THE PARTNER CHECKLIST

GETTING STARTED as a PARTNER…

• It’s important that you get off on the right foot. Please complete this checklist so we can set up your component materials properly. Refer back to this webpage if you forget or miss something.
• At the bottom of every webpage you’ll find the PARTNER BACK OFFICE. Here you’ll find a stack of links that will take you to webpages on our website that contain necessary information just for Partners, including you. Use ’em!

Your contacts for the Library are as follows:
Mark Peterson
Conferences, Guide and EXPO: 612-518-8353 or mark@mnfieldtriplibrary.org
Nicole Becker
Website materials: 612-910-2576 or nicole@mnfieldtriplibrary.org
– Jennifer Zacks
ALERTS materials: 612-387-0656 or jennifer@mnfieldtriplibrary.org

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Here are the Library’s 5 outreach components that make up the year-long Partner Program:
1. The GUIDE – Printed once a year and distributed at conferences & events, by mail & delivery. As a Partner. you can place a full page, full color ad in the Guide.  12,500 printed in 2016. 
2. The CONFERENCES – Guides are distributed, drawings held, signups for our email ALERTS and you can participate at conferences. Partners receive the confidential contact lists from 30+ conferences.
3. The WEBSITE – the log-in free & password-free information hub of the Library… full of content-rich ideas, announcements & downloadable Partner literature.  1,500+ visits per week as of 5/1/2016.
4. The Monthly ALERTS – the core of our outreach activity with announcements & specials you provide.  Subscriber count as of 4/25/2016: 22,500, with 45% forwarding their ALERT to 5 or more peers or friends.
5. The EXPO – meet hundreds of well-qualified planners in-person for a day of business conversations. Partners get the confidential attendee list. 550 planners met with 125 exhibitors in 2015 (our 5th year).

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WHERE DO I BEGIN?

Most importantly, you need to have a solid understanding of the Library’s marketing and promotion concept.
We have combined 4 different types of marketing & outreach that simultaneously work together through a full year to draw more dynamic attention to individual Partners’ venues, programs and performances. These increase familiarity with what you offer, and heighten the probability of responses, and then what the planners discover about you and your offerings. The more you are engaged with Library activities, the more the response!
1. Print marketing (the annual Guide)
2. In-person outreach (the Conferences and the EXPO)
3. Website and social media marketing (the Website, digital promotion, and search tools)
4. Email marketing (The monthly email ALERTS)
You will want to begin by doing 3 things:
– First, you’ll want to put together your content for the website. (Scroll down for more information and then work with Nicole.)
– Next, select your choice of ALERTS from the 4 options (1 or 2 per month based on your Partner Program), then schedule and write your announcements for the next 1-3 months. (Scroll down for more information and then work with Jennifer.)
– After this, prepare for conferences, the GUIDE and the EXPO.  (Scroll down for more information and then work with Mark.) 

Just remember: check periodically to keep your website content current during the year!
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About graphics and logo resolution:
LOGO: Send one high resolution logo (130 pixels Wide X 85 pixels High 300 dpi) for your Partner Webpage and your Literature Carousel in the Download Center.
PHOTOS Image resolution: 1200 pixels Wide X 450 pixels High 300 dpi
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Here is your “to do” Partner Checklist:

1. The 2017-2018 MN GROUP TRAVEL & ACTIVITY GUIDE

• As a Partner, you get one full page, full color ad in the Guide included in your Partner Program.
• Additional ad pages can be purchased at the special Partner rate of $395 per page.
• See the Guide Description for content ideas, ad specs & material requirements.
• The 2016-2017 Guides will available Summer 2016 and distributed through Spring 2017.

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2. THE CONFERENCES

• First, review the webpage titled CONFERENCES & WINNERS. They apply to our 2 markets as follows:

• STUDENT & YOUTH GROUPS

– New Horizons Camp Discovery • Private childcare/education services – K-5
– MESPA – MN Elementary School Principals • Public/private schools
– MnAEYC/MnSACA – Afterschool & summer activity planners • K-5
– MAAP – MN Association of Alternative Programs • 6-12
– MMEA – MN Music Educators Assn • Public & private • K-12
– MCEA Leadership Day – Community Education • K-5
– MnCOSE – MN Science Teachers • Public/private schools • K-12
– MCSS – MN Social Studies Teachers • Public schools • 6-12
– EdVisions Conversation Day – Charter School Co-op (17 schools) • K-12
– MN STEM Network – Science • Public/private schools • K-Middle
– Univ of Scouting/Spring – Leadership training • Scout leaders
– MKA – MN Kindergarten Ass’n • K
– MCTM – MN Teachers of Math • Public/private • K-12
– MISF – MN Independent Schools/Educators • Private schools • K-12
– MRPA – MN Recreation & Parks Ass’n • Summer & afterschool
– MLA – MN Library Ass’n • Library programs for children • K – 5
– MCEA – MN Community Education Conference • Summer & afterschool • K-5
– MEA – Education MN Conference • Public, private, charter schools • K-12
– MN District Lutheran Teachers Conference • Private school • K-12
– Univ of Scouting/Fall – Leadership training • Scout leaders
– E-4 STEM & Science Conference – Public & private schools • K-6
– MNSAA – MN Non-Public School Accrediting Ass’n • Private schools • K-12
– AEM – Art Educators of MN Annual Conference • K-12
– MMSA – MN Middle School Ass’n • Public & private schools • 5-9

