The sun., 1894-10-14
CANvASSING FOR BOOKS.
4 sCHOoL IN WHTCH MEN ARE IN-
STRUCTED Nv THE WORR.
Better snd Better Men E,sssed -ou.Iiacs-
tions Reauired-rhe Pay Tor the WORK.
The Most Profitable Fields OF Labor.

| WuIhs bTt HoW SOlu DN HuDsCTlnt1On. 4 ne t0tA
value Of the books so sold Is greater now than
ever There is more and more method In the
business. Exact care and attention are given TO
every detail, and better and better men are ep-
gagged In the work of canvassing. In one pub
fishing house, which has subscription book de-
partment, the new canvaesers are regularly in
struCted in what Is practically a school. This
school holds for ten days in every month; the
classes usually number from ten TO fifteen. The
first thing the new canvasser has TO do is to
prepare himself on a description Of the prospec-
tus of the work he is To sell. This he learns by
heart, just as boy learns his multiplication
table. IL Is In substance a ten minutes talk
about the book; IL contains perhaps 1000 or
1900 words. The men are expected TO learn
this description before they come TO school, 40
that they may there devote their entire time To
more advanced work upon II, for the canvasser
Is expected TO prepare himself for tho work Of
canvassinu in one school term. ....
Having learned the description OF the pror-
pectus. the new canvasser is next taught how to
use IL. or course a mere parrot-like recital of
II would he useless; he must not only know this
multiplication table from end TO end. but he
must be able to answer any question in II, how
ever put, whether from the beginning the end,
or from any part OF IT. he is taught To apply il
SO that he may be able readily TO respond to
questions that may be asked him concerning
itself is book of perhaps a hundred
pages. The canvasser must know tho pros
pectus thoroughly, though he NAV by
no means have learned this by heart, but he
must be so familiar with every page Of It as to
know II surely by sight, whether he is looking
at IL from the top or from the bottom, so that if
prospective purchaser should point out upon
any page anything concerning which he desired
further information, the canvasser would know
tha ,l, ,,,,ttIp
the look to look at It or of any other close nspec
tion; he would be able to answer without inter-
rupting the current Of the purchasers interest
When the pupil has perfected himself in these
and other elementary details of canvassing he
takes up the work that he Is To sell and Is drilled
in that. Its plan is explained to him and it's
points OF excellence made clear. Then every
other similar publication is taken up and their
strong points presented as we'll as their weak
ones, and the teacher points out TO him wherein
the work that he is TO offer is better than the
others. This is practically series Of lectures
delivered at short range by n man of liberal
education with special knowledge OF the sub
Then the pupil is drilled in the actual work Of
canvnssing practising upon the teacher. who In
provided with another and different book. The
ranvasser is called upon now tn make use Of the
information that he has acquired, and AS he
proceeds his shortcomings pointed out. and
the lessons he has received are renewed and re-
enforced with additional instruction. After this
he is ready for actual work. Some houses send
out the teacher. or n canvasser OF experience,
into the field with the new canvasser for u week;
he goes with him and takes part with him in the
actual work OF canvassing. Sometimes une can-
vasses customer. sometimes the other does,
the one not canvassing looking on; sometimes
The printed description Of the prospectus that
he has received Is really but the skeleton OF the
canvassers talk. which he is to add toa good
sense and circumstances may require lie must
have the basis sound. the general facts right
/ IN hp aaiI NJ h.,
average canvasser that he is likely 10 say too
much; The general manager OF the subscrip-
ton department whose instructive methods
have been here set forth briefly says that In se-
lecting man, for the work OF canvassing hs
he did not talk much that he would much
rather have canvasser say too little than too
much; that a few points well made were better
While n the publication Of the better class of
generally more advanced. and while more caro-
Is bestowed in the training of men for the work
also in the original selection OF the men for can
ssSe yassers; s.; and Inc more method Men Of higher
4 member OF a house e. engaged en- in sub
ssriptjon book publishing says that, he
canvasser in this order: Honesty, ability, e1-
perience. The lack of experience can be sup
he hnDs ,hat sXea sSs concerning the general auaica
of experience said that he should have ability to
convince a man and,tact to mike him decide.
making good impression. He need not neces-
sariiy be- educated, but he must be intelligent.
"'iSs rSo and nd 63sicffwl,ed fsybr AL" 10 5TR
9" can ' Of SSSr course Best specie 'ssT cd
by men with special knowledge. Of the subject
for the work. More men than ever now engage
in canvassing a regular business. just as they
houses now pay stipulated sum weekly, which
the canvasser gets whether he sells any books
gone over lis work is daed '' bx tbn RS is
suits. and his salary is readjusted accord
some won't take commission; but the best
cannot be got. except for sure pay. Some OF the
commission privilege; II the canvasser's earn
lngs az commission rates amount To more than
or small. is added 10 his salary. Contracts are
made, some for one year. some for two; some
at The the option t Of either party, The
they are mostly under sac; there are many can
vssscrs who receive salaries OF sa5 and $50.
There are canvassers who earn 81 10, 900 a year,
but they are very few. Men earning $4,000 or
$4,000 would be counted as highly successful.
here are many VINO earn $1,000 and $500.
but there are more who earn less than that.
ful, hut there are houses that prefer not to em-
ploy a man who earns less than that; IL doesn't
pay for the time and attention required.
As many persons AS ever take up canvassinR
As temporary employ ment. but the number OF
hose who remain IN 1t permanently Is now
As 10 which is the more profitable field for the
man and on what he is selling, Some books
AXE well in the city and don't tax in the cOun-
Try, and editions de luxe are sold almost entirely
In the city, The city dweller has better faclll-
lies for buying books and more libraries, and he
has less time TO look at hooks offered % him. and
bulk of the books sold by subscription is sold in
he country and in cities and towns OF less than
1000 people Generally speaking. the more
profitable field for the canvasser is sOutside OF the
big cities.
Subscription hook buyers are found among all
sorts Of people hut by far the larger number arc
.Ound among people earning from $500 to
y, 900 year, which includes the great majority
II the people living outside the larger cities.
II would he easy 10 say Of any particular cam
iasser how he came 10 lie engaged In the busi-
less. but il wOnd he difticult TO say in general
row the ranks ot the cansassers are recruited.
)he publishing house there may be others with
nen similarly engaged employs three men as
lTummers for men. They do nothing but look
or men. and look up men with whom the house
: IN communication.
There are among Canvassers many who are or
yho have been school teachers, perhaps more