The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-01
Nem work SUM

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agents now; we have book solicitors
SO said the head of the subscriotion
department Of a publishing house, a
man who has the reputation among
publishers os having been one of the
most successful book solicitors on
record. If there is anyone III the bus1-
ness who knows the best tricks OF the
trade. the best ways and means OF sell
ing books on subscription. ne is the
very man His name is not Seller, but
it ought to be. Hence he may De Call
ed by that name.
The book solicitor of today" said
Mr.. Seller. lis a very different person
from the book agent of ten years ago.
The solicitor has inherited all the hat
red people gave the agent, however;
SO you may be sure his Bath is not All
roses. The solicitor doesn't hands.
cheap books. He sells sets, generally
and they range in price from $40 TO
several hundrde dollars. He
rs il always he? How about she?''
She generally handles cheaper
books Why? Well, d woman of the
refinement and intelligence required In
a solicitor for an expensive work mates
to do the work. So does a man of that
stamp, too. 1t isn't always pleasant,
grimly Still, if a man has education,
judgment, is quick reader of charac-
ter. has finesse, dignity, presence OF
mind and a few other desirable quail
ties, he mays get along successfully.
Il think there is a growing tendency
to appeal TO men rather than to women
fer orders for books. Maybe that is
true only of expensive, books. 1t ism
every woman who can subscribe for
such books, even if she wants to. SO
the solicitor tackles the men. Right
there, however, with a reflective smile,
was where | was different from the
run of agents. l suppose, honestly, that
was the most successful man in the
business when it came to dealing with
women.
How did go to work? Well, in the
first place i always wore good clothes.
That is vital necessity. Next, when
ever it was possible, found out some
thing about the woman in whom / hop
ed TO ind a customer L remember
once went to see a woman living at the
- hotel. You know what sort of
place that is. Swell, exclusive, the
kind of place where the management
looks out for the comfort Of its guests,
and tries to stand between them and
annoyance. Ii l had gone in there with
a prospectus in my hand, I'd never
have reached Mrs. Blank. The pros
pectus is generally thin, but too large
to slip into the pocket. Here's one, for
instance, about 12X14 inches. Pretty big,
you see; sim, it is essential that il be
kept out of sight Well 1 had strap
made which buitoned on to the right
shoulder of my waistcoat, and again at
the lower edge on the same side.
slipped my prospectus under this strap,
buttoned I'D my coat, and there l was.
ION this occasion 1 went ia, gave my
card To a bellboy, and said to take it
up TO Mrs. Blank. Don't go TO the desk
and ask il Mrs. Blank is in. You NAV
get stalled at that very point. Send
up a card: not q business card, but a
regulation visiting card. Pretty soon
the boy came down and said, Mrs. Blank
would see me. I went up in the ele-
vator rang at the door of her apart
ments, and was ushered in by the maid,
who said. as maids generally do, that
Mrs. Blank would like to know Mr.. Sell
ler's business. I said 1 would explain
that TO Mrs. Blank herself.
In a few minutes Mrs. Blank came
in; and here let me tell you that the
first two or three minutes after you
are actually face to face with the wom-
an is the critical time of the whole in
terview. Your conduct then viii make
or mar your success.
This is Mr.. Seller?' said Mrs
Blank, trying to place me.
Yes, Mrs. Blank Then [ plunged
right in. Mrs. Blank, understand
you have a son at Princeton
oh, yesr she brightens up right
away. You see, / have done this sort
of thing so often that can't help tell
ing it III the present tense.
I'VE have heard of your son and
his work at college and have been
thinking about seeing him in regard tc
a very important reference work we
are getting out 1t is the most i'm
portant work of the kind ever pub
lished and will be practically indis-
pensable to the up-to-date student
We thought, however, that before see
ing him it might be better to consult
you about it.
over at the very start by the appeal to
her motherly pride and interest. She
thinks it wonderful thing that peo-
pie have heard of her boy and wonders
just how they did hear and
well, how did you?" asked the re-
porter.
ooh, we always have the college
lists said Mr. Seller. dryly. I'VE make
ii a point to find out the proud par
ents of promising-or unpromising-
collegians.''
But suppose the woman hasn't q
son in college"
We'll, she may have a brother or q
nephew, or a grandson. If she hasn't
anybody in college. why, she has some
body JUS out; or simebody who loves
books or somebody who ought to be
encouraged to love books. oh, heavens
there's always some handle by which
10 reach her. That's where the clever
ness of the solicitor comes in. He must
find the handle
But do you never go to the house oil
people you know nothing about?"
''Oh, yes"
How would You get in?'
We'll, suppose l wanted TO go IL
that house over there. | don't know
who lives there. 1t simply won't dc
for me TO 20 to the door and ask fol-
the madam or the mistress or the
lady of the house I'll never get by
the servant atstfe door What shall
do? All, there's a grocery at the cor
ner. go in there and 1 say:
"a I beg your pardon, but can you tel
me the name Of the people in No. 211
I've come up 10 call and I can't find
the card fumhlng in my pockets. =
think the number was 2i1. but l cant
for the life OF me remember the name
DO you happen TO know it2 I'll recog-
nize it if ] hear it
Say. Charley calling TO the deliv-
cry clerk. who lives in two levenY
- Mrs. Green
mo, that isn't it, I say. 1T mus
be 21S. know it was an odd number.
Its Mrs. Brown in two-thirteen,
says Charley.
" Try again say. laughing. Tn
sorry to trouble you, but I'll get Il
pretty soon Who's in 209?'
4" Mrs. White says Charley.
That's itv ] exclaim. and go out
triumphant in the possession of three
names on the block. In the best elias:
of book soliciting, however, we not only
know who the man or woman is, but
we are able to say: called to see yoJ