Case Study
Reader’s Digest Division, Books Are Fun, Cuts Costs 45%
Leading display marketer of books and gifts re‐engineers recruiting strategy to reduce costs, maximize efficiency, and improve quality of hires
The Books are Fun Challenge
Books Are Fun requires 850 reps working in assigned territories to service 70,000 schools and 50,000 businesses. To meet expansion goals and cover attrition rates, Books Are Fun has to recruit 250 to 300 independent sales representatives every year, or risk missed sales opportunities. Moreover, these positions are particularly difficult to fill because they are commission‐based opportunities that require an investment, transportation and storage. Making the recruiting task even more difficult, the company relied on six internal recruiters handling the full load through newspaper advertising and job boards. Screening applicants consumed 70 percent of their time.