Company Mission and Profile Resources

Company Mission Resources

Below, please find some resources on writing your company mission statements:

Company Profile Resources

Below, please find some resources on writing a company profile:

Resources 1
Resource 2
Resource 3 (E-zine article...pretty good)

Job Ad Resources

Some Resources for writing job ads:

Market Research Resources

Marketing A&S Documents

Here are some sample documents from previous semesters. Some are better than others. These are just meant to demonstrate what other students have done in the past.

PimpMyDorm.com

Treehouse Vending

Drivethru Marketing

FoundIT

Marketing Strategy Resources

The Tao of Marketing

Meeting Documentation

Beginning with your initial meeting, you will be responsible for documenting your contribution to your team's progress. This documentation will come in two forms:

Meeting Minutes

Date and location of meeting
Names of all present
A brief summary of the meeting's business
Decisions rendered, actions assigned, etc.
All minutes will be posted to the Team Correspondence Forum

Individual Contribution Representation

You must represent your specific contribution to the group in any format that will 1. Clearly and accurately illustrate what you did throughout the project;2. Receive written approval from all group members before submission;3. Be given to your team members to assist in completing the project assessment.

You will be assessed based on how well the document represents your work ethic/contribution to the group--including its presentation, design, and appropriate rhetorical choices.

Peer Review of Cover Letter

Form and Style

Does the letter include all the necessary components (return address, header, salutation, introductory paragraph, body paragraph(s), and conclusion)? If not, what’s missing?
Does the writer use block format (all text flush with the left margin)?
Does the style of the letter suit the occasion? Is it too informal? Too formal or generic? Explain.
Does the writer take the right tone? (E.g., come off as enthusiastic without gushing? highly qualified without bragging?) Explain.
Are there any spelling or mechanical errors? If so, identify them, either by listing them here or by circling them on a printed draft.

Content/Rhetorical Context

Does the letter speak directly and specifically to the job ad, using keywords to organize the discussion of his or her qualifications? Even if it does, what could be done better?
Does the writer mention specific reasons why he or she has applied for the position? Explain.
Does the writer identify specific skills, using terminology that other experienced people would recognize?
Does the introductory paragraph identify the position applied for, its source, and then the major reason(s) why the writer is well-suited?
Does the conclusion say how the writer can be contacted for further discussion or an interview? Does the letter end on a high note? Explain.
What is the most important revision the writer should make? Explain.

Peer Review of Resume

Questions for Response

What can the writer do to make the resume better tailored to the specific job being applied for?
Is the layout and design pleasing to the eye? Make at least one suggestion for improving it.
Does the resume fit comfortably within the page (as opposed to being squished in or stretched out)? What can the writer do to improve it?
Is it easily readable (no confusing fonts, clearly marked sections)? What improvements can be made?
Does it use typography (including headers and bold and italics) appropriately and effectively?
Is the most important information located on the left side of the page and near the top whenever possible? Identify at least one part that could be better placed.
Does the content of the resume support the objective (if there is one)? Explain.
Is the resume too short? Where can it elaborate? Job skills? Responsibilities? Education?
Is material sequenced in order of importance and relevance?
Do bulleted items begin with action verbs? Are list items ordered in terms of importance?
Does the resume avoid generalities and focus on specific information and professional terminology?
Does the resume pass the Quadrant, Column, Squint, and Distance tests? Explain how the author might make improvements based on your test results.
What other observations can you make about the resume?

Presentation Resources

Criteria for Project 6: Business Plan Presentation

On April 14th and 16th, you will be presenting your working business plans. Essentially, you will be presenting to your classmates as if they were potential supporters or investors. Your ultimate purpose of this presentation is to secure funding for your business idea. Below is some important information for your pending success. Here is a PowerPoint on Pitching/Presenting your Business Plans as well.

Media Types:

Your business plan pitch should take advantage of “typical” visual media available to entrepreneurs and business owners. How you choose to present your business plan and concept is, in the end, up to you. But, you are required to use some form of visual assistance, including:

PowerPoint
Overheads
Poster(s) and Easel
Others

Further, you are required to have a handout of some sort for all of your audience members. Your handout should supplement--not be a copy of--your presentation content. This should be your best work—which means it should be in the format you would be proud to present to potential funders in the real world.

Participation:

Each member of the business plan team is required to participate in the Business Plan Presentation. Completely equal participation is, of course, not necessary (or even quantifiable), but each member should have a distinct task during the presentation. Essentially, it should not be obvious that one person or another did more work—either on the business plan, or on the presentation. Your audience should hardly be aware of the transition from one presenter to another. Or one slide to another, for that matter. Practice.

Time:

In alignment with business plan competitions across the nation, your Business Plan Presentation will be no longer than 20 minutes, with a 5-10 minute Question & Answer session to immediately follow. Being this short, it is extremely important that you make decisions about what you will include, what you will exclude, how you will position yourselves rhetorically, how you will present the material (e.g. charts and graphs?), and how you will grab and maintain your audience’s attention. You will need to practice to ensure that you say what you want, how you want in the 20-minute time constraint. Practice more than once.

