Yes, some subscription publishers printed leaflets that gave explicit instructions on how to make a sale, what so say and when to say it, etc. There are several good books on subscription publishing but I don't recall off the top of my head which ones have citations to these instructional leaflets. Ham Hill's MARK TWAIN AND ELISHA BLISS and the Michael Zinman catalogue of prospectuses would be two good places to start looking. There are also several accounts by subscription agents that are informative, and I can supply those citations if you like. For a comic modern take on door-to-door bookselling, check out that old episode of the TV show `Taxi' where poor drug-addled Jim tries a new career and shows up at a lady's front door with a large box. He throws a huge clod of dirt on her floor and begins his pitch on how he has the solution to cleaning up this mess. Then he opens his big box and suddenly remembers that he's selling encyclopedias. Kevin @ Mac Donnell Rare Books 9307 Glenlake Drive Austin TX 78730 512-345-4139 Member: ABAA, ILAB ************************* You may browse our books at www.macdonnellrarebooks.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alan" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 1:07 PM Subject: Prospectus >I am wondering if there were any guidelines for salesmen when presenting= > a book prospectus to a client. As telemarketers today follow a script, di= > d the book salesmen who hawked The Huck Finn prospectus, for example, > have= > any instructions how to proceed in reeling in a subscriber? > > Alan C. Reese > Instructor > Towson University > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1153 / Virus Database: 424/3266 - Release Date: 11/19/10 >