write exactly as you feel regard- 
 ing their merits, you'll find no difficulty in investing your ads 
 with sufficient originality to be interesting. 
 
 Originality for originality's sake does not amount to so 
 much in advertising as is generally supposed. It is secondary 
 to clearness, brevity, and naturalness. The good advertising 
 writer cannot help giving his matter a tinge of originality, 
 because he gives his subject the touch of naturalness which 
 alone makes it different from any other ad. 
 
 Then, in your choice of words, remember the good sales- 
 man or the good business man. 
 
 Give the imagination rein. 
 
 A vivid imagination instantly sees several ways of stating a 
 truth, yet keeping truth undefiled in its virgin purity. Such 
 an imagination, assisted by a wide vocabulary, can astonish 
 readers by the many different methods of expressing tlie same 
 idea. To illustrate : — 
 
 "These suits are perfect fitting, extremely stylish and 
 decidedly low priced." The truth or sense of which is not in 
 the least impaired by the following : — 
 
 " These suits fit perfectly, are very fashionable and decidedly 
 economical." 
 
 Or, "These suits are stylish, will fit to perfection and are 
 pleasantly priced." 
 
How To Accomplish It. 9 
 
 Or, "These suits so stylish and perfect fitting are priced 
 extremely moderate." 
 
 Or, "These stylish and perfect fitting suits are indeed lowly 
 priced." 
 
 Or, "These easy priced suits are stylish and will fit to 
 perfection." 
 
 Or, "These stylish suits will fit perfectly and are great 
 values. ' ' 
 
 Or, "These fashionable suits are gems of perfection, fit and 
 economy." Etc., etc. 
 
 Prices. — Promises are good, but performances knock promises 
 sky high, and the next best to the performance in advertising is 
 the attempt to prove the performance by a hard, cold, naked price. 
 This price alone stands in its eloquence as a sort of type demon- 
 stration that no amount of argument can get around. 
 
 The power of words has been treated of in a previous paper, 
 the typographical arrangement will receive due consideration, 
 and now that very important feature of ad building, price, will 
 be attempted. 
 
 In general advertising prices are very important. Experi- 
 enced general advertisers will bear me out in this. The great 
 aim of advertising is to sell goods, to do so, advertising must 
 answer all questions liable to come in the mind of the reader, 
 and you may be sure that price is always a big question. Do 
 not forget this ! 
 
 In retail advertising I consider prices absolutely necessary. 
 They are specific and vital. Every reader of a retail ad, whether 
 man, woman, or child, wants at the first blush to learn the price 
 of the goods in which he or she may be interested. 
 
 Interest them by the brightness and sense of your intro- 
 duction and talk concerning your goods ; then, when you think 
 you have their interest aroused to the proper pitch, let them 
 have your price or several prices. Do not forget to give the 
 prices. What touches the pocket-book touches the most delicate 
 nerve, and a possible buyer's first consideration is how much 
 that delicate nerve is to be touched in the transaction. 
 
 Apply this to yourself. When you see a necktie, an over- 
 
10 Successful Advertising 
 
 coat, a suit of clothes that strikes your fancy, your first question 
 is, "How much?" It is the first thought that follows in the 
 wake of desire. When this thought is met to your satisfaction 
 you invest immediately to your own and the dealer's benefit — 
 perhaps. 
 
 The most progressive retailers everywhere understand the 
 eloquence of printed prices. They stare at the shopper from all 
 sides of the store ; from the windows, show-cases, and the ads. 
 They save the necessity of questions ; they help to make shop- 
 ping easy. 
 
 A man walking down Broadway is attracted by a clothier's 
 window. Several garments are there, tastefully displayed. This 
 man needs a Spring overcoat. He sees one that strikes his 
 fancy. The cut, material, and everything about the overcoat 
 strikes him about right. There are no price cards in the 
 window, and although he wonders what this overcoat's price 
 might be, yet his interest in the coat is not violent enough to 
 induce him to enter that store and inquire. He is like the 
 average man who knows he can see the duplicate of that coat 
 farther along in his saunter, in some otlier window, with the 
 price displayed. He does, and he thinks the price about right. 
 He enters, and the dealer who advertised prices won a customer, 
 while the other, who was dignified, lost a trade. 
 
 Money talks. It makes the loudest noise in the commercial 
 world. It is the most eloquent of all arguments and induce- 
 ments. For this reason prices should be given with every retail 
 ad that aims to sell goods. 
 
 An ad that simply says "John Smith's stock is the largest 
 and best selected in town, and his prices are way down," says 
 nothing. It is meaningless. Almost every retailer tries to give 
 that impression in his ads, but no impression is made unless 
 something specific is said— unless items and prices are given. 
 
 There is such an error as running in too many prices in an 
 ad. Too many prices not only tend to beget confusion, but also 
 overcrowd the ad. One or two good items and prices rightly 
 put are worth a dozen indiflferently given. 
 
 When you speak of a line of neckwear, a suit, an overcoat, 
 or what not, give a clear, detailed description of the article and 
 
How To Accomplish It. 11 
 
 a suggestion as to its use ; then give your price. Give the price 
 every time. Most masculine minds are logical ; they like to get 
 all the main facts about goods they are likely to buy, and price 
 is frequently the most important consideration. 
 
 The woman of the family who, by the way, does most of 
 the family shopping, and nearly always influences her husband 
 and brother when she does not do the direct buying for them, 
 is always occupied with the ways and means question, and a 
 retail ad addressed to her is pointless without prices. She con- 
 siders prices closely. She makes mental memoranda as to how 
 far her dollars can stretch before she starts on a shopping 
 expedition. The advertised prices help her in this. 
 
 Take the ads of the best advertisers in New York and else- 
 where, and you will always notice they give great consideration 
 to prices. 
 
 I have noticed in my advertising experience with various 
 concerns, that buyers of departments, the real powers in a store, 
 are always anxious to run in a whole lot of figures. They 
 know that figures are the greatest factors in swinging trade, and 
 they usually want these figures set in the largest sort of type, 
 under the mistaken impression that the larger the type the more 
 attractive is the price. 
 
 Ordinary display type for figures brings in as much trade 
 as the tremendously large type. Why ? Because the ordinary 
 reader notes the average size type — the type this article is 
 printed in, for instance, as it can be easily read, and when read 
 is read, and that is all that type is for, anyway. Large type 
 makes me think of Coney Island barkers or Bowery pullers-in. 
 They try by main noise and gesticulation to influence people. 
 Advertising should be sensible and convincing ; large type alone 
 doesn't make it so, and large type alone for figures doesn't add 
 any alarming force to their value. When in conversation with 
 another man you do not care to have him shout at you as though 
 you were deaf. You much prefer to have him speak in an easy, 
 cultivated tone. 
 
 And that is how advertising should be given — in an easy, 
 cultivated tone. The arguments, items, and prices will make 
 the better and more lasting impression when delivered thus. 
 
12 
 
 Successful Advertising 
 
 Give clever, pointed headlines, good, strong arguments, 
 clear and satisfactory details in items — never forget your best 
 prices; have the whole properly typographed in the right sort 
 of mediums, and then you can rest easy that your advertising is 
 about right. 
 
 The Essentials. 
 
 Displaying Items and Prices.— Here is a subject that should 
 
 be seriously studied by every advertiser. Small things count in 
 advertising as well as in everything else, and although this is 
 apparently a small point in a big subject, yet it is a point that 
 assumes enormous proportions when you come to figure up it's 
 results in the course of a year. 
 
 Lying on my desk are perhaps a score of clipped paragraphs 
 relating to items and prices. They represent various styles of 
 set-ups, and occasionally, in the course of this article, I will lay 
 aside my pen for the mucilage brush and paste the said para- 
 graphs on my copy to illustrate this 
 talk. First comes an old friend — 
 one of those styles of set-ups which 
 flourished in 1871, and which is still 
 found in evidence with some adver- 
 tisers even to-day. 
 
 This type arrangement is anti- 
 quated, and it wastes a lot of very 
 valuable space. It, however, has the 
 saving merit of bringing out thei:)rice 
 in a conspicuous manner, although the name of the article is 
 not so conspicuous. The name, however, is plain enough to 
 be easily read. 
 
 The second specimen shows 
 another old acquaintance to which 
 the same criticism could be applied, 
 with the added suggestion that a 
 heavier- faced type, such as How- 
 land, De Vinne or Gothic could be 
 used for the price. 
 
 25 Pieces of Extra Heavy 2 
 
 ply Ingrains, in lengths 
 
 of 15 yards each 
 
 $3.50. 
 
 100 Pieces of Extra 5 Frame 
 
 Body Brussels, in lengths 
 
 of 20 and 25 yards, at 
 
 $12.00. 
 
 At 
 
 
 
 IOC. 
 
 ivT buiiille, bfst 
 
 
 
 imi«->rtecl <niality ; 
 
 
 
 reL,'ul:irl\- I'Jc. 
 
 At 
 
 19c. 
 
 IV'uutifiil Ameri- 
 c.iii ('r\>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 <t 5 -j r' 
 ; our price »P 7 • -^ ^ 
 
How To Accomplish It. 
 
 15 
 
 Men's Serge 
 
 /^^o-fc I^^ bhick or 
 
 WUdLS blue, skeleton 
 lined, sewed witli silk 
 throughout, strap or plain 
 seams suitable for street 
 or office wear. The equal 
 of any shown at d? ^ --i r 
 $5.00 ; our price •P^.^^ 
 
 If you study the example given 
 
 opposite )-ou will find no waste what- 
 ever of valuable newspaper space. 
 
 The item and the price stick out in 
 
 display type — the body of the ad is 
 
 easily read and the appearance of the 
 
 whole is satisfactory. Such effective 
 
 advertising as this illustrates the 
 
 beneficial work of a good ad writer. 
 
 Still another example and I will come to a close : 
 
 Quite a bit of space wasted here, 
 eh ? and the display a little bit ec- 
 centric ? Yet it is an eye-catcher, 
 and the man who arranged it very 
 likely treated himself to an extra 
 cigar after he contemplated its ap- 
 pearance. But he ought to remem- 
 ber a very important advertising 
 adage that " while good is good, 
 somethine better beats it," and if he 
 
 Serge.... 
 
 1 u i 1 3 of several 
 shades of Clay 
 Worstered Mater- 
 ial, stylish and 
 cool, as any well- 
 to-do person 
 would ask for and 
 selling at a price 
 that will enable 
 the most eco- 
 nomical buyer 
 to select from. 
 
 10.00 
 
 would stop to think that a little study would improve the arrange- 
 ment and save his employer a five dollar bill on that one item 
 in newspaper space alone, to say nothing of pulling double or 
 treble that amount in trade, he would accomplish a little some- 
 thing in the direction of good advertising. 
 
 For general retail advertising I consider the next to the last 
 specimen the best type arrangement for items and price. It 
 displays what is necessary to be displayed and does not waste 
 space. 
 
 Occasionally, for the sake of variety, it would be well to 
 try a different set-up, but before you do anything you should 
 study economy in space and effectiveness in display. If you 
 hit upon a good economical typographical arrangement for your 
 items, stick to it. This is a good general rule to follow. 
 
 Preparing Advertising Copy for the Printer.— A friend of 
 mine— a business manager for an out of town daily paper — 
 asked me to write an article on this subject. He says what only 
 too many newspaper men in his position say, that the way in 
 
16 Successful Advertising- 
 
 which the advertising copy comes to his printers is enough to 
 make the judicious grieve. 
 
 When a man is going to furnish a room he takes a good 
 look at it before putting furniture in it. Why can't he do the 
 same before filling up his advertising space — take a look at his 
 space then run in words and illustrations accordingly. 
 
 If he crowds in too much matter the ad is overcrowded, 
 therefore unsightly— if he runs in too little matter the ad looks 
 skimpy, extravagant and unbusiness like. 
 
