The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-06-26
BANKER ON ADVERTISING
President of Troys Leading Bank
Tells His Experience


bank is a financier of the highest
standing. He is also a man broad in
his ideas, of large experience, progress
sive and a keen observer His opin-
ion whin he gives it counts. Recently
he was drawn into chat with a rep
resentative of the Press on the sub
iect of bank advertising and his eA-
preston is worthy of reproduction. 1t
is known to almost everybody that for
a long time Banker Howe 1as been
an original and persistent advertiser
of the bank. and naturally the first
question propounded to him was, Does
it pay bank to advertiser" And this
is what he said:
Does it pay Let me answer that
our directors who look closely into all
bank affairs have not ordered the
advertising stopped but aim TO in
crease and improve it.
Advertising matter has always in
terested me and it is pleasure to OBJ
serve the financial growth of people in
business who advertise in a liberal
way. The live, successful business
man is always a broad advertiser and
| believe such men prefer to nave their
banking connection with live bank.
If a bank wants the business of the
active merchant, it must attract him
by live methods in banking Further
more we feel at the Manufacturers
National bank that some obligation
rests upon us to do in a reciprocal
way, our share toward the business
building of the city. For instance the
merchant advertises his wares in a
large, expensive attractive way, and
draws tne outsider to the city While
here he drifts into the bank and op
ems an account that is desirable. The
bank profits through this effort OF the
merchant. Why not reciprocal work
by the bank to bring the customer to
the merchants door? In this cooper
tive effort is to be found the best
method for the success of all, and
there is no reason to question If it
pays. OF course 1t pays, provided a
bank wants to grow and be at all times
stroQg and able to meet public de
mands. Sometimes a bank manage
ment prefers to have bank deposits
small; at least they say so. | don't
know why, for there can be no dispute
of the fact that the city of Troy will
be much advanced when it has a ten
million dollar National bank to further
and protect its manufacturing and
commercial interests. And Troy will
surely have a bank of that size in a
very few years. 1t will be made by
the people of the city of Troy in COM
bining their moneys in the bank of
best service, that brings them togeth-
er through the force of advertising and
holds them together by giving all peo-
pie square deal. This means hold
ing fast at all times to legitimate
banking on lines of safety that long
experience has taught: having nothing
nothing TO do with speculation or the
Spectator; paying no higher rate of
interest on deposits than will permit
the money to be invested in safe Sc
curities and given back to the depos.
itor when he calls for it, Immediately
and without notice, and too, regard
less of the fact whether Wall street
is in a panic or not. But, I repeat the
people must first be brought together
and that is possible and only possible
through broad advertising.
But" was asked, has your adver-
Using work so far shown a profitable
RESULT"
'Yes,-it has. The Manufacturers
bank is A years old. 1t has added as
many customers in the past four years
as it gathered in the previous forty,
and is increasing in number daily.
The assets of the bank are growing
proportionately and the policy OF the
directors in annually adding to the
surplus for the greater protection of
depositors, is building a structure of
great financial strength, which en-
ables 1t to take care of the city needs
at all times"
DO you find that some people now
have bank account who heretofore
had not?"
Yes, and they have been drawn to
the idea through advertising. | know
this to be fact because any number
nave told me so. Many people former
ly made practice of going about pay
ing all bills, or making purchases
with currency. II would fill their poe
kets and worry them. Sometimes
they would lose it or be robbed: mis-
takes would be made in payments
which could never be rectified be-
cause they had no record. Hundreds
such are now paying everything by
check. Many farmers now send de-
posits by mail. and in making pur-
chases or payments use the check
system and find 1t convenient safe.
and an aid in getting on in the world.
All this is especially gratifying to the
banks directors, as, also, is the great
increase of deposits in the interest
department which has become the
place for the people of Troy and vici-
nifty to conserve their spare earnings
What medium of advertising do
you consider the best?"
"As to that. l do not like to say.
We have made tests for results of
different ways, but it is best not to
give them out. l nave no hesitation
in saying. however, that we COM
menced with the newspaner. and. n