• ACTIVE ADULT & SENIOR GROUPS

– MCEA Leadership Day – Community Education Departments • MN School Districts
– MASS – MN Ass’n of Senior Services • Community Senior Centers
– MRPA – MN Recreation & Parks Ass’n • Community Senior Centers & CE Programs
– MnSWAP – MN Statewide Activity Professionals • Sr Ctrs, Retirement Orgs/Communities
– MLA – MN Library Ass’n • Library programs for adults (intergenerational)
– MCEA – MN Community Education Conference • MN School Districts
– EMT Operators Luncheon – Tour Operators, Bank Club Directors
– MASS/WASC – MN & WI Dual Annual Conference • Senior Centers & Community Programs

• In 2017 we expect to be at these conferences & events (and maybe more) to do the following:

1. Introduce Partners & the Library resources to attendees
2. Personally hand out the MN Field Trip & Activity GUIDES to conference attendees.
3. Invite attendees to the next annual MN Field Trip EXPO.
4. Invite attendees to sign up for our monthly email ALERTS as subscribers.
5. Hold drawings for valuable giveaways provided by Partners (usually about 10-20 significant giveaways per conference).

Here’s how to get the most from conferences:
• Each Partner is invited to join Mark as a Featured Partner at no added charge – first come, first served.
• Get additional promotion & exposure by offering valuable Conference Drawing Giveaway(s).
• As a Partner, you’ll receive the Confidential Contact List from the conferences where we exhibit.
Call Mark to request being a Featured Partner, or to discuss participating in drawings.

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3. THE WEBSITE • www.MnFieldTripLibrary.org

• You will work with Nicole Becker, the website editor.

THE WEBSITE HOMEPAGE
– Hero image carousel
– Select a high resolution photo in this carousel, even changing it monthly if you want. Images are linked to your Partner webpage on our website. Image resolution: 1200 pixels Wide X 450 pixels High 300 dpi
– Drop-down menus – Look at each and determine which menus you should be displayed in.
– Announcements – After each email ALERT each of that ALERT’s announcements are archived in the Planner Blog – each as an individual blog post. From there they are moved onto the home page and rotated through the displayed announcements during the week following that specific ALERT. The way to get an announcement on the homepage is to have it in the ALERTS.

YOUR PARTNER WEBPAGE
Each Partner gets a Partner Webpage on our website. We create your Partner Webpage with the content you provide to Nicole.  Click HERE to see how your Partner Webpage will be formatted.
1. Descriptive Paragraph
Write 65-150 words of introduction and practical information that will influence planners to choose you, and that will help them plan. Idea: Review other Partner webpages for ideas of what you can do.
A note for CVBs: You are representing many attractions in your area. Take a thorough inventory – including those pleasant surprises like company and unusual destinations. Then list them for your Partner Webpage. Provide a URL for each and we will link each one to their own website.

2. Social Media
Send URLs for the media you want to display, such as Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.

3. Contact Information
– Primary contact name & direct phone
– Email address
– Website address
– Street address (not needed for educational performers, entertainers, or programs that go onsite)… your address will automatically link up to the Google map on your Partner webpage.
A note for CVBs:
Provide us with the addresses of each of your attractions, and we will create a master map showing their location in relation to your community and each other. Great for creating itineraries!

4. Photo Carousel
– Send us up to 6 engaging, quality images (397 pixels Wide X 264 pixels High 72dpi) For your Partner Webpage. You can regularly submit new photos to either replace the existing ones, or to add to the existing ones, in your photo carousel.
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THE DOWNLOAD CENTER
– The password-free DOWNLOAD CENTER is a digital version of a brochure rack, and makes your literature available by download at no charge 24/7!
 Send us PDFs of your brochures, program flyers, guides, etc. We will then publish your literature in your Download Center carousel.
A note for CVBs: We will publish one piece of literature each for your member atttactions, etc. We recommend you create a “field trip flyer” listing your inventory of local activities, destinations and events. 

