West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-03-04

oeloW were made at the recent meet
ing of the Western New York News
paper Publishers Association at the
meeting held at Rochster. and his mes
sage is of vital import to other mer-
Editors Note.)
Thre is much that might be said
on this subject, but the time is SO
limited that we realize we can touch
only on few points which we be-
licve are really vital.
In very large measure the future
OF the country merchant will he deter
mined by his ability to grasp the idea
OF the great importanc of the right
kind OF advertising in such weekly pa
pers as may be available. He has
been extremely slow TO see the direc-
ton from which comes his greatest op-
portunity. He has wasted vast sums
OF money on what he has called adj
verusing, perhaps feeling that he was
helping build up the town by support
ing the home paper through it's adver-
ising columns or by considering that
newspaper advertising is one OF the
most serious evils that had worked
its way into the program of operating
retail store. Today you will find
| many country merchants using the
same copy several weeks I'm success
sion and complaining that advertising
does not pay. We believe this is due
to laziness fully as much as to ignor-
ance. 1t takes carefully prepared
copy to be worthy of publication once
very few are worth repeating.
Not infreuuently you will see adyer-
tisements that make you think the au-
thor is advertising to make a reputa
ton for himself by trying to be fun
ny. Jokes have their place, but IL is
not in the copy that is written to sell
merchandise. Others believe that the
SENSATIONAL advertisement is the one
That brings best results. True. this
KIND may get some business. but IL IS
not the kind that will bring permanent
results.
Those who appreciate the value of
advertising that rings true have been
pleasd with the nation wide effort
That Is being made to stamp out I'M
truthful advertising. If you tell GUS
toner over your counter the absolute
truth year after year he has confidence
IN you and will stand by you with his
patronage. This holds good i'm your
advertising as well, and the commun-
ity will read your copy as a matter
OF education as well as interest. The
result will be that they will be better
buyers on account of the truthful in
formation found week after week. II
there is ever any doubt give the pub
Tic the benefit. In doing this year af
ter year you will unconsciously build
reputation that will stand greater
financial stress than a reserve bank
| account.
The spasmodic advertiser becomes
quickly discouraged and will tell YOU
that newspaper advertising does not
| pay. The hardest rock I'm a stone
quarry is not broken by few mighty
and rapid strokes, but yields only af-
ter continuous and steady stroke by
the patient worker. The same prin-
ciple holds good in advertising. The
man who does thorough and contin-
uous advertising week after week and
year after year will win. This does
not necessarily mean that he Will al
ways use the same sized sps.--. but
that he viii have something interest
ing for his customers ffty-two times
during the year.
Much advertising space is wasted
through lack OF vital knowledge
about the thing you are trying TO adj
veriise Know your goods" is an old
but very important truth. The adver-
tiscr very frequently makes the mis-
take OF trying to hide with Aowery
language HIS ignorance of the thing
he desires TO sell After thoroughly
knowing his goods he should con-
dense his thoughts as much as pos
sible. making each statement clear be-
yond a doubt.
Great help can be found by the
close study Of some Of the best mail
order catalogues, i'm which the de-
scription is so clear that you can al
most see and feel the quality of the
merchandise offered.
The electros have their place I'm
newspaper advertising. but they are
most frequently used to one extreme
OF the other-too few or too many
too large OF too small for the copy
The editor or manager who knows
his business can give many helpful
suggestions along this line.
We believe that many owners OF
weekly papers make a grave mistake
by putting so much time and effort
into trying to sell the merchant ex.
ira large space during the holiday sea.
son. This is the tire when the pa.
ticnt does not need a large dose. Tr,
to give u TO him when business is dul