THE BENEFITS OF ADVERTISING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3426, 3 April 1879, Page 4

THE BENEFITS OF ADVERTISING.

(From the Bmdigo Independent, Feb. 28, 1879). How is it that Colonial tradesmen generally do bo little advertising as compared with their American brethren? In that wonderful country everyone advertises, not fitfully, but always ohanging, bo as to attract public attention. Here advertising is carried on in a half-hearted way, and advertisers enter into print occasionally, and withdraw quickly when the public have not seen the advertisement at all. Colonial advertisers fancy that if they advertise at intervals their end will be achieved. No mistake could bo greater. A casual trade , advertisement may be road, but if not repeated it is forgotten and lost Bight of altogether. The great and successful advertisers of the world always persist, if the expression may he used in advertising. An authority on this subj ect haß remarked that, as a rule, the first time an advertisement is read no interest is taken in it ; the second time the reader doubts it ; the third time he wonders whether there is any truth in it ; the fourth time he begins to think that he will give it a trial ; the fifth time he determines to go and buy ; and tho sixth time he goes and buys at once. Lord Macaulay (or Borne other celebrity) thoroughly understood things when he said " what steam is to the locomotive, advertising is to business — tho motive power." The foregoing remarks remind mo that wo have but few great advertisers in Victoria, and just to encourage the timid to advertise I will give some particulars about our greatest advertiser, Dr L. L. Smith. Doctors nave an idea that it is nob the thing to advertise, but that has never troubled the bold medico of Collina-stroet, his argument being that if a man has wares or knowledge to sell, he should not hesitate to advertise, and his pluck has been amply rewarded. Dr Smith, who was a Btudent at the groat Ecole de Medicine, in Paris, at the time of the Revolution in 1848, in which he took a part, and who practised in London (his father being the celebrated Mr E. T. Smith, the theatrioal manager), came to Victoria and started business in Melbourne, at once going into advertising on a large scale, and at the present time he advertises in nearly every paper in Australasia, spending about £10,000 a year in advertising, which outlay is returned with bounteous interest. It would be difficult to believe the enormous business done by Dr Smith through advertising if I had not myself seen sufficient to üßsure me of it. He has to devote every afternoon to opening letters received from all partß, and asking advice on almost every known ailmont. The replies aro dicLited to his confidential clerks, who dispatch them. Telegrams aro received from places like Cooktown and Perth, and prescriptions are sent by telegram within ten minutes of the receipt. I saw letters from Texas j one of those was from a person wanted to grow fat ! Dr Smith's income is immense, as indeed it must be, considering the money he Bpends in business, and in sporting, agriculture, politics, &o. He attributes his groat success to advertising alone, combined with the necessary knowledge and ability. I have thus given an idea of Dr Smith's practice, and to all others who hare wares or knowledge to sell I would say, " Go thou and do likewise."

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