Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-06-25
SUSTAINED EFFORT
IN BANK ADVERTISING
The Only KIND That Is Effective
and Productive of Re-
suits.
BY WARREN p. GILLIAN.

some Ou6 10 tSll ukLu III" W oe'SAS SAoS
his bank go that he could get mis-
money back-plus profit.
went to see him, and he told me
that his bank had been established In
the community ever since the town
| was little more than crossroads
He related how the farmers settled
on the land nearby, increasing in num-
bers every year; how the bank grew,
how the town took on" electric lights
and later paved streets. Then how an
other man, seeing an opportunity,
started a bank on the corner across
the street, and how it grew. Finally
he foresaw the probability of still an
other competitor coming to town." SO
he got together" with the bank
across the street and Jointly they
bought or otherwise secured control
of all the available bank corners III
town (for they had monopolistic ten
dencies), thus blocking the inroads of
the probable newcomer.
Several years passed, during which
the town and surrounding country
continued to increase in population
and wealth.
One day the ghost" appeared In
real life and began to make inquiries
regarding choice locations for starting
third bank. He was young ran
with push and energy plus, but be-
came nearly discouraged when he
! learned there were no corners avail
able in the business section, and If
he were to go ahead, 1t must be on
corner a couple of blocks out OF
| town"
However, he organized his bank
and opened for business "in the coun-
try Immediately he formulated.
definite advertising policy and pro-
ceeded, via the mailing list and local
papers, to tell the community not
only the name of his bank, but just
what it stood for. He encourages
.azsa hso BE saVi1ss -
partment from every angle under the
sun, he explained the methods OF
building credit, he pointed out the con,
venience Of the check book, he work
ed up q patronage for every sort OF
banking service he had to extend, and
he never told the same story twice.
He went on the theory that il the
public only knew how helpful good
bank could be, there would be no lack
of patronage, and he is not yet through
telling them how to use; his bank to
their advantage.
The two old banks in that town
lhave recently combined, but their ag-
gregate deposits are not equal to the
bank lin the country" True, all three
are good, sound banks, but the bulk
Of the growth has come to the new
one, and my client admits that "Sus-
tanned Effort" in intelligent bank ad-
vertising has had a practical demon
stration in his town; that he has been
convinced of the wisdom of it and
now wanted our organization to take
hold and direct the new advertising
appropriation into profitable channels.
Newspaper space Is the cheapest
commodity on earth If 1t Is properly
used, yet many bankers have told me
they considered their newspaper ex-
local papers. (These are the sort OF
advertisers who use a standing card
and imagine they are advertising
Such advertising is not wanted by
live papers, and II the donation" is
discontinued there will probably be no
grief in the newspaper ofice.)
Let's get right down to brass
tacks," Mr.. Banker, and apply the
same cold scrutiny to this advertising
proposition that you do to the collat.
eral of the trembling applicant for
loan. Being equipped by nature and
training to hold all sorts of business
propositions up TO the daylight and
turn them inside out, you have hab
it Of wanting your money back.
Then let's play the game according
to the rules. What are the rules?
Formulate a definite advertising pol.
Icy. II you are inexperienced, get
some help. Then when you have
made your appropriation, part of
which should 90 to your local papers,
get some competent person to write
your copy, which should be education.
al in character, and by all means
newsy, yet dignified.
Never print the same copy twice,
imagining that people are going to
read it the second time-why, they
won't even read about a Kansas cy-
clone twice Why should they read
your ad again?
Then get the habit" of Sustaining
your Effort" Remember tina: the re.
suits are cumulative. You must ed.
ucate your public and you can't do it
in few lessons either. Every bank.
er ought to realize this and he ought
to know Just why 1t is 80.
Knowing why will not only save him
a great deal of expense, but will make
him a great deal of profit Some