Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-08-03
PLAQUEMINE:
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1850.
The Art of Advertising.

Inc committee appointed Dy Mr.. V. Is. raj
mer, of New York, to decide the award of a
silver cup to the writer Of the best essay upon
the subject Sof advertising, have, we see by the
last number of the Register, made their report
The committee consist of Messrs. George R.
Graham, of Graham's Magazine, VIM. M.
Swain, of the Public Ledger, and George H.
Hart, President Of the Philadelphia and
Wilkesbare Telegraph Company and the
prize has been awarded to Horace Greely, ESQ.,,
of the N. Y. Tribune. The cup will cost 800,
and will be covered with elegant designs, rela-
ting to commerce and trade. We make the
following extract from the prize essay:
The merchant, therefore, who aims to sue
ceed in business must aim at these two points
first, to be sure that he can satisfy wide de-
mand for the articles be deals in, on the lowest
practicable terms; secondly, that every body
within the proper scope of his business is made
aware of his ability and confident of his DISPOSE
ion to do So These points attained, he has
only to do his business properly, as it comes in
upon him, aud his fortune is made
To the merchant or dealer who is sure Of
his ability to fill orders on the most favorable
terms, the attainment of an adequate publicity
is the matter of primary concern. Ii his circle
of trade is properly the country in which he
lives, then he should take efIectual measures
to let every family in the country know what
he sells, and On what conditions. 1t is idle to
speak of thecost as an mpedment--he might
as well object to the cost of shetering his
goods from the weather; protecting them from
loa1 linz t,
the other cost Of his business is incurred with
out adequate motive or return SO long as this
essential element of his business is neglected
or scrimped. If his location and his stock only
entitle him to expect the custom of bis own
eur the expense offully informing that locality.
Just 50 with the wholesale merchant who as
pires to custom coextensive with his State,
his section, or the whole Union. If he is pre-
pared to satisfy so wide demand On favorable
terms, the expense OF apprising those whom he
desires for customers of the nature of his bus.
mess, the character of his stock, the range of
his prices, and the reasons why he should be
dealt with, is one which he cannot refuse to in
cur without gross incompetency and. rainous
prodigalty. BY thus refusing, he increases his
expenses for rent, light and fuel, clerk hire &c,
-Oue.idll pei CtHt " " itHu " sOue cases III.
per cent. on his aggregate sales, and renders it
morally impossible that he should sell at pro-
fit, and at the same time sell as cheaply as his
MORE enterprising and capable rivals. In effect,
heconfesses defeat and incapacity, and retreats
to the rear rank of his profession.
Some men who know. enough to advertise,
are vet so narrow as 10 confne their advertise
ments to journals of their own creed or party.
If they do not choose to trade with any but
men Of like faith this is wise; but if they desire
to have the whole public for customers, it is
otherwise. $3.50. I'll
There is large class who delight to shine
in newspapers and placards as wits or poets, and
announce their wares in secondhand jokes or
in doggerels fit to set the teeth of dull saw on
edge. Iftheir object is notoriety or q laugh,
this is the way to attain it; but III be business,
it would seem better to use the language Of
business. Leave clowns jests to the circus,
and let sober men speak as they act, with dl
rectness and decision The fewest words that
will convey the advertisers ideas are the right
ones. n