The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-20

be sent Just as easily for a penny
apiece. AS there are 1000 in the lot,
IL would mean a saving of just $50 In
to-day's postage bill"
why the mischief don't you do II,
then?" asked the visitor.
Because we have learned" said the
merchant. that it doesn't pay. 1t is
one Of the economies that don't econ
omize. Nowadays the average busy
nan rarely opens an unsealed envelope
bearing a one-cent stamp. He knows
without looking further that 1t con-
tains advertising matter n throws II
into the waste basket at once. Even
II he opens Il he does so with n mind
already prejudlced. because the stamps
proclaim that the Enclosure Is printed"
But why should hat prejudice
him?" interrupted the reporter.
Because II destroys the individual
ity of the communication. Every man
likes to feel that be is addressed per-
sonally. and IL he knows In advance
that he isn't. a bad effect is made. 1t
Is the difference between talking to
him in his private Office and talking
to him as one q a crowd from a plat
form. This may seem like splitting
hairs, hut advertising has become such
an art at present that absolutely moth
ing must be overlooked. We put a
two-cent stamp On the envelope. which
insures 1t at least being opened. Then
we must depend on the attractiveness
OF the folder To interest the recipient.
1--WE have reduced the matter to a
very exact business basis" continued
the merchant. Take. for instance,
this particular bunch of mail. The
folders are gotten up quite handsome
ly and cost us 1926 for the 5000. or 2h
| cents apiece. | calculate that four
hfths of them would be thrown away
II they went out with one-cent stamps.
That would be a clear loss of 500 for
the Enclosures, $40 for postage inc say.
SIS for envelopes. addressing and so
on. making "A total of $l55. The in
creased cost of the two-cent stamps Is
$50. but we are certain hat they VIII
land n Of the folders I'm the hands
OF each person on the list. The net
saving is sos. There Is no sentiment
or Imagination about h transaction
IL is a clear. cold matter of arithmetic.
We formerly used the one-cent stamp
where we could. but experience and
close observation nave taught US that
IL was bad policy
The reporter talked to several other
business men on the subject and found
them of practically the same opinion.
The change is largely due" said a
well known Wholesaler. ito the in
creased cost OF advertising matter in
tended for distribution through the
mails. Not long Z most business
houses contented themselves with very
simple pamphlets giving prices and
perhaps embellished with a few small
cuts. The whole thing was cheaply
gotten up, printed on very ordinary
paper and cost a mere triie. The mod
ern booklet as IL is generally called.
is quite a different affair. The cover
design is drawn by a first class artist.
the illustrations are frequently equal TO
those OF the magazines. n the mat
ter is probably preparedp by a high
priced expert. Needless to say. the
mechanical work must be In accord.
and the expense Of such a publication
Is a serious item. Here. for instance. Is
OF u special catalogues. with pic
lures autographed In six colors. The
silk ribbon drawn through the back
alone cost more than the old-time price
list. all told. When we incur such an
outlay. we must be reasonably certain
that the booklet Is al least seen by the
people to whom Il Is addressed. and un-
der the circumstances IL would be fool
ish To use a one-cent stamp. That
would at once sugges, something cheap
and
: But we use a tWo-cent stamp at