of the city. This is to aid the one salesman first started in routing his cards, in order to save time in making calls. Thus, white cards signify North, blue cards South, and so on. Upon the card is written the prospective customer's name and street address, while spaces are left for insertion of the buyer's name and for dates of calls, quotations and sales. Planning the Day's Work.-Each morning the salesman picks out and routs in regular order about twenty or thirty cards, laying out his day's work so as to avoid doubling back and forth over a certain territory. These cards the salesman takes in his pocket, and as he makes his calls, he makes notation of details regarding them. In the evening these cards are filed back in the cabinet, with date tab moved to show approximate date of next call. When found desirable to strike a name from the calling list, the card therefor is filed alphabetically in the back part of the cabinet, with the necessary notations. CORRESPONDENCE A simple plan aiding the busy correspondent is given by J. T. Mills. Arrangement of File.-When arranging a correspondence file, care should be taken that not only must the letters be filed in such a manner as to be easily accessible, but that their contents be recorded so that whatever correspondence has already passed, concerning any subject which may be brought up, may be quickly brought to mind. The following system may be adapted, however, with few alterations, to meet the requirements of any business house. Use of the Card Record.-A card record is kept of all letters received and written. These cards are filed alphabetically, according to the name of the correspondent. The form of the card shown in the illustration (Figure I) is about three by five inches. At the top is entered the name and address of the correspondent, and a file number is assigned to it. Under "Date" is written the day on which the correspondence is received, and under "Subject" is noted the gist of the letter. If a letter is sent to any other place than the file proper, its destination is noted under "Disposition." All letters received are entered in black ink, while those sent out are entered in red. The object of this is apparent, as otherwise it would be necessary to have a card double the size of the present one to accommodate the extra columns required. Future Attention.-If the correspondence requires attention at a future date a small metal pointer or clip is placed over that particular date. As the pointers for any particular day are all in a row on the top of the file, the cards bearing them are easily withdrawn. Thus a double file is made; the cards themselves are arranged alphabetically and also according to date. This is especially convenient where a "follow-up" system is required. When the matter which requires attention has been attended to, but requires further correspondence, the pointer is moved along to such date as desired. In this way attention is called to the card, automatically, at the proper time. Filing of Letters.-The letters themselves are filed in open-topped drawers or boxes. Each correspondent is assigned a file number and his letters are placed in a large manila envelope and the several envelopes are filed numerically. Advantages. The advantages claimed for this sys tem are: First, when an inquiry or advice is received from a certain party, the correspondent may tell, by consulting his card, just what and when he wrote and what disposition was made of the letter. If it was placed in the regular file, the file number is given to the file boy and the complete correspondence is at hand. Second, all letters which require attention are automatically brought to notice each day by the pointers, which saves the time of looking over the cards each day. Third, a brief history of the previous correspondence is condensed into a small space, thus obviating the necessity of reading through all previous letters before the correspondent can "get his bearings." ADVERTISING The general principles of advertising have already been treated in a preceding article. Following is given by Arthur H. Vandenberg, a description of a method of placing advertising and of recording results which may be used to advantage by the wholesale and retail dealer alike. Appropriations for Advertising.—Advertising appropriations run the entire gamut of expenditure, from $50 a year to $500,000 and more. They are framed by establishments with backing of millions and by the dealer renting deskroom on a side street. They often repre sent an expenditure in excess of the yearly cost of actual production and are always a dominating figure in the annual budget. The conclusion, then, is inevitable that advertising appropriations and advertising space should be just as diligently studied, just as carefully regulated, just as thoroughly systematized as any other branch of the modern business machine. Because of the comparative infancy of the "buying-by-mail" era in commercialism and because of the surprising indifference which often exists in the expenditure of an advertising appropriation, there is wide opportunity for “leakage" in the advertising department unless system is vigorously applied. The office manager or the advertising man can reduce the details of his task of keeping tab on the advertising appropriation to a minimum by observing a simple card and loose-leaf reference system. Form of Reference Book.-There should be a looseleaf reference book, similar to that illustrated in Figure I and in Figure II. This is a preliminary essential unless complete dependence is to be placed on the figures given out by advertising solicitors and agencies. This is to be a book of ready reference, always up to date. At a glance the buyer of space may tell the circulation of a medium, the advertising rates, the size of page and dates of issue, and the character of circulation. Every card tells its own story. Rates and Price Schedule.-In considering rates, the schedule of prices on space is no criterion. One magazine may sell a page for $10 and another may charge $1,000. Yet the $1,000 page may be the more economical because it reaches more people, is read by more prospects than the $10 page. Size and Price Schedule.-Again, the size of the page must be considered. A page with ten inches for $100 is more expensive than a page with twenty inches for $150, although both have the same approximate cir culation. The only common ground for comparison, therefore, is the rate a thousand circulation per inch of space. With all scheduled prices reduced to this basis, an impartial and reliable comparison may be made at a glance. The reference card, therefore, gives, above all else, the rate a thousand circulation an inch of space for every medium under consideration. SIZE PAGE 6 × 10 CHARACTER WIDTH COL 3 in RATES: PAGE: $160 76 1. P. P. / P. P PER INCH: DATE OF ISSUE 60 30 20th Giculates in Mielugan, Iowa, Indiana Selection of a Medium.-The advertiser may desire to cover some particular field. He may be aided in his choice of mediums by the loose-leaf reference, which suggests at a glance the character of the circulation |