Closing my day with a contented feeling. Most of my days in the recent years are not like this for what so ever reason. There are 2 reasons why I am contented today. One is that my 5th cold call for selling my books to a book store has been converted to an actual sales. I was successful to sell my books to a well known kannada book stall. I published my first book 'Ajji Punch Tantra', a light read in Kannada 3 months back. As my publisher is naïve, I was involved in each stage of publishing and now in marketing solving problem at each level and learning on the go. Second reason is that one of senior writer in Kannada, who has become a close friend and guide was amazed at my ability to market my book in various ways in different places in a quick pace. He appreciated me for my skills in marketing and my perseverance to learn the tricks of the trading. Bingo! Its indeed something to feel good about.
I was looking back seeing last 3+ months of my journey after my book release. It just stuck me that how same tasks when done for different reasons has exactly opposite effect. Let me share my kahani of Book selling to Book selling.
Every time I go thru a crisis in my life, I keep telling myself that this is the most difficult phase in life. Once the phase is past, I look back to see that, it was not that bad. But history repeats.
Those were the days when I was struggling to get a descent job. As soon as I finished Engineering, I was still in Hassan, a small town in Karnataka where I studied Engineering. I applied for a transformer repair company and I got the job. Salary was Rs. 3500/-. I was happy and joined the company. Money didn't bother me but the Boss did! Initially I didn't notice that the office is full of women employees. My colleagues used to gossip about the boss or I thought it was a gossip. Slowly I realized that my 60 year old boss was a philanderer and the gossips were facts! It was one and a half months by the time I realized and I quit my job. I started applying to various IT companies. It was year 2002 and IT industry was down and people without computer science background were not getting shortlisted. I was in that category. Even if I got call from 1 or 2 companies, I would not clear the written test. I even remember that I and one of my close friend literally went to all the companies in Electronics city and dropped the hard copy of the resumes at the security! Those were the days of beginning of internet era.
My job hunt continued. I switched jobs - 3 months in kavika and few days in kptcl as a consultant for Rs. 1200/- . I was desperate for the job. I was ready to pick up any kind of job. I just wanted to be independent. I used to scan thru the classifieds. I came across an advertisement for selling books. I decided to attend the interview. I went to their Gandhi bazar office(The 5th cold call made to the bookstall is exactly below this office). They made me wait for 3 good hours. Finally they called me for interview and the Managing Director told me that I was made to wait to check my patience! First round was a patience test and my desperation had made me clear that level.
Interview was fine. They said they would pay me 3k salary and every book I sell will fetch me Rs. 50. He said everyday you can sell around 10 books. I quickly did a math and even if I worked 20 days a month I would earn more than 10k and was happy. They offered me a job without any offer letter and I accepted it!!
Day 1 started. All employees would gather in the office by 10. There would be a talent show for 30-45 minutes. People can sing, dance, show any talent. I was thrilled. Some of them used to share their experience on how they made the customer buy the book. Inspiring stories for the state of mind I was in!
They make groups. There would be a lead. Under them sub leads. All junior and fresher's report to sub leads. Sub lead is their father. Lead is their grandpa. Grandpa and father talks very sweetly towards their kids. They call themself a family. I was very touched by the concept.
The real touch happened when the so called loving father & grandpa asked me to carry a bag of 25 big
All of us carried big bags and started towards the designated directions. I was suppose to shadow a person for 'On the job training!'.
What they did was, choose a road. If it is residential road, go to one house after other. Knock the door. 90% nobody opened the door. People in the house, peek thru the window first. Some shut the window as soon as they know we are sales girls/boys. Some scold saying 'you jobless people come and disturb our sleep'. Some show the courtesy to ask 'what are you selling' to create a hope and then not interested and slam the door. My first days statistics told me that there is 10% who will listen to you and 2% could be genuine buyers.
Second day I was on my own. With lot of determination, we left to another area. It was a commercial area. I visited each shop to do a cold call of the book. Unlike residential people, men in the shops showed courtesy to listen to me with all possible looks in all possible places on my body. But none were prospective buyers. I didn't sell any book that day also.
I was very sad that my calculation of 10*50 for that day was at loss. We were back to office in the evening by 7. There would be a celebration for people who sold books and cheering for people who could not. They cheered me saying next day I will sell a book.
This continued for the whole week. If some one is interested in the book, they don't have cash. They would ask "can you please come tomorrow , I will surely buy this book". Some would say "I have to get cash, can you please come after 2-3 hours?". When I wait and go to check that door is locked and no one at home. Only one lady among many people kept her promise to buy the book.
We had to lie to people that we are studying and book selling is a project. We had to convince people to buy the book. Some times my colleagues used to beg people to buy the books. In 2 weeks time I think I could sell 3-4 books. There was a celebration with singing and dancing by my colleagues , father and grandpa on the day when I sold the first book!
One day father decided to take the kids to Devasandra. We all went and started to take the assigned roads. I saw some one familiar near a juice shop which was some 10 steps ahead I . I stopped and kept the heavy bag down to think. I saw another face, very familiar. And one more and it stuck me that they were my juniors from college. I was wondering what they are doing there instead of being at college in Hassan. I thought of meeting them to ask and picked up the bag again.
Suddenly a thought and a painful feeling crossed my mind. What am I doing? If I go talk to them to know why they are here, I will have to explain why I am here! What shall I say? I am here to sell books? Going door to door? After completing my Engineering? No, I was ashamed. I was not ready to show my face to them. I was not ready to tell them that I am selling books on the road.
I decided to take another road. I walked briskly to another road. I was upset, worried and a sense of humiliation. I was unable to understand why I was upset. Few steps in the next road I saw 3-4 juniors of mine again. Oh no. They are coming in my direction. As I was famous in my college for being a sports star, most of my college mates knew me. There was no escape. If they see me, they would recognize me. They would go back to college and tell everybody I sell books on the streets. I turned to opposite direction just to let them pass. I didn't do any sales that day.
Coming back to office, my grandpa called me and said I have been deputed to
Last one month experience has been very different from the above, though I am almost doing the same job! In one of the shop, I was waiting for the shop owner in the queue. A person standing before me in the queue looked at the books in my hand and picked up one. Looking at the title, she exclaimed 'nice title' in an admiring tone. I was watching her expressionless. She turned the book and started staring at me. I didn't know why she was staring. She again looked at the book and smiled and said, 'you are the author!'. She had turned out the book to read about the author and was surprised to see the author in front of her.
Yes, I am back doing cold calls to sell books and I am not running away from anyone! I am no more ashamed to sell the books but indeed proud about it.
Book Selling to Book Selling - it has been an amazing journey! Be it shameful or pride, I have lived every moment of it.
P.S: I got to know later that my juniors were at an institute in Devasandra to finish there incomplete project for the semester.
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