The Glenwood post., 1911-10-07
RETAIL STORE ADVERTISING
Partleuiarize on Goods and Emphasize
Quality and vaIue-MIsstats-
ments Are 1oomeranQs.

Is not to be greatly wondered at. Ad-
vertistng worthy OF the name does
pay. and pays well. Advertising has
been the subject of tons OF reading
matter. every advertising expert land
otherwise) in all lines. having at some
time aired his views on 1t, and yet for
this very reason that 1t does pay. and
is SO inseparably allied to the subject
OF profit making. and also because 1t
is subject 80 broad and versatile
In its aspects that each exponent
may throw light upon a new phase OF
1t, 1t still continues to be the most
interesting of studies to the business
man.
The retail store advertiser has one
great obstacle removed, in that he is
not seriously troubled about choice
Of media. The newspaper that goes
home" is universally accepted as the
best possible conveyance for his ad
vertising. and with the great majority.
the choice of the best-often 1t is
limited to the better Of two only
is easily made, and this problem that
racks manufacturing advertisers
quickly disposed OF.
Another much discussed question in
this connection is when to adver-
tise?" 1t seems there can be only
one answer to this. for the retailer.
at any rate. People are buying to
some extent, always; and even in the
seasons when trade is lightest. the
progressive business man, although
he may curtail advertising space and
expense, still does sufficient of 1t to
keep his store before the public eye;
because, while it may not have the
force to overcome some temporary
local condition that interferes with
trade. the store that advertises and
is kept before the public will be the
one that will get under way most
quickly. and get the largest share of
the business. once buying is renewed
on its normal scale. No one who un-
dertakes to advertise thoroughly.
with the well-defined purpose OF
bringing in trade. can afford for any
part Of the time to allow his claims
to be lost sight of; like allowing
long paid-on insurance policy to lapse.
he may escape loss, but the risk is too
great to take lightly.
One mistake that the advertiser
frequently makes, especially in the
small town, Is that Of trimming his
sails to correspond to what his main
competitor is doing. He forgets that
the inferiority of his competitors
advertising, or even the complete
lack of 1t. will not sell his goods.
Each one must exert his own sales
manship, and the more enthusiasm
and personality put into 1t. the better
will be the results.
Another necessary point in adver-
tising is to particularize. The ad.
that proclaims store to be the best
hardware store in town" hasn't one
per cent of the interest that it would
have to say We are selling extra
good shovels." The majority OF peo-
pie aren't thinkers. and 1t doesn't oc-
cur to them readily that because a
store is large there is a reason for 1t:
and that because 1t has reputation
to live up to. they are likely to get
the best service from it; but the idea
OF good quality in some particular
line. at right prices. carries an i'm
mediate and irresistible appeal.
Following this closely is the idea
of veracity in advertisements. The
whole of the selling story should be
told, II 1t can be done briefly. and 1t
is salesmanship to tell the advantages
of each grade of line without sug-
gesting the disadvantage at which
one quality places another; but to
overdraw claims, or misstate, is a
boomerang that will kill more busi-
ness than can be worked up by per-
formance in all other methods. and
means ultimate failure.
In conclusion. while 1t is well to
particularize on the goods offered, en-
phasizing the points of quality and
value, the place that service holds in
the drawing Of trade should not be
overlooked. Custom flows easily to
the store where arrangements are
made for patrons conveniences. where
clerks are courteous and well-in-
formed: where errors are few, and II
made, cheerfully rectified All these
things are potent factors in attracting
buyers-and pity tbs. it's true"
this is one line in which there is a
dearth of competition. The store
keeper who can conscientiously do SO.
should lose no opportunity of adver-
tising the service rendered, and then
exercise the eternal vigilance neces-
sary to see that his claims are lived
up to. 1t is an old adage that. IRE
spective of price, nothing Is cheap
that one buys and does not use.
And to allow custom that has been
bought by good advertising to drift
away again from lack of attention to
store methods is a double loss