Woodmansterne is to strengthen its W-Select team with the appointment of Katrina Sachno, who joins the company following 29 years working for GBCC/Paper House, latterly as senior manager of Waterwells’ brokerage division.
Katrina takes up the newly created position of W-Select development manager on Monday 2 December, reporting to Mark Timlett, Woodmansterne’s national sales manager. W Select is Woodmansterne’s category management, brokerage and planning operation, that now supplies a wide variety of retail rooftops, including independent specialists, department stores and garden centres.
Commenting on Katrina’s appointment, Andy Paterson, sales director of Woodmansterne told PG Buzz: “Katrina joining us comes at a great time for W Select. Her skills and personality means that she is the ideal person to understand the needs of our W Select retail customers as well as strengthen relationships with the 30 publishers whose cards we broker in.”
Elaborating on the further opportunities to expand the W-Select business, Andy added: “Now more than ever, retailers want a simple but flexible solution which offers their customers the best selection thereby growing sales, all executed with great efficiency and a dash of retail theatre. All of these are cornerstones of our W Select business which, with Katrina joining us we are looking to build further.”
Among the recent claims to fame for W-Select include displays in Garsons Garden Centre, specialist group Zo and Co (which won a Retas award in July), Elys of Wimbledon and Austins of Newton Abbot.
Ian Richardson, managing director of Garsons appeared in a recent video to share his views and experiences of the move to W-Select:
Andy is to share his knowledge of brokerage with newbie and growing card publishers attending The Ladder Club at the end of this month (November 28).
“Brokerage is not for everyone, whether you are a publisher or a retailer. What I will be looking to do is to debunk some of the myths and to help publishers understand what is involved, both on operational and financial fronts. With so many multiples, department stores, garden centres and an increasing number of independents looking to be supplied via brokerage it makes sense for publishers and retailers to be aware of what is involved.”
Andy will joint the stellar line-up of speakers at this year’s Ladder Club which also includes award-winning retailer David Robertson, md of JP Pozzi, of Buckie and Elgin, (who will share his insights from behind the counter into what retailers want from card publishers and importantly, what they don’t want); well-loved independent sales agent, Rose Trow (who will reveal what goes on inside an agent’s head and what publishers need to consider to first attract an agent to carry their ranges as well as what will keep them happy); The Art File’s co-founder Ged Mace (who will share his wealth of experience of running a successful greeting card business, including how to ensure that the costs of producing cards are kept at a viable level) and Megan Purdie, the founder of Megan Claire (who will share her amazing journey from her leap of faith from an online start-up to leading design-led brand).
The Ladder Club’s loyal group of sponsors – The Imaging Centre, Loxleys/Sherwood, GF Smith, Enveco, the GCA and PG Live – will collectively cover all the other cogs in the wheel of taking an idea of a card design right through production before it makes its way to retailers and ultimately the consumer.
The cost of attending The Ladder Club is £90 (+VAT), which includes refreshments and lunch. To book a place at The Ladder Club 2019, you can do so easily online on www.max-subscriptions.net/tickets/, or by contacting Clare Hollick of Keystone Communications (who looks after the booking for The Ladder Club) on clare@keystonecomms.co.uk, call her on 01733 294524.
There will be a ‘meet up’ dinner the evening before The Ladder Club, which is especially useful and enjoyable. This will be held in a pub close to the BDC.
For more information on The Ladder Club contact PG’s Tracey Arnaud on traceya@max-publishing.co.uk or call her on 01234 740051/ 07957 212062, or email Jakki Brown on jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk or call her on 0207 700 6740.
Top: Garsons Garden Centre’s greeting card department.