 The point is to fill the space with just enough matter to 
 make a striking, meaty ad. 
 
 With amateur ad men the best method is to measure a space 
 on a blank sheet of paper about three times the size of the ad 
 and lay out the display lines and body as they should appear in 
 print. The printer can grasp the salient points very quickly 
 from such a layout. The average advertising manuscript is 
 about three times the size of the ad in print. Some are much 
 more — some much less. Of course this depends upon the idio- 
 syncracies of the w^riter. 
 
 As a general proposition two styles of type are quite suffi- 
 cient for an ad. When I say two styles I do not mean two 
 sizes, but two styles in all the sizes that uniformity and good 
 taste may demand. 
 
 Thus for the principal display line thirty-six point DeVinne 
 may answer, for sub displays eighteen or twenty-four point 
 DeVinne would be necessary. When DeVinne is used for the 
 leading display line use it throughout for all display. When 
 Gothic is used for the leading display line use it in its various 
 point sizes for all the other display lines. 
 
 Any printer can subject this to all sorts of changes, but it 
 will be noted that, when the same style of type is used through- 
 out for display lines, the result is neat and uniform. 
 
 There should also be uniformity in body type. When an 
 item is set in Nonpareil, its neighbor item set in pica, and 
 another near item set in Brevier, the result is displeasing to any 
 eye. As a rule, all items in a retail ad should be set in the same 
 style of type. Nonpareil is a favorite type with metropolitan 
 advertisers. 
 
How To Accomplish It. 17 
 
 Small Pica for body of headings or introductories is a type 
 much used. 
 
 Here's a case where the displays are in one style of type, 
 various sizes. The introductory body is in Small Pica and body 
 of the items in Nonpareil. Note the uniform and business like 
 effect : 
 
 Men's and Boys' Clothing. 
 
 After Stocktaking, Clearance Prices. 
 
 Stocktaking finds us with too many men's 
 and bo3^s' Outer Garments. It is our policy 
 when we recognize an error to correct it in the 
 quickest way possible, that is why these prices 
 insure quadruple our usual sales on Saturday. 
 
 Men's $4 Tousers, $i.7S, made of 
 good quality worsteds aud 
 ohevolts, neat, iiiediuni and 
 dark ellecis, extra weil made, 
 wear well, perfect titling, price, 
 *"-75- 
 
 Men's $12.00 and $15.00 Suits, $7.50, 
 iu black ciay, vicuna and fancy 
 worsteds and clievoits, strictly 
 all wool, nobby patterns, heavy 
 and medium weiglits, best 
 (iuallty of linings, equal to mer- 
 chant tailoring, price, $7.50. 
 
 Boy's $3.50 Suits, Si. 75, made of 
 all wool navy blue and mixed 
 c lie volts double breasted, 
 good, desirable patterns, made 
 with double seal and knees, 
 will wear like iron, 7 to 15 
 years, price, $1.75. 
 
 Men's $12.00 and $15.00 Ulsters and 
 Overcoats, $7.50, in Oxford 
 grays, all wool, extra long cut, 
 best quality lining, good value, 
 price, $7-5o. 
 
 Men's $2.00 Alpine Hats, 69c., in 
 brown, tan, pearl and cedar, 
 good grade, sizes 6^8 to 7 only, 
 price, 69c. 
 
 Boys' $4.50 Suits, $2.65, three piece 
 cutaway sack coat, neat mixed 
 cheviots In checks, stripes aud 
 plain colors, 11 to 15 years, 
 worth $4.50, now $2.65. 
 
 Boys' 7SC. Flannel Waists, 30c., In 
 navy blue and red, small collar, 
 plaited front and back, fast 
 colors, 6 to 12 years, worth 75c., 
 at, 3.>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, /. <?., publications that use cheap paper and ink, wood 
 cuts should be cut extra deep. Wood cuts — good ones — are 
 rather expensive, and for this reason many advertisers do not use 
 them. 
 
 Half-tones produce beautiful pictures, especially when 
 advertising articles of feminine wear in magazines and high grade 
 booklets, catalogues, etc. Speaking about catalogues, I saw the 
 other day a shoe catalogue in which all the shoes were illus- 
 trated with half-tones. The paper was superfine, the press- 
 work admirable, and you could fairly see the polish reflected 
 from the shoes. The morning sun shining on the bootblack 
 stand in front of the Tribune building, and smiling at the best 
 efforts of the bootblack, never shone with a brighter patent 
 
How To Accomplish It. 23 
 
 leather reflection than did the lustre from these half-tone shoes. 
 Each illustration had a light rule square about it, and it was 
 surprising how well this frame set off the picture. 
 
 Which suggests a good idea ! 
 
 The next time you use an illustration in your ad have a 
 light rule about it. It makes no matter whether the cut be large 
 or small you will notice a neater, smarter and more business 
 like air to it. 
 
 As outline cuts are the cuts most used, a little talk regarding 
 them may not be out of place. An outline cut goes through 
 three hands, viz. : 
 
 The artist's. 
 
 The engraver's. 
 
 The electrotyper's. 
 
 It is unnecessary to go into details, as it is presumed that 
 the artist, engraver and electrotyper know their various duties 
 to perfection. But it may be here remarked that the first 
 impression of a cut is the clearest and best — that succeeding 
 impressions grow more and more indistinct. An engraving 
 prints clearer than an electrotype, and the first dozen electro- 
 types print better than the next dozen, and so on. 
 
 If you give a cut to a big daily newspaper and wish impres- 
 sions of that cut for several newspapers, you can get papier- 
 mache impressions technically known as matrices. Advertisers 
 find these matrices ver>' 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<eavenworth, Atchinson, and St. Josephs on De- 
 cember 14th. The one who made the correct, or nearest 
 to the correct estimate, got the pony and cart. 
 
 During the remainder of a February, ever}- cash customer 
 at the Coxe Shoe Co., Birmingham, Ala., was given a 
 tagged key with each dollar purchase. These keys were to 
 unlock a box exhibited in their window and which contained 
 twenty dollars. There were only three keys that unlocked 
 the box and on March first ever)' customer was permitted to 
 try his key or keys. If the first key tried unlocked the box 
 the person holding that key received ten dollars. The 
 remaining six and four dollars were distributed to the 
 holders of the second and third keys. 
 
 SILVERWARE. 
 
 SOAP. 
 
 In Wilbur's store, Pittsburg, Pa., was given once, to each 
 June bride, a beautiful silver tea service, consisting of a 
 cofiee pot, sugar bowl and cream pitcher. During this 
 period any bride who applied at their office, with a marriage 
 license, received one of these absolutely free of charge. 
 
 Hale's establishment, Los Angeles, Cal., distributed to 
 children — in order to popularize this soap — small cakes of 
 " Cadenula " soap. Of course, the children were to visit 
 
 the store. 
 SPORTING GOODS. 
 
 Mackerrow Brothers, Sporting Goods Dealers, Montreal, 
 Canada, once published in a little square, set apart in their 
 advertising space, the schedule of Saturday's football games. 
 
200 Successful Advertisin^? 
 
 On the Monday following, the results of these games were 
 printed in the same space. 
 
 STATIONERY. 
 
 John W. Grahm & Co., Spokane, Wash., advertised to give 
 without charge, a die in any one often designs, with a two- 
 letter, provided they were given the work of embossing the 
 recipient's stationery at a charge of twenty-five cents per 
 quire. 
 
 TAILORING. 
 
 The Acme Tailoring Co., Washington, D. C, once offered 
 to give free with every suit or overcoat ordered a pair of 
 worsted trousers. This offer stood for a certain day. 
 
 E. W. Brandt, tailor, Binghampton, N. Y., once formed 
 what he called, " Brandt's Pressing Club." He sold mem- 
 bership tickets to the club for twelve dollars a year and this 
 entitled the member to the privilege of sending his clothes 
 once a week to the Brandt establishment to be cleaned, 
 mended, pressed and buttons sewed on. A messenger called 
 for his clothes, and their pressing, etc., were promptly 
 attended to. 
 
 lyouis Saks, Birmingham, Ala., once advertised that he 
 would make one, out of every ten suits ordered, free of charge. 
 
 Osterman & David, of Columbus, Ohio, once advertised to 
 give away with every suit purchased on Saturday " an ex- 
 tra fancy vest, value not less than two-dollars and one-half." 
 All alterations to improve a fit were offered free of cost. 
 This firm also promised to keep all goods bought from them 
 pressed and repaired for two years free of charge. 
 
 TOYS. 
 
 The Rookery, Jackson, Miss., once offered to give a kite free 
 to anyone who sold twenty-five cents' worth of kites for the 
 store. 
 
How To Accomplish It. 201 
 
 lyongyear Bros., Lansing, Mich., gave a gamester top to 
 such children as visited their store accompanied by parents 
 or guardians. 
 
 TRUNKS. 
 
 The Stambaugh-Thompson Co., Youngstown, Ohio., offered 
 to paint free of charge initials on every trunk purchased 
 from them. 
 
202 
 
 Successful Advertising 
 
 Sayings to Swing Trade. 
 
 ADVERTISERS HAVE FOUND THEM 
 VALUABLE AND SO CAN YOU! 
 
 ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED FOR 
 QUICK USE AND ADAPTATION! 
 
 Some of these sayings are new — some not so new. Some 
 have been tried time and time again by the brightest advertisers 
 and all will see service as long as advertising is a force. It is 
 impossible to discover their original coiners, for generally speak- 
 ing they are used the w^orld over, and belong to nobody in 
 particular. The point here is to give them in a convenient, 
 alphabetical form for quick service to the advertiser at a loss 
 for the right word or expression. 
 
 Alluring arrays. 
 AUractive exhibits. 
 Aggressive methods win. 
 Attractions in merchandise. 
 Astonishing buying chances. 
 Admirable array of new goods. 
 Absolute economies here shown. 
 A host of incomparable bargains. 
 A matchless out-pouring of values. 
 Admire and study during this opening. 
 A chance that will impress a multitude. 
 An impressive sale will be in full swing. 
 An eye-opening sale begins to-morrow. 
 A purchasing chance that few will miss. 
 A daring cut in prices all along the line. 
 Advertising by us is reliable advertising. 
 At these prices the goods will go quickly. 
 Attempts at word painting are now futile. 
 Au irresistible series of specials await you. 
 An opportunity worth taking advantage of. 
 
How To Accomplish It. 203 
 
 Advantages that will appeal to any shopper. 
 Admiration is freely extended these leaders. 
 A decided and decisive drive in mechandise. 
 Alert readers will at once see this opportunity. 
 Attention will be freely and promptly given them. 
 A splendid opportunity is now placed before you. 
 Announcements like these never go by unnoticed. 
 A great money's worth given with every purchase. 
 Arrangements of new styles that will delight many. 
 Attend to what we say and learn to your advantage. 
 Active buying is bound to follow this announcement 
 Advertising falls far short in depicting these beauties. 
 
 B 
 
 Buy here. 
 
 Buy here and now. 
 
 Buying chances are ripe. 
 
 Bargains worth looking up. 
 
 By buying now you act with wisdom. 
 
 Business bringers because big bargains. 
 
 Because values call patronage will come. 
 
 Big business must follow these offerings. 
 
 Be wise and grasp this given opportunity. 
 
 Banner bargains to make banner business. 
 
 Brilliant bargains await you during this sale. 
 
 Better act quickly before some one else does. 
 
 Brisk business must inevitably follow this ad. 
 
 Be prudent when good chances come your way. 
 
 Busy people like our prompt business methods. 
 
 Business builders are our unequalled low prices. 
 
 Better buying chances will not occur this season. 
 
 Buying here means much to the family exchequer. 
 
 Broken prices on tempting goods during this sale. 
 
 Business temptations are now told in printer's ink. 
 
 Be sensible and now is a time to exercise your sense. 
 
 Business can never stay away from such great values. 
 
 Bargain brilliancy dominate this entire advertisement. 
 
