67. The real Corset Artists are few in number. A thorough knowledge of the corset business and a wide experience in meeting many ladies who have long been handling the corset trade behind the counter or by direct solicitation, convinces us there are less than one hundred real corset artists in the United States outside of The Spirella Company's Corsetieres. If you will investigate the various stores in your town where corsets are sold outside of a few of the larger cities you will seldom find a corset artist, or one who knows even the mere rudimentary principles of corset fitting behind the corset counter. In the majority of cases the saleswoman handling the corset department knows little or nothing of the adaptability of the Line in her possession; if you will investigate you will find that the average dry goods store carries the smallest number of styles possible. Seldom will you find a line in the ordinary dry goods store containing as many as twelve different models. The small merchant, not appreciating the artistic side of the corset business, looks at it only from the investment side and tries to satisfy his trade with the smallest variety and the least investment; therefore, he puts in corsets which the manufacturer claims are adapted to the average figure. In other wards, the manufacturer, in endeavoring to meet the demands of the retail merchant for a general all-around type of corset, too often destroys all trace of corset individuality in his line.
68. Corsets constructed to meet this demand of the retail merchants from the opportunity for Special or Custom work, make it impossible to do correct fitting regardless of how skillful in her art the saleswoman may be. It is not surprising, therefore, that women have so much difficulty in finding a corset that is satisfactory and that we find so few women well corseted. A dressmaker can never supply in her gowns the lack of graceful harmonious lines in the corset. A dressmaker is not supposed to be and in very rare cases is, a good corset artist. She may know that the corset is bad, and the lines very poor, but she rarely has the ability to help you out. If she has the knowledge and ability to do so, the stock of standard corsets in the local retail store is not of sufficient variety to enable her to select one to suit the figure of her customer. It is not necessary for us to go into detail further in this matter to arouse in you the appreciation of the fact that you have one of the greatest opportunities open to women to build up a permanent business and one which will be deeply appreciated by the women of your town.
69. THE SPIRELLA BUSINESS IS PERMANENT if you will obtain a thorough knowledge of our styles and appreciation of the opportunities at hand. If you are conscientious in selecting the right corset for each customer you will make each and every lady you sell to a permanent customer. You will make every customer a talking advertisement for your business, for when women find something that just suits them in wearing apparel, such as shoes and corsets, they tell their friends about it. The most effective advertising is to give your customer complete satisfaction. A business built on this foundation must become permanent;
"TO DREAM GREAT THINGS AND NEGLECT SMALL THINGS MEANS DOING NOTHING."
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