Page 219 - One Thousand Ways to Make $1000

mailing list alive by adding steadily to the list of prospective customers. One
of the best sources for obtaining names of desirable prospective customers—
the store’s own salespeople—has been overlooked or ignored by a majority
of merchants.

Contest for Increasing a Store’s List

By making the listing of possible new customers a game among their
salespeople, the Tully-Abbott Company almost doubled the store’s list within
two weeks and impressed employees with the value of the names to the
establishment. The contest also had a beneficial effect since its termination,
all of the clerks continuing to turn in names to be added to the store’s mailing
list.

The contest was announced through a bulletin addressed to employees by the
management. It was to run for two weeks. Employees were provided with
special forms and asked to submit the names of people which they did not
believe to be on the store’s books or records at the time. It was expressly
stated that “good names” were those who, because of some quality of
standing, wealth, or social position, might be desirable prospects to buy
merchandise of the establishment.

Three prizes were awarded. The employee submitting the greatest number of
“accepted” names was given a $25 certificate entitling him or her to select
merchandise of that value as a reward. The employee turning in the next
greatest number was presented with a $10 certificate and the one contributing
the third greatest number was rewarded with a $5.00 certificate.

To guard against employees turning in names of no value as prospects, one of
the questions included on the form was, “Why do you feel this person is a
desirable prospective customer?” A number of names were thrown out
because the persons listed were unemployed or had no satisfactory business
or family connections. Other names discarded included those already on the
books or submitted during the contest by some other employee. Each entry
declined for contest credit was turned back to the employee who submitted it
with the reason for its refusal clearly stated.