Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-05-12
GOING AFTER BUSINESS.
Publicity Necessary to the Success OF
Honest Enterprise.

Major Wilson G. Harvey, president
of the Enterprise bank of Charleston,
on the subject of Bank Advertising. "
Major Harvey said in part:
The subject assigned me is Bank
Advertising" a subject about which
we all know little and in which we
are all interested. 1t is a subject
(which a decade or so ago would have
been given no place on the programme
of a convention of banking men, be-
ing considered unethical. 1t is a
subject which more and more COM
mands the thoughts of those engaged
in the handling of money, and un-
questionably the value Of judicious
advertising is becoming more and
more recognized, accepted and fol-
lowed.
The speaker affects to know but
little on the subject about which he
is asked to treat, but he is firm ad-
vocate of and believer in judiciously
using mediums of one kind or the
other for the purpose of advertising
the banking business. He believes
that advertising is nothing more than
talking to possible patrons, and OPP
poses that policy of those who feel
that they have done their part by
keeping the front door open and
trusting in the Lord. He joins Uncle
Silas in saying THE Lord is willing
to do his part. but the best picking
is generally where we do the most
scratching"
| While there are those who affect
| to totally disbelieve in advertising,
question if in this enlightened and
progressive age there is really any
where any bank officials who abso-
lutely abstain from advertising Of any
character. 1t would require a lamp
with more candle power than that OF
Diogenes to locate an institution con-
Quoted upon such a policy, and II
perchance it was claimed that search
was successful l take it that a closer
inspection would reveal that after al
there was a name on the door. an an
nouncement on the window pane,
picture on the building or some Woro
or two on the letter head, proving
after all, that they believed in adver-
tising in a very modified form. Sc
that at heart, we, one and all, believe
in advertising, but where we differ is
in the mode, style and extent of ad-
vertising.
| Treating on this subject there are
two ideas that at once present them
selves. First. We all with practical
unanimity have an inherent hesitan-
CIV or fear of advertising our banks
at least a fear OF going beyond cer-
tain limits. Second. We all with
practical unanimity believe that q
certain amount of advertising is good
and wholesome. Some of us believe
that this amount should be very linn
tied: others of us believe it should be
very liberal.
| There is another idea that l take il
we are unanimous about, and that is
that day by day and week by week
and year by year bank advertising
and publicity is becoming more and
more recognized, accepted, believed
in and profitable.
| Now these three are merely the
ear marks of the past, the present
and the future. The inherent hest
fancy and fear being the ear mark OF
the past. The belief that judicious
advertising is beneficial being the ear
mark of the past The belief that ju-
dicious advertising is beneficial being
the ear mark Of the present. The
fact that advertising is becoming
more and more acceptable and pro-
ftable is the ear mark of the future
| SO rapid have been the changes in
business methods within the last few
years that a man who hopes to keep
| in the race must be alert and ready
at any moment to change his meth
ods and take advantage of every pro-
gressve step in the matter of better
that may offer. If he is not prepared to
do this he may as we'll shut up shop
and retire at once, for the business
struggle has become so strenuous that
only those who are able to adapt
themselves to the conditions of to-
day, no matter how radically they
may be at variance with those yester-
day, have reasonable hope of success.
The banking system and the bank
| of call
ed for or suggested the policies which
obtained in those days. Banking in
stitutions were few and far between
with wide territory, ample patronage,
no competition. Their scope of work
embodied a discount and deposit de-
partment They were patroniZed al
most solely by large jobbing and
manufacturing houses. The presi-
dents or officials seldom came in
contact with the masses of patrons.
They held themselves aloof, were
surrounded by a halo as being apart
from their fellow mortals, and there
was established a precedent that the
depositor must seek the bank and
mot the bank the depositor. But in
the fulfllment of time the banking
business has grown apace, competi-
ton has become keen, and facilities
have improved.
There is a collection department,
certified checks. letters Of credit, and
scores of other facilities and conven-
|iences never before dreamed of. Our
competitors are busy. We must be
busy, too. The public has been
trained to know their wants and to
expect your town who have patronage
to dispense. They wish bank Of
fering safety. Shall you hesitate to
impress upon such the safety and
strength Of your institution or shall
you leave it for some competitor to
do it for you? There is an account
which may be secured because of
your central location, and shall you
fail to make known the convenience
which your institution affords. Per-