Abraham Associates is Looking for a Sales Rep

Starts: September 2025

Reports To: Group principal

Employment Status: Full Time (40 hours per week)

Based in / Location: Michigan, Ohio, or Indiana

Overview:

Abraham Associates, Inc. is seeking a full-time sales representative, based in Michigan, Ohio, or Indiana. We are shifting territory responsibilities for some accounts this fall/winter to expand our coverage around the entire Midwest. This will be a new position in addition to our existing team.

Our expectation is that this new sales rep will cover the eastern part of our territory – including key accounts and new accounts. The exact territory boundaries and responsibilities may shift, depending on the best candidate’s location. 

Success in this job will involve a steep learning curve about our publishers’ policies and terms, their expansive backlist of titles, a wide array of booksellers across the Midwest, and how we operate in the middle. 

Abraham Associates is a collaborative work environment with decades of experience and history in this field. The ideal candidate will be stepping into an established rhythm of meetings, reading, service, support, and outreach – with a solid team at their back.

Job responsibilities include:

• Sell to bookstore, museum, and wholesale accounts, including in-person sales calls, email outreach, and phone/video conferencing

• Outreach to stores regarding special offers, awards, and other time-sensitive matters

• Work closely with Abraham Associates’ client publishers and our bookseller customers

• Mutually support our other sales reps and office manager

• Process orders and manage customer service issues across a wide variety of publishers and distributors

• Create, edit, and share Edelweiss markups and catalog notations with buyers

• Develop and distribute sales materials for customers with sales rep colleagues

• Educate and work with new bookstores to establish accounts and credit with our publishers

• Occasional travel to sales conferences, trade shows, and group meetings

• Read widely – among our own publishers’ works, as well as other publishers

Essential job skills include:

• Advanced organizational skills: a flexible, intuitive, detail-oriented mindset, an ability to schedule own appointments, manage order processing, customer service needs, and inbox management

• Team communication skills: share seasonal progress, reading favorites, operational concerns, store and buyer feedback, publisher communications

• Office management skills: provide accurate & timely expense and sales reporting, work on planning our annual regional trade show attendance, participate in helping decide our group’s future directions

We’re looking for a candidate who has:

• A minimum of two years of experience in bookselling and/or publishing is ideal, but not required to be considered

• Bachelor’s degree preferred

• Proficiency with Edelweiss

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs, Google Office suite, Slack, and similar office software

• Comfortable learning new programs and proprietary office systems

• Valid driver’s license and car insurance

Physical job requirements include:

• Flexible work times and hours, including occasional weekend work / travel

• Ability to travel by car and airplane

• Occasional lifting requirement of up to 40 pounds (catalogs, sales materials, and books are a crucial part of the job)

• Ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods - travel to and from meetings, during meetings

• Repetitive wrist & finger manipulation, due to high concentration of computer work

• Occasional standing, bending, twisting, stretching, crouching, reaching, and grasping

What we offer:

• Base salary + minimum commission advance + monthly car allowance is set at $57,800. 

• Additional commission payments are dependent on the group’s overall results

• Health insurance. Coverage for spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children is available

• Business and travel expenses are covered

• Profit sharing and retirement plan

• Company provided computer

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, skills required, or compensation. All policies and benefits described are subject to change at any time.  

Due date for resumes: August 29, 2025

How to apply:

Interested and qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to John Mesjak at john@abrahamassociatesinc.com.

We proudly represent a select group of publishers and distributors. Our account base includes independent and chain bookstores, college stores (independent and chain), museum stores, trade wholesalers, library jobbers and re-binders, and ID wholesalers.