Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-04-05
ELLEN YOUNG
DOCTOR OF SALES
BY Ruth Leigh
A~uthor.of THE Human Side OF Re-
tail Selling" THE A 3 c OF Retail
ing" etc.

Norman Barrow, the merchandise
and advertising manager of the Eu-
reka department store OF Sterling,
Wis.
1T seems to me, Mr.. Barrow" she
said consulting her black. leather
covered notebook, that n reason
why you don't get the results you
should from your advertising is that
it ISN'T timely enough. 1t Is as i'm
portsnt for any retail advertiser to
have az definite a schedule OF time
illness in advertising as he does in
running his store"
"Nell, we do advertise certain
goods on certain days" began Bar
row Extensively. but, perhaps"
But you yourself admitted that
you have no policy" Ellen consult
ed her notebook. There are -four
distinct steps in the history of adj
vertising every piece of merchan-
disc In a retail store, MIR. Barrow.
and l am going to sun these up for
you. The first STEP" Ellen Young
read, as Barrow took put his book
to write them down, lis to find out
the peak weeks in each month. Now
students of retail advertising have
found c~onclusively that the human
mind travels in a channel of prece-
dent: that shoppers Invariably shop
for the same merchandise in the
same departments in the same
months and weeks, year in and year
out. A recent survey a proved
this 10 be true in so per cent of the
cases."
"Um. We find that true. Dress
goods. for example,"
well. in hal case, isn't it logical
to advertise this merchandise in the
newspapers and in windows during
that week when sales are at the
peak? All you need do Is to keep
sales records, look up back sales and
find OUT" Ge41
Good idea, too, because it makes
buyers more systematic about when
they can have their goods advertised
in the newspapers. It's just like
planning separate advertising cam
paigns, eh?" Barrow caught the
idea admirably.
Ellen nodded. "The second step Is
to determine the exact minute the
merchandise of any department
starts on it's journey toward its peak;
how many weeks are consumed in
reaching the peak, and when the
time is ripe to begin price reduc-
ing and special sales. Now you mem
toned dress goods" Ellen consulted
her book.
Here's an example; store no
ticed that dress goods started their
climb the week ending January Is,
and continued upward until the week
ending May II. From the week
ending July 5 to the week ending Au-
gust 80, the sales of dress goods
dropped lower and lower. Begin
ming with the week ending Septem-
Der 6, dress goods started to rise
again, keeping up until a peak was
reached early in December. Now this
chart shows that from January Ii to
May II. it would be absolutely sui
cidal for a store to advertise dress
goods at a special price, because,
during this period, the buying pub
lie which pays regular prices for its
merchandise, was out in force. But
during the other weeks when the
sales went lower, from July to the
end of August, it pays to advertise
special merchandise to people who
want to buy below regular prices"
Gee, that's clever" Barrow nod
ded. "In that way we get u ads
appealing to the regular buying pub
lie and to special price seekers"
That's the idea. It's absolutely
necessary to watch your sales rec
ords to get this information. When
sales are on the rise. 1t pays to ad-
vertise regular goods on which you
get your good profit. If you draw a
graphic chart of this with curves
and valleys, such as statisticians use,
you will find it very helpful, Mr..
Barrow"
The merchandise manager nodded,
taking notes as Ellen Young talked.
1.-The third stop" Miss Young read
from her notebook, lis keeping and
using a special form which notifies
buyers and the advertising director
the week in which merchandise Is to
be advertised in the newspapers and
windows. This eliminates all ques-
lions of controversy which might
arise through the f~orgetfulness or
some individual"
"Darn necessary, too" commented
Barrow grimly. always forgettin'."
md the fourth STEP" concluded
Ellen Young, 'is the keeping of the
advertising record which gives at a
glance the sales and advertising
penses for the previous year; the
sales and advertising expense for the
current year; the amount OF space
in each newspaper: the entire
amount of money spent o adver-
tising: and the balance left at the
end of each day." Ellen closed her
book. "If more retail merchants
conducted their advertising systemat-
ically, in this way they'd get twice
the results. Most of all. they'd know
the right time to advertise the right
goods. And after all, what are ad-
vertising results but that?"
Miss Young" asked a young
salesman, a member of the group of
Eureka store salespeople to whom
Ellen Young had been talking,
whats the best thing to do when a
customer says that she can buy the
same article for a dollar less-and
then tells you the store? You can't
argue with her. l never know what
to say"
Read Miss Young's interesting n
swer TO this important craftsmanship
question of meeting competition, In
tomorrow's paper.
Let Miss Leigh answer your busl-
ness questions on buying. selling, adj
vertising, employment, etc. Ask your
questions clearly and give all the
facts. Questions requiring technical
will be replied to by mail.
Enclose stamped addressed envel-
opel. Others will be answered In
BUSINESS QUESTIONS AN
SWERED.
This may seem an unusual ques-
ton to ask, but / have been wonder
ing what is the most h~eaithfui iuncn
for a person working indoors in an
ofice all day to eat. If I eat much
I feel heavy and disinclined to work.
vet / don't want to feel that l am
going without sufficient n~ourishing
food. BOOKKEEPER.