Sports Support Syndicate & Points Press
Introduction
To the Publishers and Producers of
Sports Intelligence Products
Sports Support Syndicate Facts
The Leadership Double-Team
Mark Rauterkus, founder of the Sports Support Syndicate and Publisher and Points Press of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Paul Mathews, President of Points Press and Officer of Mathews Printing.
Points Press Order Center
Points Press is a new, independent, mid-sized, wholesale operation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As the name implies, the business prides itself on titles with a strong message and the inventory includes more than 1,000 different titles, and the list is growing as other sources are discovered.
Points Press serves as the exclusive order center and production headquarters for a number of publisher inprints, including the Sports Support Syndicate. All the Syndicate's products are developed, manufactured, ordered, stocked and delivered from the Points Press.
Besides retail activities, Points Press offers extended services that include: 1-800 service; informed telephone operators available than 80-hours a week; credit-card acceptance with MasterCard, VISA, and American Express; electronic mail communications from headquarters; acceptance of school purchase-orders and a credit department willing to sell to the trade and special markets.
Sports Intelligence Products
Books, video tapes, audio tapes and computer software are the major product categories of "Intelligence Products". Intelligence products and other interactive media appeal to the user's cognitive process to disseminate information and ideas for education and enrichment.
Uniforms, clothing, equipment, accessories, games and coaching/training aids might have "intelligence" value, but these types of products are not part of Syndicate's product line.
The Syndicate's scope of sports includes the Olympic boundaries and extends far beyond. The Syndicate covers the major sports as well as anyone, but our strength comes through the variety
and depth of specialized activity selections. Marathon Swimming, Beach Volleyball and Powerlifting are few of the 50 different sports categories which are all important.
No-Cut Try-outs
Unlimited Selection
All publishers and producers with sports related titles are already on our team. We carry all sports-related titles.
Ninety-nine percent of the publishers accept the invitation to join our team as vendors. The Syndicate is striving to contact the missing one-percent. Our open invitation to sports publishers and additional discoveries continually expand our product-line.
It is easy to include your products as a part of our product-line. We can sign-up any title in an instant. But the Syndicate hopes for more than a simple involvement from the publishers.
Just as in sports, it's easy to sign-up for a team, but difficult to play in the games. Athletics are not about casual involvement, neither is the Syndicate. The Syndicate wants to engage publishers in a profitable partnership. The Syndicate wants to work with publishers in a dynamic program with Double-Win results.
The Syndicate is turning all titles into play-makers, not bench-warmers.
Today's Marketplace
• Today's sports marketplace is fragmented, specialized and more technical than ever.
• Today's products are produced to appeal to narrow populations in vertical markets.
• Today's knowledge is the sports sciences has expanded and is stressing the traditional sources of information.
• Today's consumers are spending more time and money in leisure activities.
• Today's consumers thrive on cross-training and have diverse interests in a variety of activities.
• Today's costs for advertising and direct mail prohibit profitability for most titles.
• Today's one-stop solution for consumers, dealers and media is the Sports Support Syndicate.
Specific Sales Markets for the Syndicate
The Syndicate's operational plan includes sales activities in every type of market. All aspects of the plan are functioning at present, and dramatic growth is projected throughout the 1990's.
Consumers:
Visit the retail store.
Repeat customer request the general, seasonal and mini catalogs.
Direct Mail delivers mini-catalogs to specific-sport participants.
Special event promotions attract customers and builds demand for products.
Institutional-Based Consumers:
Direct mail promotions aids coaches and athletic directors.
Direct mail literature targets schools for text book and library needs.
Sports Wholesale:
Independant, sports-specific stores benefit from the dealer program.
Super-Dealer program offers many support services including joint promotional assistance.
Publications:
Publisher program establishes comprehensive and customized interaction with vertical market magazines.
Media press-releases and articles are made available to editors on a regular basis.
Book Trade:
Experience and available resources allow the represenative from Points Press assist your staff to service and sell directly to retail bookstores.
Support is our Middle-Name
Normal Customer Service Includes
• Toll-Free numbers from anywhere in USA and Canada.
• Telephone receptionists with hands-on knowledge of stock levels, prices, delivery dates, full-title list, alternative suggestions, order process and every other detail necessary for customer assistance.
• Telephone support lasting for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
• Accepted credit cards include MasterCard, VISA, American Express.
• Institutional purchase orders accepted.
• Catalogs available in sports-specific areas.
• Syndicate Cognitive Coupons sent to customers to encourage repeat sales.
Normal Dealer Service Includes:
• Easy credit applications.
• Net 30-day terms with approved credit applications.
• Discounts on quick payments.
• Minimal volume restrictions start on orders as small as 10 items with mixed titles.
• Expanded sales support with a service fee for as few as one item.
• Orders accepted via electronic mail which support local phone calls.
• Supplemental dealer literature to assist with sales without inventory.
• Custom-designed, camera-ready art provided for use in the dealer's own sales materials.
• Confidential dealer price lists mailed free of charge.
Normal Special Event Services Include:
• Syndicate Cognitive Coupons offer discounts to participants at tournaments.
• Sales booth for regional and national events for direct consumer contact.
Normal Media and Magazine Services Include:
• Press release information on specific titles.
• Advertisements from classified to 2-page spreads.
• Annual Press Release covering product trends on the global market.
• Advisory Board activities and press-release information on top products, evaluations, rankings and recommendations.*
* All programs scheduled for implementation in 1989.
Our Game Plan
Publishers' Interaction with the Syndicate
The Syndicate seeks start-up assistance from Publishers in only two areas. Then the publishers can step aside and let the Syndicate carry the ball. We will score with sales.
Publishers Provide Product Information to the Syndicate Publishers are encouraged to educate, inform, and interact with the Syndicate about their title. Please keep us up-to-date with press-releases, review copies, sales literature, artwork, review article clippings, and possible trends.
The Syndicate thrives on product knowledge. We recommend reading lists. We have an expansive file system and computer data base which is organized for productivity. The Syndicate needs to know you products before we can promote them properly.
The last page of this introduction lists many of our questions about your titles that are most helpful to us. Send us a copy of that page for every sports-title you carry. Send us copies of important notes from the files of your sports titles.
Put the Syndicate's headquarters and the Points Press Order Center on all your mailing lists:
Publishers Communicate Pricing Approval
The Syndicate want to purchase your titles at wholesale or mail-order prices. Most publishers have this type of schedule in place. The Syndicate needs at least a 50% discount off of the suggested retail price.
The Syndicate price for your products have to reflect our additional efforts to resell and promote the titles to dealers and a national market. The news releases, direct mail, catalogs, advertisements and other services and proposals cost much more than setting the book on a shelf in a store.
Review of the Syndicate Requests
1. Send us as much product information as possible.
2. Allow a 50% to 55% discount schedule.
Title
Sub-Title
Author
Publisher
Vendor of choice
Alternative vendor
Date of First Publication:
ISBN #
# of pages
hard or soft cover
Describe the illustrations:
(i.e. number of photos, drawings, charts, in color or b&w, subjective judgment)
target audience:
sporting activities:
suggested retail price:
Syndicate % discount:
Syndicate Price (s):
Cost for shipping 1 book via US Mail book rate: $
Book reviews on hand?:
B&W photo on hand?:
Catalog description:
Short Sales Discription for ads:
Overall Subjective rating of book:
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