 Bargains are here a plenty for surplus stocks must go. 
 
 " Bargain" is a word never misused in our advertising. 
 
 Both quality and price here appear for your patronage. 
 
 Bright readers will see the worth of the items instantly. 
 
 Be on hand to-morrow and see what little money can do. 
 
 " Be in the swim " and stretch your dollars to their limits. 
 
 " Best " seems a tame adjective to qualify these offerings. 
 
 Best goods, best styles, best materials, best workmanship, best values. 
 
204 Successful Advertising 
 
 Cash counts. 
 
 Cash here is mighty. 
 
 CUnk of dollars saved. 
 
 Credit here is at your disposal. 
 
 Consider well then decide rightly. 
 
 Coin can be made (because saved.) 
 
 Can you resist this great temptation ? 
 
 Can you meet or match these values? 
 
 Come, consider, criticise and compare. 
 
 Credit here nicely suits small earnings. 
 
 Contemplate the full force of this event. 
 
 Cut prices are here bidding for business. 
 
 Care was given to each and every detail. 
 
 Credit us with enterprise during this sale. 
 
 Canny readers will be prompt purchasers. 
 
 Come to look and you will remain to buy. 
 
 Criticism is welcomed by us from everybody. 
 
 Clip this out or make a money-saving memo. 
 
 Clipped prices and the highest grades for you. 
 
 Cheap is a term that applies only to our prices. 
 
 Care was erercised in writing these statements. 
 
 Coupled here are high qualities and low prices. 
 
 Competition is active but we more than meet it. 
 
 Comparison throws into bold relief our offerings. 
 
 Careful readers will respond to these suggestions. 
 
 Cheapness in prices only— excellence in qualities. 
 
 Candid statements that leave lasting impressions. 
 
 Clear statements make our advertising interesting. 
 
 Competitors watch our ads with absorbing interest. 
 
 Cash or credit? In either case you get great value. 
 
 Come to us when you want a heaping money's worth. 
 
 D 
 
 Dashing styles. 
 Desirable goods. 
 Dainty needs for dainty people. 
 Drives in prices worthy attention. 
 Down go prices, but up go values. 
 Did you ever see such an opportunity ? 
 Do you wish the best at the least cost? 
 During this sale money will be mighty. 
 Delicious confections at pleasing prices. 
 Day by day we oflFer superlative vahies. 
 Decision is necessary for time is limited. 
 
How To Accomplish It 205 
 
 Doubt flies in the face of these offerings. 
 
 Desire to buy can be gratified at little cost. 
 
 Demonstrations of our value giving ability. 
 
 Daring doings during this mercantile event. 
 
 Drastic deeds in pulling down regular rates. 
 
 Different values are these from the ordinary. 
 
 Dubious styles or goods are never shown here. 
 
 Downward trend of prices ever>'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 llUU3Wx<jij_ Din_ ^^-itii ^^-ine, GOc, Music. 
 
 The average hotel proprietor shudders at the expense of 
 advertising in his local paper. The above method can be used 
 in almost any town by several hotels combining — each to take 
 a small space. Several small spaces — say that each was half an 
 inch deep — would make, as a total, a very respectable space ; 
 impressive and obtrusive enough to enlighten any traveler and 
 sure to be productive of results. 
 
 Hotels should be advertised. 
 
 Hotels are public necessities — they have something to sell 
 the public in the shape of food, drink, lodging aud accommoda- 
 tions generally. There is a vast army of travelers and tran- 
 sients looking for such service. And advertising will show 
 where this service can be had. 
 
 I rem'=;^ber that once while stopping at a hotel in Denver 
 
328 Successful Advertising 
 
 the proprietor approached me oii the possibility of increasing 
 his patronage by advertising. 
 
 His was principally a family hotel. We discussed the matter 
 two or three evenings while seated out on the porch and smok- 
 ing cigars. (Ever notice how well two men can talk under 
 such conditions — how smoothly ideas run ?) 
 
 The result was that I wrote a book of about twenty-four 
 pages about the hotel. It was illustrated with interior and 
 exterior views of the hostelry. Several thousand were printed. 
 It made a strong bid for family and permanent patronage. For 
 this reason I had no hesitation in making daily lists of all new 
 arrivals in Denver and mailing each a booklet. That was all 
 the advertising done, but it was successful. 
 
 I know a bright but somewhat impecunious young news- 
 paper man who got a job last summer as a publicity-promoter 
 under-cover to a fashionable seaside hotel. In other words he 
 had to keep his real business under cover. He was apparently 
 a guest — certainly on the same footing as the other guests — 
 but he was thus wise different from the other guests for it was 
 his duty to keep the doings at the hotel as much as possible in 
 the newspapers. As he had some friends in the newspaper busi- 
 ness and as he was a good worker the result was that his hotel 
 had more newspaper talk about it than all the other hotels at 
 this particular watering place put together. 
 
 He earned his salary and had a good time while the hotel 
 proprietor saw his hotel patronized to an unusual degree before 
 the season was fairly under way. His guests seeing the hotel 
 so often mentioned in the press were convinced that it was the 
 fashionable hotel — therefore THE only hotel to stop at. 
 
 Outside of good service and fair prices the best way to 
 build up a hotel patronage is by advertising. And when the 
 advertising question comes up it resolves itself into telling the 
 story about the good accommodations and moderate prices to 
 the greatest number of people likely to take advantage of them. 
 Logically the medium that best accomplishes this is the local 
 paper. 
 
 If the hotel is a *' summer resort hotel " prospective patrons 
 can be reached by advertising at the beginning of a season in 
 
How To Accomplish It. 329 
 
 publicatious- that reach them. Another good way is by mail- 
 ing at the same time to a carefully culled list of names a bright 
 booklet. If the hotel is a "winter resort hotel" the same 
 methods can be used to advantage. 
 
 It is an easy matter to write advertising about a hotel. 
 The location, scenery, accessibility, building, management, 
 cuisine, service, rates and other details can all be brought out in 
 bold yet pleasing relief in hotel advertising of any kind. 
 
 Advertising a Restaurant. 
 
 Here is a card I picked up in a well-known down-town res- 
 taurant. It well expresses good restaurant advertising : 
 
 Did You Ever Drop Into The 
 
 ? 
 
 Unrivalled as the pioneer of 
 low prices for first-class food. 
 
 And on the other 
 
 RESTAURANTS COME AND RESTAURANTS 60. 
 
 THE STANDS. 
 
 It stands for matchless coffee — the best in the city. 
 
 It stands for splendid steaks — always juicy. 
 
 It stands for prime rib roast beef at a marvelously 
 low price. 
 
 It stands for pastry (our own make) that is un- 
 rivalled. 
 
 It stands for quality. 
 
 It stands for cleanliness. 
 
 It stands for your confidence. 
 
 Which determined me to make this article applicable to 
 restaurant advertising. 
 
330 Successful Advertising 
 
 This card will give ideas upon which a readable round of 
 advertisements could be constructed. 
 
 Cleanliness, quality, good service and moderate prices are 
 four features upon which the advertising pen can dwell with 
 great effect. 
 
 In many towns where the limited population makes news- 
 paper rates moderate, the restaurant centrally located will find 
 newspaper advertising of distinct advantage. 
 
 In large cities the high newspaper rates stand in the way of 
 restaurant advertising in daily publications. There are a few 
 exceptions to this rule, like the advertising of the Castle Square 
 restaurant in the Boston Herald^ and the Martin in the New 
 York Sun. 
 
 But if the restaurant cannot advertise in a newspaper that 
 fact need not stand in the way of other advertising. The res- 
 taurant situated in the business section, bidding for business 
 men and business women's patronage, will find a system of cir- 
 cular and card advertising of benefit. With the aid of a busi- 
 ness directory, as well as the directory to every large office build- 
 ing, a list of names can be secured to receive circulars, cards 
 and occasional bill of fares (just to show the variety of food 
 and the reasonableness of prices). 
 
 In advertising a restaurant too much stress cannot be laid 
 upon the goodness of the coffee and pastry. That cup of coffee 
 at luncheon is the finishing touch that makes or mars a meal 
 — that puts a person in the right or wrong trim to do the after- 
 noon's work. Of course we all know how important the morn- 
 ing's cup of coffee is — how it imparts a grateful sensation to the 
 half-wakened system — how it clears the brain, brightens the 
 eyes and gives an edge to the day's work. And then at dinner 
 the demi-tasse worthy the name discounts most liberally pousse 
 cafe's^ creme de nienthes and all the other after-dinner draughts 
 ever concocted. 
 
 Coffee alone is a subject upon which a thousand different 
 ads could be constructed. Pastry is a feature capable of con- 
 siderable advertising. The meats, vegetables, soups and service, 
 to say nothing of the prices, are fruitful of ideas for any advertiser. 
 
 No person can reasonably be expected to go through the 
 
How To Accomplish It. 
 
 331 
 
 day's doings without good, nourishing food, properly served. 
 Were the idea contained in the preceding sentence firmly based 
 in the minds of all who eat within easy distance of a good res- 
 taurant the good restaurant's patronage would certainly increase. 
 Here are a couple of efforts which contain this idea : 
 
 TO EAT WELL 
 IS TO WORK WELL! 
 
 To eat at the Arcadia res- 
 taurant is to eat well. The 
 chops and steaks are the 
 choicest— the vegetables the 
 market's best — the soups per- 
 fection— the fish most appe- 
 tizing — the pastry delicious 
 and the coffee most excellent. 
 
 PRICES ARE RIGHT 
 
 — at— 
 THE ARCADIA RESTAURANT. 
 
 WHERE DO YOU EAT? 
 
 The Arcadia restaurant is 
 easily the best in town. It is 
 clean, well kept, with a first- 
 class service and a cuisine 
 that satisfies the veriest 
 epicure. 
 
 We realize the importance 
 of good food — how important 
 a part it plays in a man or 
 woman's daily work— and the 
 Arcadia is achieving a great 
 success by keeping this idea 
 in view. Low prices are a 
 great feature at the Arcadia. 
 
 Theatrical Advertising. 
 
 One of the cleverest press representatives that ever boomed 
 theatrical shows is Mr. Thomas Donohoe. He has a wide ex- 
 perience in New York city and "on the road," and if there is 
 an idea that has slipped the average agent's conception you will 
 find it safely lodged under Mr. Donohoe's hat. 
 
 One evening, while with a box party at the New York 
 Theatre, I stepped down to the foyer to enjoy the cool night air 
 and observe the tactful tactics of Mr. Donohoe. Here is an 
 effort to picture about two minutes of Mr. Donohoe's work at 
 this time : — 
 
 " Certainly — all night — to-morrow noon I'll be at youroflSce 
 with some pictures and a. story." (This to a dramatic writer of 
 a daily paper.) " Roof garden — yes, this way — here's the ele- 
 vator — theatre to right — in through here — hello, Charlie ! — 
 here's the boy ! — passes for Tuesday night ? Sure thing — )'es, 
 in a minute, John — say, Charlie, you ought to see tlie costumes 
 in the last scene and make a scene about it in your paper — here's 
 the story if you want it — now John, my boy, what can I do for 
 
332 Successful Advertising 
 
 you ? — theatre to right, inadaine — start on the road next — " 
 (mum, mum, buzz, buzz, from fifty voices) — " Philadelphia next 
 I^Ionday — yes, I heard Thompson in Philadelphia — theatre to 
 right, madame — " (mum, mum, buzz, buzz from twice fifty 
 voices, and Mr. Donohoe retires into his office with the dramatic 
 editor of an evening paper.) 
 
