MAIN NEWS HEADLINES
July 27 – August 3, 2006 Edition
S&S Consolidates
Sales Force, Expands
to Specialty Markets
NEW YORK, NY/7/24/06—Simon & Schuster is reorganizing its field sales force beyond chains and independent booksellers to include specialty markets. The company has consolidated its once separate adult and juvenile sales forces into a single sales team and has eliminated commissioned sales reps from specialty accounts.
The new sales force will be specially trained this summer on how to sell S&S’s full range of titles and will begin calling on accounts in early September.
The specialty market, which includes small gift stores and some larger gift chains such as Hallmark, is now Simon & Schuster’s fastest growing retail channel, outpacing independent bookstore sales. S&S will move some independent store accounts to telesales, but will continue to offer personal sales calls to independents who want that service.
The reorganization will divide the country into three sections. Each area will be represented by eight to nine S&S staff members. The entire field sales and specialty sales division is overseen by Frank Fochetta, vice president. Heading each region will be: George Keating, East Coast; Brian Kelleher, Central; and Emily Santos West Coast. Andrea Sheehan continues to oversee S&S’ online sales and telesales groups which will also be expanded.
