The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-09
INSTITUTE AT
CENESE0 WILL
CLOSE TONIGHT
Pryor Irwin Delivers Strong AID.
dress at Sessions Yesterday;
Speaks To-day.
fsnecia1 Correspondence.l

afternoon and evening lectures be-
| ing delivered by Pryor Irwin, coun-
selIor and retail investigator. Mr..
| Irwin is connected with depart
ment store i1 Lexington, Va. which
! is being conducted in that town of
2,870 population in so successful
| a manner that it has attracted the
attention of students of business
throughout the country. The vol
ume of business which is done in
/ that store, the methods of adyer-
Using employed, the attitude of the
management and clerks toward its
patrons and the service which is
rendered we'll fits Mr.. Irwin to de-
( liver a message to the merchants
and citizens of a town as small as
| Geneseo worth while and 'prac-
teal So great are the demands
| for his counsel that he gives forty
weeks of the year in visiting towns
and cities in this country, carrying
a practical plan of community CO.
operation wherever he goes.
After hearing Mr.. Irwin. who
talks today in closing the five days
program, the wisdom of his posi-
ton on the program is apparent. 1t
was planned to meet the needs of
Geneseo to awaken its latent ener-
gies of cooperation in business and
civic life. With Ben R. Vardaman
and Ray Morton Hardy occupying
the first three days work, they pre-
pared the minds Of the local people
to accept Mr.. Twins suggestion CT
organization so that the first steps
toward the completion of a local
organization of business men were
effected last night If, as indica-
tions point, this is the beginning
of a civic organization which will
strive to better Geneseo's business
activities and its community life.
it is the evidence that much good
is in store for the citizens of the
community.
The trend of Mr.. Twins talks in
both the afternoon and evening
dealt with the absolute necessity
of community cooperation. Accus-
toned as business men were to the
tremendous volume of business
which came to them during the war
period and contrasting it with the
condition today, Mr.. Irwin asked.
Are the business men of Geneseo
meeting their responsibilities Are
they showing their ability and go
ing after businesS?" A very sue
cessful merchant, whose trade has
increased during the last year,
when asked how he did il by Mr..
Irwin, replied: Go after it like the
devil; and deserve it after you get
1t. Go after it collectively and
then with quality, correct price and
cpr1yira dacnrxyA 10 IynnT
women Best Buyers.
From the results of impartial in
vestigation made by the Associated
Advertising clubs of America, Mr..
Irwin showed that the women of
the country are its greatest buy
ers. With their natural instinct for
shopping they will travel distances
to find the opportunity of selection !
in stocks of merchandise. 1t is |
known that the average woman !
travels "a miles to buy a coat. And !
a man, strange as it may seem, |
travels "a miles on an average to |
buy suit.
Many merchants feel that other
local dealers in the same line are |
competitors, Mr.. Irwin said. This |
is q falIacy as the real competitor |
is from out-of-town, principally |
the mail order house. This cOmpe-
tition can be met successfully by |
almost every local merchant. Price |
comparisons will, except with lead
ers, favor the local dealer in the |
greater number of instances as
actually being lower. Improve
your advertising" says MIR. Irwin, |
make it clearly descriptive, use it |
with consistent regularity. not |
spasmodically, and then follow it |
up even after you have the custom |
er's money. Maintain that interest /
in the customer to the extent of |
learning why he no longer trades |
with you Learn his grievances,
meet it with cheerful correction. re-
that humanity appreci- |
ates personal attention" Empha-
sizing most firmly the value of per-
sonal touch and acquaintance with t
the customer. Mr.. Irwin closed his |
afternoon talk with the statement
that friendship with the satisfied
buyer who receives value and ser /
vice is far stronger than any COM
petition.
Evening Address.
In the evening at $50 Mr.. IT.
win spoke upon the subject Forces
That Build Business" In d strong
of the topic he said
hat the three elements are. first,
he human element, or rather, the
phases of human nature as a force
which builds business; second. the
attractive display, be it store Ioca-
ion, window display. arrangement
If goods to show and sell them
selves, and third, get them to buy"
which is another way to say lad
yertise.'' |,
On the human nature element. Il
Hr. Irwin showed that traits of en-
Oloyes make, keep or drive AWAY
patrons. The organization of anv h
business is but the reflection of
hose who compose it He advised I
employers to build their business
~ building up the, employees to +
heir standards of ability and ser
ice a successful method is by =
placing responsibility with them. {
Referring to the display element {
lie urged the necessity of window
display and store arrangement all {
or the purpose of attracting the
Duyers' attention. With regard to ]
Mr.. Irwin aptly and a
:oncisely defined it as your mes /
age to the public" Therefore &
make that message one of absolute /
ruth, regarding goods. and price G
lake it human and make it SIM i
lie" it