The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-18
WHY BANKS SHOULD ADNEfS-
TISE.


vestments in North Carolina. paid a
visit to Ralei~h Charlotte. Wilmington
and AshevilIe. He was interested in a
large banking house in his home and
he took particular interest in the state
ments and advertisements of banks in
each city he visited. At the
time he visited Raleigh. he bought a
copy of every paper printed in the
city, and turned at once to the finan-
cial pages to read the advertisements
of the local banks. He did not find
an advertisement of either of Raj
eigh's six banks. In Charlotte. Will
mington and Asheville he had found
that some or all of the banks had an
advertisement in the leading daily
paper. In Raleigh he did not at that
If he were to visit Raleigh now he
would find in The News and Observer
that one leading bank advertises regu-
larry and another periodically. The
impression made upon the visitor was
that the banks in Raleigh were not as
progressive as in the other cities.
When he read their statements. show
ing a large volume of business and
healthy prosperity and solidity he ex-
pressed surprise that all the Raleigh
banks did not let the whole State
know every day of their strength and
solidity. Nothing does more to favor
ably advertise city than the Dosltlon
of it's banking houses. and one OF the
first things a prospective investor con-
siders is the reliability and progressive
spirit of banking Institutions There
fore every banking house ought to let
every reader of the home paper find
an advertisement in every issue. both
for the good * does to the bank and
to the community. OF course. if a
bank has all the depositors and Gus
toners il wishes and if it does not
wish to help in the growth and pros
perity of the town in which it is ioca-
ted, that bank ought not to advertise
But there are no such banks and the
bank that fails to advertise in it's home
paper is hiding it's light under a BUSH
ell A few wears ago it was not the
policy of great railroads to advertise.
Look now in the MAGAZINES and great
newspapers and you will find railroads
are among the biggest advertisers. At
tractive advertising of delightful trips
promotes travelling and passenger re-
ceipts swell the incomes of railroads.
Bank advertising encourages saving
and thrift and these bring business
and profit to banks.
One of the speakers at the recent
bankers convention in New York de-
plored the fact that less than ten per
cent of the savings institutions in the
country advertise. He pointed out
that in this age of strenuous COMPETE
ton something must be done to edu-
cate the public and turn their
thoughts toward these banks. OF d
diminishing business will result.
1.-The most successful savings insti-
tuition of the future Will be. he con-
tends, obviously that one which not
only is the most ably managed, but
also takes it's depositors and the pub
lie most closely into it's confidence. The
duty of the savings banks, is to edu-
cate And WHILE" he explains, lit ia
ct all times an excellent object lesson
to those who know of it, its beneficent
purpose, conservative conduct and
practically absolute safety. are I'M
known to thousands. Further, it has
done comparatively little to stimulate
that systematic saving which is the
basis of many a fortune and which.
aside from the money accumulated.
develops habits of inestimable value.
The Editor and Publisher call at
Mr.. William S. Powers before the
PENNSYLVANIA Bankers Association
that ought to be read by every bank
er in America From that sensible
address the following extracts are
taken:
"Now, broadly speaking, we think
of advertising as divided into two
classes-"eneral ADVERTISING and al
rect advertising. The first class
reaches the masses through the
medium of the newspaper and other
publications, while the second class
reaches the individual through the
medium of personal letters, folders.
booklets and SO forth, sent direct
through the mails.
"JJnder ordinary conditions news
paper advertising must take hrst RANK
The newspaper is the universal mes.
senger to the hearts and homes nf
the eople, and intellfgently used
newspaper advertising is just as GER
tain to bring results as good stocks
are TO pay dividends. Note the fact
that | said intellioently used. Enough
money is wasted every year in unin-
teIIigent advertising to make everyone
in this hall moderately wealthy. But
the same is true Of banking as bust
ness or of farming, or anything else
in which men engage. The trouble
is not with these things in them
selves. but with the way in which they
are attempted.
"Above all, advertising to be ef-
fective must be persistent.
"a common mistake is to look for
results too soon. When a farmer
plants his wheat in the fall, he doesn'
expect a harvest in a week or a
month: when you give an order for a
ten-story office building, you don't 20
around TO the site the following day
and expect to find a completed build
ing. The farmer knows he must wait
until the seasons and the chemicals
of the earth work their changes. Ana
YOU know that your building must
proceed by gradual Stages-brick upon
brick, until finall-- finished. SO it is
with a6yertising The first insertion