The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-03-13
SATURDAY, MARCH 18Th, 1920
ADVERTISING ONLY REMEDY

nave mace upoH huoihcSS 'h@' oASA
to be enjoyed by the local merchants
the past twenty years is appalling
Every dollar that leaves communi-
ty makes that community poorer and
takes from circulation money from
the legitimate channels of trade in
the section from which it. is sent.
This is patent fact.
In analysing the causes which
brought about this condition it will
be found that merchants, especially
in some of the smaller towns, are
largely responsible for the exodus
of cash and the filling of the Golfers
of. the mail order magnates. The ex-
ecutives of the big mail order houses
learned well many years ago the val
ne of advertising. They spent thous-
ands of dollers annually in reaching
the people. They flood the country
with attractively printed catalogues
These catalogues are embellished with
illustrations; give comprehensive
statement of each item of merchant
Use and the price is usually featur-
ed. The average individual who re-
ceived the voluminous volume"
reads 1t from cover to cover. The
whole family reads it. They begin
to figure what they want. In an
appealing way every item is present.
ed in a most attractive style. The
attention Of the prospective buyer is
soon focused on given article. This
same individual is reading the daily
papers, in many instances, and his
home paper every week. He search
es the columns and finds the goods he
wants are not advertised in those
journals. He takes it for granted the
home merchant either does not carry
it or does hot care to :.'go after bust
ness" The home merchant may
have the very item he orders from
the mail order house, but the custom
er does not know it. The result is the
mail order house gets the business.
To fight the devil, some one has
said ysd must fight his Satanic ma
jesty with fire. To fight the mail
order. house successfully, you must
use their strong weapon in securing
trade-Publicity.
The merchants must use every le-
climate method Of advertising and
especially the newspapers, for they
are the best medium to economical
ly reach the buying public. They must
carry standard merchandise and Be
lsatisfied with a legitimate profit.
They must give as much thought to
their advertising as they do any other
branch of their business. Even in
the smaller towns the merchants are
waking up to these facts. The aver
age country weekly, if worthy Of
patronage, is nowadays filed with ad-
vertising.
we are living In a period Of high
prices. Of all times this is the. crs
cial period in the business life Of the
little merchant. The wholesaler and
the newspapers must cooperate. There
IS mutual ground all must cover.
Systematic and Persistent advertis-
ing will hit the spot and do the work.
It b the only thing that, will turn
trade from the mail order houses to
the cities and towns. The Cotton
States Merchants Association, whose
Headquarters are in Memphis has
caught the vision and that organiza-
ton has put on foot plan to cooperate
with the merchant in the smaller
towns OF the South by giving them
the advantage Of expert ad writers TO
prepare copy for the series Of adver-
Using for their home paper and has
conceived plan which if carried out
win build up the trade of the great
section Of the South by holding all
business that should be had by the
local merchants. Advertising is e
power as magneticsl as the needle
OF compass, and if used judiciously.
will enw people to the stores and
hops in each given community. After
q customer reaches your store, then
advertiseing has, served its function.
It Is then up, to the merchant to offer
such Inducements, extend such cour-
tesies and make it mutually profitable
for the customer to trade with him
and trust him in such a manner asI
tomake Of him friend and booster.
In practically every instance the
home merchant can compete with the
mail order house and save postage
and freightto the purchasers, but il |
The home merchant does not advcr-
tise and inform the ,pcblic what he |
has to offer and at that price, the
mail order house win advertise ard |
get the business.
Put advertising to the test ard tile
marvellous results win astonish you.
% after the business; its yours if
,ou hustle; the other follows,sH you
DO not make the effort --Lsudsfdale |
County Enterprise. Ripley. Tenns |
IN this-ecnnection there lie an inci-t
lent We wish to re.ste:
Readers Of The Journal VIM re-