Computerization and desktop publishing (DTP) has revolutionized book and magazine publishing, replacing the traditional methods of typesetting, paste-up, and sometimes even printing. Gaining knowledge of desktop techniques is essential for a career in production. Many courses in DTP are offered by college extension divisions. There are also many fine publications, including Publish/, servicing this market.
Salaries in this field are not high and are generally less than at advertising agencies. Often the work pace of meeting deadlines is feverish. There is great satisfaction, however, when the book is completed and meets the industry's high standards.
Marketing
The book is the ultimate editorial product, and it is this product that the marketing people must sell to bookstores, supermarkets, drugstores, libraries, schools, colleges, and, finally, to the reader/ consumer. Here are the people who make this happen.
Marketing Director/Vice President Marketing: The marketing director develops marketing objectives, policies, and strategies, as well as marketing plans by product and market. He or she identifies marketing capability for present and future products, spots trends, and integrates market research and product development information. The marketing director hires and trains in-house and field staff in order to develop an efficient and effective organizational structure. The marketing director maintains good communications with the marketing and editorial departments, and evaluates the effectiveness of editorial and marketing strategies, participates in forecasting and budgets, and is responsible for meeting sales and expense budgets. He or she also controls inventory levels. The salary range is from $92,000 to $125,000.
Sales Manager: The sales manager plans sales forecasting and oversees the sales force. He or she recruits, trains, and motivates sales representatives, conducts sales meetings, and assigns territories. The sales manager is responsible for developing budgets and forecasts, new product introduction, sales activity, and field reports. He or she supervises or influences the creation of book jackets and makes recommendations on the development of promotional materials. The sales manager makes personal contacts with major bookstore chains. The salary range is from $51,000 to $75,000.
Direct-Mail Manager: The direct-mail manager analyzes markets for books and selects appropriate lists to reach those markets. He or she supervises or prepares copy for brochures and sales letters; directs and supervises all graphics for direct-mail pieces; and oversees accurate record-keeping of all sales resulting from direct-mail efforts. The salary range is from $28,000 to $48,000.
Sales Representative: The sales representative calls on book-stores, libraries, schools, and colleges, in order to take or stimulate orders; and turns in market research data and editorial from the "field." He or she also attends sales and training meetings. The salary range starts at $19,000 for beginners and goes up, depending on experience, territory, and sales record.
Advertising Manager: The advertising manager researches markets and available media, prepares and submits the advertising budget, and recruits and trains copywriters, artists, and traffic managers. He or she establishes a relationship with an advertising agency or in-house advertising department; organizes advertising schedules; and determines books to be advertised, medium and space to be used, deadlines, and cost. The advertising manager originates cooperative advertising ventures with dealers and monitors actual ad placement, responses, performance of media, and follow-up sales. The salary range is from $39,000 to $61,000.
Promotion Manager/Sales Promotion Manager/Promotion Specialist: The promotion manager schedules advertising, direct mail, exhibits, and other promotional activities. He or she recruits and trains staff and assigns work to staff and outside agencies. The promotion manager reviews industry reports and written and visual material. He or she consults on catalogues, in-store displays and other sales tools, maintains contact with the advertising agency and media, and directs selling by coupon and other direct-response advertising. The salary range is from $39,000 to $61,000.
Publicity Director/Publicity Manager: The publicity director compiles lists of appropriate sources of book reviews for each title published and places review copies with all appropriate sources. He or she prepares publicity releases and stories on authors and their books and distributes them to appropriate newspapers, magazines, TV programs, columnists, and so on. The publicity director plans authors' parties; organizes authors' tours around the country; and maintains clippings files of reviews and other press coverage given to books and authors. The salary range is from $43,000 to $80,000.
Subsidiary Rights Director/Manager: The subsidiary rights manager keeps close communications with the editorial department. He or she markets the licensing of rights to others to use the firm's published materials, including book club distribution and translations; foreign publishing; mass-market reprints; publication in newspaper and periodicals; performance on the broadcast media; and quotation in anthologies and other publications. He or she consults regularly with the marketing manager concerning subsidiary goals and follows up each sale of subsidiary rights. The salary range begins at $28,000 and goes up to $60,000 and more, depending on the size of the publishing house and the degree of responsibility.
Copywriter: The copywriter develops schedules for copy development. He or she obtains information about books from the editorial and marketing departments. The copywriter writes basic cover and other copy and develops variations. The salary range is from $17,000 to $27,000.
Marketing Assistant: This is an entry-level position. The marketing assistant maintains sales records, distributes review copies of books, and assists in the preparation of catalogs and in the writing of specialized promotion pieces. The salary range is from $19,000 to $22,000.
Marketing positions (not described) and their salary ranges:
- Regional Sales Manager: $28,000 to $47,000
- International Sales Manager: $36,000 to $55,000
- General Manager: $68,000 to $108,000
- Editor: $34,000 to $40,000
