The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-02-23

M ~ XVI DON ne DOOh agent lOT ms
vAFNW liework? why that isn't
49,. an occupation, A book
" W agent is nothing put a ped
dler. Who ever heard OF
book agent that amounted to anything
or had any money"
This idea is quite general through.
out the country among people that
haven't had opportunity to know much
about the publishing business; who,
Immediately the subject is mentioned,
think OF comic picture they saw
somewhere depicting an irate house.
keeper emptylng the contents OF
dishpan over the head OF an offend.
ing book canvasser. II Is doubtful
If book agent ever had such an eX'
perience rs that or one ut all like IL
No, the proportion OF successful
men who have made their place in the
world through the medium Of selling
books. particularly during the present
day, is probably as great as in most
other lines and II your boy has it In
him TO be a good salesman, and takes
up tho selling OF books seriously as
n calling as he would other lines, he
has a fine and promising field all his
own.
This might be called the book age;
for never in history has there been
such u tremendous printing of books,
and, as practically all OF them are
made to sell and their publication
Ill ell II
stands to reason that they are sold.
Also, such a great proportion of them
are sold by direct canvassing that
this gives employment to an army OF
book agents, who are seen in all the
highways and byways Of the country,
The latest figures show that 10000
volumes are published In the world
every year. Of which 10000 are turned
out in the United States and an equal
number IN Great Britain. with which
our country maintains close CONNER.
cial and publishing relations.
Now, we shall take It for granted
that you have investigated the bust
ness carefully. have overcome your
opposition to It, and that your son 10
willing to give It trial 1t is impor'
tant, as already said. that he possess
natural ability rs a salesman: but this
Is one OF the commonest traits In
American character. particularly rs
nearly every material success is based
upon II. and there Is much more than
an even chance that your boy does
have this ability.
II Is easy enough for him to find nm
opportunity 20 try HIS hand at book
selling: for every publishing house
that does any canvassing, and most Of
them do, is anxious to get good agents.
and will respond instantly TO an In
curry. All you have TO do is to pick
out the book and the house and write
letter to the publisher or selling
agent. In all probability you or the
boy wifi already have read dozens OF
advertisements asking for canvassers,
an answer to any one Of which would
bring an instant reply.
II your boy Is IN earnest and intends
to take up the work seriously. and so
informs his prospective employer, the
Will u hittNiib WEN S'iN
OF tho experienced general agents to
give q series OF first lessons in book
salesmanship.
had almost exactly this experience
when working my way at college. Ny
name was handed to q general agent
seeking likely representative at the
college TO handle n somewhat popular
book, and the agent thereupon ar.
ranged to give me three weeks In
struction In the business of selling.
spent a couple OF hours with him ev'
cry day, my teacher each day using
the part OF n probable customer-one
day a housewife, the next busy law.
yer, then a merchant. then farmer,
then workingman, etc.-until was
equipped. so far as technique was con-
cerned, TO sell n book TO anybody on
earth.
In the meantime ! was trying my
hand among real people. with the re.
suit that, soon after the general agent
had departed was able to average
selling three or four books any after.
noon I went out. Az this particular
book was sold for $3.50. and my com.
mission was so per cent. was able
TO make from over $3.50 to $3.50 each
day. This was not and is not. at all
unusual. even soon after the begin