The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-07-28
SUCCESSFUL BOOK AGENTS,

l have been told that there is a book
canvasser who has earned S25, 900 a year.
Is that so - a N Y Sun reporter said to
Mr. Geo. Washington Davis, who is in
charge of the canvassing department of
d. Appleton & Co.
"Iou may judge for YOURSELF" said
Mr.. Davis, pulling ont a memorandum
book "This firm has paid 1000 to
Mr.. Samuel Collins since September last
for his personal services for canvassing
for one book, Artistic Houses"
"Is not that an exceptional amount q
"That is large sum, but Mr.. Collins
has been n book canvasser for fifteen
years, and has made handsome income.
He began at SO a week. The book sells
for $500 the set. One of our agents made
s., 900 in one month selling Appleton S
Cyclop;edia. Such think il poor week
when they no no. % 10y. a.corn 500. One of our
canvassers, named Rust, earned S - -2As
in ten weeks selling the Art Journal.
Another earned $50 in a month selling
THE Gallery of British Art l could
give you the name of woman who has
earned 1857 in one week selling our books
There is Mr.. Fowke, who has been forty
years a book canvasser. l should say he
averages SO, 600 year by his personal
sales. He has sold many sets of the Cy-
clopadia. There is lady who has just
come in who earns $500 year. [ sup
pose there are fifty men in this country
who are earning 500 week as book
agents.
OF course, these are not the sort of
men that funny paragraphs are written
about. They are gentlemen who are
good conversationlists. People like to
hear them talk, and they know how to
talk to the right people. They ride in
carriages, dress we'll, and lose no time.
They know thoroughly what they have
to sell and how to sell it. We can de-
pend on them to sell given quantity"
"Could they take any kind of books
and earn such wages ?"
"Probably not. The most money is
made in selling expensive books. Pub
fishing runs in that direction now. This
firms puts $500, 900 into the Cyclopadia
before they got cent back. They put
5000, 900 into Picturesque America be-
fore they began to get their money back.
That sells for s24 copy. If we depend
ed on the trade to sell it we should have
to get $500 a copy to make it pay. Agents
sell books that could not be sold in any
other way. People will not go to stores
to look for books, but when they see
really good books offered in the right
way they will buy. The best books are
now published by subscription.
"Do you find women or men the best
agents 90
Men. There have been some success
full women agents, but they do not SNOW
the same perseverance as men,"
"Do men often fail at ito'
"Oh, yes. l try 5000 people a year
who think they can be good canvassers,
and think am lucky if get ten good
canvassers out of the 5000, 1t is like
any other business, and requires brains,
aptitude and perseverance. Mere brass
and assurance will not do. A good book
agent must be a pleasant person."
''How do you find them?'
"They come to us. The most prolific
season for good canvassers is immedi-
ately after business panic. Men who
get out of business and have no capital
but brains, often begin as book agents,
and get fresh start in life. Sometimes
they keep at the canvassing only until
they get capital to begin business again.
Sometimes they keep on for life. The
demand for good book agents is brisk,
and likely to increase"