The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-02-18
WHYNOT BLOW YOUR HORN?
SOME HINTS TO PROFESSIONAL MEN.
Doctors md Lawyers should Keep Their
Names and Business Before the Pub
lio-Advertise as Merchants Do-Ex-
oeIlent Reasons for Doing so.

a profitable field for development in the
direction OF advertising by professional
men, says A. l.. Teele in Printers Ink.
After giving the subject a good deal of
thought and weighing the objections al
ready raised and to be anticipated, have
a settled conviction that the lawyer the
doctor, the dentist, the architect, or any
other professional man can call to his aid
the limitless power of printers ink and
advertise in display type in the advertis-
ing columns OF the newspaper or maya
zine to his advantage and without loss OF
self-respect or public estimation. This
question has received the attention of
professional men as wellas the advertising
fraternity. and, with due respect to those
who have discussed it, maintain that
they have failed to approach the subject
from its true point of observation.
am aware that custom and a supposed
unwritten law, which is fostered by the
exclusive and super-digniied element of
all professions, frown upon the mere men
ton Of this subject. 1t does not follow
that their ban of displeNsure and sarcastic
comments in any manner reflects upon the
enterprisng and Independent man who,
confident OF his own worth, his professional
ability, moral and social equality,
trampling on custom, appeals to the COM
mon sense OF the public for the correct
ness of his acts and motives.
Advertising is the legitimate coadjutor
of any legitimate business. No one occu-
patton or set of men has monopoly of it
by any code of common sense. When
properly used and developed to its capaci-
ty for good it is az honorable and as digni-
fled in its applications to the professions
mentioned as il is to the merchant, manu-
factureT, publisher, playwright, the artist
or the pulpit Like anything else, il can
be put to wrong ends; but that should
not discredit advertising as a proper
factor for good purposes. AS we'll de-
nounce religion because there are hypo-
critics. or condemn water as drink be-
cause men are drowned in the bay. Be-
cause rascals and disreputable members
OF the profession have invoked its aid,
| does not limit its usefulness when put to
good ends.
The professional man must in the be-
ginning OF his practice, bend his energies
TO building up large circle OF acquaint-
ances. In the ordinary course of events,
and following the usual habits of all profess
si0nel men, he is obscure for the first ten
years of his practice. After that time, il
fortune favors him, he rises with more
or less rapidity to position which is at
once profitable and honorable.
During the first ten years he is forbid
den 10 do other than wait and struggle.
Luck, family influence, personal wealth
| nj toll Il
shorten the term of probation, but for
every ono who achieves the distinction
which his ambition Graves sooner than
ten years a dozen fall together and drop
| by the waysde discouraged or struggle
on through life in obscurity.
What is my method2 Suppose we take
the law as the profession first to he eman-
cipated. fully believe part of the great
difficulty which confounds many who
otherwise might venture Is their inability
to grasp the possibilities OF advertising
and because they are not liable 10 write
such advertising as should be employed.
This objection has little weight for if they
cannot write il there are those who can.
Suppose q lawyer from Albany, Boston or
| Chicago comes 10 New York, believing
that this city offers the best field for his
ability and ambition. We will suppose
that he has no influential acquaintance
here and has no business to succeed to or
handle except that which he gets by per-
s0nal effort after arrival here. lie has
little ready money, a good library, il well
| qualified and has a good moral character,
| and can, If necessary, refer satisfactorily TO
his former place OF practice. We will not
claim for him any extraordinary ability
simply that he is an average lawyer.
Let him secure well appointed offices in
| a central and accessible location and ap-
! pear TO the public, when seen, in an adj
vantageous light. Appearances often
create impressions which are contrary to
fact, and IN any city a good Office, sub
stantially furnished and neatly kept, is
| good recommendation. As the best adj
vertising mediums for his business l
should recommend the use OF the daily
papers. Contract for one insertion each
week in six papers, using a space OF about
two or three inches. The average rate per
agate line in these papers is about % cents (;
SO that the daily cost would be about $40.
In six months this would foot up to 81, 800.
/ For the next six months the number of
insertions could be reduced to half the
number and after that the matter would
/ adjust itself. Let him use long primer or
plea type almost exclusively and take the
following arguments as texts Tor the diff
| ferent advertisements:
81 am a lawyer and have had the ben
eft OF thorough legal education. have
had a number of years of active practice
and believe myself competent to discharge
successfully the duties OF lawyer.
81 have good office convenient to the
public, good library and have all the
facilities for the transaction of legal
| business.
II respectfully ask for a share of public
patronage.
"Lest my motives be misunderstood and
/ suffer from unfair criticism, L wish to
place myself fairly on record.
II want no questionable business OF any
description.
81 will not employ any unproiessional
or dishonorable means TO secure business.
az am not a specialist, and do not claim
phenomenal ability or skill in my PROBES
sion.
81 seek only the legal business that is
usually handled in the most reputable
offices.