The Illinois Free Trader And Lasalle County Commercial Advertiser

Advertising:

A friend remarked the other day to us that "a business that is not worth advertising is not worth doing." There is much truth in the remark, but a truth that does not seem to be appreciated by most of our business men. It is left for us editorially to tell the public that business is done in this city, instead of giving the information through our advertising columns. Many men think to cease advertising is economy--that it reduces expenses--that if they have but little business to do it is not worth advertising, if they do a great deal there is no use of advertising. Is advertising less useful than insuring? Is it less useful than a sign? Is it less essential to a good business than a good business stand? We think not. A man does not buy his goods to keep them on hand. If he did, it might be well to insure without advertising. Again--advertising is like a traveling sign. No business man will hesitate to pay twenty dollars for a sign, where he will never think of paying half the sum for advertising. The one is a sign seen only by those who pass the store, and can see the goods that are for sale as well as a sign. The advertisement is a comprehensive sign that comes under the eyes of hundreds who would never see the sign over the door. Yet some pretend to argue that because some men have done a good business without advertising, advertising is unnecessary. They might as well argue that because some men have made money without industry, industry is unnecessary.

There is another light in which it appears incumbent on men to advertise. It is the duty of a people to afford the publishers of papers a competent support, so long as they desire to have them. Those citizens most interested in the business of a place dislike to be without a newspaper. They are either a public blessing or a curse. If the latter abandon them, if not, give them such patronage as will draw from them the greatest amount of utility.--(Exchange Paper.)