Bulletin, January 1920

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THE GOLDEN AGE

SALES DEPARTMENT

(Directors;

JANUARY I„ 1920

SPREADING THE TRUTH

THE interest of the people in the kingdom is increasing, and to stimulate interest in The Golden Age opportunities should bo encouraged for public meetings. Topics on the distress of times, spiritualism, and higher criti

Reap the Results of a Thorough Canvass

The efforts of workers cannot be measured by the number of subscriptions taken, but by the result of their calls. Endeavor to keep before the workers the necessity of leaving everywhere Ilie message of the coming Kingdom. Whether a subscription is taken or not, the people should know the object and mission of the worker who calls. The time for truthspreading should reach its climax when distress and trouble is prevalent. The Scriptures indicate that at the time of Babylon's collapse, the ministers having failed, the pimple will turn to someone for truth. The canvass for Tire Golden Age tells the people

Proclaiming

Distress of nations with iierplexity is on the increase: it is anticipated that 1920 will not solve any problems, but, on the contrary, increase this distress. Seasons of distress will be specially, felt, by the common people, who really need the. message; and they will have to manifest their want by denying themselves to obtain it. Until then the magazine may seem- to be lieyond the reach of some of the working class. The subscription list will not leap forward in great bounds until everybody knows of the message and realizes that they need it. To let them know where to get it. when they want it is in

Circulars and Mail Advertising

More is to be accomplished by each worker devoting spare time to personal solicitation, rather than to mail circularization. The object outlined in the previous paragraphs of this cism. etc., should be discussed: at the end of. Hie meeting announcement of The Golden Age : i-add he made, according to the outline given in the November .1 Watch Towkk. These methods are .successful in spreading the truth.

What organization holds the truth, and is disseminating the message; to this organization they should come for truth; little can be had from the preachers, as the creeds of the churches are but the wisdom and philosophy of man. which evidently has utterly failed. The thoroughness with which this first, canvass is undertaken and accomplished will manifest itself in subsequent canvasses in the shape of Some are early in seeking for something better. But most people require more experience to see that the present: order holds nothing for them.

the Message the Factor

part the present work. Without a doubt, the release of certain literature for general circulation will increase the demand, but until the Lord sees fit to do this the workers should be encouraged to go about announcing the message, even though their efforts are not blessed with great results in subscriptions.

From the excerpts of letters in the Workers’ Bulletins It is plain that The Golden Age is the right work at the right time. But some sort of preliminary work of announcement is necessary. The present growth measures up to proper expectations.

Bulletin cannot lie accomplished by mail circularization, for few people will read the letters. For the present all time and attention should be devoted to canvassing.

Reports: Send in the weekly Card Report whether any work has been done or not.

Send Subscriptions the Same Day

We ask workers to send in their subscriptions, as ouilined in Ilie Golden Age Booklet; the, same day they take the subscription it should be seal io this ullice. The duplicate should he sent to The Assistant Director and rhe remittance handed io the Director at the eml of the week. The objection That is most often advanced is that this procedure will result in many errors in i lie statement ami the account, 'fills, to our minds, is incotise<|tienl ia! when compared with a subscriber dissatisfied from not getting his copies on time. We have carefully gone over sill complainis that have been received at this office, —lime thiit should have been devoted to getting other names on the list—only to find that the subscription was properly entered. In less than two per cent of rhe complaints received the subscription had not been received—due in most eases to the delay of the worker or the Director in forwarding the subscriptions the day they are taken. If the subscription is held four or live days, it takes just I hot much longer to get the mime on The list before the people will be receiving their copy by mail. The best system, evolved in years of experience by the largest publishers requires three weeks’ time to get a name on the list. We aim lo give subscribers 1o Tin: Golden Aon this service; ami il can bo given if the instructions are followed. We believe that the workers are sufficienrly interested in each subscription io see that the name is sent in written plainly and legibly; mid then it can lie promptly added to the list. Always send the subscript ion the same day it is taken.

Advertisements and Circulars

We have made a ruling which appears on all assignment sheets, anti which has been announced in Ute Bulletin, namely: Under no circumstances will tins office sanction the insertion of local advertisements, leaflets, or other printed mailer in sample copies of The Golden Age for distribution. In the past the cause we love 1ms suffered because of the indiscretion of some In this direction, and we urge till that there be no deviation from our policy in this regard. If an emergency, arises that seems to call for a violation of our policy in this, please take the matter up with us before taking any action. This ruling should be interpreted as meaning all and any circulars, whether the circulars tire merely excerpts of matter that appeared in The Golden Age or not. If the people read what is In The Golden Age they will have enough to occupy I heir attention for some time, mid it is obvious that if they read some long circular that a Director feels should be inserted they are going to overlook more important items that are contained in the magazine. The magazine thus far has spoken for itself, and does not need some additional printed matter to speak for It.

As to the sale of sample copies, some of the friends have made a proposition of this sort to people who claim that they like the magazine, but are unable to subscribe for it. They stiy they will arrange to deliver a copy of the magazine every other week at ten cents a copy, this to be paid for at the time of delivery. We see Rio objection to this, and the workers can be granted the commission of three cents on each sample thus placed, remitting to this office nt the rate of seven cents each.

Second Class Express

Samples will be forwarded each time by express prepaid. As publishers of the magazine we are accorded a lower rate than could be had by the consignee. Hence, in order to give the classes the advantage of this rate, we are forwarding all shipments prepaid. In fact, no shipment will be forwarded as second-class matter unless it is prepaid; and any local agent who says that the charges are not enough on the shipment and that they were forwarded at a rate not accorded by the express company should refer to his tariff regulations on the shipment of newspapers, magazines and other periodicals. Agents in the smaller towns receive so few shipments of this kind they consequently are not aware of the company rules. The charges should not be figured on first-class rates, but rather on what is known as the pound rate.