 Mr. Donohoe and I once entered into a little advertising 
 scheme for the mutual benefit of our respective employers — 
 his employer operating a theatre — mine operating a department 
 store. The idea was : — Mr. Donohoe sent several stars and 
 minor footlight favorites to the photo studio of the department 
 store, where by special arrangement their pictures were taken 
 free of charge. These pictures were distributed broadcast by 
 Mr. Donohoe to leading publications, and every time a photo- 
 graph would appear it not only advertised the theatrical celebrity 
 but the photo studio as well. For, by editorial courtesy, the 
 photographer's name appears on all photographs that appear 
 in print. It brought the photo studio more strongly before 
 the theatrical profession — whose trade is so extensive that it 
 supports several photographers. 
 
 While managers secure special rates on photography, the 
 cost in first-class companies runs up into the thousands of dollars. 
 Photographs of cabinet size can be had for 5io a hundred ; the 
 price increasing according to size until the pictures, fourteen by 
 seventeen inches, are reached at ^60 a hundred. Flashlights are 
 made at the rate of $7.50 for the plate and five prints, any 
 further number of prints at sixty cents each. 
 
 To supply the daily papers of New York City for a single 
 Sunday sixteen photographs are needed by the press agent. 
 Properly to cover the town — that is, to supply pictures for 
 weeklies, sporting papers, trade journals, etc. — he will need not 
 less than thirty photographs. 
 
 Chicago comes a close second in the matter of eating up 
 pictures, and every large city takes a fair supply. The press 
 agent for a popular comedian used in a .season of twenty weeks 
 350 photographs of his star for advertising alone. Add to this 
 the number given away, and you will see how some of the 
 manager's surplus cash is invested. 
 
How To Accomplish It. 333 
 
 The average first-class attraction uses ^200 worth of litho- 
 graphs a month, and a well-known metropolitan manager, wlio 
 is going to send out three companies in light opera and 
 musical comedy, closed a single contract for lithographs to 
 the value of $31,000. These will last him about two-thirds of 
 the season. 
 
 The successful press agent must work hard. A thousand 
 papers may be on his list, and he must exercise care against 
 repeating the items sent out. He considers himself fortunate if 
 seventy-five per cent, of the items sent out appear in print. It 
 takes an expert to accomplish this. After the production has 
 scored a hit in New York, Chicago or any other large city, he 
 collects the press notices, has them printed on a large sheet and 
 shows them among the managers of all important theatres where 
 the company is booked or desires a booking. 
 
 Not many evenings ago, while dining with a well-known 
 theatrical manager, he beguiled the affair with a long disserta- 
 tion upon theatrical advertising. 
 
 Here is a portion of it : — 
 
 " If I had the whole say with my show I wouldn't use a bit 
 of advertising other than newspaper advertising, and our regu- 
 lar show programmes. I can get all the publicity I want out 
 of the newspapers, and I think the other managers could, too. 
 Of course, bill-board, gutter and snipe advertising is good in a 
 way, but it does not weigh so much. It simply helps the news- 
 paper advertising and comparing costs of all methods with 
 results the newspapers are ahead every time. 
 
 " Of course we don't do much display advertising with the 
 papers. No theatres do — but we get a lot of advertising out of 
 the theatrical news columns. Cost much ? you ask. Well — 
 yes — y-e-s — that is, it costs us some theatre tickets and efibrt (to 
 get the stuff in the papers), but we're glad to work hard to do 
 this. 
 
 " Say ! speaking about reading notices and working the 
 press, you ought to have seen the stunts I did when I was on 
 the road last fall. I made some of these jay town papers look 
 like thirty cents. I made them look farcical. Say ! it's fun to 
 strike a town like a cannon ball and hit the editor's sanctum 
 
334 Successful Advertising 
 
 still harder, and before the editor knows what's struck him get 
 two or three high balls into him, then hand him an earthquake 
 in the shape of triple column cuts of the stars with royal write ups. 
 
 " I got one fellow so loaded that he got sleepy and asked 
 me to make up his paper. I am an old newspaper man and I 
 made up his paper — oh, yes ! oh, yes ! ! 
 
 " I put all the telegraph first page news on the last page, 
 and all the last page ads at the bottom of the first page, then 
 filled up the top of the first page with talk and pictures about 
 my show — good talk, too, because I wrote it myself. When the 
 town got that paper next morning, it did not know what had 
 struck the Gazette. The show did a good business, but you bet 
 }-our boots that I hurried out of town before that editor could 
 find me. 
 
 " But you can't get at all editors with the rosy, ruby or amber 
 liquid. You have got to throw literature into some of them, 
 and as I know a lot of writers and read a lot, I can give a game 
 of talk on Howells or Kipling. 
 
 *' But you have got to know your editors pretty well, and 
 you must be enthused over your star and show. Otherwise you 
 will have cold feet, and a chilly advance will throw a frost over 
 the show that follows. 
 
 "Are actors and actresses anxious to get advertising? Oh, 
 no-nit-not, never, me boy, never ! Why say ! they work all sorts 
 of schemes to get in the papers — they work direct and through 
 second and third parties — they want it — it's a part of their busi- 
 ness, and of course, they must have it." 
 
 His talk about covered the situation. It is simply *' to 
 work the press " for reading notices, and the press agents and 
 business managers do so in every American city and town in a 
 manner resultful and artistic. 
 
 I will conclude this with a sage piece of advice recently 
 given on upper Broadway by a gentleman who succeeded in 
 reaching New York, by leaving his trunk in a Rochester hotel, 
 and buying a railroad ticket on the proceeds of a pawned watch : — 
 
 " I don't care what they say — give me good paper every 
 trip. I'd rather have a poor company with good paper than a 
 good company with poor paper. By paper, I mean show bills 
 
How To Accomplish It. 336 
 
 — lithographs. We had rotten paper on the last trip, even if the 
 company and repertoire were good, but in Toronto we had a 
 frost and went to pieces in Rochester, after a skaty time in 
 Niagara and two or three other places. I remember last season 
 I took a bum burlesque show down through the south and 
 southwest, but we had some of the most elegant lithographs 
 you ever saw (bought cheap ready made in New York), and that 
 good paper did the finest business ever heard of Yes, sir ! give 
 me good paper every trip." 
 
 Advertising a Circus. 
 
 The other morning — being one of those raw, foggy, early 
 spring mornings — in a rather pessimistic mood, while on my 
 way down town, I happened to note this : — 
 
 *' Stupendous Spectacle of Splendor. Miles of Moving 
 Massiveness and Magnificence. Pyrotechnical Panorama Power- 
 ful and Prodigious," etc. 
 
 Ah-ha, ah-ah ! The circus in town. The most interest- 
 ing feature of the many interesting features in this vast, varied, 
 bewildering and colossal aggregation of masculine and feminine 
 bipeds — animals, domestic, imported, tame and ferocious — objects 
 of art, utility, amusement, instruction and interest is the man 
 who writes the circus ads ! 
 
 Pessimism vanished — optimism reigned in its stead. I 
 dropped this personage a note — he promptly answered from his 
 office in Madison Square Garden where the circus is holding 
 forth, and presently he gave me an interview which contains 
 much that has never appeared before in print and which will 
 surely interest the general advertiser, for back of the wall of 
 words that dazzle, enrapture, shock and confound the defenseless 
 public there is a well defined plan of advertising — intelligently 
 conceived and as intelligently executed. 
 
 Mr. Whiting Allen is the circus word wonder worker — 
 the publicity promotor — the advertising man. He has been 
 writing show advertising for about twenty years. Judging by 
 his appearance he must have begun to professionally exercise 
 his vocabulary when about eighteen years of age. 
 
836 Successful Advertising 
 
 His is a difficult profession, and not more than half a dozen 
 out of the many who have essayed it have made a reputation. 
 Mr. Tody Hamilton (who exploited the Barnum show in 
 Europe) and Mr. Allen stand at the top of their profession. 
 Here is a specimen of Mr. Allen's work : — 
 
 " Human birds of passage, indeed, are the Ten Peerless Pot- 
 ters. They embrace the ten acknowledged greatest of all the 
 world's aerialists who have been secured from all the arenas of 
 Europe and America. Iudi\'idually each member of the dectette is 
 a brilliant star in the aerial firmament, while collectivelj' they con- 
 stitute the most dazzling constellation that has ever sparkled 
 beneath the vast and lofty dome of canvas that canopies the 
 greatest of all earth's arenas." 
 
 The man who loops the loop before beginning his per- 
 formance might take this mild sentence as a bracer : — 
 
 " In all man's struggles and strife in seeking supremacy by 
 superiority in strength, skill and strenuosity, there has never been 
 anything like an approach to this fearful, frightful and fearless 
 feat in rash and reckless risk of limb and life." 
 
 It is evident that Mr. Allen believes in alliteration. In dis- 
 cussing it and other matters he said : — 
 
 "In alliteration I aim to use words intelligently. They 
 must be clear and comprehensive — so must my metaphors, and 
 I do not believe in using polysyllabic words simply to use them. 
 They must be expressive. Alliteration is like the cable that 
 grips a street car — it grips the mind and insensibly the men- 
 tality of the reader is caught by one word only to be gently but 
 surely passed on to the next. 
 
 "This alliterative, polysyllabic method of circus advertis- 
 ing is the only way to advertise a circus. People look for it. It 
 has been established by precedents and is too well grounded in 
 circus traditions to be good business policy to get away from it." 
 
 "Kindly tell me the circumstances and conditions under 
 which you produced this season's literature?" I asked him. 
 
 "Last winter I took a small back room in the Townsend 
 Building, New York, which was used for storage by our folks. 
 I had a couple of kitchen tables, a copy of the Congressional 
 Directory and a copy of Pettengill's Newpaper Directory. These 
 
How To Accomplish It. 337 
 
 volumes happened to be theie — simply happened there, and I 
 never opened them. No ! I had no dictionary. I was given a 
 list of the performers — so many bareback riders, so many 
 acrobats, so many clowns, etc. These names were typewritten 
 on one side of a flimsy paper. From such simple data I pro- 
 duced my literature." 
 
 The luxuriant growth of words that follow a luxuriant 
 imagination is illustrated by the simple data and ornate descrip- 
 tion that follows : — 
 
 Data: — "Paul and Katherine De Venes — French eques- 
 trians in Drawing Room Scene." 
 Printed description : — 
 
 " FRENCH FANCY 
 
 Eqjiestrianisnt in a Long Train Gown. 
 
 Of all the long list of artists that have been gathered from the 
 great arenas of the world, two of the most interesting have been 
 contributed by France, the De Venes — Paul and Katherine. They 
 are artists extraordinary. Equestrians of the very highest order, 
 it remained for a beautiful and dainty French-woman to conceive 
 the idea of riding in a full length drawing-room gown en train. 
 It is sometimes of the snowiest white satin, sometimes of the 
 warmest cardinal silk, and again of the richest sapphire velvet. 
 Together with Monsieur, the fair Mademoiselle mounts a horse, in 
 her long train dress, and the two artists proceed to place them- 
 selves in a series of poses of exquisite and classic grace, the while 
 their horses continue their ambling and circling journey. 
 
 Again the great artists appear, this time in acrobatic garb. 
 Monsieur handles Mademoiselle as lightly and gracefully as a 
 feather although she is by no means petite. All the things they 
 do may not be told in this brief space, but they do not bow them- 
 selves away before they give a most astonishing exhibition of 
 what is known as cranial equilibrism. It is an act peculiarly their 
 own, and is performed by no one else in the circus profession. To 
 lovers of the novel and unique as well as the beautiful in physical 
 accomplishment, these artists will be a genuine pleasure." 
 
 Mr. Allen continued the interview : " My literature is 
 original every year. Advertising is to excite a desire for posses- 
 sion. In the circus business advertising is purely transitory. It 
 is usually done for one day's business. Ninety per cent, of our 
 entire season is in one day stands. A season averages six 
 months. 
 
338 Successful Advertising 
 
 "From thirty-five to forty per cent, of our gross receipts is 
 spent in advertising, so you see we are very liberal advertisers. 
 I study the geography of our advertising. In some sections you 
 must do more than in others. We have about a hundred per- 
 sons on our advertising staff at salaries ranging from thirty to 
 sixty dollars per month as bill posters to the manager's salary 
 of ten thousand dollars per year. Expenses are paid in addition 
 to these salaries. 
 
