306 



THE BEE-KEEPERS REVIEW 



not all fields will yield equal returns, yet 

 many of us have rich opportunities in 

 this line and do not realize it. 



POSSIBILITIES OF THE GROCERY TRADE. 



The grocery trade is perhaps the 

 most important sales medium of all, 

 because of its possibilities of distributing- 

 large quantities of extracted honey of a 

 quality and price controlled by the 

 producer. Now if we employ grocers or 

 other sub-agents to distribute our honey, 

 we cannot expect to receive quite the 

 same returns. We must expect to pay 

 our help in selling, just as we pay our 

 help in producing a crop of honey. 

 There are various methods of reaching 

 the grocery trade through circular letters 

 and advertising mediums, but all of themi 

 are practically failures with extracted 

 honey. Grocers are prejudiced in favor 

 of comb honey because of certain dealers 

 having sold them honey which candied. 

 After exhibiting candied honey in glass 

 for some time, they shove it onto a back 

 shelf to be shown only as called for. and 

 then only at a detriment so far as sales 

 are concerned. "Extracted honey doesn't 

 sell, no demand for it, we want it in the 

 comb"" is what you will soon become ac- 

 customed to hear when you start out as 

 a drummer of your own bottled honey. 

 The remedy is to "take the bull by the 

 horns" as it were, and compel them to 

 buy it or try it. 



First convince the merchant that you 

 are a real live bee keeper and know 

 what honey is. Then convince him that 

 his present stock of candied honey is 

 pure and that by melting it he will sus- 

 tain no loss. If he is no fusser, offer to 

 take the honey in exchange for your own 

 bottled honey which offer he will gladly 

 accept. 



Never "knock"" a competitor"s honey, 

 even if you know the goods to be inferior 

 to your own product. Always boost 

 honey. Incidentally suggest to this 

 grocer that you would be glad to supply 

 him with your honey at any time he is 

 in need. Furnish both comb and ex- 

 tracted honey, for, by so doing, you 



monopolize more completely your market; 

 besides more firmly impressing the fact 

 that you are a bee keeper. 



THE SELLING-ARGUMENTS. 



Meet the usual objections in the follow- 

 ing manner, and things are bound to 

 come your way. "Honey candies." Yes, 

 all pure honey is apt to candy. Mine is 

 sealed at 160 degrees, which will keep 

 it liquid for a long time, but, should it 

 ever candy, I will replace it with fresh 

 liquid honey, free of charge."' "Ex- 

 tracted honey will not sell here, people 

 want comb."" "You, of course know 

 more about selling than 1 do, but being 

 a specialist in pure honey for many 

 years, 1 can assure you success in selling 

 my extracted honey. In the first place, 

 this extracted honey is a superior article, 

 from white clover, rich and delicious. 

 Every customer who buys one bottle 

 will buy several. Honey being regarded 

 as a luxury demands a conspicuous 

 place on your shelves, window or show 

 case (here select and insist on your 

 location for display.) Your customers 

 must learn how delicious this honey is, 

 and the great saving over buying it in 

 the comb. For this purpose 1 am not 

 only selling it under a very attractive 

 label, but here is a placard calling at- 

 tention to this pure honey, also some 

 leaflets to give away. Furthermore, I 

 guarantee the sale of every pound of 

 honey put in your store. If it doesn"t 

 sell to suit you I will take it back and 

 return your money with no arguments. 

 You have no breakage. I stand it if any. 

 1 pay the freight. The net price delivered 

 safely to you is so and so for the differ- 

 ent sizes, and you sell them for so and so, 

 realizing a profit of so and so, with no 

 possible chance of loss. Shall I ship 

 you 4 doz. of each size?"' As a last 

 resort, offer to leave a case of honey to 

 be sold, but don"t get them into a habit 

 of expecting this, for grocers, like others. 

 are apt to push sales harder where they 

 have money invested. Impress your 

 grocer with the fact that you are in the 

 field permanently, and will call at stated 



