The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-07-07
SUCCESSFUL BOOK AGENTS
New York Sun.1


/ have been told that there is a book
canvasser who has earned $4,000 a wear
IS that so.' Sss reporter said to Mr..
George Washington Davis. who is in
charge OF the oanvassing department of
ID. Appleton & Co.
You may Judge for yourself said
Mr.. Davis, pulling out a memorandum
book. This firm has paid $40 900 TO
Mr. Samuel Collins since September las,
tor his personal services in carassing for
one book, Artistic Houses
Is not that an exceptional amount -
hat IS large sum. blu, Mr.. Collins
has been book canyasser for fifreen
years, and has made handsome income
he began AT $40 week. The book sells
ior $500 set. One of our agents made
5000 IN one month selling Appleton's
lyclop1dia- Such men think II a Door
week when they do not earn SIoo. One
OF our eanyassers, named Rust. earned
IL .e+S IN ten weeks selling the Art rour-
nal. Another earned $3.50 in a month
selling The Gallery of British Art
could give you the name Of a woman
who has earned s357 in one week selling
our books. There is Mr.. Eowke. wko
T.. Il
should say he averages $4,000 a year by
his personal sales. He has sold many
sets of he Cyclopadia. There is lady
who has Just come in who earns $500 a
year. suppose there are fifty men in
this country who are earning 500 a week
as book agents.
OF course. these are not the sort of
men that funny paragraphs are written
about. They are gentlemen who ere good
conversationalists. People like to hear
them talk. and they know how TO talk TO
10 the right people. They ride in car
riases. dress weli, and lose no time. They
know thoroughly what they have TO sell
and how 10 sell II. We can ievend on
them 70 sell a given quantity"
Could they take any kind of books
and earn such wages.
Probably not. The most money Is
made n selling expensive books. Pub
fishing f0a5 III that direction now. This
nTla put 10000 into The GYcioradia be-
tore they 20, ceat back. They put
>eoo.ooo into Picturesque America be-
tere they began to get their money back.
mat sells Tor 81 copy. Ii we depend
on the trade To sell IL, we should have 10
set 500 copy to make ii pay Agents
sell books that could not be sold any
other way. People will not 90 TO stores
TO look tor 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 md women or men the bes,
agents =
Men. There has been some sue
cesstul women agents. but they do no,
show the same perseverance as men"
Do men often fail -
oh. yes. Try 5000 people a wear
who think they can make good canvas
sers, and thiDk am lucky if / get ten
good eanvassers out of the 1000. II is
like any other business. and REQUIRES
brains. aptitude and perseverance. Mere
brass and assurance will not do. A good
book asen, must be pleasant person"
=" How do YOU find them
They come to Us. The most prolific
season. for good canvassers is immediately
after business papic. Men who
get out of business, and have no capital
but brains, often begin as book agents,
and get fresh start in life. Some
times they keep at the canvassing only
until they Sc; capital to begin business
again. Sometimes they keep on for life.
The demand for good book agenIs is
brisk, and likely 10 increase