THE WAY TO SUCCEED.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3223, 18 June 1879, Page 3

THE WAY TO SUCCEED.

How is it that colonial tradesmen genorally do so little advertising as compared with their American brethren P In that wonderful country everyone advertises, not fitfully, but always changing, so 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 be greater. A casual trade advertisement may be read,; but if not repeated it is forgotten and lost sight of altogether. The great and successful advertisers of the world always persist, if the expression may be used, in> advertising. An authority on this subject

has 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'-if A'trial; the fifth time he determines to go and buy; and the sixth time he goes and bnys at once. Lord Maoaulay (or some other celebrity) thoroughly understood things when he said that " what steam is to the locomotive, advertising is to bnsiness—the motive power.' 1 The foregoing remarks remind me that we have but few great advertisers in Victoria, and just to encourage the

timid to advertise I will giro some parti""""imUmi about our greatest advertiser, Dr L. L. Smith. Doctors bars an idea that it is not the thing to advertise^ bat that has never troubled,' the bold medico of Collins street, tis argument being that if • 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 student at the great Kcole de Medicine, id Paris, at the time

of the Revolution in 1848, in which he took a part, and who practised in London (liii father' bein,?^^ the.celebrated Mr E. T. sonHh,?.-thp theatrical mannger), came to Victoria and started business in» Mcl« bourne, at once poing into advertising on a largs scale, and at the present time he advertises in nearly every paper in Anstralasia, 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 throo^h advertising if I had not myself seen sufficient to assure me of it. He has to devote s every afternoon to opening letters received from all parts, and asking advice on almost every known ail* ment. The; replies .are dictated to his confidential clerks, who despatch them. Telegrams are received from places like Cooktown and Perth, and prescriptions are sent by telegrams within ten minutes of the receipt. I saw letters from Texas ; one of these was from a person who wanted to grow fat! Dr Smith's income is immense, as indeed it must be, conliderioK the money he spends in business, and in sporting, agriculture, politics, &c. He attributes his great 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 have wares or knowledge to. •ell I would say, " Go thon and do likewise."—Bendigolndependent.