Manufacturers are at liberty to draw their own conclu sions from the data given. A few general conclusions may, however, be drawn. In order to secure representation, a counter display should fulfil the following conditions : 1. It should be distinctive, so that the dealer will feel that it will add something to his store.
2. It must be feature goods which the dealer really wants to sell ; i.e., goods which afford him a good margin of profit.
3. It must be presented as a means to help him sell more goods ; not as a bait to get him to buy more.
6. Cooperating with dealers in buying signs.— With so many signs constantly offered to them, it is natural for some dealers to fail to realize the expense involved in the preparation of a sign and the actual money loss when a sign is not used or is thrown away. To obviate this difficulty some manufacturers sell their signs to dealers. Of course the number of deal ers who will pay for display material advertising a manufacturer's line is much smaller than the num ber of those who will use material sent them free. On the other hand, when a dealer pays for displays, the manufacturer can be certain that he will use them. Many dealers realize the value of store displays of various sorts, but, because the cost of a single suita ble signs, window trim, or counter display would be almost prohibitive, they would not prepare a sign on their own initiative. The manufacturer is able to order in thousand lots, and can sell the sign to the dealer at a low price.
Sometimes a manufacturer finds out in advance from dealers how many of them will purchase signs, before having them made. He sends a photograph or description of the sign, and agrees to pay half of the cost of the display, perhaps, if the dealer will pay the other half. In such cases the dealer's name is usually printed on the sign as prominently as the manufacturer's if the sign is to be used outside the store. Fence signs, flange signs, posters and street car cards are often distributed in this way.
It is obvious that if a dealer is to pay his own money for signs, lie must keenly appreciate their value and he must have unusual good-will for the things the signs are intended to advertise. The dealer who has an exclusive agency for an article is more likely to buy signs than a dealer who handles a line that is also found in all the other stores in town. One of
the well-known manufacturers of talking machines prepares elaborate window trims at the factory, and sells them to dealers for five dollars each.
A common method of making dealers realize the value of display material is to give it to dealers only when they buy a certain quantity of goods. An initial order for a suitable amount of goods may en title the dealer to a variety of kinds of advertising material, the selection to be made by the dealer and the salesman when the order is taken, or an order of so many cases at any time may entitle the dealer to certain specified kinds and amounts of signs.
Another method of impressing dealers with the value of advertising material sent to them by manu facturers is to require them to pay for the space in local mediums, while the manufacturer furnishes the plates or copy. This applies to street-car cards, news paper advertising and posters. Sometimes the manu facturer splits the cost of space with his dealers.
7. The use of posters.—The poster provides in the advertising campaign the element of large display. It goes out and arrests the attention of the possible consumer wherever he may be. Posters are usually intended to create a strong but a brief impression on the passer-by. The name of the product is strikingly displayed, with perhaps a picture linking up the name with the article or its use, and sometimes a terse sell ing point or two. The copy must be very brief, be cause people ordinarily do not stop to gaze at a pos ter; it must deliver its message while they are passing by. Posters are often used as supplementary me diums in a national campaign. Sometimes in dis tricts where there is much illiteracy or where the pe riodicals have limited circulation, the striking poster display is almost the only medium an advertiser can profitably use. Posters have been found especially valuable in advertising motor accessories and auto mobiles. The appeal of the poster reaches the mo torist at a time when he is likely to be thinking about his car and its needs.