622 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Our business is a small one compared with many others, but I think 

 personal, individual advertising can be made to pay, and I also incline to 

 the opinion that personal advertising is the only kind for the small honey 

 producer, the man with only honey enough to supply the local demand, 

 if he can find that demand, and by personal I mean the individual appeal 

 to a community, and for this purpose there are few bettei things than a 

 government postcard printed and sent out; and here comes the test of the 

 ad writer, for few men can write as they would talk. In casual conver- 

 sation a man will say: 



"Hello, Smith. How's everybody? Say, have you bought your honey 

 yet? No? Well, I have a lot of very nice white clover honey that is 

 thoroughly ripened that I am selling at a shilling a pound. Can't I send 

 you up a can? All right. Thanks." When, however, this same man 

 tries to write a postal ad a card will not hold it if set in small type. He 

 tries to give a history of the bee business from the year one, makes a 

 few digs at 'his neighbor beekeeper, brags about his honey ad nauseuni, 

 then wonders why he does not sell. 



I might give you a few forms for this postcard manner of selling, but 

 to do so successfully I'd have to know your market thoroughly. However, 

 in a general way a card might read: 



"I am now taking off a fine crop of white clover honey. I have both 

 the comb and extracted, and shall be pleased to supply you at "regular 

 market prices." 



Now what more can one say to sell honey in a community where he is 

 known? Quote prices? Declare the honey is pure? Neither. They can 

 find the price when they are ready to buy, and to declare an article is pure 

 is to advertise the fact that there are adulterated goods. 



If you have been selling in a community for years, you might say: 



"I am again ready to fill your orders for comb and extracted honey. 

 It is white clover honey, and very nice." 



Anything more would distract the customer's attention from the fact 

 that you are now ready to sell. 



I do not have to tell you that if a man is producing honey by the 

 dozens of tons he will require different advertising than the man who 

 has but a thousand pounds to sell. Generally you find that such men 

 have a regular market. Otherwise, they advertise in the bee journals, and 

 to save time writing letter quote their price. At the same time you 

 will find they have a home market, also, selling in all sized containers 

 from a pound or less up. However, there are but few such men in the 

 country, while there are hundreds or thousands who have small crops to 

 dispose of. These are the ones I hope to help, if they survive my talk. 



MARKETING THE CROP. 

 W. p. SOUTIIWOUTII, SIOUX CITY. 



Marketing the products of the soil or the products of manufacture is the 

 greatest problem today. Almost anyone can produce something of real 

 value to his fellow man from the soil or manufacture articles of use or 

 comfort, but to tell your neighbor about these articles and get him to 



