The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-16
For the Good of
 The Community

TOES it pay to advertise?
 This is what one man, recent conner to Bir- mingham, says about city advertising.
 He is manager of the southern branch ot northern manufacturing concern. The selection of the city fer the branch office was left to him. He selected Birmingham because, as he states, he liked the city and believed it was more conven- iently located for his business than any other southern city.
 "When informed the officers of my company of my decision to locate the southern branch here," he said, "they asked why had not selected certain other city, naming it. They had several letters from the Chamber of Commerce inviting, yes, urging the location of the branch office in that city. These letters gave great deal of 1n- formation about that city, of it's transportation fa- cilities, it's proximity to populous centers and the opportunities for choice offices.
 "The Chamber of Commerce of that city. did not stop their efforts when they found out that Birmingham had been selected as the location for the southern branch. I received letter today asking if there was anything they could do to- wards securing an office of my company"
 He suggested that the Chamber of Commerce and the Civic Association, as the two representa- tive business and industrial organizations, pre- pare accurate data of Birninghams commercial, industrial and transportation activities and facili- tes put these into the form of serial letters ard mail them in order to Chambers of Commerce, Boards of Trade and other commercial and indus trial organizations and to industrial concerns the country
 These letters, he suggests, should be brief, state facts, contain charts or maps showing Birmlng- hams central location and railroad lines, indicat- ing the trade territory and distances to other trade centers.
 Population statistics, educational facilities, housing, water street railways, farm and mine products, aml1sements churches, welfare work, labor conditions and other matters of interest to prospective investors or residents should be irl- cluded in these letters. All of these subjects not be discussed in letter. he states but should be treated in series of letters following each other at intervals of a few weeks or month alt the longest
 Coming in the mail under first class postage, he says these letters would attract attention, and be- ing brief, they would be read and in most in- stances, preserved for future reference
 In the United States there are hundreds of man. ufacturers and investors who are constantly oi the lookout for advantageous locations for their particular line of industry. In their offices and coming in contact with them are many more who expect to engage in some kind of industrial enE terprise
 With these letters and the information they con- tain, their recipients and those having the oppor. tunity to read them will have fairly good idea of the opportunities Birmingham affords for their particular line of endeavor and when ready to in+ vest they will at least come here for personal in spection.
 The collection and preparation of this data will entail great deal of work and require intelligent handling, but it will pay in the long run.
 This work is peculiarly within the province of commercial and industrial organizations.
 The writer recalls that one of the present suc- cessful industries of Birmingham was established