Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 288, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1910 — SELL OXER THE TELEPHONE [ARTICLE]

SELL OXER THE TELEPHONE

New York Business Men Have Devised a Scheme That Is Decided Success. A number of business houses in New York are using the telephone instead of circulars for advertising purposes. Probably this will meet the approval of Uncle Sam. If adopted whenever practicable it might extensively relieve the strain on the postal service. A retail dry goods merchant receives a consignment of choice laces. It takes only a, few minutes to ring up two or three dozen of his best customers who would be especially Interested in such goods and ask them to call and examine the laces. The flattery of such an invitation appeals strongly to many persons. Circularization has been carried to such an extent that much of its effectiveness is frequently lost and many circulars never reach the buyer to whom they are addressed, whereas the telephone call can usually be a direct communication. A haberdasher telephones his patrons to* note hls latest Importations in neck scarfs, the newest shirtings or special offers in silk half hose, a clipping bureau rings up a prominent financier, tells him his name is mentioned in the dailies in connection with an important railroad deal and asks him to subscribe to the bureau’s extremely efficient service; a dealer in antiques begs that madam will call to examine some rare old Sheffield plate just received. Such attentions have all the exclusiveness of a varnishing day invitation, and it would be a patron of hardy nerve who would fall to buy. This method includes also a request that the patron will kindly note the special advertisements In the morning papers and avail of them if possible. These telephone calls do not cost any more than circularizing, when letter postage, personally typewritten letters or engraved Invitations are used, as they must be in order to secure the attention of valuable patrons. Also they have the merit of being traceable without a cumbrous "follow-up” system. If a merchant has .telephoned Mrs. Van Allyn that he has a few choice Sulu pearls which he is reserving for her inspection he knows within a day or two whether or not Mrs. Van Allyn has bought thereof and he need not waste time or money again on unprofitable customers.