Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-01-21

|
my system OF marketing based on the
right principle:" That is the qucs..
tion.-what is the right principle OF
marketing? We shall endeavor to
| demonstrate the idea we have form
ed, after years OF painstaking study
and rugged experience.
In the days of our forefathers, the
business OF merchandising was con-
Quoted along much the lines as those
| followed by some OF the fruit growers
of today. Provided with stock OF
merchandise, they simply waited for
buyers to come to them. With the
progress OF civilization. economic con-
ditions have changed. and with the
increase in population and also pro
duction. competition has become in
creasingly severe, so that today, no
sane manufacturer would think OF
commencing business without provid-
ing for specific selling campaign and
capable and thoroughly organized
salesforce. any more than he would
think of equippirg his factory with
rusty machinery. The fruit grower
| faces exactly the same economic cv-
olution and must employ the same
principles if the industry is to con-
tinue to flourish.
Given a product OF standard merit,
it has. theoretically. and actually, too,
when conditions are normal, greater
selling value before it leaves shipping
point. than it has afterward. for the
simple reasons that it has the whole
world for market, and the seller Is
in position to take advantage not only
OF present market value. but OF any
| speculatived emand which may exist
| However, in order to make it at al!
possible to sell a great proportion OF
| the product before shipment, the pro-
! duct itself. as we have already sug-
gested, must represent standard
| OF value. easily dcscribable to the ab-
sent buyer. who represents over nine
| ty per cent, or 4 vast majority. OF the
| total possible outlet. Has it ever Oc-
CURED to you gentlemen. how funda-
mentally weak is selling System
which. making no active effort to de-
vclOp new markets. or to reach Out
/ into every market OF the world and
distribute its product widely, waits
! for buyers TO come to them, and then
make- the best terms possible, even
though less than ten per cent @! the
possible market Is represented. And
1 yet, is not this the common practice:
! Can any right-thinking producer al
| lord to ignore any part. even the
! smallest. OF his possible market. TO
say nothing of the largest and most
! important part: And yet, is not this
exactly what has been done; i not
| then. the correct principle that which
! contemplates the whole demand; pre-
| sent and. absent: established or spec
ulativc, and Is equipped to employ any
| and every legitimate outlet, wherever
true valuc is obtainable:
Intrin sically. the value of any arti-
| Il -h, ,N-AI,,~r,A,, nt which /. ~
controlled. is based on the law OF sup
ply and demand.
There is no trade or profession
where there is opportunity to display
such fine talent and execution az in
the measurement and determination
OF exactly correct market value. from
time to time. by accurate calculation.
close reasoning, and the true applica-
ton of this universal law. Whist the
industry needs is its establishment on
a sound. conservative. permanently
organized business basis. governed b.
right principles. Then will it be pos
sible to avoid wild fluctuations and
to establish prices for 4 week or two
in advance, and to bring about Stabil-
ity to the market which will inspire
confidence and induce free trading
and provide safe. steady dependable
outlet The trouble today is that botf,
producer and buyer are at the mercy
of the open market. whereas. it Is
quite possible so to measure the laws
OF supply and demand. and cause and
effect. as with the support OF we'll di-
rected advertising actually to control
the market at whatever definite level
nigh, be desirable and advisable.
| Creation of Nalue-Advertisiny
While intrinsically true. value is bas-
ed on the law OF supply and demand,
it may nevertheless be influenced by
a definite process. but on one side
only-demand The supply is fixed
and iimitat. IONS. Demand. however, is
variable, and is sensitively susceptible
to all sorts OF influences; retail prices
the WEATHER: industrial and financial
conditions: transportation conditions
the competition OF other kinds OF
fruit. etc. A good market may be
ruined and demand checked and en-
feebled by unwisclv forcing prices too
high At the beginning of the season
and by advertising short crop condi-
tions and expected high prices, there
by discouraging the ultimate consum-
er in the beginning OF the season. To-
days demand. lost. can never be re-
trieved. On the other hand. con-
sumptive demand may be encouraged
and stimulated by correct valuation
in the making OF the early market.
and prices gradually advanced and a
very high market maintained through
out the season by wise and far sight
ed business management In short
the handling of so sensitive a situa-
ton must be exactly right. and calls
for the exercise OF the kcencst insight
and judgment: no job for the novice
or tyro.
In very important degree. demand
may be stimulated and a tagging mar
ket quickened by judicious advertis-
ing. 1T pays to advertise" is a