West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-10-28
LOCAL MERCHANTS
Advertising a Vital Factor In Their
Business.
THE OPINION OF A WESTERN MAN
Declares Business Can BE Butt up
by Right Kind OF Newspaper Ad-
vortislns-Ssys Quote Prices.

strong, 6 successful merchant of Ran
dolph, Ia.
This subject demands the attention of
every man who has goods 20 sell and who
depends ON the people of his locality for
patronage. The local merchant does not
rs rule, devote the attention he should
to advertising, This il especially true in
some localities or in small towns where
there is no local paper, and there are
many instances where hc does not use his
home paper at all, or, il ho does, IL IL i'm
such way that lac derives no benefit
from It, This Is not the fault OF the paper,
but of the one who uses il i'm such way.
believe il is the duty of every retailer
in every line 10 advertise his goods. III
he has not the advantage afforded by Il
local paper, then usc circulars and mail
them, or send thom out TO the people,
thus keeping his goods and store before
the people all the time. He must do this
II he would get all that is coming 10 him.
!, OF course, understand that all retailers
do not have the same ability i'm this line,
nor do they all have thcsamc advantages,
but they one and all can advertise in
some way, and no merchant In any line
of goods will get all tho trade he TX on
titled 10 unless lac does advertise. There
is the local paper ready to help any one
who wishes To use its columns; then there
is the circular to be mailed out or deliy-
cred at houses; sign boards, banners, and
fences, it is claimed by many, can also be
used to advantage. | consider the local
paper and the circulars tho best trade
bringcrs, and / use both. OF the sign
board and fence advertising | have had
no experience rs TO their trade bringing
qualities, in fact, have never had sufli-
cient faith in that class Of advertising to
try it, although much IL done in that way.
Ad-wrItIns No Easy Task.
II is no easy matter 10 get up u good,
readable al. This fact, no doubt, keeps
many Il merchant out OF the advertising
field. 1t is hard proposition for many
OF them, and it IL for me, 10 get up an
advertisement every week that will keep
new bargains and prices before the pco-
pie. But think it pays the merchant 10
change his ad every week, even II il does
repeat some things that have been in a
previous adj. To do this / watch the ads
of the hig stores, Wholesale catalogues,
and trade papers. ] get ideas from them
and they all help and they are all good.
There are lots OF ads used 10y the big city
stores that cannot be used TO advantage
by the local advertiser, but there are lots
Of good ideas that can be gotten from them.
| believe every local merchant should
read one or two trade papers They keep
him posted in what Is going on in the
way OF new goods, new styles, and new
fashions. They contain helpful informa-
ton for every retailer
Another thing local merchant should
do is 10 keep his store neat and attractive,
well-lighted, and goods displayed as much
as possible. IL not only emphasizes your
advertising 10 do this, but draws alton
ton 10 the goods advertised Always get
out the goods advertised and display them
prominently. Mark all goods in plain
figures with neat, attractive price cards;
1t helps sell the goods and answers lots oi
questions.
Quote Prices.
Another thing believe. it pays TO adj
ycrtisc goods with price For instance,
If only say will place on sale 80 many
shirts or shirtwasts, az the case may be,
and that they are the latest style and besl
quality, 1t may bring some one in 90 sec
them, but will not make the impression
or draw the attention Of the prospective
buyer that it would il / were to say
would sen those dollar waists for 30 cent,
and those 5O-cent shirts for 81 cents, and
show them when they come in that am
giving the value that ! advertise. Foi
example, Jones does not pay any atten-
ton 10 the fact that Smith has 40 many
suits Of clothes Of the latest style and best
quality for sale, but when Smith says hs
has 80 many suits Of such and such styl,
and quality that hc is going 10 offer al
sl5 per suit, aud Jones needs suit. he il
going 70 investigate. II is then up Z,
Smith 10 make the sale. This applies {,
all lines. This simple fact Of the omission
Of the price has scnt many an order %
mail order house that should have beer
handled at home.
] do not believe that there Is bette
I way TO fight Che catalogue houses than b,
, keeping the goods and prices before Tn.
/ people. People are not going 10 sen,
away for goods II they can got them "a
home. Too many times q sale is lost bl
the local merchant because the buyer al,
not know that he could get ID at home.
j know these 10 be facts and am try
ing 90 keep az many sales 40 home az pos
sbIc. n every local merchant viii do hi.
part iu the way OF advertising the local
paper viii have 20 Issue supplements te
contain it an, which the publishers ar,
perfectly willing 90 do, and the merchant
wall not have time 90 kick against tn,
catalogue houses
have heard merchants say Il did no
pay them 10 advertise. There ere mcr
who have made fortunes without adycr
tising, but what could they have accom-
plished u they had2
Advertising Does Psy.
II advertising don't pay why d5 ;
many Of the successful merchants keep a
~ Why dc tho catalogue houses striy
for spsoe IN our local paper9 Surely no
because Of their philanthropy. Many o