XIX.CLINCHING AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY SALES BY MOTION PICTURES
The manufacturer of heavy agricultural machinery and merchandise of an intricate nature is placed considerably at a disadvantage, yet, by enlisting the aid of the versatile motion picture, he can greatly improve his selling tactics.
The idea of the salesman being burdened with such cumbersome things is, naturally, not to be thought of, so his abilities are confined to selling talk, aided by the literature of the publicity man. However convincingly these may be presented, the one clinching argument is conspicuous by its absence.
Almost every prospective customer, like the man from Missouri, wants to be shown, and when his desire can not easilybe gratified, his business is often lost. It is usual in these cases for a firm to pay his traveling expenses to visit the plant, but if this is done, very frequently it is a mighty expensive way and takes the profit off the deal. The buyer, on the other hand, may not be able to spare the time for the trip.
But with a film, all doubt on the subject is scattered to the wind. The salesman carries a miniature projection machine, which is quite inexpensive, in a natty case. And when he wishes to demonstrate before the farmer, the blinds in a room are pulled down and a socket fixed to the electric light; if this is not available, he uses acetylene. A table-cloth is borrowed and tacked to the wall. He then turns the handle, and as the possibilities of the machine are unfolded on the screen, the salesman explains thoroughly all the difficult points. All the time the farmer is comfortably seatedin a chair and is favorably impressed.
One firm I know went one better with the producing of their film. They arranged to have it taken on a farm where one of their machines was at work, and filmed the laborers using the implement in actual practice.
Both the Holt Caterpillar Company and the M. Rumely Company have successfully employed the motion picture to set forth the merits of their farm machinery.
Another effective plan has been to arrange a special show with the local movie exhibitor when the farmers come to town. Each farmer in the neighborhood was sent invitations, inviting himself, wife and children to attend an exhibition of select photoplays free. They were entertained with several dramas and comedies, but the star turn was the advertising film of the enterprising firm. This sank in to the right audience in areceptive mood. The exhibition of the picture to a number of the farmers at the same time saved much of the salesman’s time and trouble, and clinched a whole lot more business in the bargain.
There are times when certain experiments have to be made with intricate articles. The dynamite made by the Du Pont Company, who advocated the use of same to farmers, is a case in point. Tests were given in stump blasting, deep plowing, tree planting, ditching, etc., and effectively shown to farmers at institutes, land shows, State and county fairs, and on other suitable occasions. In all, over one hundred copies of the same film were shown at the same time in rural communities throughout the country. And what is more in favor of the method is that the demonstrations were given on winter evenings, when the farmer had his liberty and no outdoor tests could be held, owing to the average weather conditions. Normust it be overlooked that the extra expense of this form of publicity was gotten back in the saving of the dynamite which would have been necessary in each actual test. There was also no fear of failure.
At those times when the farmers attend important functions on business bent it is customary to erect machinery and rent a large amount of space for same. The demonstrations are cramped and can never be so thorough in scope as were a special cinema show to be erected and demonstrations given at stated intervals by means of a film. This would be a good investment, which I can vouch for by the success that has attended the plan at various expositions held at the Grand Central Palace, New York.
On first thoughts, the idea of erecting a private motion-picture theater in your office building may appeal to you as an unnecessary expense, but an agriculturalmachinery concern in Hull, England, has such a place in which to show its implements to prospective purchasers. On the whole, it is rather a bore and unpleasant having to take the prospect through your plant, and everything is in favor of the short-cut method. Perhaps a prospective client will request even to be shown the machinery in actual use, and a lot of inconvenience is saved in not having to trouble already satisfied customers. This is only of importance when the film is produced, after which it is good for all time.