Verhovayak Lapja, 1945 (28. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)
1945 / Verhovay Journal
Page 4 Verhovay Journal Journal of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Ass’n OFFICE OF PUBLICATION 8502 West Jefferson Ave. Detroit 17, Mich. PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY BY THE Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association Managing Editor: JOHN BENCZE Editor: COLOMAN REVESZ Editor’s Office: 345 FOURTH AVENUE ROOM 805 PITTSBURGH 22, PA. All articles and changes of address should be sent to the VERHOVAY FRATERNAL INSURANCE ASSOCIATION 345 FOURTH AVENUE, PITTSBURGH 22, PA. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: United States and Canada _____________________$1.00 a year Foreign Countries _____________________________$1.50 a year ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT: P. O. BOX 7, WOOLSEY STATION — LONG ISLAND CITY 5, N. Y. Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at Detroit, Michigan under the Act of March 3, 1879. FIRST MONTH OF MANAGERS' CONTEST BRINGS FAIR RESULTS We just passed into August and had a good opportunity to count the applications which were received during the month of July, the first month of the Managers’ Membership contest, The results are not excellent and the contest does not promise to end with a smashing success but, on the other hand, it will not be a failure either. That’s why we speak of “FAIR” results. Let’s get down to business. During the month of July we received 164 Juvenile and 169 Senior applications or a total of 333 applications. This isn’t too bad when compared with the results attained during the previous three months. Membership production amounted to 197 in April, 264 in May and 239 in June. July’s increase surpasses that of April by 61%, that of May by 24% and that of June by 40%. Total production during the three months preceding the contest amounted to 700 new members or a monthly average of 233. In July 333 applications were secured which is a round 100 above the monthly average. This means that new member production in July surpassed the average production of the three months preceding the contest by 42%. (Sometimes it’s fun to play with statistics!) YET, WE WON’T WHISTLE IN THE DARK! All this sounds quite encouraging but let’s not get too self-satisfied. On the basis of the first week’s returns we made a forecast of a minimum of 800 and maximum of 1000 new applications to be attained during the two months of the Managers’ Contest. Now that we are half-way through the contest, we may just as well drop the wishfully hoped-for number of 1000 and get back to the original estimate of 800 new members. We see that even there we are short by 67 applications. Yet, when making calculations as to the results which would justify the outlay of the amount invested in the prizes offered for this contest, we insisted that at least 800 applications must be forthcoming or else the Association will lose money, notwithstanding the fact that it may gain 200 members over and above the average monthly production. Naturally, the loss won’t get us into bankruptcy, but the fact still remains that the value of the prizes offered will exceed the gain represented by the difference between the average monthly increase and the one attained during the Contest. We don’t think that the majority of our readers is interested in how we arrive at this conclusion—the calculations are rather complicated—and so we will let it go at that hoping that the readers and especially the contestants will believe us. LET’S HAVE A LOOK AT THE PRIZES! The prizes offered to the TEN HIGHEST PRODUCERS are objects which are not only expensive but also hard to get. Try to buy an adding machine or a typewriter, not speaking of cigarette lighters. To be sure, lighters are on the market but, speaking from bitter experience, we find that the majority is as fickle as puppylove. They do light—especially at the time they are sold to the hopeful customer—but as soon as they are taken out into the open, they develop pyro-phobia relenting only occasionally under the influence of impatient operating and all sorts of unprintable numblings by the unhappy owner. Naturally, the goods we give away, is first class merchandise and guaranteed to light. (You don’t even have to use a match to light your lighter!) Then, too, there is a leather cigarette case, really a beautiful thing which, together with the leather wallet, is priced at 25 dollars. (The wallet will not be filled with banknotes, nor the cigarette case with cigarettes.) We realize that these are gifts of a rather sentimental character, for with taxes what they are, one doesn’t have much use for a wallet, not to speak of the cigarette case which will be of use to a winner only if he happens to be engaged to the girl across the cigarette counter. However, by the time the winner gets the prize, things may change what with having a new Secretary of Treasury and the slowly improving cigarette shortage. Going up the list, we see three typewriters on the schedule. Now, typewriters are an entirely different matter. True, there is a paper shortage but that will be over soon now that the Office of War Information will have to reduce its activities. And mind, these typewriters are not the kind you have to lug panting, sweating and aching, all over the place from the kitchen to the living room and back. They are PORTABLES .. those neat, handy things that we always wanted to own but alas! we can’t participate in the contest. As to their quality? They are UNDERWOODS! And nothing more need to be said. And the grand prize? An adding machine! A 75 dollar adding machine! Now, personally, we haven’t much use for an adding machine because there is nothing to add as far as our pockets are concerned. But no one can deny that it is a wonderful thing for a branch-manager to have. He doesn’t have to add anymore the long lines of figures on his monthly sheets while the children crawl over his (or her) shoulder and the radio blares, the telephone rings and the kids in the yard fight their own war against the Japs with dive-bombers and the rat-ta-ta-ta cf their imitation machine guns. Now don’t be afraid of the adding machine! There isn’t anyone who can’t operate it efficiently after a little practice. Its easy to operate, it helps you avoid mistakes and it will shorten the time you have to spend with your monthly reports. (That much more time you will have left for going after new members!) All this may tend to confuse the contestants as to the prizes that are going to be awarded to the ten highest producers and, therefore, the authentic list of prizes is herewith reprinted—for the last time. 1st award: a $75.00 adding machine. 