The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-02-28
ADVERTISE The TOWN
Publicly Mao Suggests Method Of
BoomlRg a Town.
Telling the Local His
tory, Development and Opportuni-
ties Should be Mailed Out.

How can a town advertise itself to
the outside world to get the best re-
suits for the least expenditure?
This question was asked recently OF
man who has had many years eI-
perience in promoting publicity for e1'
positions. theatrical companies. cities
and summer resorts. He replied Wltn-
out hesitation:
Garry half page or page or TWO
pages Of we'll written and illustrated
boom matter in the local newspapers
Run it regularly. just as II 1t were
part of the necessary makeup o. the
paper. like the date line. You will
find that that sort of advertising for
town is about the best that can be de-
vised 1t brings the best results for
the smallest expenditure Of funds
This same authority went on to say
that the founder Of one Of the big east
ern summer resorts used to run a
standing advertisement OF the town In
each of the local papers. usually full
page. This advertising was continued
for years until it became almost JOKE
locally, many of the residents teng
able to quote whole paragraphs from
the descriptive matter without refer
ring to the paper But whenever
COPY of any paper published in the
town was wrapped up and mailed sway
by subscriber or visitor 1t carried
with It rs matter Of course that town
advertisement 1t did not matter
whether or not the person mailing the
paper intended to advertise the resort
The ad. went along whether or no.
"What was told in this adj" the
publicity man was asked.
"The history Of the resort, when anu
how it came to be established, the
price Of lots when the town site was
first put on the market, the value or
property at the time Of advertising,
the kind Of people who preferred. that
resort to all others, why they preferred
1t, the cost and quality Of houses III
the town and the advantages Of the
place from A to lizard. The result
was that thousands Of new visitors
and summer settlers were attracted to
the place by seeing a copy OF one or
the local papers which told the. story
of the resort in entertaining style"
Of course every town cannot be ad-
vertised to exactly the extent f the
one mentioned, that place being re-
sort visited by many strangers who
are inclined to send away q marked
copy of q local newspaper containing
personal item about their arrival or
their attendance at some social func-
ton. But. the, average town which Is
ambitious to get above the average
can accomplish much by exploiting IT.
self through the columns OF It's local
press. Every town has an interesting
history if only somebody who knows
will get under the surface Of things
and unearth the facts. Every town
has some peculiar advantages, some at
fractions. not to be found elsewhere.
The business of the exploiter is to set
forth these attractions as invit1ngly
as possible. OF course no towIl is go
ing to boom itself. 1t must be doomed
by some of its people. Some sort OF
organization is necessary to raise funds
and map out the plan Of campaign.
The board of trade or business, mems
organization can attend to this.
Suppose that local business man
or professional man or any plain cltl-
zen received from some quarter re-
quest for information concerning the
town The citizen may be too busy TO
write out the desired information IN
full, but If he has copy OF the town
paper on his desk containing Just the
data called for he Is more than likely
to wrap it up and mail it to the in
uuIrer. MARKED Copy"
In every town there are many citi-
zens who have paid no particular at
tention to matters Of local history.
well written article running from day
to day or from week to week In the
paper the people read will serve to get
them Interested In the town In which
they live and will be the means OF add
ing them to the booming element. En-
thuslnsm IS said to be contagious. and
by frequent contact with some of the
enthusiasm poured out in printers Ink
by one who knows his subject and be-
lieves in it the contagion is sure to be
caught and passed along.
What advantages has the town over
its nelghhoring towns? What interest
ing facts in It's history or development
are there which will make interesting
reading and cause outsiders to want to
know more about the place? What
important improvements have been
made lately or may be made in the
near future? What opportunities are
there for settlement, investment. the
opening OF now lines Of business? AL!
these things combined would make an
Interesting article and If run rs
standing advertisement it would begin
to show results in short tine.
AS eternal vigilance IS the price of
liberty, SO is keeping everlastinSly at
it the price Of success in booming
town.