Developing a Mail-order Trade for Honey 115 



IMPORTANCE OF THE RIGHT KIND OP ADVERTISING. 



Let's analyze it. First, the word "Honey" is printed in large type 

 to catch the eye. Next, there is the reference to honey from the "wild 

 red raspberry of Northern Michigan." Here is something of a novelty, 

 with a tinge of romance. "Northern Michigan" alone calls up a picture 

 of vine-wound thickets, mossy carpets, and "the cedar's dim cathedral;" 

 the "wild red raspberry" gives an additional touch to the picture; then 

 to have oflfered honey gathered from this source, honey with a "raspberry 

 flavor," there is conjured up a taste and a longing that can be satisfied only 

 by actually tasting the honey. "A generous sample will be sent for only 

 ten cents ;" but before sending for a sample the prospective customer 

 would like to know the price and how the honey is put up for shipment ; 

 and this information is given in the advertisement. 



It may seem that undue importance is attached to this little adver- 

 tisement, but it must be borne in mind that this is the foundation of the 

 whole scheme. Once a reader's interest is sufficiently aroused to lead him 

 to send ten cents for a sample, the right kind of after-management will 

 often lead to a sale. 



GETTING PAY FOR SAMPLES. 



^y the way, the first two years that we were trying to build up a 

 mail-order trade in honey we offered to send samples free ; but this is a 

 great country when things are "free," and we probably gave away hun- 

 dreds of samples to people who had no intention whatever of buying. 

 Last year we asked ten cents for a sample, which just about covers the 

 cost, but offered to allow the ten cents to apply on the first order. Each 

 sample sent out was accompanied by a slip printed like this : 



This slip is good for ten cents in payment for 

 lioney ordered of 



W. Z. HUTCHINSON, Flint, Micii. 



This, too, may seem like a small point ; but the spirit of fairness and 

 generosity thus betokened arouses in the prospective customer a feeling 

 of friendship, or good will ; makes him feel like saying, "That's the kind 

 of man I like to patronize," and it may even be the turning-point that 

 brings the order. 



NEW CUSTOMERS MUST BE EDUCATED. 



It must be remembered that the majority of the readers of the Sat- 

 urday Evening Post, the public in general, know very little about bees 

 or honey. Outside of the bee-keeping ranks, probably not more than one 



