Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-15
BY NATH'L. c. FOWLER, JR-,
Doctor of Publicity.

part of business.
The man who cannot utilize advertising
in his business has no business to De IN
business, and generally isn't.
When six hundred thousand successful
wholesale and retail business men have
advertised, do advertise, and intend to
advertise, 1 will not talk to the
man who doesn't believe in advertising,
and who is stagnating in his own folly,
attempting TO believe that he is the
exception which proves the rule. Suppos-
ing he is, what man Of sense dares follttg
the rule of exception, when the immutaele
law Of success demands necessary publicity!
Make up statistics for yourself. How many
successful men in your town or city do
business without advertisingi Win you be
with the successful majority, or In the
risky minority!
Does advertising pay!
Read the answer in the success OF the six
hundred thousand business men VINO know
that advertising pays.
There is, annually, expended IN America
one hundred and fifty million dollars IN al
yertislng of all classes, the bulk OF this
money going into regular periodicals, daily
and weekly newspapers. The proven value
OF advertising in magazines and other nat
ional publications, has no place here, for
we are discussing local advertising for
local business men, who obtain the oulk OF
their business from the city in which they
do business, and from within radius not
exceeding one hundred miles. the. great
proportion coming from not exceeding ten
miles.
Business has suffered from business de-
preston, but no business depression ever
existed beyond its epidemic limit, and
every depression has been followed oy oet-
ter times, all the more brisk from their
contrast with preceding months.
The most successful business men prove,
by LIBERAL expenditure, that there never
have been times so dull that extra adver-
Using did not pay. The foolish bust ness
man cuts his publicity appropriation when
business appears to De poor, and allows
the neighbor in business to cut into his
old customers and keep new ones away
from him.
One has only to Judge folks by himself
to be convinced that few people buy any
thing, beyond perishable necessities, wttn-
out due consideration. a woman seldom
buys a hat. u cloak, or any other article
for her own use, or for her children, until
the matter has been thoroughly reflected
upon and the market Investigated.
While men are quicker buyers, most OF
them think before they buy, and rs the
majority of men, so far as buying is con-
cerned, are under the direct domination or
wife, mother, sister or some other woman,
cannot be far out Of the way in saying
that most goods are purchased with two or
three weeks consideration.
AS early as the first of November, and
certainly by the middle of the month, peo-
pie begin to consider what they will buy
for holiday gifts. If the times have been
hard, or are hard, they will buy almost as
much. but they will buy necessities, and
fewer fancy Injuries, when II times are
particularly good they will buy foolish
Injuries instead or so many necessities.
The times regulate the class OF their buy
ing
Ninety per cent. of the people don't
know what they want to buy. They have
bought Christmas presents before, and
they don't want TO buy the same things
again, even for different people, because
there is more pleasure in buying something
new. Opportunity is offered to the bust
ness man to not only sell Christmas pres
ents, but to advise the buyer in buying.
Ills larze advertisements should begin In
November, and be Of an educational sort,
bright, breezy and brief, telling people not
only what ne has to sell, but IN a non-ego-
tistical way advising what to buy.
The majority Of people are like sheep.
They can be led by real or presumed argu'
ment. Many a woman who intends 10 give
a poor relativee an oil stove can be made TO
buy first-class cooking range Many a
father thinking OF presenting his son with
a bicycle or sled, can be made with proper
advertisements, to purchase good bicycle
or sled, which is cheaper in the end, and
more satisfactory all around.
The woman or man who has put aside
one hundred dollars, or any other sum for
Christmas presents, can be made TO spend
more money If she or he, can become con-
WINGED that by adding little more money,
better and more acceptable things can be
purchased.
The Christmas card fend, who is
swindling his conscience in the purchase
OF Christmas cards instead Of giving
something Of intrinsic value, can be edu-
Gated out Of his idiocy, and be made to buy
wisely. 1t is the business mans place 10
so suggest to him that be will buy some
thing sensible, and in which there is some
Portable profit. "
November and December are the great
buying months of the year, and : the ma
ioritv of merchants can afford to at least
double their advertising space during these
months, returning after the holidays 10
their usual space, but he who stops his
advertising after the holidays loses very
large percentage Of extra profit 10 be made
by holiday advertising, for thousands Of
people buy after Christmas, and may for
get the holiday advertiser If his adyer-
tisment is withdrawn after Christmas.
The liberal before holiday advertiser can
do the bulk Of the local business. He can,
OF he be shrewd enough. and without dis
honoring himself, so present his regular
wares that they will appear dressed in
holiday attire. He must make everything
in his store attractive. He must have more
light. more counters, more everything, Tor
the convenience Of his customers. and he
must add as much proportionately TO his
advertising expenses as he does 20 any
other legimate expense coming with in
creasing business.
If the times be particularly dull in town,
it is partly your fault. You can make
them lively. II The advertisers Ia the city
are slow, uuliberal, the best opportunity is
offered the enterprising merchant TO take
business awav from them. Where all the
merchants are progressive, then cOmpeti-
ton helps trade. Where few merchants
are progressive, then liberal advertising is
all the more necessary.
The holiday advertisement should not
present more than one point at time unless
The articles can be divided by advertising
rules or other distinct divisions, which
make the advertisement not a conRlomera-
ton OF advertisements, but directory OF
distinct holiday attractions, separately
presented.
Holiday advertising must be brief. The
papers are likely 70 be crowded With adj
vertising, aHd the brief advertisement
gains the readers attention.
It is remarkable how attractive an ap-
parentlv unattractiye article appears, If
well busted in the store, and well adver-
used in the newspapers. The original ad-
vertiser will convince people, who are Eoi
regular holiday buyers, that they had bet