Sales tips from 1918

A collection of 1918 issues of The Sounding Board Salesman, the Gibson in-house magazine for salesmen, paints a picture of an aggressive company--one that provides salesmen with not only the tools to sell Gibsons but also with the inspiration to become "a god of riches."

One sales tip came from Dennis Hartnett of New York, who like most of Gibson's sales force was a teacher as well as an "agent." Hartnett would have won the Gibson sales contest but he failed to enter. Walter Boehm of Buffalo, a prominent performer and Gibson stockholder, and Lewis Williams, Gibson's general manager, chided Hartnett in print for not entering.

In his reply, Hartnett revealed the secret of his sales. He did not advertise instruments for sale. Instead, he advertised his teaching method, with a money-back guarantee. Gibsons were mentioned only incidentally as an enhancement to the lessons, but if Hartnett could sign up a student for lessons, the sale of a Gibson was all but automatic.

A few pages later, Gibson offered another sales tip: Buy a car. One agent wrote in that her town had a glut of music teachers, but a 15-mile drive put her in a location where she had all the students she could handle. A hand-drawn illustration accompanied this article, but a few months later, with the same family-album spirit that Gibson showed in publishing photographs of groups playing Gibsons, the company published a photo of Gibson agent W.P. Gisleson of Charles City, Iowa, with his car.

In the August issue, Gibson found a way to help out salesmen and at the same time make use of scrap instruments. It was called a "demonstration Gibson," and it was half a mandolin, sawed lengthwise to reveal the inner construction. (These were the days before Gibson put a metal adjustable truss rod in every neck.) It was the perfect tool to win over "Missouri prospects"--i.e. those who need to be shown the advantages of Gibson.

The biggest sales tool of all was announced on the cover of the April issue--the new Catalog K. Tops on a long list of features were new finishes--illustrated for the first time in color. The lower models sported the "rich" Sheraton brown. Old Ivory was introduced as standard on the A-3 mandolin and available on the H-2 mandola, K-2 mandocello and L-3 guitar by special order for a $5 upcharge. The beautiful Mahogany Sunburst continued. The golden orange finish--"pumpkin" to collectors--was discontinued.

One of the less-publicized features was a price increase, the impact of which was dissipated somewhat by new, relaxed terms for installment purchases.

The catalog was shipped just before the annual meeting of the American Guild of Banjoists, Madolinists and Guitarists, held that year in Philadelphia. The timing was no coincidence. Gibson was an active supporter of the Guild, and to pump up attendance, Gibson reprinted a piece from the previous year, written by the master of floral prose, L.A. Williams. Williams' authorship was obvious before the headline was even finished: "Plan Now for the Next Convention, For you can never make anyone pay you more until that more you are and have to offer."

The first sentence of the article showed the passion with which Williams had filled Gibson catalogs: "He came from instruction-book-mumble to exchange a flash-of-lightning faith for constant daylight."

Williams was describing a first-time conventioneer, who could count on "hearing close-up for the first time purity of tone new to him... seeing grace and ease of technique that to him had not existed... phrasing, new methods of position of attack, with their consequent new tonal effects"

This person was once secure in being the dominant teacher in his town, Williams said, but now, after the Guild convention experience, he would be "experiencing in himself the growth-pains of genius as he realizes his abilities are below his now new-visioned ambition."

Returning home, "He is now a god of riches, for he has become riches."

"Oh Teacher, that's what the Guild has done for many!"

After such an inspiring sermon, who could resist Williams' closing invitation: "Let us shake hands with you at the Philadelphia convention."

Next month: The Sound Board Salesman introduces the Gibson banjo and helps with the war effort (World War I).