Evening journal., 1918-02-28
spoRTING pownEns ANp TnE puRMc.


ways interesting, and not nfrequently O source Of
pride Indeed the present day demand for efficiency
cooperation and superior service in all lines Of
parison often makes former methods and practices
appear crude.
While improved methods Of manufacture have been
almost general, and have in recent years with
such frequency barely to attract notice wonderful
as they are certainly progress in sales methods many
lines also has been marked. Though may not always
realize IT, in order to preserve the essential balance be-
tween the production and sale Of merchandise it Is
necessary that the improvement in both go hand in
hand
In a specialized line, such as sporting powders for
game hunting and trapshootng wonderful progress and
perfection have been achieved in the manufacturing
end every sportsman and dealer knows Jobbers and
dealers in ammunition have also benefited greatly from
the improved sales methods employed In marketing
sporting powders
II is not very many years ago that sporting pow
der commodity staple almost as salt and sugar
Hand loading Of shotgun shells a general practice
and powder and shot could be obtained at most any
hardware general merchandise store The retail
dealers bought their stocks from the jobbers who in
turn supplied by the makers. In those days the
manufacturers Of powder and ammunition also, en-
poyed a number OF demonstrators whose chief asset
ability to make good at clay targets or live
birds Frequently such scores were used for adver-
Using purposes the theory that they would prove
conclusvey the superiority OF the advertised product
and sporlsmen would be induced TO buy accordingly.
The perfection Of smokeess powders and Of machine
loaded shot Shells and The restrictions placed by
ance companies and law making bodies the storage
OF bulk sporting powders all tended 10 discourage
hand loading. As faoory-loaded shells now sell at
about the prices the handoaded shells, and
more uniform the latter small factor in the
business.
The dupont Powder Company, the oldest and largest
powder maker America, has long led all others in
improved methods OF manufacture, and the first
to establish standards Of sporting powder sales
msnshp. With the passing OF some OF its old-tlme
demonstrations the dupont Company by many
sldered TO have made Of extremely doubtful value
when it ned their places with men who possessed
known ability statesmen. but who were in some cases
only fair marksmen. II considered revolutionary
unusual and unorthodox
II this revolutionary move it certainly proved
successful but the forcrunner Of others which
were to follow until today the selling OF sporting pow
ders as carried by the dupont Company object
lesson in constructive promotion work which results in
increased jobbers. dealers and ammunition
| companies and which has made for greatly improved
! conditions in the sport Of trapshooting.
Nearly ten years ago the dupont Company inaugu-
rated It's gun club organization campaign which has
been carried with increasing vigor ever since. A
booklet giving enthusiastic description Of trapshootng
issued and distributed broadcast For the guidance
Of those Interested in organizing a gun club another
booklet gotten out which described in detail how
to so about it. Plans for club houses and the nsala
tlon Of traps drawn up and sent free to every
prospective gun club
As prospects for gun clubs leagues developed du-
Pont instructed TO cooperate and advise
with the organizers and assist them in getting the club
or league going. They also assisted in conducting
tournaments, club shoots etc, and in drawing up pro-
grams Of tournaments. In many they helped to
install the traps and stayed the job until the hrs
shoot held.
ness iobbers and dealers in ammunition and shooting
accessories, well for the manufacturers Of shells
and powder, Il not hard to picture to what extent
this constructive salesmanshp and promotion work by
dupont statesmen has benefited others When the dupont
Company ceased using for advertising purposes
made with rs powders and also instructed It's TO
eliminate from their repertoire all outward appearances
OF commercalsm at gun club shoots, it i'm
portant step which has benefited the trapshootns
materially and helped raise II 70 higher plane.