Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1918-01-10
WOULD THIS DOUBLE
YOUR BUSINESS?

UNHNlHk aB NiNh ~ NNbsSNss
to use the al, ertising columns Of tho
local newspaper? Can anyone tel
till he tries? The firm mentioned In
the following letter evidently found
the paper worth while.
81 have in mind the case Of groc-
cry store out in northwestern Iowa.
In less than two years, through a
continuous advertising campaign in
the local newspaper, they built a ten
thousand dollar annual business to
twenty-five thousand dollars year
on a comparatively small advertising
appropriation" '...r.
asking how they did it., they said
that at first they got suggestions,
proofs of advertisements and cuts
from manufacturers of the goods
they had for sale. Instead Of run
ming the advertisements as received,
they used them as a basis for pre-
pairing their own advertising, and l
believe that therein lies the reason
for their success. Each advertisement
reflected the spirit of the store and
people soon learned to know that it
was sincere"
Preparing their own Advertising:
therein lies the reason for their sue
cess If that is true and the prop
or preparation of advertising will
moro than double tcn-thousand-dol-
lar business in less than two years
time, isn't the proper preparation Of
advertising worth some considera-!
ton? None of us is doing so much
business that more would be unwel-
come. If one dealer can use the local
paper so profitably, why cannot you
or any other dealer do it? What are
The facts?
1t is true that the local newspaper
is delivered tc most of the farmers OF
it's neighborhcod-that is to your
present and prospective customers.
1t is true that farmers pay a dol
lar year or more to get the paper.
Evidently they want to read it.
The paper tells things they want to
know. 1t tells them what the neigh
bors are doing. 1t tells them of local
improvements made and proposed. 1t
keeps them in touch with community
doings and enables them to govern
their own activities accordingly. No
other medium gets such care or such
close attention from farmers as the
local newspaper. No other medium
that you can use for advertising pur-
poses is so likely to bring farmers in
to see you and buy your goods.
What is tie cost? An average Of
about fifteen cents an inch-a dollar
a week for space enough to carry
your regular message, with perhaps
$25.00 a year. more for special dis
play. An implement dealer seldom
needs to spend more than $4,000 a
year in local paper. How little your
business would have to increase to
make that investment pay. A few
prospects, q few unlooked-for sales,
and your hundred dollars is back in
the till.
Now for the advertisements, the
copy and illustrations that are to
bring back Your hundred dollars with
interest and additions. Any manu-
facturer of advertised goods will fur
nish you with illustrations. Practic-
ally all of them have some advertis-
ing material and suggestions for you.
Decide on the products you want to
advertise next month and send to the
manufacturers for their advertising
material on those products. In that
way you get the selling features OF
the goods all written out plainly.
Then prepare your advertisements.
Take a city newspaper or mail-order
catalogue, turn to the advertisements
of goods similar to the ones you
want to advertise, see how the selling
points are brought out, and how the
goods are described, and follow that
style. Be sure that you include all
the selling points of your goods, men
ton the service you can give, and in
vite readers to come in and see the
goods before they buy-a convenience
they cannot yet when they buy out OF
town. Put IN an illustration. Put in
the price and don't be afraid to make
it high enough to give you q profit.
Advertise just one article at time.
II you must advertise more than one,
take separate space for each. It is
all right to mention different sizes