The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-09-18
ONLY ONE WAY TO MAKE SALES.
Red Wing Merchant Writes InteIIigentIy
on Advertising.

i
business. and that is proper adver-
Using, and system in your store to
back up what you advertise, writes
II. L. Hjernstad in the Commercial
Bulletin.
1t certainly seems that after all
the education on the subject Of adj
vertlsing, there should not be
single merchant in any line Of bust
ness that neglects to advertise his
goods in the proper manner, but
am compelled to state that the mer-
chants that properly advertise are
very much in the minority.
| II the majority did proper adver-
Using the catalogue houses would
find it impossible to get any trade
worth having. Only the great neg
lect shown by nearly all lines of
business to make use of printers
ink has made it possible for the
catalogue houses to become the
mighty force they are in the retail
business. Fight fire with fire. is
the only logical way. and from per-
sonal experience extending over a
period of twenty years in the retail
trade, l can modestly say the cata-
logue houses do not trouble me any;
in fact. we rarely have a customer
send away, as we take care to sup
ply the wants of the trade in a
better manner than the PARKWAY
houses can do, and at reasonable,
honest prices.
! We often hear men say it does not
pay to advertise. Can it be possible
you are willing to sit idle and let
the outside concern take away your
trade, with you harping that it does
not pay to advertise? You cannot
cope with the present day COMPETE
ton unless you advertise properly.
| If you don't, its matter of short
time and your business is goner.
There may be local conditions that
will keep you up for a while pos
sibly a few years-but the thing is
gradually narrowing down.
Putting an ad in a local paper
that you are selling certain lines is
not advertising 1t does not pay. as
it has no interest whatever to the
buying public. You must get dowr
to facts, tell the public what you
know about your goods, show then
you know what you are talking
about, then clinch your argument
by quoting an honest, reasonable
price. If you use only few inche!
of space and always have something
new to present, you will have re
suits from your ads every time.
| have in mind some of our specia
ads that did extraordinary work, a
3 for instance selling 1926 bars O.
soap in one day and not more thar
five cans to one customer, 2,40(
pounds of prunes in eight hours ant
only eight pounds to one customeI
and 678 dozen ginger snaps in i;
four-hour sale, limit of FIVE dozen tt
each.
4 could mention instances by tn,
score, but this shows what adver
Using and system can accomplish
even in small city, and want t,
state that all our goods were sold a
a profit. We never cut the price
except on goods not up to our stand
ard. 1t is folly to cut prices, as TIN
public knows you must make ;
profit to stay in business. Good
close buying for cash will give yol
the chance to make an attractiv
price that shows you the profit.
| want to say to every merchan
that does not do his share to adver
tise his business and his town tina
he is leech on a business commun
lily and is not entitled to singh
word of protection, to a single effor
in his behalf from any trade publ
cation or any association. If yol
don't protect yourself, if you dom
use the means at hand, then hov
can you in all fairness expect othe
people to put themselves out to hell
you?
4 1t is considered by large mer
chants profitable to expend thre'
per cent. of their gross sales il
advertising. Any business can AFFORD
to spend one per cent. and almos
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