 " A fair day's receipts would be five thousand dollars. 
 Here in Madison Square Garden we are not surprised at ten 
 thousand dollars. The high water mark was down at Dallas, 
 Texas, when in one dav we took in sixteen thousand dollars. 
 The Texas state fair helped us in this. 
 
 " As we are liberal advertisers we stand ready to buy a lot 
 of display advertising in papers in our territories. If we notice 
 any attempt at imposition or extortion we cut down this adver- 
 tising, as would any other business concern. I am pretty well 
 posted on the value of quantities and qualities of circulations as 
 well as rates, for I have made it my life study and very few 
 papers can fool us. 
 
 " We are extremely liberal with tickets to the press and this 
 of course helps in securing much straight news advertising 
 although the mere arrival of a circus alone possesses such news 
 interest that no live paper would overlook it. 
 
 " We issue talks on advertising which we distribute freely 
 to the press. These talks tell in a brief and comprehensive 
 way the value of advertising. These books are free and while 
 given to boom the show are so highly appreciated by the papers 
 at large that many of them use as editorials our advertising 
 talks to impress local merchants and advertisers. 
 
 "We aim to adhere to facts in our advertising. You may 
 smile but when you read a statement as to the number of horses, 
 camels, trapeze performers or number of dollars invested in 
 wagons or any of the circus paraphernalia you may set that 
 down as gospel truth. 
 
 " We issue twelve publications with a combined circulation 
 of five million, four hundred thousand copies. These publica- 
 tions are outside of our general appropriation for newspaper 
 and bill board advertiser g." 
 
How To Accomplish It. 339 
 
 The last statement of Mr. Allen tells why it is necessary 
 that the circus advertising man must be a genius, a student 
 of zoology, pageantry, pachyderms, aerialists, riders, clowns, 
 menageries en masse and humanity en masse, including that 
 highly important individual the country editor. 
 
 To fill up these twelve publications and other advertising 
 with words that thrill and " excite a desire for possession " is a 
 task so absolutely beyond the lay brain as to give the average 
 citizen a severe fit of brain fag to simply contemplate produc- 
 ing a small fraction of such literature. 
 
 The " Aurora Zouaves," a band of extremely agile military 
 men are introduced amid this paean of panegyric : — 
 
 " My country, 'tis of thee ! Words that should be a prayer 
 on every lip ; a sentiment that should swell every breast ; a song 
 that should be one grand chorus sung by eighty-five millions of 
 Americans. 
 
 " Youngest but lustiest giant in the family of nations, who can 
 say thee nay ! In thy infancy didst thou wrest from a sceptered 
 hand the priceless boon of liberty ; in thy childhood thou didst 
 resist victoriously further encroachments upon the vested rights 
 from that same hand ; in thy youth didst thou struggle success- 
 fully with the grandsons of Spain and gain more room in which 
 to grow ; in thy young manhood the whole world stood in silence 
 and saw thy blue and thy gray appeal to the arbitrament of the 
 sword aud then in closer fraternity forever unite ; in the ripeness 
 of maturity thou didst bid tyranny depart from the great islands 
 of Eastern and Western seas, and thou couldst not be denied ? 
 Oh, America! oh, my country, if thou art great thy sons have 
 made thee so ? 
 
 " America has won her now undisputed position as one of the 
 great world powers, not by sentiment, but by supremacy at arms. 
 Manila and Santiago were the twin lights of victory which illu- 
 mined the world and revealed the strenuous superiority at sea 
 of the world's greatest and freest people. Since the sinking and 
 stranding of the Spanish ships off the shores of Luzon and Cuba, 
 America has stepped further within the charmed circle of nations 
 who rule the world, and her starry banner is now bathed in the 
 sunrises and sunsets of both hemispheres. In the glistening eyes 
 of all who would be free its fluttering folds more closely cling to 
 Freedom's godlike form, added lustre is in the scarlet of its 
 stripes and greater glory is in its symbolism of security and strength 
 for the oppressed of all the earth. 
 
 " On land as well as on sea has America shown her sons. Her 
 soldiers no less than her sailors have worked to her greatness until 
 
840 
 
 Successful Advertisings 
 
 the limit of her beneficence to man now knows no measure. And 
 it is her soldiers you are now asked to consider. Nearest in Mem- 
 ory's vision of her conquering heroes are those gallant horsemen 
 who rode up the heights of San Juan Hill and to glory, and saw 
 the walls of Pekin fall. Of them more is said elsewhere in this 
 publication. Especial attention is at this juncture asked for those 
 men of arms and feet who are ever known to stand and advance 
 face front to the enemy — the infantry. 
 
 " The most famous company of infantry in the United States 
 is, beyond all doubt, the Aurora Zouaves. Theirs have been the 
 victories of peace rather than the conquests of war," etc., etc 
 
 Mr. Allen looks as though he enjoyed producing circus litera- 
 ture. The physical effort alone that is required to write miles of 
 polysyllabic circus talk is enough to tax the strongest constitution. 
 Mr. Allen has a strong right arm and herculean frame, admira- 
 bly adapted to work in harmony with a brain seething with 
 ideas, and a pen from which ink flows by the gallon. Mr. 
 Allen has a wide acquaintance among the powers-that-be in 
 Washington, which acquaintance, together with an extremely 
 persuasive manner enabled him to pass a bill through Congress 
 for the benefit of the Barnum and Bailey Shows — the only 
 instance on record, perhaps, where a private bill has been passed 
 by the government for the sole benefit of a circus. 
 
 Railroad and Steamship Advertising. 
 
 When one has a yearning to shake the dust of the present 
 territory from his feet and looks over the transportation ads in 
 the daily press he runs across something like this: — 
 
 JonesvUle Local 
 
 HmithvlUe Kxpress 
 
 ThoinpBon Corner's Local 
 
 Chicago Kx press 
 
 Knilngton Local 
 
 Leave 
 
 
 *tC.-10A. 
 
 M. 
 
 *s8.iOA. 
 
 M. 
 
 ► C 12.40 P. 
 
 M. 
 
 t.S.55p. 
 
 M. 
 
 t5.10P. 
 
 M. 
 
 Arrive. 
 
 » 12.10 P. M. 
 t2.20A. M. 
 * 1.25 p. M. 
 ♦9.15 A. M. 
 •7.10 p. M. 
 
 Transportation advertising, the newspaper end of it anyway, 
 is about the poorest advertising done. It is not that the railroads 
 lack money to advertise or that they lack the Ijrains to conceive 
 advertising. What is needed is somebody to take the initiative 
 and instead of giving the local newspaper a fifth of a column of 
 
How To Accomplish It. 341 
 
 dry technical information (which is generally paid in passes,) fill 
 up a column or two with well written, descriptive matter regard- 
 ing the territories traversed, when trains leave and arrive, the 
 dining car service, the restaurant features, the sleeping car ar- 
 rangements, the staunch roadbed, the high class rolling stock 
 and the many other points of interest that any advertising man 
 could swing in type talk. 
 
 You say we have all this in booklet and pamphlet form, 
 beautifully written and most exquisitely illustrated ? 
 
 Which is true. The transportation lines of this country 
 spend hundreds of thousands of dollars every year in this book- 
 let and pamplet work but the great question is: — "Who reads 
 it all ?" 
 
 Were this immense sum directed into larger and better 
 newspaper ads the results would be greater. 
 
 One summer I went to the City of Mexico. I was unde- 
 cided whether to go by way of Washington and New Orleans, 
 St. Louis and San Antonio, Chicago, Kansas City and El Paso 
 or any of the several routes a man can take from New York. 
 The railroad ads in the New York dailies appeared to be very 
 uninteresting and decidedly unsatisfactory. The Pennsylvania 
 Railroad trains for Washington left New York very frequently; 
 but when they arrived in Washington and with what train, if 
 any, they connected was a mystery. The Royal Blue Line trains 
 left at various hours but the advertising omitted to state when 
 they would arrive in Baltimore and Washington. The trains 
 of the New York Central, West Shore and other lines left New 
 York at certain hours but when the traveler arrived in Chicago, 
 St. Louis or Kansas City was something the advertising could 
 throw no light upon whatever. 
 
 " Why don't you get some of their time-tables, pamphlets 
 and booklets?" asked my friend. 
 
 I did. 
 
 After making selections from most liberal stacks I found I 
 had a load of literature embracing time-tables, pamphlets, leaflets 
 and booklets without number and my friend and I sat down to 
 study the coolest and quickest route between New York and the 
 City of Mexico. 
 
342 Successful Advertising 
 
 A remembrance of that effort is a phantasy of yellow, blue, 
 pink, black and colors of many hues and shades depicting 
 Mexican sombreros and zarepas against a background of moun- 
 tain or desert, burros under mineral loads, trains speeding 
 across plains, emerging from tunnels or crossing great bridges 
 and interior as well as exterior views of "limited expresses " — 
 an artistic showing in myriad effects that must have taxed an 
 army of artists. As for the text there were miles of it — all 
 beautifully written — descriptive, incidential, confidential, sym- 
 phathetic, optimistic and pessimistic. 
 
 The task to study was too much ! 
 
 No human being could read more than one twentieth of it 
 and even that was a great physical and mental effort. 
 
 The next day I still had the same confused idea as to how 
 I should go, so I cut the problem short by taking a Pennsylvania 
 R. R. train to Washington and there, after a consultation with a 
 very pleasant passenger clerk, bought a through ticket by way 
 of New Orleans, San Antonio and Eagle Pass. Take the above 
 case as an illustration. 
 
 Would it not be better for each railroad to have a column 
 or so in the New York dailies, as fresh, newsy and interesting 
 as any department store advertising ? Could not the cost of this 
 be made up from the saving in other forms of advertising ? If 
 a man wanted to travel over a certain railroad would not 
 that railroad's full column give him all the information need- 
 ful ? If he wished to go somewhere and was puzzled as to 
 which line to select, would not the several column ads of the 
 several railroads help him ? Is there not too much attention 
 given to pamphlet advertising on the part of railroads and 
 steamships and too little to newspaper advertising? 
 
 Steamship advertising is so closely allied to railroad adver* 
 tising that an article covering one also covers the other. 
 
 Dental Advertising. 
 
 The average dental ad is a nightmare. What is nearer a 
 grinning skull than a hideous black and white effect, supposed 
 to represent human jaws and teeth ? 
 
 Yet we see this monstrosity constantly staring at us from 
 
How To Accomplish It. 343 
 
 advertising columns, and at times wedged in between the upper 
 and lower jaw the legend : — 
 
 ai^:g;g-:&©g.:&&:&:f-g:&&gg-:g:g=&g&gi^ 
 g GOLD CROWNS $5 UP. g 
 
 I am neither hyper-sensitive nor blunted in my conceptions. 
 I think I see things as they are, and by this time I ought to be 
 able to tell good from poor advertising, and I want to again 
 write with the full force of this stub pen that the average dental 
 ad is an eyesore — a nuisance — a driver away of trade — an adver- 
 tising excrescence that should wither and disappear under the 
 fullest force of advertising criticism and advertising intelligence. 
 
 There is hope. A series of decent, clean cut and business 
 bringing dental ads have made their appearance in the New 
 York papers, and here is reproduced one from the Times : — 
 
 DENTISTRY. 
 
 Every man who makes a success has some 
 ideas peculiar to himself. The corps of spec- 
 ialtists under my direction have been trained 
 according to my ideas. They work as I want 
 them to work. 
 
 My extensive dental experience of twenty- 
 three years in college teaching and private 
 practice qualifies me to select proper men for 
 the different branches of dentistry, and to direct 
 them in their work. 
 
 Silver fillings, Sl.OO. Gold and platinum alloy, $1.50. Pure 
 Gold, 82.00 up. (Told crowns, 85,87.50, iflO. according to the amount 
 of gold. Artificial Teeth, 88, 810, 812, 815. Painless extraction 
 included. 
 