2nd award: a $50.00 Underwood portable typewriter. 3rd award: a $50.00 Underwood portable typewriter. 4th award: a $50-00 Underwood portable typewriter. 5th award: a genuine leather wallet and a silver cigarette lighter for a total cost of $30.00. 6th award: a genuine leather wallet and a leather cigarette case, priced at $25.00. 7th award: a $15.00 silver cigarette lighter. 8th, 9th and 10th award: a $10.00 cigarette lighter. NO EFFORT IS WASTED! We fully realize the difficulties which our contestants have to face. Most of them work on a war-time schedule. They can’t spare as much time in going after new members as they could before the war. Most of our young men are away. That means that the market has been limited by the war. All this and more is understood. That’s one of the reasons why the awarding of prizes had not been made dependent upon a certain minimum which has to be attained to make a winner eligible for any of the prizes offered. In most contests rigorous rules are applied. Not even the highest producer can win a prize unless he secured at least a certain minimum number of new members. Such limitations have not been set at this time. We trusted and still trust that our branch-managers and organizers will prove worthy of the confidence in their loyalty and ability upon which the arrangements for this contest has been based. Of course, the question remains: how to go about it? There are so many managers who have not even tried because they feel that it’s no use, anyhow. Even greater is the number of managers who have tried, once or twice, to secure a new member and meeting refusal, gave it up as a bad job-Professional insurance agents agree that the writing of insurance depends on one and only one factor which they call “prospecting,” i. e. looking after prospects. They visit their friends, acquaintances and even make a great number of “cold-calls”—as visits to unknown people are called. It was found out by expert underwriters that the law of averages never fails in insurance business. With that they mean that an agent will write a new policy on one out of 5 to 7 calls. The organizer, or manager, of a fraternal organization can apply the same law of averages to his task. Sit down and gb over the list of the people you know and in whose family you know some non-members, too. Narrow down the list to the names of those who may be prospective members. If you have 14 names, start calling. If you have not secured at least 2 new members after 14 calls—then let us know. For the law of averages was never known to fail in this business. Naturally, a contestant may get discouraged by the refusal of two or three of his prospects. But if he gives up the job at that point, he doesn’t give the law of averages a chance to operate in his favor. We urge all managers who, up to now, have not made Verhovay Journal ________________________________ August 8, 1945 it their business to participate in the contest, to start working. Remember—the name of every contestant will be published in the Journal. Thereby, recognition will be given to all who have accepted the challenge and showed their willingness to work for the expansion of the Verhovay. We don’t believe that it is the secret ambition of any manager to be left out of the list of the contestants. The fact that applications submitted during July were a 100 over and above the average monthly production, proves that the Contest is not a failure but results in a substan tially higher-thenaverage increase in the membership. Now, if every branch manager will really start to work—the results in August will certainly surpass those attained in July. The contest —up to now—promises success- It is up to our branchmanagers and local organizers to make it a real success. The credit will belong to them and appreciation of their efforts will not be denied to them. The results of the Contest will be published in the September 12th issue of the Journal. You have a few more weeks to go. Sufficient time to have your name on the managers’ Honor Roll... sufficient time even to become one of the winners of the valuable prizes. As yet, there is no one too much ahead. Everyone who starts to work now, has a chance to win. In closing, let us reiterate our advice: try the proven method, give the law of averages a chance to work. You’ll not be disappointed. Don’t give up after a few calls. After a brief series of unsuccessful calls your efforts will be rewarded with sudden success. Then you will find that no effort is wasted in fraternal work. And you can hold up your head proudly knowing that you, too, had a part in the continuous expansion of the Verhovay. And some day the families of those whom you have secured as new members, will bless you for some day, they, too, will benefit from what you have done and they won’t forget it. Neither will the Verhovay!----------V---------A character standard is far more important than even a gold standard. The success of all economic systems is still dependent upon both righteous leaders and righteous people. In the last analysis, our national future depends upon our national character—that is, whether it is spiritually or materially minded. —Roger Babson ------------V-----------The cause of freedom is identified with the destinies of humanity, and in whatever part of the world it gains ground by and by, it will be a common gain to all those who desire it. —Louis Kossuth
