The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1917-07-06

"oSa"J " ou99eS TO purchasers.
Catalogue Houses Use Pictures.
Copyrighted. 1914. by Thomas J. Sullivan.l
If there ever was a concern on the
face of this earth that has studied the
theory of suggestion it is the retail
catalogue house.
In its early beginning it fooled rail
road men and pinery workers, securing
names and addresses In some way or
another, after which 1t forwarded each
Individual a nice brass watch, finished
gold. However, it was cautious,
never sending a 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, it
was wrongly addressed, but the watch
was there at the express office, and II
he would take it and pay for it a 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 it 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 a large
proportion OF merchandise sold is
through suggestion. If people bought
only the bare necessaries 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
full and at the same time easiest meth
DDS Of suggestion, But there are many
others very much akin to the popular
conception of advertising.
Therefore it 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 ramifcatiOns
are many and varied.
Make a 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
policy suggest to a customer that
he has found the right place to trade,
and he is not liable easily to forget his
impression.
The arrangement Of stock. the win
dow display. the attitude OF proprietor
and clerks toward customers. deliver
les. methods Of collectlons-in fact.
every action suggests to the naturally
receptive mind Of a 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 fines.
tact and discretion Is liable to make a
bore Of a 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 overs
itself.
The pictures are suggestive to the
prospective buyer,
The description Of the article con.
tains Latin phrases. trade terms aud
language that is foreign to many con
suners and is not understood by them
As an illustration Of picture hook
buying through mental suggestion our
renders might profit by residing the
following poem. which ILLUSTRATES TIN
folly Of buying mail order housc trash
HE orIr.
lie owned a retail ca,a, us house cai
To ride in 1t was he ven
He ran across a piece { sla~s-
BIZ. Sl.9t
He took his friends out for a ri,e.
Twas o 10 be- alive
The carburctnr sprnur a sa';-
BIN. Si0M
He started on a little lonr.
The finest sort of fun.
He stopned too quick and stripped his
gears
Bill. s90Ei.