Explore Minnesota Tourism: Industry Site

Explore Minnesota Tourism (EMT) is seeking a commission-based sales representative to sell advertising in our Minnesota Travel Guide publication and on our Web site at ExploreMinnesota.com. This sales representative’s mission will be to find new advertisers and new audiences for Explore Minnesota Tourism’s print and online products.

Explore Minnesota Tourism currently has two internal, non-commissioned staff who will continue to sell advertising in these products, and will provide supervision to the sales representative. The vendor will coordinate sales contacts with EMT sales representatives to avoid overlap.

Explore Minnesota Tourism will:

• Provide guidelines for appropriate targets for new customers.
• Determine items for sale and set prices.
• Provide sales materials, including sales flyers and contracts for the Minnesota Travel Guide and exploreminnesota.com.
• Provide up to date information on inventory availability.
• Pay commission to sales person on a monthly basis for paid contracts, upon invoicing by the vendor.
• Provide payment reports to vendor.
• Provide technical assistance to customers.

The vendor will be expected to:

• Sell to only new advertisers not reserved by EMT.
• Sell within established sales limits.
• Provide a prospect list to EMT. Upon approval, EMT will not approach those customers.
• Provide a sales plan to EMT.
• Track advertising sales, and submit reports to Explore Minnesota Tourism.
• Track revenue collected and report to EMT.
• Report to and communicate regularly with the EMT Ad Sales Coordinator.
• Provide excellent customer service to Explore Minnesota Tourism’s customers.

Explore Minnesota Tourism will not pay any expenses to the vendor. This contract would run from June 15, 2008, or when a contract is fully executed, whichever comes later, through May 15, 2009, and may be terminated early if desired by either party. Ad sales by EMT will have begun prior to the contract being executed. The sales deadline for the Travel Guide is August 15, 2008. Ad sales for the web site are ongoing year-round.

If interested, please submit a written proposal to: Tim Campbell Explore Minnesota Tourism, 320 W. 2nd St., Ste 707, Duluth, MN 55802 by Friday, June 6, 2008. Questions may also be addressed to his e-mail, tim.campbell@state.mn.us or by phone at 218-723-4692.

Proposal must include:

• Complete contact information for the vendor and any proposed employees or subcontractors of the vendor.
• Expected revenue raised by sales broken down by Travel Guide and web site (www.exploreminnesota.com).
• Percentage of commission expected from sales broken down by Travel Guide and web site.
• Disclosure of current sales products or other companies or agencies for which the vendor engages in sales activities.
• Describe experience in print and online advertising sales. If the vendor proposes to use any third parties (e.g., employees or subcontractors), provide this information for each of them.
• Describe experience in tourism. If the vendor proposes to use any third parties (e.g., employees or subcontractors), provide this information for each of them.

Attachments - current sales flyers for Web and Travel Guide, including outline of Web/Travel Guide packages

Posted: May 14th, 2008