Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-04-19
ADVERTISING FAKES.
Shrewd Schemes for Working
Business Men.
How Glib Tongued Canvassers Work
Their Games.
Some Inside Pointers IRON One Who Was in
the Business.

awhile and those old fakes do not go
nearly as we'll as they used to, besides
never was satisfied with the thing
anyway, it does not seem quite right.
and I was glad t get into some thing
more respectable.
WAS there much money in it?"
asked the reporter.
Yes, you would have been surprised
to have seen the returns that We're
made by advertising fakirs in the
palmy days Of these schemes. I'm
Questionably millions of dollars We're
diverted from legitimate channels by
the men who work them. There were
very many different schemes Of opcr-
ating these advertising fakes. ana tbs
principal thing was. of course, to make
them appear as plausible as possible to
the victims. Why. one man even had
the nerve to work the newspapers
t. ms Ives on series Of so-callod
"''1it" uns" and undoubtedly took
thousands Of dollars from them. the
practical returns from which will have
to be sought for with n very powerful
microscope"
Isn't it strange that business men
DO not see through schemes Of such
transparent character"
1T would certainly seem SO and vet
do YOU know that some Of the most
successful Of them We're our easiest
victims. Now no business man Who
would sit down calmly ana consider
the whole question of advertising in
all its bearings. would readily rocog-
nize the fact that the kinl
9
him best would he in thoer
established publications going into the
homes Of the people to whom he must
look for his patronage; and vet.
strange to say. many Of them have
never given this important subject
much serious thought One Of the
very Oldest Of the fake advertising
schemes which is still doing work in
some parts Of the country is what is
known as the write up" The town in
which this scheme is To be worked is
selected with great care and nothing
that seems essential to the success Of
the fake is omitted Due consideration
is always given to the general char1r-
ter Of the business population. the date
Of the last write up the temper Of
the people when the collector claims
his spOilS and whether or not any
other advertising fake is being worked
there: all Of this information is easily
acquired in current gossip. When a
town is finally selected n crowd Of re-
portars are forthwith dispatched t. il.
They 90 about their work very sys-
tematically: they visit every business
house worth their notice ana collect ail
personnel. its capital. business. recent
growth, specialties, rtc. In securing
this data they are at liberty to draw
upon their imaginatiOns to any extent
that may be necessary to satisfy. for
the time. at least. their intended VIC
tins. The information secured by
these reporters is handed 70 the
writer's who turn out wonderful
scrceds called ARTICLES from five
hundred to five thousand words ac-
cording to the estimated gullibility Of
the intended victim. They are guided
in the work by suggestive marginal
notes such as Stuck on himself
Stuck on his G. A. Il. record Give
this son lots of gush-Hc's it, etc,
and the writer who knows his bust
ness takes the hint and plays tn"
string accordingly. These articles are
turned over to the canvasser who
locates the business man, shows him
the write up which is intended T.
tickle vanity Of some kind and then
goes to work The business man reads
the article. is pleased with it. perhaps
asks how much it's publication will
cost him. Not Il cent replies the
canyasser. who at this PARTICULAR
moment produces a handsome morocco
bound prospectus of the forthcoming
industrial review. NO he says, the
write up we have deemed it advisable
to give your house is really essential
IL the completeness Of our work. Th.rn
will be no charge for it. but as n
puhlic-spirited man and to help the
cause along. we should he glad co have
YOU subscribe for a few copies of the
review The review is only one dollar
and il really seems difficult for man
who has been distinguished by such 4
gratifying write mp to refrain from
subscribing for at least twenty ar fifty
or possfbly one hundred copies. In the
course of Il month. during which time
the regular crop Of canvassers have
lance in other fields Of labor, the review
is delivered. It is poorly printed on
chpap paper and cost perhaps from
twelve to fourteen cents to publish.
Somewhere screened in between a
barber shop and fish market the vic
tim finds an outline Of about ten lines
or 50 concerning himself and his bust
ness. or possibly at the outside five
hundred words. if he has been rOped in
for n hundred copies of the work.
when he has paid for this imposition
he is very apt to learn for the first
time that the board Of trade. which il
was hinted was going to take hold Of
tho thing and boom it for the benefit
Of the town. has not only had nothing
70 do with the fake, but, as 2 matter
of fact. was never at any time ap-
nroachnd concerning it. The victim
realizes that he has been dupad. but
| the contract which he has signed for
| tha review is a good legal document
and if in his wrath. he consults his
attorney. he is pretty sure to be told
] that il will hold and consequently
settles.
Another profitable advertising