Leaning on Dealers (A necessary evil).

We cannot depend much in most lines on the active help of jobbers or of
dealers. They are busy. They have many lines to consider. The profit on
advertised lines is not generally large. And an advertised article is
apt to be sold at cut prices.

The average dealer does what you would do. He exerts himself on brands
of his own, if at all. Not on another man’s brand.

The dealer will often try to make you think otherwise. He will ask some
aid or concession on the ground of extra effort. Advertisers often give
extra discounts. Or they make loading offers–perhaps one case free in
ten–in the belief that loaded dealers will make extra efforts.

This may be so on rare lines, but not generally. And efforts if made do
not usually increase the total sales. They merely swing trade from one
store to another.

On most lines, making a sale without making a convert does not count for
much. Sales made by conviction–by advertising–are likely to bring
permanent customers. People who buy through casual recommendations do
not often stick. Next time someone else gives other advice.

Revenue which belongs to the advertiser is often given away without
adequate return. These discounts and gifts could be far better spent in
securing new consumers.

Free goods must be sold, and by your own efforts usually. One extra case
with ten means that advertising must sell 10 per cent more to bring you
the same return. The dealer would probably buy just as much if you let
him buy as convenient.

Much money is often frittered away on other forms of dealer help.
Perhaps on window or store displays. A window display, acting as a
reminder, may bring to one dealer a lion’s share of the trade. Yet it
may not increase your total sales at all.

Those are facts to find out. Try one town in one way, one in another.
Compare total sales in those towns. In many lines such tests will show
that costly displays are worthless. A growing number of experienced
advertisers spend no money on displays.

This is all in line of general publicity, so popular long ago. Casting
bread upon the waters and hoping for its return. Most advertising was of
that sort twenty years ago.

Now we put things to the test. We compare cost and result on every form
of expenditure. It is easily done. Very many costly wastes are
eliminated by this modern process.

Scientific advertising has altered many old plans and conceptions. It
has proved many long-established methods to be folly. And why should we
not apply to these things the same criterion we apply to other forms of
selling? Or to manufacturing costs?

Your object in all advertising is to buy new customers at a price which
pays a profit. You have no interest in centering trade at any particular
store. Learn what your consumers cost and what they buy. If they cost
you one dollar each, figure that every wasted dollar costs you a
possible customer.

Your business will be built in that way, not by dealer help. You must do
your own selling, make your own success. Be content if dealers fill the
orders that you bring. Eliminate your wastes. Spend all your ammunition
where it counts for most.

~~~~~~~~~~
This Chapter of Scientific Advertising was brought to you by
The Wealthy Affiliate

 

© Copyright 2009, Laid Off and Laughing