The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-02-24

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esg= an occupation! A book
" " agent is nothing put ped
dler! Who ever heard of a
book agent that amounted to anything
or had any money!"
This icca 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 emp:ying the contents of a
dishpan owe: the head of an Offend
ing book cs.nvasser. 1t is doubtful
If a book agent ever had such all ex-
pericnce as shat 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 your boy has it in
him to be a good salesman, and takes
up the selling of books seriously as
a calling as he would other lines, he
HIS a fine and promising field all his
own.
This might be called the book age;
for never in history has there been
such tremendous printing of books
and, as practically all of them are
mSde to sell, and their publication
rests primarily upon that fact, it
ctCn do tn 40 thou cold
Also, such great proportion q them
art sold by direct oanvassing that
this. gives employment to an army Of
book agents, who ar. seen In all the
highways and byways Of the country.
Tho 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 1t. and that your son Is
willing to give 1t trial. 1t Is impCr
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 1t, and there Is much more than
an even chance that 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
quiry. All you have to do is to pick
out the book and the house and write
a 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 meeting with one
of the experienced general agents to
give series Of first lessons in book
craftsmanship.
had almost exactly this experience
when working my way at college. My
name was handed to a general agent
seeking likely representative at the
college to handle somewhat popular
book, and the agent thereupon ar
ranged to give me three weeks In
struction in the business Of selling. I
spent a couple Of hours with him ev-
cry day, my teacher each day using
the part of probable customer-one
day housewife, the next busy law
YER then a merchant. then farmer,
then a workingman, etc.-until I was
equipped, so far as technique was con-
cerned, to sell 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 went out. AS 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.
ming, and do not know another occu-
patton that offers such large early
financial returns.
But 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 number Of these the
same training had received and sent
them out during the summer vacation
as canvassers, keeping Is 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 tc pay their way
without work en- the side while study.
ing, had an independent income of