American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-03-04

But l was not content with these re-
suits and my success soon attracted
the attention of other students who
were tired OF taking care of horses
and furnaces and saving wood to
pay their board bills while attending
college. | gave a number Of these the
same training l had received and sent
them out during the summer vacation
as ~canvassers, keeping rs cents on
every volume they sold. The result
was that the next year, as several of
the students remained out to accu-
mulate enough money to pay their way
without work on the side while study
ing. I had an Independent income of
several dollars a day without doing
more than to cash these subagents'
money orders and send them the
books. And then the publishing house
offered me a salary of $125 a month
and expenses to go out as establisher
and trainer of other agents.
This opportunity, In the present day,
twenty years later. Is still open to an
diAOltiOuo IVY, dlQ uc Gall uSuIe I'll
N income of 40 to so per cent on
the gross amount of his sales. No
money whatever is needed at the
start, except enough to pay his board,
and he can TAX up his work while
still living at home until he accumu-
lates sufficient to take him elsewhere.
A publisher will give him a limited
territory exclusively. or he can go all
over the country If he wishes, as ev-
cry man and family are prospective
customers, and there are some 20. OO0.-
900 such in the United States.
After succeeding as ~canvasser,
which your boy can demonstrate
within a comparatively short time,
say a year or SO, he will probably wish
to be a sort of general or special
agent. the man that gets other agents
and puts them to work, in which case
he will receive ten per cent. commits
sion on all the books these agents of
his dispose Of. Suppose he has the
ability to find and keep In the field
an average of twenty canvassers, sell
ing a book that retails at 50, and that
these agents average four sales a day
each, OIL which they clear so per cent.
Your boys commission Of 10 per cent,
or 20 cents a volume, brings him an
income of SIG a day. or 500 a week.
Out of this he has to pay his hotel
and travelling expenses: but even so
a very fine income.
In all probability the next step TAX
en- by your boy will be to arrange with
a publishing house to take care of the
c~anvassing in a large specified terri
tOry-such as two or three north.
western states. for example-for one
OF more books, on the basis of receiv,
ing 65 to 70 per cent. Of retail price.
Out of this he has to pay his agents
their 40 to so per cent and all ex.
penses incident to the agency. His
earnings, depending entirely upon his
ability to find good statesmen and the
popularity Of the book, which rests
largely upon the ability of these sales
men, may amount to thousands of dol.
lars a year.
OF course this has established him
in his own business, and he will In all
likelihood remain In it-as the achieve
ment of such success before he is
thirty or t~hirty-five will be sufficient
to keep him at it-instead Of taking
charge of the sales department of a
large publishing house at a salary.
If our boy should choose to remain
In direct canvassing himself, he will
soCn grow beyond any mere So or 81
book, and will take to selling entire
sets, or anything or everything that
the publishing house he is connected
with turns out. Or he will make him.
self a rowing with connec
lions with a number of leading pub
fishers, to get a commission on every
thing he sells. The writer is &C
quainted with one such who thought
nothing of calling on a stranger and
coming away in half an hour with an
order on which his commission
amounted to anywhere from $25 to
800. Indeed, this particular agent
had built up a following among rich
clients who took practically anything
he recommended that they could add
to their libraries. and in many In
stances he actually selected and
shipped to persons suddenly become
rich the entire contents of their libra
ries, which cost them from $780, 900 up
ward.
Still other canvassers make a spe-
cialty OF handling only rare and de
luxe editions, which retail from 800
upward, building up a following among
rich book collectors.
Whichever specially your boy may
choose, he could not find a more re.
spectacle business, nor one in which
he will deserve and receive greater
welcome more times than otherwise.
Many millionaires have given orders
to their employees to admit their IA
vorite book agent without announce
ment, as in this way they know they
will not miss the opportunity to ac-
uuire the best works In the b ook