Preparing for Bonnier Sales Awards

As the end of the year approaches, ad sales representatives throughout Bonnier are checking out their sales goals and seeing how well they did. It's also time for their sales managers to think about the Bonnier Sales Awards 2011. The awards, with prizes worth over EUR 20,000, will be given out at a gala dinner where guests will be treated to live entertainment, toast the winners with champagne and dance the night away at Stockholm's elegant Grand Hotel.

"What better way to celebrate our sales staff! With such a significant part of our revenues coming from ad sales, it's incredibly important to show how proud we are of the hard work and creativity of our sales staff," says Bodil Ericsson Torp, vice president, communications and human development at Bonnier AB and member of the jury. "In many markets, it hasn't been an easy year, which means it's taken a lot of effort to be successful."

The guests will also be able to take part in a specially prepared inspirational conference tailor-made for them and held during the day prior to the dinner.

"We want our people to be inspired and get the most out the time and the international crowd," says Ericsson Torp. "The conference hopefully will give not just good ideas, but give a chance for people from all of Bonnier to network and get ideas and inspiration from each other, whether they're from Sweden, Finland, the U.S. or any of the other many countries represented."

The awards consist of three prizes: Rookie of the Year, who receives EUR 3,000 and a place at the 2012 GRID conference; Sales Manager of the Year, who receives EUR 10,000; and Sales Representative of the Year, who also receives EUR 10,000. The prizes will be announced and given out at a gala ceremony and dinner on March 16 at Stockholm's Grand Hotel.

This year, Ericsson Torp will be joined on the jury by Jonas Bonnier, CEO, Bonnier AB, and chairman of the jury, Sweden; Casten Almqvist, TV4, Sweden; Trond Juliussen, Bonnier Media, Norway; Heikki Rotko, MTV3, Finland; Ulrika Saxon, Bonnier Tidskrifter, Sweden; Marjaana Toiminen, Bonnier Publications, Finland; and Eric Zinczenko, Bonnier Corporation, U.S.

Only sales managers can make nominations - the nominating period starts on Jan. 1 and closes on Jan. 18. You can find more information and nomination forms here.

"I highly encourage sales managers to nominate their best sales staff for the awards," says Ericsson Torp. "It's a great honor to be nominated, let alone win the Bonnier Sales Awards. And a great opportunity to show your people your appreciation for their hard work."