Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-27
BATTING FOR BUSINESS.


aev Shrewd Men Attract tho Attention
Of the Public to Their Wares
"A tintype, with coffee and cakes, said
korekeeper the other day. rs novelty in
the way Of drawing business, but it's only one
Of the many tricks Of trade, or advertising
lodges There's such a stiff competition going
on that one has to resort to a multitude OF
devices for getting business
The talk arose after reading an account Of
how a sharp restaurant keeper Of New York
was selling his pies and coffee by photograph
Ing his patrons and giving them free pictures
- premiums
"The public" continued the merchant,
like something for nothing, and it's no mat
ter whether it's a photograph, book or q
chrome, If it's thrown in with q purchase. 1t
draws trade.
People have the same weakness for free
chromos as they have for free passes to
show. BY the way. the gift system is not the
only one which pays There's the free show
racket, sometimes it's one thing and some
times another. but there's always the idea
conveyed that purchasers get something they
don't pay for. and that tickles them i'm
mensely
"The supply company on Washington
nreet, which keeps a man employed at the
dryt door window, chalking on blackboards
bulletin Of the baseball games, knows the
value of shrewd advertising, and the crowds
Of people who stand daily gazing at the re-
suit Of the games cannot fail to be reminded
BY the notices at the foot OF the bulletin
boards Of the company's business
"Who do you think can pass the window Oh
Washington street, where those large paint
tngs are on exhibition, and not stop to take
good look at the monkish old man stolidly
and silently sitting in his chair, the very pic
ture Of rapt devotion and meditationi It's u
clever scheme for arresting the attention OF
the passers by, and it Is successful in drawing
custom The solemn walk, the vacant ex-
preston, the quiet face, the long robe girdled
At the middle, the flowing white hair and
beard, the STOPPING gait Of the psuedo monk
are all parts Of the dodge
And In both these cases the show is pro
bono publico, not merely for customers
Those wax figures Of prominent men staring
out from the tailors' stores are but IA form of
advertising the nobby suits, just as the strip
ed pole Of the barber or the red Indian at the
cigar shop are guide posts.
Those mammoth tailors up town find
their interest il. a free show. One has ship
In full rig on exhibition, and the other has a
staircase crowded with elegantly dressed
folks, both tricks Of trade as much the
free picture See what number Of people
look at that large photograph in a store win
dow, representing the Boston baseball team
in the field during a game with the New
YorkA The dodge Of having man make
shoes or cigars in the store windows, before
gaping crowds, is only another phase Of the
tree show. l remember a retail merchant
who placed on exhibition couple Of Angora
cats in hts window Their curious life was
interesting and drew custom. Who has not
seen the beer saloon, with its litter Of pups
frolicking in the window, and the sishtseer
who took In the free show had to indulge in
glass A liquor dealer in New York adver-
tised for goat with whiskers. He wanted
to put the goat in his window to buck
against lot Of rubber figures You can
imagine the fun and the advertising to be got
out OF a bucking goat. | tell you, there's no
end to the free gift and free show racket to
draw trade. Boston Globe.