The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-04-27
TdE sTATES-GRAPHIC
PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
THE TRUTH ABOUT
ADVERTISING.

Every newspaper man has the bust
ness man who asserts: 81 never adver-
tise unless / have. some rare special
bargain to Offer"
Well, let's see.
You say you must have some rare
bargain to offer. But, having that bar
gain, why do you advertise? Is il
merely to sell the special article? And
do you, in your heart realize that you
can't sell it without advertising? And
again, why do you want to sell it? Is
it because there is profit for you in the
sale? If so, it can't be such great
bargain.
Now just be frank, and admit that
your great bargain" is in itself moth
ing but an advertisement.
Let US look at the matter in this
way: Suppose you are clothing mer-
chant You pick up a job lot of suits
that you get at real sacrifice. You
find that by eliminating most of yourf
legitimate profit you can sell these
suits for about what your competitor
can buy them for. This you do, and
the goods are sold with a rush. But
if you knew that none of these GUS
toners would buy anything but the
suits, would you offer them in this
way? NOT ON YOUR LIFE!
They would stay in your store until
you sold them at the regular figures.
The truth is, you have made them a
leader by which you hope to benefit in
other lines and in future dealings.
To sum up the matter, you have car
ried TWO ads-one the sacrifice of
your legitimate profit on lucky pur-
chase, the other, the advertising in or
der to sell your regular line. And for
WHAT? Frankly, to attract an indi-
rect custom in all lines, from which
you hope to benefit.
And you were correct in your judg-
ment, so far as the one instance is
concerned. But you, are DEAD
WRONG in limiting your advertising
to such instances. You admit that af-
ter counting the cost of the ads and
the Sacrifice Of profits, you have clear.
ed scarcely anything on the bargain
suits, and your only hope Of profit
lies in the advertising your business
has received.
The plain truth is, 'no merchant
would think of advertising special OF
bargain lines if he knew that his Gus
toners would confne their purchases
to these lines. 1t is the indirect adver-
Using by which he hopes really to ben
eft. And this is the secret of all adj
vertising that is successful. The live
wire business man is constantly on the
alert to get his wares before the pub
lie. A drive in one line is always
utilized to attract attention to other
lines, and the process forms, as it were
an endless chain of interlocking causes
and effects.
And, just as no merchant expects to
reap his full profits on any one line OF
bargains, just so no shrewd business
man expect to reap the full return in
a single instance from any line of adj
vertising. 1t is only through the cum
ulative effects of persistent advertis-
ing that he hopes to--and does-ben-
eft. An ad today may develop results
months hence and in altogether differ
ent lines. In fact, this is frequently
the case.
The business world furnishes multi
tudes of instances where seemingly
proftless advertising has developed
results long after the advertiser had
forgotten the circumstance.
This is a basic truth that is recog-
unized by all the masters of advertis-
ing. Not one of these expects any one
concrete case to return due proper
ton of profits. He does, however, ex-
pect the cumulative effects to build up
custom that shall not only recon-
pense for all his OUTLAWS, but add sub
stantial profits over and above all.
And NOT ONE of them would ad.
vertise did he not KNOW that such