ADVERTISING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 150, 3 May 1879, Page 2

ADVERTISING.

(From the Bendigo Independent.) How is it that Colonial tradesmen generally do so little advertising as compared with their American brethren!. 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. 5 A casual trade advertisement may be read, but if not repeated it is forgotten and lost sight of altogether, Tho great and successful advertisers of the world always persist, if tho expression maybe used, in advertising. An authority on this subject, has remarked that, as a rule, the first time an advertisement is road no interest is taken in it; the second time tho reader doubts it; the third lie wonders whether there is any truth in it; the fourth time he begins to think that he will give it a trial; tho fifth time he determines to go and buy; and the sixth time he goes and buys at once. Lord Macaulay (or some other celebrity) thoroughly understood things when lie said that " what steam is to the locomotive, advertising is to business—the motive power." The foregoing remarks remind me that we have but few great advertisers in Victoria, and just to encourage the timid to advertise I will give some particulars about our greatest advertiser in Victoria, Dr L. L, Smith. Doctors have an idea that it is not the thing to advertise, but that lias never troubled the bold medico of Collinsstreet, 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 student at tho great Ecole do Medicine in Paris, at tho 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 theatrical manager), came to Victoria, and started business in Melbourne, at once going into advertising on a large scale, and at tho present time he advertises in nearly every paper in Australasia,spending about £IO,OOO 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 seen sufficient to assure me of it. Ho has to devote every afternoon to opening letters received from all parts, and asking advice on almost every known ailment. Tho replies are dictated to his confidential clerks, who despatch themTelegrams are received from places like Cooktown and Perth, and prescriptions are sent by telegraph 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 bo, considering the money he spends in business, and in sporting, agriculture, politics, etc. 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 sell I would say, "Go thou and do likewise."