The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-01
ADVERTISING IN DULL TINES.
Suggestions to the Retail Merchant
Which May BE of Value TO Him.
Dry Goods Chronicle

How to advertise successfully in dull
times for a general retail store is diff
ficult subject TO decide. IL is at the same
time subject upon which there is great
diversity OF opinion.
BY dull times we mean the seasons OF
the year when trade is not usually so
brisk as IL is at other times. AT these
times some merchants largely increase
their advertising expenditures. Others
continue about the same as in busy times.
Business discretion should, of course. be
used by all. but as rule We believe that
those who do the most advertising at
these times have the best OF reasons 10
support their side than the others.
IL the purpose Is TO draw trade. then
why not advertise when you need trade
the most? OF course. this rule Is subject
to the surroundings and the crcum-
stances. We realize that in dull times II
IL much harder 10 bring people to the
store. but that is one reason why more ad-
vertising should be used, or better adj
versisements should be used. for 1t is not
always necessary TO extend ones space
where the same result may be accomplish
ed by using the same space in making the
Advertisement attractive.
IL possible, In dull seasons more induce
ments should be held out to the customer
than In brisk seasons. More care should
be used in selecting articles 10 be adver-
tised and more thought should be given TO
advertisements to bring trade to your
store; but. however you may view this sub
jest. do not, In any circumstances drop
your advertising entirely.
Advertising, 10 a large extent, is cumu-
lative in its benefits for the value OF pres
ent advertising depends largely upon what
has been done before. IL you discontinue
advertising entirely you are leaving out
some OF the bricks I'm the wall which Won
are constructing, and will lose large por-
ton OF the benefits of accumulative ad-
yertisements when you begin again. there
having been disconnection in what you
did before and that which you now intend
to do.
The benefits to be derived from advertise
ing are In the future as well as wha. You
may get at the present. Advertising is
something like making n snowball-the
further you go the bigger IL grows II. af-
ter you have rolled your SNOWFALL a little
distance. you stop rolling II and begin an
other one. you are expending an extra
labor instead of accommodating, while n
you had kept on rolling the old bah II
would soon grow TO much larger proper
uons than any new one you could start
II Is poor policy ever TO stop advertising
altogether. In dull times, as we have said
II the amount expended must be decreas
Ell, more care than ever should be used In
the operation of the Advertisements
When the fish is harder to catch be moro
careful In selecting your bait
The way 20 advertise is an ,mportsn.
point to consider. In duh times make vour
offerings just as attractive as Won know
how, and advertise seasonahle goods such
as viii he OF immediate use II iS bara
enough TO sell unreasonable goods wha~
people buy freely. but IL Is much harder
10 push them In unfayorahie ff,naz