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

~% al occupation A DCOk
" agent is nothing put a ped
der! Who ever heard of a
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 a comic picture they saw
somewhere depicting an irate house
keeper emptying the contents of a
dishpan over the head of an offend
ing book %canvasser. 1t Is doubtful
If a book agent ever had such an ex-
perience as that or one at all like 1t
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 If you boy has 1t in
him to be a good salesman, and takes
up the selling of books seriously as
a 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 a tremendous printing of books,
and, as practically all of them are
made to sell, and their publication
rests primarily upon that fact, 1t
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 or
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 busi-
ness carefully. have overcome your
opposition to it. and that your son is
| willing to give 1t a trial. 1t is impor-
tant. as already said. that he possess
natural ability as a salesman; but this
Is one of the commonest traits IN
American character, particularly as
nearly every material success Is based
upon it. and there is much more than
an even chance hat your boy does
have this ability.
1t is easy enough for him to find an
opportunity to 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
o,,t the book and the house and write
q letter to the publisher or selling
agent. In all probability you or the
boy will already have read dozens OF
advertisements asking for canvassers,
an answer to any one Of which would
bring an instant reply.
If your boy is in earnest and intends
to take up the work seriously. and so
informs his prospective employer, the
latter will arrange a meeting with one
of the experienced general agents TO
give a series of first lessons in DOCK
craftsmanship.
I had almost exactly this experience
when working my way at college. My
name was handed to a general agent
seeking a likely representative at the
college to handle a somewhat popular
book. and the agent thereupon ar
ranged to give me three weeks In
struction In the business OF selling. l
spent a couple Of hours with him ev-
cry day. my teacher each day using
the part Of a probable customer-one
day a housewife. the next a busy law
yer. then a merchant, then a farmer,
then a workingman, etc.-until was
eouipped. so far as technique was con-
cerned, to sell a book to anybody on
earth.
In the meantime I was trying my
hand among real people, with the re-
su,t that. O after the general agent
had departed, l was able to average
sailing three or four books n after
noon | went out. AS this particular
book was sold for $3.50. and my COM
mission was so per cent, l was able
10 make from over $3.50 to $3.50 each
Sav. This was not. and is not, at all
unusual. even soon after the begin
ming. and | do not know another occu-
patton that offers such large early
Snanrial returns.