The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-08-18
NEW SERIES, VOL. II, NO. 10.
Advertising.

Inc letter appended contains useful
information in regard to the best means
of advertising, which will interest the
general reader
have been requested to give Printers
INK, in some detail, my views on the
subject of advertising in such a form as
to make them of practical value to a
beginner, and of possible value even to
those who have had more or less expert
ence
| address myself to advertisers general
ly, and say, first, what do you know
about advertising2 You may think you
know a great deal-you probably do
think so; but if you have had no expe-
rience, and especially no experience that
has cost you moaaey,.it is my impression
you know very little about it. If you
think you know it all you probably
know still less.
| If about to commence advertising a
new article and you have had no expe
rience, do not try to deal with the pa
pers direct. Select some advertising
agency in which you can rely and trust
implicitly to its experience and advice.
This is what did when | commenced.
l did it thoroughly. | employed the
best agency in America, and l entrusted
my advertising exclusively in their
hands. In an experience of more than
fifteen years have with rare exceptions
and for special purposes employed no
other, nor would | again pursue differ
ent course had | to commence my adver-
Using over again. The agency, which
is reliable, when it sees that it has Sc
cured the confidence of its customer, ifs
bound in honor, as well as in interest, to
work for that customer in every possible
way, and you should not select other
than the honorable agency.
1t is absolutely true that the agency
dealing with papers constantly, knowing
the characteristics of the publishers, just
which papers will take 25 per cent of
rates, and which papers will want so, as
we'll as those that would sometimes take
as low as 10 per cent, and that has every
facility for watching the work carefully
and seeing that it is done as agreed upon
can place the advertising in better shape
and for less money than the advertiser
himself, who knows nothing whatever
about it. So much for,the placing of the
advertising.
Now, in regard to the mediums: There
is but one true medium for the general
= h
He must depend upon it. Some outside
schemes may possibly be taken advan-
tageously at certain times, but advise
adherence to the rule of using newspa
pers first and all the''time.
Again, the newspapers should be well
selected, so as to cover Thoroughly, in the
best manner, the territory to be adver
tised. 1t does not follow that because
one paper in a town will do the adver-
Using for $25, and another will do it for
SIS, that it is economical to accept the
SIS contract. AS rule, the best papers
are the cheapest This is because they
give the most for the money; but occa>
sionally the best paper will want more
than ii is really worth; then it may be !
we'll to take the second best paper until
such time as the better one will accept
a fair price.
But befoIe making any contracts, or
selecting the papers, the advertisement
itself should have proper attention.
Great judgment is required in its CONS
position, in the amount of space it is to
Here, again, the advertising: agency can
be of great assistance to you. The one
which 1 have always employed has
greatly assisted me, not only in writing
my advertisements, but especially in
putting them in proper display for the
electrotyper.
Do not be afraid to use electrotypes.
The percentage of cost of the electro
typed advertisement is slight, and they
secure you clear impression, while at
the same time in many papers electro
typed advertisements are accepted at a
less price than would be required if the |
advertisement was to be placed in type.
These are the general rules which /
have found by experience necessary for
the guidance of the successful advertiser,
ready said concerning the advertiser be-
ing too sure that he knows it all to begin
with. In any event. he will probably
make mistakes-all men do that-but
the advertiser should be willing to take
advice, and when he has made mistake
be willing to admit it and avoid sini>
lar error in the future.
Another important rule by which l
have always been guided is. never to
run in debt Do not take chances. Let
all the advertising for which you con-
tract be within your ability to pay fyou
do not get single dollar back. wrong
investment without satisfactory returns
gives one the blues and mars his efficlen-
CIV as business man. 1t is bad enough
any way; but if he cannot pay his bills
it is ten times worse than it would be
otherwise. ~
Then, too an advertiser should have
a good credit 1t helps him in trade, it
helps him with the agency, it helps him
with the papers. He should pay his
bills promptly as agreed upon.
All these suggestions are based upon
the understanding that an advertiser
has a good thing, otherwise he had bet
ter not start at all. Do not advertise
poor article. 1t will pay You for little
while and may sell for a time, but 1T
won't last, and in the long run you will
be the loser.
In my own business | adopted these
methods. and began in d small way, and
was successful from the outset. MY
business was never in so prosperous
condition as it is to day. Hence it is
fair to infer that my theories in regard
to advertising, in my own case at any
rate. have been correct and may be
worth some consideration by others who
propose to advertise more or less gener-
ally.
The ruby is valued highest when it con-
49,: ~ looet ANNA Tho larpaSt rUDV