The Sales Research & Service Developer researches new leads for showcasing the area as a convention, sports, and tour bus destination. The position will work to develop annual meetings, competitions, and events as well as excellent services. This position reports to the Exec. VP of Sales and serves as a member of the Discover Monroe-West Monroe team.

Core Responsibilities

• Maintain a well-informed working knowledge of all hotels, meeting facilities, attractions and services available in the area; develop and maintain a close working relationship with personnel from all such facilities and serves as a liaison between the account representative and these facilities.
• Research database systems and the internet to generate leads that can utilize local facilities.
• Make personal and telephone sales contact to account representatives in development of the leads.
• Research, develop and initiate new leads/accounts.
• Attend tradeshows to promote the area as a convention, sports, and tour bus destination. Follow up and evaluate all leads produced from Trade Shows.
• Research new events to be held within facilities available and develop self-sustaining events to be held annually.
• Maintain a target list for desirable events to be held in the area.
• Develop new events that drive overnight stays that will be maintained, facilitated, and ran or assisted by the CVB annually or bi-annually.
• Develop services to meet the needs of the customers, participants, spectators, and the CVB.
• Grow events developed by the CVB in attendance, awareness, and participation for the maximum economic impact to the area.
• Maintain an awareness of competition cities products, facilities, and promotions that influence sales by establishing rapport with other CVB representatives, researching websites, reviewing convention trade publications, etc.
• Assist with and coordinate the development and operations of sales missions with the area hotels, meeting facilities and tourism industry partners to market the area.
• Maintain efficiency with the department software through ongoing training and upgrades.
• Assist with development of promotional sales materials conducted for convention, sports, and tourism marketing.
• Assist in preparation of customized bid proposals including costs at meeting facilities, hotels, and any other needs specified by the account representative and conducts the bid presentations.
• Assist with site inspections and tours of area hotels, meeting facilities, and attractions for account representatives.
• Works closely with the communications department in development and maintenance of convention related promotional, marketing, service and advertising projects.
• Visit convention/events when held in the city and assures that all is well, encouraging groups to return again.
• Contact hotels for booking accountability. Evaluate and follow up on all meetings and events.
• Attend periodic sales meetings of the Convention Department to discuss and review upcoming conventions, sales goals, progress, outstanding leads, special projects and events.
• Assure that sponsorships approved are utilized to promote DMWM.
• Develops and implement new ideas to expand and develop the sales and services of the convention department.
• Assist in the development of a marketing plan and strategies to promote Monroe-West Monroe.
• Perform other duties not listed as assigned by the President/CEO and Executive Team.

To apply, click HERE to submit a cover letter and current resume to Krystle Ivey, Director of Operations.