 Edward Everett Cady, D. D. S. 
 
 857 Broadway (Cor. 17th St.,) Manhattiin. 
 346 Fulton St. (Cor. Borum PI.) Brooklyn. 
 
344 Successful Advertising 
 
 Now here is an ad that makes an impression — the impres- 
 sion that the writer knew what he was talking about, and said 
 it in a manner that appealed to reason. All objectionable 
 features are eliminated. 
 
 I never had the pleasure of meeting Edward Everett Cady, 
 D. D. S., Dor transacting any business with him whatever, but 
 I have had the pleasure of reading a great many of his ads, and 
 they struck me as being remarkably clean cut, interesting and 
 well expressed. 
 
 He should be encouraged, and so should all good dental ad- 
 vertisers. 
 
 The average dentist inserts in his local paper a cut showing 
 a ghastly and ghostly pair of wide open teeth and a few display 
 lines at the top, middle and bottom, saying something like this : 
 
 I tried one Broadway dentist and was convinced that his 
 painless method was very painful. He filled a tooth, and during 
 the process I became gradually imbued with the idea that 
 one of the subway steam drills wasgrindingly, roariugly and re- 
 morselessly drilling through my jaw clean up to my think tank, 
 and having reached the seat of learning, my agony became so 
 intense and ideas so confused that the room seemed a whirling 
 mass of drills, while the air was surcharged with a thousand 
 whirling noises. Finally he finished. 
 
 " I thought you said your method was painless ?" I asked 
 him. 
 
 " Well it was — to me !" he answered as he pocketed the fee. 
 
 But to get back to the advertising. Why cannot every 
 dentist that advertises content himself with a series of short, crisp 
 talks as to his methods — how his gold is pure gold and not 
 
How To Accomplish It. 345 
 
 gold with alloy — how his artificial teeth are made to wear for 
 years — how he reduces pain to a minimum by the use of the 
 very latest and best appliances and discoveries — how reasonable 
 are his prices, and all the features that any clever advertising 
 man could point out for him ? 
 
 Classified Advertising. 
 
 When you see the classified advertising columns of the 
 metropolitan daily and Sunday papers, you see the zenith 
 of that popular form of advertising. 
 
 Of course we all appreciate the uses of classified columns, 
 and it is not the purpose of this article to tell the reader that 
 when he has a house for sale he should use the "real estate" 
 column — when he wishes a clerk he should use the " help 
 wanted" column — when he has a business for sale he should 
 use the "business opportunities" column, and so on. 
 
 But there are certain features of classified advertising that 
 some advertisers are not so clever on as are others. Mail order 
 advertisers in particular are keen judges and good users of class- 
 ified advertising. Concerns wishing agents are liberal users of 
 the classified columns of advertising, so are many brokers, fiscal 
 agents and financial men. 
 
 If you have an article that you wish advertised broadcast 
 and do not care to spend a small fortune in newspaper display 
 (which eats up money as an elephant gobbles up a meal), pre- 
 pare a two, three or four-line ad — eight words to a line — and 
 have it read so that it will fit under a " business opportunities," 
 "help wanted," "financial,'' or whatever classified heading 
 under which you wish it to run. Take this ad around to an 
 advertising agent, who makes a feature of classified advertising, 
 and ask him to give you a list of papers with prices. You will 
 be surprised at the bargain you will get. You will notice for a 
 comparatively small sum you will get in a list of papers that 
 reach a million or more readers. 
 
 Many stock brokers wanting agents in cities and towns obtain 
 lump rates on the "business opportunities" columns in a list 
 of papers. One ad, one order and one check does the business, 
 and the ad simultaneously appears in scores of leading papers. 
 
346 Successful Advertising 
 
 Mail order advertising men use the classified columns so 
 liberally that one can scarcely pick up a daily or Sunday paper 
 without seeing their string of alluring offers. 
 
 Salesmen are much in demand. Therefore ads for sales- 
 men are very familiar. Usually such ads are simultaneously 
 spread broadcast through the services of an advertising agent to 
 greet the eyes of thousands of ambitious young men at the 
 same moment. 
 
 Here are two points in favor of classified ads: — 
 
 They usually cost less than display ads. 
 
 They are more likely to be read by those interested than 
 display advertising for they get in the column that people look 
 to for just such ads. 
 
 Classified advertising columns have been used with great 
 success in retail advertising. The great business built up a few 
 years ago in Boston by Wilson Brothers, retailers in clocks, 
 watches, jewelry, etc., was due, in a large measure, to tlie 
 extraordinary liberality with which they used about all the 
 classified columns of the Boston papers. 
 
 What Percentage to Spend in Advertising. 
 
 Here is an important subject. 
 
 The wisest heads in the business world have been scratched 
 and rubbed many and many a time in endeavors to find inspira- 
 tion upon so intangible a subject. 
 
 For it is an intangible subject — bounded by no set rules 
 and with only the track of common sense and the individual 
 requirements of a business to follow. 
 
 Retail houses spend from two to ten per cent of their busi- 
 ness in advertising. The average expenditure is three per cent. 
 
 With a new retail business — a new store or a new depart- 
 ment the advertising expenditure is frequently in the vicinity 
 of ten per cent. 
 
 In a town where the competition is keen and advertising is 
 vigorous the advertising expenditure is ver}' often found from 
 seven to ten per cent. 
 
 Under the direction of an aggressive advertiser you will 
 
How To Accomplish It. 347 
 
 frequently find that the advertising expenditure for even a well 
 established business ranges from five to seven per cent. 
 
 These percentages are high yet considering the influence of 
 advertising and the necessity for it in this age who will call 
 them extravagant business expenditures? 
 
 The average expenditure is three per cent. 
 
 In an article upon " Advertising the Circus " which appears 
 elsewhere you will see that the Advertising Manager of that 
 institution spends from thirty-five to forty per cent, of the gross 
 receipts in advertising. 
 
 There is advertising with a vengeance ! But these people 
 know their business. 
 
 The most successful patent medicine and proprietory article 
 advertising men are those who apparently poured their money 
 like water into the advertising trough. 
 
 Some may be wasted but most of it comes back. 
 
 The advertising appropriation of a big live business is very 
 much like an accordion — open to the widest with the expendi- 
 tures under some circumstances and closed up tight and hard 
 upon other occasions. 
 
 The weather — the seasons— the styles — the moods of the 
 people — geographical conditions — market fluctuations and thou- 
 sands of causes gauge the advertising outlay. 
 
 You will find plenty of general advertisers who spend 
 twenty, thirty and forty per cent, of their receipts in advertising. 
 
 In order to give a new business a start you must shut your 
 eyes to advertising expenditures and consider only the growth 
 that advertising will surely bring — provided other conditions 
 are equal. 
 
 In order to galvanize life into a sleeping business you must 
 apply the electrical current of advertising with a strong stream. 
 
 "Economical" advertising is in too many cases money 
 wasted. Advertising is a force that cannot be measured by 
 pints or quarts, ounces or pounds, inches or yards. 
 
 But for the average retail business we know that three per 
 cent, is a fair expenditure for advertising. 
 
848 Successful Advertising 
 
 Advertising a Printing Establishment. 
 
 A great many printers send around a huge calendar " to the 
 trade" once a year and "let it go at that.'' 
 
 A great many printers content themselves with the simple 
 imprint of their names upon all work they do. 
 
 A few printers understand and apply the possibilities of 
 advertising beyond the blotter and calendar stage. The writer 
 of the following belongs to this class : 
 
 Our t 
 
 Printing is neat, clean and at once makes I 
 
 i a goc.d impression. We employ Union men | 
 
 i — pay Union wages — are content with a | 
 I small profit, and we see X 
 
 I That Every Customer | 
 
 Is Satisfied. J 
 
 -t 
 
 The above small ad was clipped from a local paper published 
 in a small Pennsylvania town. I warrant that advertiser is 
 doing the printing business of his town. No one will gainsay 
 that local newspaper advertising will help every legitimate busi- 
 ness and certainly printing. But most printers think of the 
 cost — shudder — then go on in their usual rut. 
 
 Why not do as the retailer — spend two, three or four per 
 cent, of the gross business to advertising in the local newspaper ? 
 
 That is the plan ! 
 
 Every time the business man picks up his local paper he 
 sees the ad of his fellow townsman and good printer only to 
 conclude that this printer must be an enterprising chap and 
 worthy of patronage. 
 
 Apart from the local paper advertising, a system of cards, 
 leaflets and booklets can be operated with advantage. One 
 week the merchant may receive a card in his mail from enter- 
 prising Mr. Printer, next week he may receive a nicely worded 
 printed typewritten letter calling attention to Mr. Printer's 
 work in that line, next week a tasty leaflet may float along — 
 
How To Accomplish It. 
 
 349 
 
 all harping upon good work, good stock, prompt deliveries and 
 moderate prices. 
 
 On my desk at this moment is a good piece of advertising 
 from a New York printer in the shape of a leaflet : 
 
 Let Us Do Your Printing. 
 
 Give us one trial — simply one order, just to 
 show you what we can do and how cheap we 
 can do it — and the chances are that you will 
 
 STAY WITH us. 
 
 Our prices are cheap but not our work. It 
 is work that you would expect to pay much 
 more for, but as we get a lot of it we save 
 PRICES. When we promise to deliver work at 
 a certain time it is delivered AT THAT time. 
 When we promise certain type, certain stock and 
 certain effects OUR promises are fulfilled. 
 
 For we are printers that from long and earnest 
 
 study KNOW OUR BUSINESS. 
 
 Some printers send out "type cards'' or "type books," 
 which show the various type styles and sizes carried. This is 
 also a good idea, as it makes an impression as to the resource- 
 fulness of the printer. 
 
 There is no advertising so potent as good work, once it is 
 known, but more often than not the knowledge on this subject 
 is not as widely diffused as it should be. Here is where adver- 
 tising should step in to make known far and wide the merits of 
 good printing. 
 
 Almost every printer can so express himself on paper that 
 he can produce fairly good ads. If he cannot he should find 
 somebody inside or outside his establishment who can write 
 snappy business-like ads. 
 
 At any rate a printer should give all the advertising in the 
 shape of cards, circulars, etc., the right typographical appearance 
 which, in itself, is most important in making an advertising im- 
 pression. With such the business man can tell at a glance 
 whether or not the printer shows judgment with artistic sense. 
 
350 Successful Advertising 
 
 Advertising a Town or City. 
 
 The work of the Merchants' Association in advertising 
 New York as a mercantile centre is so well known to business 
 men all over the world that it is not necessary here to dwell 
 upon it beyond using this fact as an excellent illustration of 
 what can be accomplished by a preconcerted effort on the part 
 of leading citizens of any town or city. 
 
 The Merchants' Association has spread the fame of New 
 York's wholesale markets in every corner of America. It has 
 secured rate concessions from leading railroads and its practical 
 results in the shape of delegations of hundreds of retail buyers 
 and merchants from states far and near can be seen by anyone 
 interested enough to visit the Broadway Central, Imperial, 
 Waldorf-Astoria and other New York hostelries during buying 
 seasons. 
 
 Leading citizens of Cripple Creek, Colorado, had an adver- 
 tising plan submitted to them by a New York advertising 
 specialist. The object of this idea was to let Eastern investors 
 know the great mineral resources of Cripple Creek and was 
 the subject of much favorable comment. 
 
 The Clinton (la.) Herald recently urged lowans to make 
 known to the world at large the resources of Iowa to farmers, 
 miners, manufactureres and business men. The article said 
 in part : — 
 
 " Iowa has advantages in the way of manufacturing that 
 are possessed by few States, but they have been so carefully 
 concealed that the men who manage the great manufacturing 
 plants of the countrj^ have never been particularly well informed 
 of the fact. An Eastern man, passing through this State on a 
 Northwestern train, observing a branch line running south 
 from Belle Plaine, asked a fellow passenger where it led to, and 
 being informed that it was a coal line, seemed surprised and 
 inquired, "Are there coal mines in Iowa?" He expressed 
 wonder when told that almost half of the State is underlaid 
 with fine veins of coal. 
 
