West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-10-28
NUMBER /

the local papers could sell their advertis-
ing space 10 tho mail-ortler concerns Il
they would and at better price than
they get from tho homo merchant.
know of one case, at least, whero they
offered moro than tho regular rate for
space, but did not get II. That paper was
loyal TO its homo merchant and deserves
the support OF every ono OF them. But
does he get III Do any OF you men get
all the advertising your paper deserves
and are the business men OF your town
selling all the goods they shouldP
Some men think advortisingis Is n useless
expense and they cannot afford il. do
not think 80. Advertising is neither an
expense nor an investment, and here is
demonstration of that fact which take
from Butler Brothers February catalogue,
as IL gives a better illustration than can
give:
An Illustration.
Two men, Smith aud Brown, started
two stores ON opposite corners. For the
sake OF making the point, we will say
they are clothing stores. Smth'sexpenses
are 500 per month for rent, $500. for
four statesmen at $40 per month each, $50
for lights, and 800 for incidental cx-
penscs, making n total OF S550per month.
Smith does no advertising. He sells an
average of four suits day, We will say
again for the sake ofargument, on which
the gross profit averages $3.50 per suit.
This means n gross profit per day of $50,
or $3.50 per month Of 20 selling days.
Smiths actual profit, therefore, IL the
difference between his profit and his
monthly expense, or 5000 for the month.
Brown, on the opposite corner, has about
the same expenses, except no hires lit
Tie better salcsmen, which runs the total
TO 5000 per month. Over and above this
hc spends 800 for advertising. He sells
the same grade OF clothing that Smith
does and makes the same average profit
per suit, but because OF his advertising
each OF his salesmen Is able To cell two
suits day instead of one, as nc Smiths
store. Brown spends 5000 for expenses,
300 for advertising, making total of
just 81 900 per month. In return for this
hc receives the gross profits on eight suits
day at an average Of $3.50 per suit, or
$50 per day, or 81 800 for tho month OF
20 selling days. The difference between
his income and his outgo, $500, Is the
actual monthly profit. Browns adver-
tising expense il little over per cent
OF the total sales, but his profits are $500
n month moro than Smiths. Who pays
for this advertisng2 That il IL not the
merchant IL obvious. Advertising pays
him, Neither Is IL the consumer, for he
receives just the same value from Brown,
who advertises, as he does from Smith,
who does not, and the profits in each
case arc tho same. Who, then, pays for
| this advertising2 The landlord does, the
clerks do, the light and heating expense
does. Brown receives greater value for
the money nc spends for rent; he receives
| greater returns for the money he pays his
clerks he gets more for the money he
| spends on light and incidental expenses.
In other words, Brown uses TO the best
| advantage the tools of his trade, and with
practically the same investment, the same
energy, the same average profits, but with
the added help Of advertising he clears
more than twice as much as does his
neighbor, Smith. Advertising is an econ
omy, the biggest and sanest in modern
merchandising. IL makes no difference
how large the business or how small !;
whether it be selling clothing or tin pans.
Tho conditions above stated apply to
every local merchant just as surely as they
do 10 Smith and Brown, and i'm these
truths lie the true philosophy OF adver-
tising."
Many more instances might be given
of successful advertising and its results.
am satisfied in my own experience, and
know IL pays