The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-23
SUCCESSFUL BOOK AGENTS.

Men VINO Make $4,000 and More a Year
by Means of Their Pleasing Address.
New York sun.
II have been told that there is book can
vasser who has earned $25 900 a year. Is that
sop Sun reporter said TO Mr.. George WASH
ington Davis, who is in charge of the can
wasting department of D. Appleton & Co.
You may judge for yourself" said Mr.
Davis, pulling out memorandum book
This firm has paid S2O,O 900 to Mr. Samuel
Collins since September last for his personal
services in canvassng for one dock, Artistic
Houses"
''Is not that an exceptional amount"
That is large sum, but Mr.. Collins has
been book canvasser f1- fifteen years, and
has made handsome income. He began at
$40 week The book sells for $500 the set.
One of our agents made 81 900 in one month
selling Appletons Cyclopedia. Such men
think it a poor weeks work when they
do not earn 500. One of our canvassers
named Rust, earned 81, 24S in ten weeks SELL
ing the Art Journal Another earned $3.50
in one month selling The Gallery of British
Art | could give you the name of woman
vino has earned 1857 in one week selling our
books. There is Mr.. Fowke, who has been
forty years a book canvasser. | should say
he averages $4,000 year by his personal
sales. He has sold many sets of the CyClope-
dia. There is lady who has Just come in
who earns So, 500 year. / suppose there are
fifty men in this country who are earning
500 week as book agents
"0f course these are not the sort of men
that funny paragraphs are written about.
They are gentlemen who are good converse
tionalistS. People like to hear them talk,
and they know how TO talk TO the right peo-
pie. 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 depend upon them to sell given
quantity"
Gould they take any kind of books and
earn such wages"
Probably not. The most money is made
in selling expensive books. Publishing runs
in that direction now. This firm put $780,
900 into the Cyclopedia before they got
cent back They put 100000 into Pictur-
esque America before they began to get
their money back They sell for 81 a copy
If we depended on the trade to sell it, we
should have TO get $500 copy to make it
pay Agents will 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?"
Men. There have been some successful
women agents. but they do not show the
same perseverance as men"
DO men often fail at itT'
ooh, yes. try 5000 people 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 bust
ness, and requires brains, aptitude and perse-
verance. Mere brass and assurance will not
do A good book agent must be pleasant
person."
"How do you find them?"
"They come to us. The most prolific sea-
son for good cauvassers is Immediately after
a business panic. Men who get out of bust
ness, 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"