 " It is not the especial duty of the State to advertise the 
 
How To Accomplish It. 351 
 
 resources of the country, yet it might well do something in that 
 line. States have boards of immigration when they have vacant 
 lands but that time has passed in Iowa." 
 
 Such organizations as the National League of Improve- 
 ment Associations of Springfield, Ohio, not only exist for the 
 purpose of making America beautiful but also advertise which- 
 ever section of America it may work in in a most business like 
 way. Read the following — clipped from its literature : — 
 
 " Organized purely as an educational movement, the League 
 has proved a decidedly successful business 'boomer,' both for 
 ' the trade ' directly concerned in the sale of plants, seeds, 
 paints, paper and decorating supplies, and also on a broader 
 scale touching larger interests. Landscape gardeners, manufac- 
 turers, architects, contractors, real estate dealers and many 
 others are financially interested. 
 
 '' Already special campaigning in a given city has resulted 
 in the sale of the entire stock of every local florist. In another 
 city an average of fifty per cent advance in real estate has fol- 
 lowed the agitation of an improvement association in a section 
 containing ten or twelve thousand inhabitants. One of the fore- 
 most paint manufacturing concerns is now using a splendidly 
 illustrated booklet exploiting its products in relation to this 
 new-born movement. The League plans, agitates and organizes. 
 It unites school people, influential citizens, commercial bodies 
 and other groups in a way that awakens interest in every home. 
 
 " The League is an investment, not a charity, and a proposi- 
 tion to support it is purely a business matter. An organization 
 formed for similar purposes among manufacturers is largely sup- 
 ported by prominent firms whose efforts are thus brought to the 
 attention of an interested public. 
 
 "The League prepares booklet, magazine and leaflet issues ; 
 arranges copy and illustrations for hundreds of periodicals, 
 provides lectures and lantern slides for towns and assemblies ; 
 secures the organization of local leagues and the enlistment of 
 commercial bodies and public spirited citizens." 
 
 There is not a state in the Union and scarcely a town or 
 city in it but cannot be benefitted by a regular advertising bureau 
 organized and operated for that purpose. 
 
352 Successful Advertising 
 
 Of course the principal help is the local press and such aid 
 can be enlisted in nine cases out often, provided the situation is 
 put in the proper light before editors. A certain amount of 
 advertising in publications could be contracted for with every 
 feeling that such an outlay is wise because business bringing 
 and legitimate. 
 
 Booklets, maps and letters should be sent to inquirers and 
 carefully culled lists of names. 
 
 Efforts should be made to interest railroads in securing 
 special rates. 
 
 Efforts should be made to interest hotels in quoting special 
 prices. 
 
 Efforts should be made to interest leading citizens in the 
 propaganda movement. 
 
 For the success of the town, city or state is their success. 
 
 Efforts should be made tosecure the presence of conventions. 
 
 Efforts should be made to secure the presence of men of 
 national reputation upon convention and other leading occasions. 
 
 Advertising a Resort, 
 
 The presence of an up-to-date press agent every day during 
 the season at a summer resort is an idea that time and time 
 again has struck with force the managers of such places. 
 
 And why not ? 
 
 The only way the great, outside, work-a-day, stay-at-home 
 world learns of such resorts is by advertising. 
 
 The advertising may be in the form of a sea serpent story. 
 
 The advertising may be in the form of a regular news item. 
 
 The advertising may be in the form of a half column of 
 "Society news" in a metropolitan Sunday paper. 
 
 The advertising may be in the heart to heart talk of 
 Mr. Jones to Mr. Brown regarding the atrocious costumes she 
 saw on the promenade. 
 
 The advertising may be in the heart to heart talk of Mr. 
 Jones to Mr. Brown anent the burning question of heavy checks 
 that their wives' summer outing demands. 
 
 It is all advertising. 
 
 You cannot get away from the force of advertising — a force 
 
How To Accomplish It. sr>z 
 
 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 
 
 \<eather Goods and Harness ...••• 368 
 
 Mail Order (A General Talk on) 215 
 
 Mail Order (Specific Talks on) 220 
 
 Mediums, Choice of 238 
 
 Men's Furnishings 105 
 
 Mid-Winter 46 
 
 Miscellaneous (Division Number Five) 238 
 
 More about Clothing 102 
 
 Novelties, Value of 359 
 
How To Accomplish It. 391 
 
 Advertising, Outdoor 309 
 
 Pianos, Music and Musical Instruments 148 
 
 Pictures, Wall-Paper, Interior Decorations 158 
 
 Prices in Retail "7 
 
 Railroad and Steamship 54° 
 
 Real Estate 3^3 
 
 Schemes -^5 
 
 Shoe 129 
 
 Solicitor, The 267 
 
 Special Features in Retail (Division Number Three) .... 89 
 
 Specialties 250 
 
 Specialist, The 257 
 
 Spring Stocks 52 
 
 Street Car • • • 307 
 
 Suggestions ^ 578 
 
 Suit and Cloak 116 
 
 Theatrical 33^ 
 
 The How of Writing 263 
 
 The Humors of 292 
 
 to Men 243 
 
 to Women 241 
 
 Upholstery Goods 123 
 
 What Percentage to Spend in 346 
 
 Women's Wearables 1^5 
 
 Writer, The 259 
 
 Advertiser, To the New Clothing 104 
 
 Advertisements, Measures in Which to Set 361 
 
 After the Holiday Rush 82 
 
 Again Spring Advertising 54 
 
 Ahead of Competition, Keeping I34 
 
 Amateur, The Advertising 262 
 
 April Advertising 58 
 
 Arrangement, Typographical 244 
 
 Assistance from Papers, Advertising 369 
 
 Autumn Advertising 78 
 
 Bakery, Advertising a 355 
 
 Begin the New Year, How? ... 29 
 
 Be Optimistic in Advertising 3i8 
 
 Best Advertising Mediums (Mail Order Talk Number I) 220 
 
 Best Articles to Advertise (Mail Order Talk Number IV) 225 
 
 Bookkeeping and System of Handling Letters and Orders (Mail Order 
 
 Talk Number II) 222 
 
 Booklet Advertising 283 
 
 Books, Advertising . . 142 
 
392 Successful Advertising 
 
 Bombardment, Mid Summer 70 
 
 "Brains" Interview 314 
 
 Building up a Sick Department no 
 
 Business, Advertising a Merchant Tailoring 150 
 
 Active Every Month in the Year, Keeping Retail 85 
 
 Always Vigorous, Keeping a Live Department or 113 
 
 Pushing Winter 48 
 
 Warm Weather Wooing of 73 
 
 c 
 
 Car Advertising, Street 307 
 
 Catalogue Making (Mail Order Talk Number V) 227 
 
 China, Advertising 123 
 
 Choice of Advertising Mediums 238 
 
 City, Advertising a Town or . 350 
 
 Cigar, Pipes, etc., Advertising I47 
 
 Circus, Advertising a 335 
 
 Classified Advertising 345 
 
 Clearance Sale, The Mid Summer 67 
 
 Cloak Advertising, Suit and 116 
 
 Clothing Advertising 98 
 
 Advertising, More About 102 
 
 Advertiser, To the New 104 
 
 Advertising, Dog Day 74 
 
 Compiling Mail Order Literature (Mail Order Talk Number XI) 235 
 
 Coming, Speed the Parting, Welcome the 50 
 
 Competition, Keeping Ahead of 134 
 
 Completion of Ad-Building (Merchandise and Audience), The 24 
 
 Concerning Correspondence (Mail Order Talk Number VI) ..••... 229 
 
 Confectionery, Advertising 376 
 
 Co-operate with Heads of Departments 96 
 
 Copy for the Printer, Preparing Advertising 15 
 
 Cost of Goods to the Consumer, Advertising Does Not Increase the . 311 
 
 D 
 
 Dental Advertising -342 
 
 Department, Building up a Sick no 
 
 Departments, Co-operate with Heads of 96 
 
 Department or Business Always Vigorous, Keeping a Live 113 
 
 Department Store, Advertising a 89 
 
 Description of Items, Give Full 125 
 
 Displaying Items and Prices 12 
 
 Display, Inside Store 133 
 
 Displays, Window 131 
 
 Dog Day Clothing Advertising 74 
 
How To Accomplish It. 393 
 
 Dressmaking Establishment, Advertising a • . . 152 
 
 Drop a Sale, How to Start, Engineer and "6 
 
 Drug Store, Advertising a • ^44 
 
 " Dry Goods Economist " Interview 289 
 
 Early Summer Advertising "3 
 
 Educational Features by Mail, Advertising 218 
 
 Embellishments of Ad Building (Types), The 18 
 
 Engineer and Drop a Sale, How to Start "6 
 
 Estate, Advertising Real 303 
 
 Essentials of Ad Building (Displaying Items and Prices), The 12 
 
 Every Month in the Year, Keeping Real Business Active 85 
 
 F 
 
 Face Bleaches, Powders, etc., Advertising 325 
 
 Factor in Advertising, Honesty as a '96 
 
 Featuresby Mail, Advertising Educational 218 
 
 Features in Retail Advertising, Special (Division Number Three) .... 89 
 
 Financial Advertising 357 
 
 Fish and Meat Markets, Advertising ^^i 
 
 Floor Coverings, Advertising "3 
 
 Foreign Advertising - 3°! 
 
