The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1925-05-22
TALKS SENSE
TO MERCHANTS
Local Merchants Pay Business
Expert to Tell Them Some
Business Truths

81 do not know OF a single
phenomenal success, which Is
not the result of advertising at
some time in the history of the
business says Pryor Irwin,
noted business expert and lee
turer of Chicago, who is con-
Quoting a four-day business
institute for the retail mer-
chants OF Elizabeth City this
week.
Mr.. Irwin will close his institute
Friday with lecture to executives
at / 200 Retail Credits and How TO
Control Them," and TO employees at
Z 30 Oh "The Human Side Of Re-
failing"
"Trying to run your Store with
out advertising, is like trying TO
run your automobile without gas"
he says. "YOu would think any
one exceptionally stupid who tried
the latter. but as n matter OF fact
it would be more foolish than the
former.
advertising" he continues, is DO
job for gutter" You cannot run
IA few ads and then lay down be-
cause you are not swamped with
business. And if q consistent adj
vertising campaign does not bring
results, examine your ads and see
what's WRONG.
'The fly paper stage Of selling
is gone" he says. "Customers don't
like to stick to the old dealer sim
ply because they have been acctIS-
toned toNIeuIirg with him like they
used to in days gone by. IL you
don't want to keep up with the
times .you might as well get out
of the game.
Must Trust Clerks.
a successful merchant must
study his trade territory, and must
know the people of the community
i'm which he is located. A merchant
is never too busy to 60 on a trade
trip, or to get acquainted with his
customers. He builds an Organiza-
ton in his store. Some OF the
merchants who are not prosperous,
would find the solution, IL they
would train their clients to trust
the employees Of the store. The
man who gives his customers reduc-
lions i'm prices, extensions in pay.
mcnt. or other favors that the clerks
are not allowed to give, find tha
he is always. too busy to give an
time. while his faithful clerks star
around with their hands tied"
Mr.. Irwin, who is a special Ice
turcr of tile University of kansas,
the University of Colorado, the
University Of West Virginia, and the
University Of Manitoba, Is Il pleas
ing speaker. who knows the prob
lens Of the owner, the cmpl0yc,
and the customer, and is talking
commonsrncc TO all. He brings home
his points in epigrammatic state
mentS. For instance:
Causes of Failures.
"Eighty-SiX per cent Of the fail
ures i'm business of this country are
due to personal reasons" he says.
"Only If per cent are due 10 reasons
beyond control.
"Of the SG per cent 3G per cent are
due to lack of general business abll-
ity or ignorance Of the business.
Another large per cent is due TO lack
of capital.
Another class fails because they
do not keep their capital liquid or
circulating. They either tie up all
their money in their stock, invest
in expensive equipment, or they
lose their money by doing credit
business for which they will never
collect He also says:
"Watch your collections. but don't
jump on Il fellow when he's down
No business can he success
ful without a man to promote con-
troll and inspire -. Make yourself
Il leader in your community. This
will inspire cumulative effort on the
part Of your employees. .. Keep
an apprcciative eye on yorr EN-
ploycs. A word Of encouragement
or appreciation occasionally will in.
spire them to work little harder.