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Publishing SIG
SALES MANAGER

Job title: Sales Manager

Purpose of Job

Primary contact for publications and video sales. Make sales contacts and arrange product promotion. Process orders and oversee shipping for outreach products (books, videos, newsletters, press releases, brochures, posters). Manage database for invoices, publications, and addresses.

Job Duties

  1. Primary book and video sales manager for department. Make sales trips to retail stores once or twice per year, make phone sales, initiate direct mail sales projects, and promote publications at trade shows and public events. Approve promotional announcements and catalogs, and determine timing and audience for promotional efforts. Recruit new customers and make followup contact with established customers. Help customers select books and videos to meet their needs. Write annual publications marketing plan.
    Skills Required: Sales, marketing, direct mail methods, interpersonal relations, oral and written communication, sound business judgment, ability to present information in appealing and understandable format.

  2. Process orders for publications, videos, and posters. Oversee department mailing and shipping--books, videos, brochures, posters, newsletters, news releases, targeted mailings, symposium announcements, and trade show materials.
    Skills Required: Paradox software, postal regulations, use of office machines.

  3. Make bank deposits for sales and symposium income, and keep records. Reconcile accounts and track invoices. ($100,000 per year)
    Skills Required: Accuracy, accounting, knowledge of university regulations.

  4. Supervise student assistant in filling orders, shipping, stocking shelves, data entry, and photocopying. Interview, hire, train, evaluate, promote, and arrange tasks daily to fit student work schedule.
    Skills Required: Organization, delegating, team building, interpersonal communication, use of office machines, training.

  5. Maintain publications inventory. Notify supervisor to ensure books are reprinted or removed from catalogs as needed, and order books from outside publishers when stocks are low. Oversee stock delivery and storage.
    Skills Required: Inventory control, record-keeping.

  6. Keep databases up to date for publications, invoices (8,800), and addresses (7,500). Produce mailing lists and labels. Design and produce bimonthly reports with sales statistics. Electronically track sales campaigns.
    Skills Required: Paradox software, sales and marketing statistical reports, typing.

  7. Interact with public about resource information, in person and by phone, mail, fax, and email. Answer questions, assist teachers and interpreters with teaching resources and school project ideas, and assist researchers seeking technical publications.
    Skills Required: Resource and outdoor education; oral, written, and electronic communication; knowledge of department publications.

Skill and Knowledge Requirements

Knowledge of sales, marketing, and direct mail promotion of books in state and worldwide. Knowledge of industries that make up the customer base. Training in written, oral, and electronic communication. Training in database software operations, programming, design of tables and reports, how to produce statistical reports. Knowledge of U.S. Postal Service regulations including express and international mail, priority, book and library rates, and bulk mail; also private carriers and freight companies. Knowledge of inventory tracking. Knowledge of university regulations on handling money and keeping records. Knowledge of hiring, training, and supervising.

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Address comments to Meg Ashman.
This page is hosted by Communication and Technology Resources, University of Vermont.
Last reviewed July 2002.