 For That Sale, Have a Reason "8 
 
 Foundation of Ad Building (Ideas), The i 
 
 Full Description of Items, Give ^25 
 
 Furnishings, Advertising House ^^3 
 
 Furnishings, Advertising Men's ^°5 
 
 Furniture Advertising ^^° 
 
 Fur and Fur Garments, Advertising ^57 
 
 G 
 
 General Talk on Mail Order Advertising, A 215 
 
 Getting to the Reader's Level 275 
 
 Give Full Description of Items ^25 
 
 Glassware, Advertising "3 
 
 Good Mail Order Help (Mail Order Talk Number VIII) 231 
 
 Great January Mark-Down Sale, The 3o 
 
 Great Mid-Winter Sale, The 4o 
 
 Grocery, Advertising a ^45 
 
 H 
 
 Hat and Cap Advertising ^55 
 
 Hardware Advertising ^3^ 
 
394 Successful Advertising 
 
 Harness, Advertising Leather Goods and 368 
 
 Have a Mailorder Plan (Mail Order Talk Number IX) 232 
 
 Have a Reason for That Sale 128 
 
 Headlines 372 
 
 Heads of Departments, Co-operate with 96 
 
 Holiday Advertising So 
 
 Holiday Rush, After the S2 
 
 Honesty as a Factor in Advertising 296 
 
 Hotel, Advertising a .... 327 
 
 House Furnishings, Advertising 123 
 
 How ? Begin the New Year 29 
 
 of Writing Advertising, The 263 
 
 to Start, Engineer and Drop a Sale 126 
 
 Humors of Advertising, The 292 
 
 Hustler, The 269 
 
 I 
 
 Ideas, in the Foundation of Ad Building • i 
 
 Illustrations and Their Uses 247 
 
 Increase the Cost of Goods to the Consumer, Advertising Does not ... 311 
 
 Individuality in Advertising 252 
 
 Infants' and Children's Wearables 156 
 
 Inside Store Displays 133 
 
 Interview in "Brains" 314 
 
 in " Printers Ink " 280 
 
 in " Profitable Advertising" 297 
 
 in "Dry Goods Economist" 2S9 
 
 Introducing Spring Millinery, etc 56 
 
 Introductions for Retail Advertising 163 
 
 Items, Give Full Description of 125 
 
 January' Mark-Down Sale, the Great 30 
 
 Merchandise Movements, Some 36 
 
 Sales, Various Other 33 
 
 Jewelry and Optical Advertising 138 
 
 Jollier. The ... 271 
 
 Keeping a Live Department or Business Always Vigorous 113 
 
 Ahead of Competition 134 
 
 Retail Business Active Every Month in the Year 85 
 
How To Accomplish It 395 
 
 Lamps, Advertising 123 
 
 Large Ads, Making up 93 
 
 Laundry, Advertising a 366 
 
 Leather Goods and Harness, Advertising 368 
 
 Letters and Orders, Bookkeeping and System of Handling (Mail Order 
 
 Talk Number II) . . . 222 
 
 Level, Getting to the Reader's 275 
 
 Literature, Compiling Mail Order (Mail Order Talk Number XI) .... 235 
 
 Live Department or Business Always Vigorous, Keeping a 113 
 
 Mail, Advertising Educational Features by . 218 
 
 Mail Order Advertising, A General Talk on 215 
 
 Mail Order Advertising, Specific Talks on 220 
 
 Talk Number I. Best Advertising Mediums 220 
 
 II. Bookkeeping and System 01 Handling Letters 
 
 and Orders 222 
 
 III. Securing Names 223 
 
 IV. Best Articles to Advertise 225 
 
 V. Catalogue Making 227 
 
 VI. Concerning Correspondence 229 
 
 VII. Promptness and Thoroughness 230 
 
 VIII. Good Mail Order Help 231 
 
 IX. Have a Mail Order Plan 232 
 
 X. Mail Order Territories 234 
 
 XI. Compiling Mail Order Literature 235 
 
 XII. The Value of Persistence 236 
 
 Making Up Large Ads 93 
 
 Manufacturers and Wholesalers Should Help Retailers With Advertising . 363 
 
 Mark Down Sale, The Great January 30 
 
 Masses, The Unreached 312 
 
 May Merchandising, Movements in 6o 
 
 Measures in Which to Set Advertisements 361 
 
 Meat Markets, Advertising Fish and i6i 
 
 Medicine, Advertising a Patent 323 
 
 Mediums, Choice of Advertising 238 
 
 Men, Advertising to 243 
 
 Men's Furnishings, Advertising 105 
 
 Merchandise Movements, Some January 36 
 
 Merchandise and Audience, in the Completion of Ad Building 24 
 
 Merchant Tailoring Business, Advertising a 150 
 
 Mid-Winter Advertising 46 
 
 Sale, the Great 40 
 
 Sales, Other 43 
 
396 ' Successful Advertising 
 
 Mid-Summer Bombardment 70 
 
 Midsummer Clearance Sale, the 67 
 
 Millinery, etc.. Introducing Spring 56 
 
 Miscellaneous Advertising (Division Number Five) 238 
 
 Money, Spend Money to Make 286 
 
 Month in the Year, Keepnig Retail Business Active Every 85 
 
 More About Clothing Advertising 102 
 
 Movements in May Merchandising 60 
 
 Movements, Some January Merchandise 36 
 
 Music and Musical Instruments, Advertising Pianos 148 
 
 N 
 
 Names, Securing (Mail Order Talk Number III) 223 
 
 New Clothing Advertiser, To the io4 
 
 New Store, Advertising a 107 
 
 New Year, How ? Begin the 29 
 
 New Year Resolutions 27 
 
 Notices, Reading 37 1 
 
 Novelties, Value of Advertising • 359 
 
 o 
 
 Of Business, Warm Weather Wooing 73 
 
 Of Competition, Keeping Ahead I34 
 
 Of Items, Give Full Description 125 
 
 Optical Advertising, Jewelry and 138 
 
 Optimistic in Advertising, Be 3 '8 
 
 Order Advertising, Mail .... 215 
 
 Orders, Bookkeeping and System of Handling Letters and (Mail Order 
 
 Talk Number II) 222 
 
 Order Help, Good Mail (Mail Order Talk Number VIII) 231 
 
 Order Literature, Compiling Mail (Mail Order Talk Number XI) 235 
 
 Order Plan, Have an (Mail Order Talk Number IX) 232 
 
 Order Territories, Mail (Mail Order Talk Number X) 234 
 
 Other January Sales. Various 33 
 
 Other Mid-Winter Sales 43 
 
 Outdoor Advertising 309 
 
 R 
 
 Papers, Advertising Assistance from 369 
 
 Parting. Welcome the Coming, Speed the • 50 
 
 Patent Medicine, Advertising a 323 
 
 Percentage to Spend in Advertising, What 346 
 
 Photograph Studio, Advertising a 3^4 
 
 Pianos, Music. Musical Instruments, Advertising 148 
 
How To Accomplish It. 397 
 
 Pictures, Wall Paper, Interior Decorations, Advertising 158 
 
 Powders, Face Bleaches, etc., Advertising 325 
 
 Preparing Advertising Copy for the Printer 15 
 
 Prices, in the Superstructure of Ad Building 9 
 
 Prices in Retail Advertising 117 
 
 Printing Establishment, Advertising a 348 
 
 "Printers' Ink" Interview 280 
 
 " Profitable Advertising " Interview 297 
 
 Proof before Correcting • • . . 386 
 
 after Correcting 387 
 
 Reader's Marks 383 
 
 Promptness and Thoroughness (Mail Order Talk Number VII) 230 
 
 Publication, Advertising a 321 
 
 Publications, Advertising in 373 
 
 Punctuation 381 
 
 Pushing Winter Business . . 48 
 
 R 
 
 Railroad and Steamship Advertising 340 
 
 Reader's Level, Getting to the 275 
 
 Reading Notices 371 
 
 Real Estate Advertising . . . . • 303 
 
 Reason for That Sale, Have a 128 
 
 Regarding Ruts 255 
 
 Resolutions, New Year 27 
 
 Resort, Advertising a 352 
 
 Restaurant, Advertfsing a 329 
 
 Retail Advertising All the Year Around (Division Number Two) .... 27 
 
 Advertising, Introductions for ... . 163 
 
 Advertising, Prices in 117 
 
 Advertising, Special Features in (Division Number Three) .... 89 
 
 Business Active Every Month in the Year, Keeping 85 
 
 Rubiyiat of O'My Advertiser, The 320 
 
 Rush, After the Holiday 82 
 
 Sale, How to Start, Engineer and Drop a 126 
 
 Salesman and the Ad, The 317 
 
 Sales, Other I\Iid-\Vinter 43 
 
 Sale, The Mid-Summei Clearance 67 
 
 The Great Mid-Winter 40 
 
 The Great January Mark-Down 30 
 
 Sales, Various Other January 33 
 
 Sales, Warm Weather 65 
 
 Sayings to Swing Trade 202 
 
398 Successful Advertising 
 
 Schemes, Advertising ^*5 
 
 School. Advertising:: a 353 
 
 Securing Names (Mail Order Talk Number III) 223 
 
 Shoe Advertising 129 
 
 Short Words, Use 278 
 
 Solicitor, The Advertising 267 
 
 Some January Merchandise Movements 3^ 
 
 Specialties, Advertising 250 
 
 Specialist, The Advertising 257 
 
 Special Features in Retail Advertising (Division Number Three) 89 
 
 Specific Talks on Mail Order Advertising (Division Number Three) . . 220 
 
 Speed the Parting, Welcome the Coming 5° 
 
 Spend in Advertising. What Percentage to 34^ 
 
 Spend Money to Make Money 2S6 
 
 Spring Stocks, Advertising 52 
 
 Advertising, Again 54 
 
 Millinery, etc., Introducing 5^ 
 
 Start, Engineer and Drop a Sale, How to 126 
 
 Stationery and Newspaper Store, Advertising a i53 
 
 Steamship Advertising, Railroad and 34o 
 
 Store, Advertising a Department 89 
 
 Advertising a New io7 
 
 Advertising a Drug • I44 
 
 Store Displays, Inside 133 
 
 Street Car Advertising 307 
 
 Studio, Advertising a Photograph 3^4 
 
 Suit and Cloak Advertising 116 
 
 Suggestions, Advertising 37S 
 
 Summer Advertising, Early 63 
 
 Superstructure of Ad Building (Words) The 5 
 
 Swing Trade, Sayings to 202 
 
 System of Handling Letters and Orders, Bookkeeping and (Mail Order 
 
 Talk Number II) 222 
 
 Tailoring Business, Advertising a Merchant 150 
 
 Talk on Mail Order Advertising, a General 215 
 
 Talks on INIail Order Advertising, Specific 220 
 
 Territories, Mailorder (Mail Order Talk Number X) • • 234 
 
 That Sale, Have a Reason For 12S 
 
 Theatrical Advertising 33^ 
 
 The Advertising Amateur 262 
 
 Advertising Specialist 257 
 
 Advertising Solicitor 267 
 
 Advertising Writer 259 
 
 Completion of Ad Building (Merchandise and Audience) 24 
 
How To Accomplish It. 399 
 
 The Embellishments of Ad Building (Types) i8 
 
 Essentials oi Ad Building (Displaying Items and Prices) 12 
 
 Foundation of Ad Building, (Ideas) i 
 
 Great Mid-Winter Sale 40 
 
 Great January Mark-Down Sale 30 
 
 Holiday Rush, After 82 
 
 How of Writing Advertising , 263 
 
 Humors of Advertising 292 
 
 Hustler 269 
 
 Jollier 271 
 
 Mid-Summer Clearance S \le 67 
 
 New Clothing Advertiser, To 104 
 
 New Year How? Begin 29 
 
 Printer, Preparing Advertising Copy For 15 
 
 Reader's Level, Getting to 275 
 
 Rubiyiat of O'My Advertiser 320 
 
 Salesman and the Ad 317 
 
 Superstructure of Ad Building (Words) 5 
 
 Unreached Masses 312 
 
 Value of Persistence (Mail Order Talk Number XII) 236 
 
 Year, Keeping Retail Business Active Every Month in S5 
 
 Thoroughness, Promptness and 230 
 
 To Advertise, Best Articles 225 
 
 Make Money, Spend Money 2S6 
 
 Spend in Advertising, What Precentage 346 
 
 Start, Engineer and Drop a Sale, How 126 
 
 The New Clothing Advertiser 104 
 
 Town or City, Advertismg a • 350 
 
 Trade, Sayings to Swing 202 
 
 Typographical Arrangement 244 
 
 u 
 
 Unreached Masses, The 3^2 
 
 Upholstery Goods, Advertising 123 
 
 Up Large Ads, Making 93 
 
 Up a Sick Department, Building no 
 
 Use Short Words 278 
 
 Uses, Illustrations and Their 247 
 
 V 
 
 Various Other January Sales 33 
 
 Value of Advertising Novelties 359 
 
 Value of Persistence, The 236 
 
 Vigorous, Keeping a Live Department or Business Always 113 
 
400 Successful Advertising 
 
 Wall-Paper and Interior Decorations, Advertising 158 
 
 Warm Weather Sale 65 
 
 Warm Weather Wooing of Business 73 
 
 Wearables, Advertising W^omen's 115 
 
 Welcome the Coming, Speed the Parting 50 
 
 What Percentage to Spend in Advertising 346 
 
 Wholesalers Should Help Retailers With Advertising, Manufacturers and 363 
 
 Words in the Superstructure of Ad Building 5 
 
 With Department Heads, Cooperate 96 
 
 Window Displays 131 
 
 Winter Business, Pushing 48 
 
 Women, Advertising to 241 
 
 Women's Wearables, Advertising' , 115 
 
 W^ords, Use Short 278 
 
 Writing Advertising, The How of 263 
 
 Writer, The Advertising 259 
 
 Y 
 
 Year Around, Retail Advertising All the (Division Number Two) .... 27 
 
 Year, Keeping Retail Business Active Every Month in the 85 
 
 Year, How? Begin the New 29 
 
 Year, Resolutions, New ^ 
 
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