Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-06-14
ADVERTISING Costs NOTHING
Asserts President Mann Of North
Dakota Retail Dealers.
STARTED With A Loan 0F;;i$l25
Lets Wholesaler Garry Goods-Stores
Function to Sell Them-Gave up
Job as Driver to Start Business at
Ace of 21 wears,

! Function to Sell Them-Gave up
Job as Driver to Start Business at
Age Of 81 years.
This year the retailer, particularly
the small retailer who serves agricul-
tural communities, will fight for his
business life, said Fred: p. Mann, pres
idcnt of North Dakota Retail Mer-
chants association, here recently, and
there is just one way for him to win
his fight. He much adhere strictly to
the golden rule" delay no further In
accepting his losses and advertise, says
a. Fondu Lac, Mich. correspondent Of
the Philadelphia Retail Public Ledger.
1.-THE small retailer" he said. can
not expect TO take his regular profit
when the farmer has TO sell potatoes
for twenty cents per bushel, for which
he could have gotten s1.20 last fall.
and wheat for 81 less than the cost of
productions; when labor is being cut
and declines. are recorded on so many
items. The retailer has no right to
expect his regular profit. This year
he should sell his goods on replace
mcnt values, and If he gets through
the year without making single dol
lar, but no lossJ he, will be doing fine.
This step would be taken to re-
store the confidence Of the people in
merchandising. Everywhere they are
organizing to eliminate the retailer
and we ought TO show them that we
are necessary to the life Of the COM
munity. The only way we can do that
is to treat them right. You know we
have a funny situation confronting us.
Millions Of dollars worth Of merchan-
disc is stacked up on foreign wharves
and in warehouses that cannot be
moved because there is no money with
which to buy it. A year ago we talk
ed production and more production
and were afraid that we would not be
able to feed ourselves, let alone the
rest of the world which was clamoring
for food, and now suddenly we find
our granaries full to overllowing and
no markets.
"Why Advertising Costs Nothing"
1.-THE confidence of the buying pub
lie must be restored and you must use
the public press to do it, Advertising
is the greatest investment that can
be made. 1t doesn't cost a cent. Last
fall. we anticipated--the drop at->est,-
Devils Lake, n. D., store and came
out and advertised a drop in prices
early. We pay thirty-tive cents per
inch on circulation of 1900, 1000 Of
which are in the city. Last year we
paid grocery business of s235,O0O; a
total business in all departments of
s650,0OO. We took $4,000 loss on
merchandise in October and Noven-
bcr and spent $4,000 in advertising.
On January we took another $4,000
loss on our inventory, marking the
goods on the replacement value basis,
and then started and put on the big
gest and strongest advertising cam
paign we have ever attempted. We
have held the confidence Of our GUS
| toners, have reduced prices right
along, because, after all. the golden
rule in business is the only sure key
to success.
~ want to outline to you our store,
which has received a great deal Of
publicity. I am generally accused Of
being brought 10 the various cities
visit by the newspapers because
preach and do believe in using plen-
ty Of printers ink. At twenty-one |
was the driver Of H. delivery wagon.
,. At that time wholesalers granted cred
| it as much on mans character as
/ they did on his financial resources.
4 small grocery had failed and took
the store. and was advanced I.6O0
stock. 7 had 10 borrow the S125 nee
cssary to pa:; the freight.
Fright here ! received some good
advice and made use of it. The news
paper man came in and told me to
take n siX-inch double column space.
He told me why TO take it. wrote the
copy for me and made me change my
ad every week. lie Brought Printers
Ink for me to read, and I became an
advertising convert and studied the
game. got another piece Of good ad-
vice. The credit man OF the whole
sale company advised me to become
a discountcr and for thirty years
have followed that advice and many
years the discounts were my sole
source Of profit. And it means one OF
the biggest assets in the business to
get an Al rating. You get the best
bargains and the lowest prices.
"In the first year did $4,000 worth
nf business in that small grocery. My
fathcr cumc in with me and VIC added
other lines and have kept growing. In
1907 we built IL new store '10OX1iO
feet, six departments, with managers
in charge of each, responsible for the
conduct. My brother, f. Mann, is the
advertising manager We have forty
salcspcoplc employed. We put $4,000
into the fixtures of that store, made II
modern, up-to-date in every respect
including restroom features and other
big city features.
az bnlipve in the community anC