Part 9

Give him a small reproduction or print of the poster itself.

Furnish him, wherever practicable, with small posters or hanger of the same design for store work.

Urge him to secure window displays from the dealer to remain during the life of the posting.

Give him a check list for each of his towns and insist upon him personally inspecting the showing.

Suggest his getting acquainted with the local bill-poster, with the idea that the personal equation almost invariably insures better service. It is but human to do your best for those you know.

Many an advertiser has killed a thousand dollar space with a twenty dollar sketch.

General Hints to the Poster Advertiser

Don’t try to be funny in your advertisements. If you’re that good, you can make more money in the Bill Nye business.

Owing to the fact that posting is exposed to the elements, extra paper should be sent with your regular shipment to replace damaged posters. 20% extra is the usual allotment for renewal paper.

A bill-poster’s month is four weeks, rather than a full calendar month; a bill-poster’s year is, therefore, forty-eight weeks.

A discount of 5% is allowed for a continuous showing of three months, and a 10% discount is allowed for a six months’ continuous contract.

The bill-boards are usually the most crowded during the summer months, from about April 15th to October 1st, not only because summer is the best time for the posting of national advertisers with few exceptions, but because of the great amount of circus and other show paper. You will frequently be disappointed in securing space during this period unless you contract for it in advance of showing. Thirty days is usually ample notice for all but the very largest cities, where it is well, in case you wish a showing to go up on a fixed date, to give sixty days’ notice.

Advertisers pay all carrying charges on posters.

If you have branch offices in various parts of the country, a goodly saving in carrying charges may be effected by shipping all paper for a certain territory by freight to your offices in that section of the country and have them re-ship the individual allotments by express. This suggestion will be especially valuable to Eastern advertisers shipping paper to the Pacific Coast, as individual freight shipments mean long delays.

Ask the bill-posters not to place your paper next to competitive paper.

Treat the bill-poster like a white man, see that his bills are paid promptly, and he in turn will show his appreciation by giving his most efficient service.

General Hints to the Bill-Poster

The buying public of to-day are pretty discriminating. When they ask for mushrooms they’re not going to stand for toadstools.

Use judgment in the placing of posters. Have them harmonize in color scheme, rather than clash. Do not place two posters of exactly the same color background alongside each other.

Do not place competitive products alongside each other. Give them separate locations, or, in the case of a long board, have them as far apart as possible.

Be liberal with your renewal paper. Aside from the fact that it is your duty to see that each poster is maintained in perfect condition the full contract time, the advertiser, especially the one who checks closely, will appreciate the service.

Instead of being afraid to “give something for nothing,” cover your old, dead paper with the left-over paper of some good, live, liberal bill-board advertiser. Then let him know, through his agent, that you have done so. Freshly papered boards are a good advertisement for your medium.

Don’t spoil a good effective poster by smearing paste all over the face of it. Put your paste on the back of the poster, and place it with a brush wet only in water, or, if you must use paste on the face of the paper, do so sparingly.

Don’t get into any wrangles with the local Civic Improvement Society, and have them writing all your advertisers to discontinue the use of your medium. You can find plenty of good locations without spoiling the landscape. A whiskey advertisement right next to a church is bound to rankle in the breasts of the congregation.

If you have a grudge against an official solicitor, don’t take it out on the innocent advertiser by giving him poor service. Write the advertiser telling him that the agent isn’t giving you proper treatment, and, if your claim is just and can be proven, ten to one he will rectify the trouble.

Don’t think that your obligation is fulfilled when the paper is placed. Try to work with the advertiser and encourage him to greater use of your medium by giving him information as to local conditions regarding the sale of his product, post the local dealers who would naturally be interested just when a certain product is being advertised, and endeavor to secure their co-operation in the way of window displays, etc., to connect the advertising with their stores.

Official Solicitors, Associated Bill-Posters and Distributors

These Official Solicitors to The Associated Bill-Posters and Distributors of the United States and Canada enjoy the protection of the Association rules and regulations in maintaining service for their clients. The Association requires that the solicitor be financially responsible, and through them you secure the same rights as though you placed the business directly with the bill-poster.