Odds of Getting In
You won't have to fight off hordes of competitors with a stick to get into the rare book dealing business. (New reality show idea: Rare Book Dealer Death Match. Potential viewership: Zero.) The truth is it's a niche interest, so there aren't tons of people clamoring to get involved in it.
Like we said back in the Qualifications section, the best way to break into the business is to apprentice yourself to an experienced dealer. If you're going into book dealing on your own, make sure you have the know-how—know how much books are worth, know where to find them, and know how to get your name out there.
The main thing these days is having a strong web presence. If your website looks like something out of 1998, nobody's going to think you're legit. Many rare book dealers start out with a strictly online business and some stay that way. Others might save for a few years to open up a "brick and mortar" shop, but really, the internet is essential for a niche market like this.
Besides setting up a sweet website, you also have to become a regular at book fairs. These things are like the Woodstocks of the rare book world—only with less drug-use (usually). Book fairs are where dealers go to hawk their wares, socialize, check out their colleagues' prices, trade, and buy new inventory.
If you're just getting started, you'll need to go to these to buy stuff to sell. You also might want to check out auctions and estate sales—there's nothing like the strange sensation of bidding on the possessions of deceased strangers to add a little excitement to your day.