Advertise Your Business

We all depend, more or less, upon the public for our support. We all trade with the public—lawyers, doctors, shoemakers, artists, blacksmiths, showmen, opera stagers, railroad presidents, and college professors. Those who deal with the public must be careful that their goods are valuable; that they are genuine, and will give satisfaction. When you get an article which you know is going to please your customers, and that when they have tried it, they will feel they have got their money's worth, then let the fact be known that you have got it. Be careful to advertise it in some shape or other because it is evident that if a man has ever so good an article for sale, and nobody knows it, it will bring him no return. In a country like this, where nearly everybody reads, and where newspapers are issued and circulated in editions of five thousand to two hundred thousand, it would be very unwise if this channel was not taken advantage of to reach the public in advertising. A newspaper goes into the family, and is read by wife and children, as well as the head of the home; hence hundreds and thousands of people may read your advertisement, while you are attending to your routine business. Many, perhaps, read it while you are asleep. The whole philosophy of life is, first "sow," then "reap." That is the way the farmer does; he plants his potatoes and corn, and sows his grain, and then goes about something else, and the time comes when he reaps. But he never reaps first and sows afterwards. This principle applies to all kinds of business, and to nothing more eminently than to advertising. If a man has a genuine article, there is no way in which he can reap more advantageously than by "sowing" to the public in this way. He must, of course, have a really good article, and one which will please his customers; anything spurious will not succeed permanently because the public is wiser than many imagine. Men and women are selfish, and we all prefer purchasing where we can get the most for our money and we try to find out where we can most surely do so.

We all depend, more or less, on the public for our income. We all do business with the public: lawyers, doctors, shoemakers, artists, blacksmiths, showmen, opera producers, railroad presidents, and college professors. Those who deal with the public must make sure their goods have value, are genuine, and satisfy customers. When you have a product you know will please your customers, let people know you have it. You must know that after trying the product, your customers will feel they have received their money's worth. Be sure to advertise the product in some way. Clearly, even the best product will bring you no return if nobody knows you have it for sale. In a country like this, nearly everybody reads, and newspapers circulate in editions of five thousand to two hundred thousand copies. It would be very unwise not to use newspapers to reach the public through advertising. A newspaper enters the home, where the wife and children read it, along with the head of the household. So hundreds and thousands of people may read your advertisement while you go about your daily business. Many, perhaps, read your advertisement while you are asleep. The whole philosophy of life is first to "sow," then to "reap." That is what the farmer does. He plants his potatoes and corn, sows his grain, and then turns to other work. In time, he harvests his crops. But he never harvests first and plants afterward. This principle applies to all kinds of business, and especially to advertising. If you have a genuine product, no approach brings greater returns than "sowing" to the public through advertising. Of course, the product must be truly good and must please your customers. Anything fake will not succeed in the long run, because the public is wiser than many imagine. Men and women are selfish. We all prefer to buy where we can get the most for our money. And we try to find out where we can most reliably get that value.

You may advertise a spurious article, and induce many people to call and buy it once, but they will denounce you as an impostor and swindler, and your business will gradually die out and leave you poor. This is right. Few people can safely depend upon chance custom. You all need to have your customers return and purchase again. A man said to me, "I have tried advertising and did not succeed; yet I have a good article."

You may advertise a fake product and get many people to come and buy it once. But they will call you a fraud and a swindler. Your business will gradually die out and leave you poor. That is as it should be. Few people can safely rely on one-time customers. You all need your customers to return and buy again. A man said to me, "I have tried advertising and had no success, yet I have a good product."

I replied, "My friend, there may be exceptions to a general rule. But how do you advertise?"

I replied, "My friend, there may be exceptions to a general rule. But how do you advertise?"

"I put it in a weekly newspaper three times, and paid a dollar and a half for it." I replied: "Sir, advertising is like learning—'a little is a dangerous thing!'"

"I put it in a weekly newspaper three times and paid $1.50 for it." I replied: "Sir, advertising is like learning: 'a little is a dangerous thing!'"

A French writer says that "The reader of a newspaper does not see the first mention of an ordinary advertisement; the second insertion he sees, but does not read; the third insertion he reads; the fourth insertion, he looks at the price; the fifth insertion, he speaks of it to his wife; the sixth insertion, he is ready to purchase, and the seventh insertion, he purchases." Your object in advertising is to make the public understand what you have got to sell, and if you have not the pluck to keep advertising, until you have imparted that information, all the money you have spent is lost. You are like the fellow who told the gentleman if he would give him ten cents it would save him a dollar. "How can I help you so much with so small a sum?" asked the gentleman in surprise. "I started out this morning (hiccuped the fellow) with the full determination to get drunk, and I have spent my only dollar to accomplish the object, and it has not quite done it. Ten cents worth more of whiskey would just do it, and in this manner I should save the dollar already expended."

A French writer says, "A newspaper reader does not notice an ordinary advertisement the first time it appears. The second time, he sees the ad but does not read it. The third time, he reads it. The fourth time, he looks at the price. The fifth time, he mentions it to his wife. The sixth time, he is ready to buy. The seventh time, he buys." Your goal in advertising is to let the public know what you have to sell. If you lack the nerve to keep advertising until you have delivered that message, all your advertising money is wasted. You are like the fellow who told a gentleman that giving him ten cents would save him a dollar. "How can I help you so much with so little money?" the gentleman asked in surprise. "I set out this morning determined to get drunk," the fellow said with a hiccup. "I have spent my only dollar trying, but I am not quite drunk yet. Ten cents' worth more whiskey would finish the job, and so I would save the dollar I already spent."

So a man who advertises at all must keep it up until the public know who and what he is, and what his business is, or else the money invested in advertising is lost.

So a man who advertises at all must keep advertising until the public knows who he is and what he does. They must also know what his business is. Otherwise, the money spent on advertising is wasted.

Some men have a peculiar genius for writing a striking advertisement, one that will arrest the attention of the reader at first sight. This fact, of course, gives the advertiser a great advantage. Sometimes a man makes himself popular by an unique sign or a curious display in his window, recently I observed a swing sign extending over the sidewalk in front of a store, on which was the inscription in plain letters,

Some men have a special talent for writing striking advertisements that catch the reader’s attention at first glance. Of course, this talent gives the advertiser a great advantage. Sometimes a man makes himself popular with a unique sign or an unusual display in his store window. Recently, I noticed a swinging sign extending over the sidewalk in front of a store. The sign bore the following words in plain letters: