12 



The Weekly Florists' Review* 



June 15, 1911. 



the hopper of which we could pour a 

 few plugged dollars, and get a bag of 

 golden coins at the other end. 



It never was a gamble. 



But it is the biggest, strongest fac- 

 tor in business today. 



Next to money, it is the most essen- 

 tial. 



Science records things, but advertis- 

 ing makes things live. 



Elbert Hubbard, in one of his recent 

 preachments on "The Red Blood in 

 Advertising," says: "The reputation 

 that endures, or the institution that 

 lasts, is the one that is properly adver- 

 tised." Also: "All literature is ad- 

 vertising, and all genuine advertising 

 is literature." 



And Hubbard ought to know, for he 

 doubtless does more successful adver- 

 tising, both personal and otherwise, 

 than any other one man in the country. 



Everybody His Own Ad Doctor. 



The peculiar thing about advertising 

 is that pretty much everyone thinks he 

 knows just how it ought to be done. 

 If you and I were to start in the busi- 

 ness of growing roses, the firsl thing 

 we would do would be to get a good 

 foreman — a man who thoroughly under- 

 stood roses and how to grow them. 



If we want an automobile we don 't 

 go to a blacksmith — but if we want to 

 do some advertising, then that's dif- 

 ferent — we can do that ourselves. 

 That's easy! 



Or we ask some friend who is free 

 with his pen, to got up something 

 snappy. 



What happens? 



In the first place, tlie man who owns 

 a business is generally so near his busi- 

 ness that he can't see it. He has lost 

 the sense of how the other fellow — the 

 fellow he wants to land — looks at his 

 proposition from the outside. So he 

 starts off with his wonderful ad with 

 the usual extravagant claims, and says: 



My rose Is the only rose for you to grow this 

 season. It has 4!) petals to every bloom, against 

 42 .'}/lG of its nearest competitor. 



Oet in line. 



I'irst come, first served. 



I)on't delay! Send your order today! 



If they are good enough for James Blrnle, they 

 are good enough for you. Greatest money-malier 

 of the season. Order now! 



Now, every word of that ad is true. 



But what selling power has it? 



What actual reasons has he given 

 why you should let loose your good 

 money for his blooming old rose? 



Suppose he had told a frank story, 



just like he would if talking directly to 



a customer; suppose he had said: 



Last season it was plain to be seen tliat the 

 public had grown tired of pink roses, and wauled 

 yellows. 



'J'hat's why I am so happy: I have a yellow 

 that's going "to be a winner — and it's a Klllarney, 

 too. 



It's an unusually free bloomer, has long stems 

 and a deep, rich green foliage. 



Its sillien-slieened petals glow like gold. 

 Its buds are big, solid, dependable ones that 

 ship splendidly and stay half open for a sur- 

 lirisingly long time. Remember that last points 

 it's a thing your commission man is always 

 howling for. 



I am going to sell 150,000 of my stock of 

 250,000 cuttings. 



How many do you want? 



Hotter step lively — you know that a new 

 Killaruoy always goes like wild tire. 



Such an ad actually tells something 

 about the rose, its qualities, its superior 

 points; it has some selling power. 



In your opinion, which ad gets the 

 business? 



Eschew Jokes; Use White Space. 



On the other hand, your friend with 

 the easy pen writes the ad and feels 

 that it is of first importance to make 

 it funny. He says: "That is the thing 

 that attracts the public." 



So you stand for a joke of the vin- 

 tage of 1812, and then lug in by the 

 nape of the neck your little business 

 story. 



The result: The funny story seldom 

 is funny in advertising. 



Everybody knows you get red in the 

 face to bring it in, and the ad, instead 

 of being a good, serious, earnest, busi- 

 ness appeal to men in business houses, 

 is more apt to be smiled at over the 

 cheese sandwich and beer. 



Hit a business man at his business 

 in a business way. That's the way! 



Now, just one word more: 



When you buy space in a trade pa- 

 per, for heaven's sake don't fill it as 

 full as vou can with text. 



If your space is small, better tell one 

 thing, and tell it well, and leave plenty 

 of white space around the text. The 

 white space sets it off. Makes it look 

 interesting. 



For example: Three or four roses in 

 a vase is a beautiful sight — each rose 

 presents its individuality, its grace. A 

 vase crowded full is just a vase of 

 roses — one grand big bunch, a mass 

 that neither attracts nor impresses. 



The Baltimore and Washington Lady Bowlers. 



(See Baltimore News-letter, page t)4.) 



THE UGHTS AND SHADOWS OF 

 THE AUCTION BUSINESS. 



[A paper by It. W. MacNiflf, of the .MacNiff 

 Horticultural Co., read before the New York flo- 

 rists' Club, June 12.] 



The auction business is as old as the 

 world. Adam bid one of his ribs for 

 the first lady ever known to be on the 

 market, and as there was no opposition, 

 he got her at his own offer. Now, 

 there must be two offers to make a sale 

 legitimate. If anyone else had been at 

 the first garden auction, he and old 

 Adam would be bidding yet. 



Imagine such a valuable flower as 

 Eve being advertised for sale next 

 Tuesday or Friday! Madison Square 

 Garden wouldn't hold the crowd of 

 florists. 



The devil, in the form of a snake, 

 made a bid of some apple trees for 

 Eve, but she was knocked down before 

 he caught the eye of the auctioneer. 

 So the horticultural auction business, 

 you perceive, has the merit of antiq- 

 uity. 



My subject, however, deals with mod- 

 ern plant and flower auctions, and these 

 are full of lights and shadows. The 

 lights include the light prices obtained, 

 tlie limitless field that is developing, 

 the return of humanity to the farm, 

 and the consequent needs of the sub- 

 urbanite; the joy of being instrumental 

 in fostering a love for the beautiful; 

 the consciousness of sending out our 

 monuments in every direction, knowing 

 that the trees and plants we sell will 

 grow and blossom, and cheer with their 

 perfume and beauty unborn thousands 

 after we are safely planted under the 

 daisies. 



Then, there is the joy of standing in 

 the limelight, mesmerizing, by voice 

 and persuasive smile, the multitude; 

 soaking the fresh guys or the wealthy 

 widows with something we see they 

 want no matter what the cost. These 

 are real lights that help to lighten our 

 burdens, and to dissipate the gloom in 

 our otherwise shadowy occupation. 

 There is the light of knowledge we ac- 

 quire every week — knowledge of plant 

 life, of new varieties, of insects and 

 insecticides, of the frailties of human- 

 ity — all most interesting to the inquir- 

 ing mind. Then, there is the velvet in 

 our business; 17% per cent on every 

 dollar's worth we sell, whether the 

 grower receives the cost of production 

 or not. 



Only three or four hours' work a 

 day, and only two days' work a week, 

 the strengthening of our vocal chords, 

 fitting us later on for ministerial work 

 when the great profits of the auction 

 business inevitably draw too many en- 

 terprising opponents into the field! 



Is it any wonder we grow fat and 

 our bank accounts increase and we ride 

 in autos, and life is one sweet song? 



But there are two sides to everything 

 and everybody. 



Listen to the shadows, and then re- 

 joice that you are now in the place 

 Providence intended you should fill; 



