The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-08-03
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81 have been told that there is hook
canvasser who has earned S25.0 Il
year. Is that SOP" Il Sun reporter said
10 Mr. George Washington Davis. who
is in charge OF the canvassing depart
mept of ID. Appleton a. Co.
You may judge for yourself" said
MIR. Davis, pulling out IL memorandum
book. This firm has paid $1,000 to
Mr. Samuel Collins since September
last for his personal services in can
vassing for one book, Artistic
Houses.
''ls not that an exceptional amOuntp"
THAT is large sum, but Mr.. Collins
has been n book canvasser for fifteen
years, and has made handsome in
come. He began at so week. The
book sells for $500 set. One of our
agents made $4,000 i'm one month selling
Applcton's Cyclopedia. Such men think
ii poor week when they do not earn
500. One of our canvassers, named
Rust, earned 81 ,24S in ten weeks selling
500 in Il month selling The Gallery of
British Art could give you the name
of woman who has earned 1857 in one
week selling our books. There is Mr..
Fowkc, who has been forty years book
c1nvaSscr. should say he averaged
$4,000 year by his personal sales.
lie has sold many sets of the Cyclopndia.
'faere is Il lady who has just come in
who earns s., 800 year. | suppose
there are fifty men in this country who
are earning 500 Il week rs Book
agents.
''Of course, these are not the sort of
men that funny paragraphs are written
about. They are gentlemen who are
good conversationaiists. People like to
hear them talk. and they know how to
talk To the right people. They ride in
carriages, dress well, 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 Il givcn quantity"
Gould they take any kind Of books and
earn such wagcS?"
"Probably not. The most money is
made in selling expensive books. Pub
fishing runs in that direction now. This
firm put SJOO,GtD into the Cyclop ndia
before they rot 4 cent back. They put
$500, 900 into Picturesque America be-
fore they began Ia get their money back.
/ That sells for 81 a copy. II we depend
on the trade to sell il. we should have
To get 500 n copy to make II pay.
AGENTS sell books that could not be sold
any other way People will not go 10
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 subscrip-
ton"
DO you find women or men the best
agcnts?'
"Men. There has been some sue
ccSSfui women agents, but they do not
! show the same perseverance, rs men. y
.Do men often fail?'
"Oh, yes. try 5000 people Il year
who think they can make good canvas
! sers. and | think | am lucky if get ten
| good canvaSsers out of the 5000. IL 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 per-
| SON"
''IIow do YOU find them?"
"Thcy come tot Us. The most prolific
season for good canvassers is immcdi-
airly after a business panic. Men who
get ont of business, and have no capital
but brains, often begin rs book agents,
and get fresh start in life. Some
times they keep 1T the canvassing only
until they gct capital to begin business
again. Sometimes they keep on for
life. The demand for good book agents
is brisk, and likely to increase. '-"e,O
York SIM.