The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1915-08-06


If there ever was concern on the
face Of this earth that has studied the
theory Of suggestion 1t is the retail
catalogue house,
In its early beginning 1t fooled rail
road men and pinery workers. securing
names and addresses In some way OF
another. after which it forwarded each
individual nice brass watch. flushed
In gold. However. it was cautious
never sending watch to the prospec.
tive customer on credit
The railroad man or woodsman new
er ordered the watch. and of course a
mistake happened.
According to the mail order man, 1t
was wrongly addressed, but the watch
was there at the express Office. and II
he would take it and pay for it large
reduction would be made.
This suggested to the prospective
purchaser that he was In need of a
watch. got him." and If he did not
have the money to pay for 1t he would
borrow the necessary amount or draw
on his salary account
The power of suggestion soon con
vinced the willy mail order man that
he was on the right track, and he then
branched out into furniture, clothing,
machinery. hardware and other lines
Of manufacture.
Great Power of Suggestion.
1t is very probable now that large
proportion of merchandise sold IL
through suggestion If people bought
only the bare neCeSSnIies Of life. only
what they actually need. there would
be but few business houses and civil
zation would halt
The power Of suggestion is what
builds up great business houses and
keeps the world on its progressive
march.
Advertising is one of the most power
ful and at the same time easiest meth
ods Of suggestion But there are many
others very much akin to the popular
conception of advertising.
Therefore 1t behooves the merchant
who would be successful and to be
numbered with the progressive of his
kind to study well the theory and prac-
tice of suggestion. Its ramifcati0ns
are many and varied.
Make Good Impression.
1t is not alone in the preparation Of
copy for newspaper, circular or other
printed forms for advertising that this
principle of suggestion must be OBJ
served and followed out
While it is all important to observe
the rules of suggestion in getting up
such copy, the idea should be carried
into every feature Of merchandising.
The handling of good merchandise
and square dealing. accommodating
store policy suggest to a customer that
be has fotnd the right place to trade
and he is not liable easily to forget his
first impression,
The arrangement of stock. the win
dow display. the attitude Of proprietor
and clerks toward customers. deliver
lies. methods of colIections--in fact.
every action suggests to the naturally
receptive mind of purchaser and
brings him back again
On the other hand. the neglect to OBJ
serve all these things implants a sug-
gestion in the mind of the public that
cannot be overcome even by Offering
glittering bargains
Suggestion an Art.
Some of the best statesmen In the
business are those who know how dip
lomatically to suggest to purchasers
something else that would be to their
advantage to buy.
This sort Of suggestion is a kind of
art and unless used with the finest
tact and discretion In liable to make a
bore Of salesman.
The retail catalogue house system Is !
cautious. However. there is no law
against exaggerating pictures when
one confines himself to an actual de- !
scription of the article. This is where
the mail order house system covers
itself.
The pictures are suggestive to the
prospective buyer
THE description of the article con-
tains Latin phrases. trade terms and
language that is foreign to many con-
sumers and Is not understood by them.
AS an illustration of picture book
buying through mental suggestion our
readers might profit by reading the
Following poem. which illustrates the
folly OF buying mail order house trash:
HE QUIT
He owned a retail catalogue house car
To ride In It was heaven
he ran across piece Of glass
Bill. $l49i
He took his friends out for a ride.
Twas good to be alive
The carburetor sprang leak
BIZ. A0&
He started on little tour,
The finest sort of fun.
He stopped too quick and stripped his
gears (4Ms II
Bill, SS05i
He spent his little pile Of cash
And then in anguish cried.
III put mortgage on the house
And take Just one more rider
GOOD THINGS TO EAT AT GISH'S
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