A note about your multiple-page brochures and guides: We can create a unique “flip-page digital brochure” available to be read and downloaded from the Download Center at no added charge

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4. THE FIELD TRIP ALERTS

The Library’s ALERTS are email marketing at it’s best (most efficient), and are made up of specific announcements (programs, classes, events, etc) and news submitted by Library Partners. We have found that multiple announcements from different venues (in this case, Partners) get a much high readership and response rate than an email from a single venue (no matter how many times the single venue email is either changed and sent out. Planners love the variety… and your announcement will have a much higher probability of being seen (and responded to) by our loyal readers.
Your agreement with the Library provides you with either 1 or 2 announcements per month in the ALERT category(s) you have selected (student/youth… senior/active adult… or both). See below.
You will work with Jennifer, the ALERTS editor, for your email ALERTS.
• Select your ALERTS (1 or 2 per month, per your Partner agreement)
We email your announcements and news to permission-based subscribers via 4 types of ALERTS – a different ALERT every week – every month of the year. You supply us with the elements needed for a professional announcement: photo, headline, descriptive copy,  a link to a video (optional), and finally, a link to your website… who better to tell your “stories” than YOU?
• Make your announcements very forward-looking (from 2-6 months out), allowing plenty of time for planning and preparation by planners, tour operators, etc.

2017 Alert Schedule Horizontal

2017 Alert Schedule

 

THE 4 TYPES OF ALERTS (shown in the order we send them out):

– Week #1: FIELD TRIP & ACTIVITY ALERTS
1NewBanners_FT&A

This is a “general” student & youth email. For planners of student/youth activities, field trips, events, assemblies & performances – both outbound & on-site. Use this is if you want to reach both educational and recreational planners – including youth organizations, scouts, churches, YMCAs, summer programs, afterschool programs, etc. Many educators and teachers subscribe to this email in addition to the Student Experiences ALERT. Also, this is excellent for promoting organization event services, and fundraising opportunities.

– Week #2: SENIOR EXPERIENCES
2NewBanners_SrExp

For planners of active adult and senior activities – both outbound (i.e., day trips) and inbound (performances, programs, classes) – Use this if you want to reach senior centers, retirement organizations & communities, non-residential & residential facilities.

– Week #3: STUDENT EXPERIENCES
3NewBanners_StudentExp

For planners of educational and standards-supporting student activities, programs and field trips in the areas of the arts, music, history, social studies & other disciplines – both outbound & on-site. Use this ALERT if you want to focus on schools. This ALERT is excellent for promoting school event services, and fundraising opportunities. Homeschool co-ops, family groups and individual families subscribe to this ALERT the most.

– Week #4: MN GROUP TRAVEL ALERTS
NewBanners_GroupTravelALERTS

For planners of group travel, tour itineraries and related activities. Use this if you want to reach tour operators, charter motorcoach operators, receptive operators, travel agents, bank clubs, group leaders and travel clubs in MN, the immediate multi-state region, and North America – including RV, motorcycle, camping, bicycling, hiking, skiing and other type of activity-based clubs. This ALERT also goes out to a large number of educators who plan student travel (bands, choirs, theatre, sports, and more).
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Submitting your ALERTS announcement
Please use the Google Docs submission form. Keep your announcements specific, succinct and energetic.

IMPORTANT: We can only publish announcements on the website homepage that you have submitted for the email ALERTS. We don’t have the time to create Partner announcements.

• Jennifer Zacks, the ALERTS Editor, will send out regularly-scheduled reminder emails requesting materials for announcements & news for the ALERTS.
• Please submit your materials to Jennifer. Questions? Contact her at  jennifer@mnfieldtriplibrary.org
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5. THE MN FIELD TRIP EXPO
Monday August 7, 2017 @ the Saint Paul Union Depot

– First read the EXPO EXHIBITOR INFORMATIONYou will need to register for the EXPO as an exhibitor (even though you are already a Library Partner). There is no added charge to exhibit for Partners. Your exhibit space is included in your Partnership annual fee. Exhibitor registration is open now for the 2016 EXPO. Please register sooner rather than later.
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Now that you’ve got this going, how about taking our MN Field Trip & Activity logo, and/or our 2017 MN Field Trip EXPO logo and putting one or both on YOUR website?

Thank you!
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Contact us if you have questions:
Mark Peterson: 612-518-8353 or mark@mnfieldtriplibrary.org
Nicole Becker, Editor of the website: 612-910-2576 or nicole@mnfieldtriplibrary.org
Jennifer Zacks, Editor of the ALERTS: 612-709-1593 or jennifer@mnfieldtriplibrary.org

Mark Peterson
President

Jennifer Zacks
ALERTS Editor