Concerning Samples

We are aiming to ship the sample copies so as to Ite in the hands of the Director the day before the date of the issue. Should express service become more efficient, or, on the other hand, should a mistake he made in forwarding some shipments so as to reach your hands two or three days before the date of the issue, these are 1101 released for distribution until Tuesday of every week. the magazine being dated every other Wednesday. We ask strict compliance with tiiis rule.

As respects the distribution of sample copies: Directors should so gauge the distribution of sample copies that all samples will be distributed just prior to the time the next issue is to be received, and these samples should not be collected at the time of making the second call, but should lie left in the hands of the reader. Directors can gauge on this basis, the distribution of sample copies so that there will not be a surplus stock of old samples on hand, but that they can be in the hands of some who, if they have not read them thus far, will read them later.

Some Directors find that it is advantageous not to mention that they fire going to make a back call. Thus the worker Ims a better opportunity to see the people later. In a number of instances the people, not wishing to be bothered further, put the sample back in the mail box. or lay it on the porch, or tie it to the door knob, so that the canvasser can get it when he calls the next day, as promised. This, of course, defeats the object of the canvass; for the object is to see the people after they have bad the opportunity of examining it, and find out their complaints or criticisms, overcome their objections, and witness the truth.

General Items

Inquiries are received regarding six months and three months subscriptions. Six months subscriptions are accepted, though the workers should be encouraged to canvass for yearly suitscriptions, and only accept the six months subscriptions when they come as the suggestion of the persons being canvassed. Until we can get all of the names entered and the work properly in hand we deem it advisable not to recommend three months suitscriptions.

In reporting distribution of samples of The Golden Age, the calls should Ite reported as .Samples Distributed. For instance, the information called for under Samples Distributed. Total This Week, should indicate the "total number of calls where sample copies were left, whether this same sample had been left at some other home previously or not. The information particularly wanted is. the number of Imines visited by the workers in which sample copies were placed. We hope to get this information in every case.

We do not supply self-addressed envelopes. A number of the large classes have purchased stamped envelopes from the Post Office and had The Golden Are address printed thereon. These are supplied to the workers so that they can mail in the subscriptions at the end of each day’s work.

When writing this office see that your mime and address, as well as the name and address of the News Bureau, Is on each communication, preferably at the head. We have received a number of letters with no indication as to their origin. Also do not mix orders for Watch Toweb publications with subscriptions.. All orders for stock should be sent to the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, and all orders for The Golden Age should be sent to The Golden Age.

Golden Age advertising slides for use in moving picture theaters can be had.at 35e each.

The People s Reasons

The Director who is getting reports from the workers as to the sentiment of the people In his territory reports the following out of 75 calls. Reasons for subscribing: 2 admiration of Pastor

Don’t Change the Method

It. comes to our attention that a number of Directors have instructed their workers to proceed differently from the instructions contained in our letter of organization, telling the workers Russell; 7 sympathy for the I. B. S.A.; 1 first hearing of the Truth. Reasons for not subscribing: 45 not interested; 8 no funds; 1 high cost of living; 11 too many magazines.

that subscriptions should be handed to them or to the Assistant Director, who, in turn, will forward them to this office. Please do not change the method.

They Suffered for Principle

Emphasis of the International Bible Students Association as the one religious organization who suffered persecution during the World War should be the trend of all canvasses. As heretofore stated this fact should not be hid but rather used as a talking point. The mention of this means to thinking people that this organization apparently is not in sympathy with the denominations, which met with no such experiences ; and consequently it is more likely to be what is being looked for. Note the following extracts from recent letters received:

•‘By telling the people that the publishers of The Golden Age were sent to prison for twenty years, I have better success so far.”................O.

“This being the first time I ever tried canvassing, yon can see why they come slow. Each

subscription? I have taken has been from those who asked me if it was published by the followers of Pastor Bussell, and they ail seemed anxious to subscribe,”...................... .IT. I a.

“One nmn was not inclined to subscribe, but when he was told that the men who are editing The Golden Age are some of those who were sentenced to Atlanta for putting out The Finished Mystery, he subscribed at once.”........AT. 1’.

“Quite a few connect this work with that of our beloved Pastor. People everywhere are down on the preachers; we have had some real bad ones here. Have found much sympathy for our brethren and some bitter opposition from Catholics.” ....... O.

60,000 Subscribers

The Golden Age subscription list totals over 00,000. With the fresh hopes and the clear vision that each one has at the beginning of the year, it is to be expected that subscriptions will be forthcoming more readily, especially after the close of the holidays.

When mailing issue

No. 7 the subscriptions were divided amongst the States as follows:

Alabama

Arizona......

Arkansas

California

Colorado ......

Connecutlcut

Delaware

District of Columbia-433

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana ....

Iowa

Kansas _______,

Kentucky

Louisiana ....... ...252

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana ..........

Nebraska

Nevada ...

New Hampshire

New Jersey __________....1,160

New Mexico

New York ...

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota .....

Tennessee ..

Texas .....

Utah

Vermont ...................... S

Virginia .....

Washington ....

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming .

Foreign

Canada ...

MAY 1920 hold many rich blessings for you as well as many opportunities of witnessing for the Truth and making known the riches of our Heavenly Father’s provisions for the world of mankind.

By His Grace

Your brethren and fellowservants in the Lord