IPG is looking for a high performing and driven sales representative to sell to independent bookstores and other book trade accounts in the Midwest. The focus is on growing sales to the independent bookstore channel. This position requires some travel to key bookstore accounts, primarily in metropolitan areas, within the sales territory.

Success in this position will be achieved through demonstrating initiative with sales efforts, including prospecting for new business, building positive and productive relationships with buyers and accounts that lead to long term success, providing top-notch sales and service to accounts that enhances IPG’s position as the leading book distributor in the industry, and achieving sales goals and other key metrics established by the manager.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Sell to assigned accounts with a focus on independent bookstores. Meet or exceed sales goals and growth objectives.
• Travel seasonally as needed to sell frontlist titles to key bookstore accounts in metropolitan areas. Sales to lower volume and remote accounts may be conducted through virtual sales calls, email, and tele-sales. This position requires moderate travel.
• Continuously promote and support backlist sales. Think creatively to develop sales approaches that will maximize sales of these books to independent bookstores and other trade accounts.
• Be an expert Edelweiss user. Promote maximum utilization of this critical tool. Create custom Edelweiss Collections and Markups as needed to support sales efforts.
• Work closely with client publishers to maximize sales of their books. Attend meetings as needed.
• Liaise with booksellers and publishers to assist with coordinating author events as needed.
• Represent the company at trade shows and conferences as needed, especially the fall regional shows for independent bookstores.
• Achieve sales objectives while working within the department’s established budget guidelines.
• Complete call reports as required.

Qualifications:

• Minimum education requirement: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum three years’ experience in the book industry, sales experience preferred.
• Clear written and oral communications.
• The ability to work independently without direct supervision.
• A proven ability to cultivate and maintain business relationships.
• High level of MS Office proficiency required, especially in Excel.
• Physical abilities: none
• Seasonal travel to accounts and conferences/trade shows.
• Overall travel required: approximately 15% to 30% of the year.
• The ideal candidate will be based in the Chicago metropolitan area but candidates in other cities will be considered.
• Remote/hybrid requires a dedicated workspace and reliable internet service. Chicagoland employees may be required to work in the Chicago office occasionally.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About the Company

IPG is the original independent distributor of books, ebooks, and audiobooks from publishers around the world, and a top 10 supplier of book content to Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores, libraries, and specialty markets, in addition to thousands of retailers globally.

Established in 1971, Independent Publishers Group (IPG) was the first organization specifically created for the purpose of marketing titles from independent presses to the book trade. IPG was acquired by Chicago Review Press in 1987. In the fall of 2006, Chicago Review Press, Inc., the parent company of IPG, bought Trafalgar Square Publishing, Inc., the leading North American distributor of UK publishers. Trafalgar Square Publishing was founded in 1973 and as a division of IPG, now distributes products from clients such as Penguin Random House UK, Australia, New Zealand, and China; Allen & Unwin; The History Press UK; Amberley Publishing; HarperCollins UK; Pan Macmillan; and John Blake.

With consistent growth each year, IPG’s success has come from supporting and encouraging the growth of its client publishers in the United States and worldwide. IPG has a wide reach in the market with its distribution of publishers with academic, Spanish-language, children’s, and general nonfiction and fiction titles.