Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1882-02-23
How to Advertise.

In my own business career, advertis-
ing. advertising largely and increasingly.
has been an important factor. 1t is not
my plan to advertise flamingly, for a
brief period in the trade season. and
then stop. MY business has been kept
steadily before the public to consider
able extent the year round. believe
it is better TO occupy one square every
day for year than to cover page with
letters three inches long for week and
then discontinue it altogether. In this
respect might almost parody the old
saying that "a little learning is a dan
gerous thing" and remark the same
thing of advertising. A little of it is
certainly an expensive thing. Rightly
managed. constant and wide advertising
is the most economical method mer-
chant can adopt to win customers. But
advertise constantly or do not spend n
dollar. Now. Is to the general results
achieved, have cast my minds eye
hurriedly over my experience in Gin
cinnati, and am fully convinced that
in fifteen years, with the advertising
have done. have pushed my business
to standing that would have taken
thirty years to reach without advertis-
ing. In truth, it is doubtful if | could
have at all attained the results | have
without the aid of newspapers. First
and best of all as n means for a mer-
chant to make himself known are the
leading newspapers. If We're asked
TO name the merchants best friend, l
should answer. the live newspaper. A
hand-bill or n circular may reach a
thousand persons. nine-tenths of whom
throw it away without reading. but
well-worded advertisement printed in
leading paper, which is bought for the
news it contains. will reach fifty or a
hundred thousand persons, and in a
way to commend itself to their atten-
ton.
II is said to be constant surprise TO
publishers that men of good business
ability and habits, who regularly spend
large sums of money in the newspapers,
give the subject SO little thought and at
tention. Ii is not at all uncommon for
concern whose business in other re-
spects is carefully taken care of. with
watchful economy practiced in all its
departments, almost neglecting its great
expense in newspaper advertising. Civ
ing it only hurried and careless atten-
ton. or handing it over to some young
clerk, almost any one being thought
good enough to take control of perhaps
one of the largest expenses the house is
subjected TO. Such negligence must
necessarily entail great loss. Every
dollar should be laid ont so as to insure.
at least, a fair hundred cents worth of
publicity, and 10 this end three points
should be especially considered.
First-The nature of the thing adver-
tised.
Second-The special public to which
the advertisement may be advantage
ously addressed.
And third particular organs best
calculated to reach that special public.
A further subject worthy of comment
is the wording Of your advertisement
As advertising costs money, it is I'M
portant that it be condensed so that
every costly word shall be made to
count. To do this is an art; indeed it
is fine art that but few possess. be-
ieve there are men in almost every
community, if they could only be sought |
out and their best endeavors obtained. |
who could take given sum of money 1
and so judiciously expend it as to pro-
duce almost startling results. Whereas,
the same amount expended after the |
plan so frequently pursued by the aver
age merchant or manufacturer might |
not produce any perceptible result what
ever.
All our merchants and dealers unite in |
eulogizing the general result. Agreeing
upon the important principles have
given you the general experience testi-
iies to the value of newspaper advertis-
ing as an enterprise. They acknowl-