Professional ethos:

It is my expectation that you will conduct yourselves with utmost professionalism. Your professional ethos, along with that of this class, the program, and Purdue University all rests on how the decisions your groups make regarding professionalism. Although the following is not all inclusive, these are some aspects of professional ethos you might consider:

Attire
Polish of Presentation
Word Choice (level of formality)
Presentation Materials
Body Language
Self Introductions
Question and Answer Session
Others

Grade Breakdown for Project 6

40% - Content
15% - Presentation Makeup
10% - Business Plan Presentation Handout (presentation aid)
15% - Ranking and ethos
20% - Media Assistance

In all, your groups will professionally present your Business Plan (the content and not the construction) to the class. Your presentation will be between 15 and 20 minutes long, incuding an additional 5-10 minute question-and-answer session. At minimum, each group is responsible for the following:

A PowerPoint Presentation (or some media) related to your Business Plan (its content, not its creation)
A professional handout to accompany (and supplement) the PowerPoint Presentation.

Please refer to the Business Plan Presentation Criteria Document posted here.

Here is a copy of the Presentation Rubric I will use to assess your presentations.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Below, please find some resources for creating and presenting your work

Resource 1: Developing Your Powerpoint Presentation (UT-Austin)

Resource 2: Ten Commandments of Powerpoint

Resource 3: Examples of Bad Slides from Bill Gates himself

Resource 4: Annoying Powerpoint Elements Survey

Resource 5: Presentation Zen - Blog on Good Powerpoint Presentations

Resource 6: The Cost of Bad Powerpoints

Resource 7: Powerpoint is Evil - Comments from Edward Tufte

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Don't Read From Your PowerPoint Slides

TJ Walker Video

This is a four-minute video clip that stresses—over and over and over—not to use PowerPoint presentations as notecards/telepromter, etc. It’s a bit drawn out, but Walker makes his points:

Don’t use PowerPoint as your Speech or notecards
Focuses on the why: audience
What PowerPoint is really for: an aid to be used by the speaker—who actually makes a speech
Don’t show anybody your cue cards: use a piece of paper that you can refer to—that your audience does not need to see

PowerPoint: shot with its own bullets

by Peter Norvig (Check out the PowerPoint from the Gettysburg Address)

Norvig attends to the pros and cons of PowerPoint and gives the following points:

“Design your presentations and your meetings to take advantage of the people gathered there, not to bore them.” = Audience
Use your presentation to build on another’s idea “or for a new idea to arise collaboratively from the meeting.”
Use PowerPoint as a visual aid tool, to “convey visual information: photographs, charts, or diagrams,” but do not use it as a way to stop further thinking, talking and collaborating on the subject.

Grab Your Audience Fast

By Carmine Gallo

Gallo, a corporate presentation coach, refers to Jeff Taylor, the Monster.com founder, throughout this very short essay. Gallo’s point is that “you literally have just a few seconds to makek an impression on your business audience when you deliver a presentation.” His points are to:

Think of your audience—who is asking ‘What’s in this for me?’
Make an emotional connection with your listeners—in other words, give them a reason to care about your message.
“The goal of most presentations is to lead the listener to some sort of action: buying a product, scheduling a follow-up call to learn more, visiting a Web site, investing in a company, or doing whatever it may be. The more memorable the message, the easier it is to act upon.”

The 10/20/30 Rule of PowerPoint!!!

Guy Kawasaki

Guy begins his video clip (or his text, if you’re reading it) with a joke about Ménière’s disease, which he says is not catchy, can be caused by too much salt or caffeine, etc. or—as his real point is—that it is caused by sitting through too many PowerPoint presentations. His points:

Show 10 slides: This will “require you to find the most salient points and to know how to explain them well.”
In 20 minutes: You always have to worry about technology, people coming late/leaving early, etc.
Using 30 point font: In the workplace, most of the people are older and wear glasses.

Project Management Resources

David Seah's Productivity Posts
Basecamp (30 day free trial; good source of ideas for managing projects)
About.com Management
How to Manage a Project
Vertex 42's Excel Gantt Chart Template
Mind Tool's Project Management Tools
Google Docs
Planzone
Sosius (free online workspace)
Zoho Chat (Zoho also has additional shared workspace functions)

Resume and Cover Letter Resources

Below, please find some resume and cover letter writing resources:

Statements to Avoid on Your Cover Letter:

When I saw you announcment for a skilled laborer at Cudjoe Key, I made writing this letter my first priority. Of course, I've already applied online. But, the more I thought about this opportunity, the more it seemed a perfect match for both of us. And so I wanted you to have a good deal more than the usual, impersonal, application to show you how great I am.
I can really improve your sagging company and pull your dismal sales out of the gutter. Plus, I can redesign your crappy website.
I'm going to get a lot of experience when I use your company as a stepping stone on to bigger and better things.
Even though my last boss really sucked, I managed to be a great employee anyways.
I don't have any experience at all in your field, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
I'm not a great worker, but I do think outside the box and show my street smarts.

Good resume job descriptions are specific and target skills listed in the job ad. Here are a few from "Best Resumes for College Students and New Grads":

Served as company chairperson for American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, securing 27% employee participation in event
Tired newly hired stylists in cutting and coloring techniques
Designed business website including navigation strategies, logos, graphics, iconcs, and routing
Conducted DNA analysis using PCR and 3D gel Electophoresis
Closed restuarant nightly, recording deposits of up to $4,000
Enforce school policies and mediate conflict issues for 63 residents
Provided detailled written weekly progress reports to accounting, research, and management personnel
Organized company food drive that solicited 560 canned items for local food bank
Determined placement and promotion of Point of Purchase displays to attact customer attention
Increased sales 23% by implementing print-based advertising campaign within local Greek organizations
Directed all calls on 6-line phone to appropriate recipient within 30 seconds
Organize sales floor to ensure clean and orderly appearance
Operate pumps, engines, and other heavy equipment
Maintained 400 entries in Microsoft Access customer database
Performed quality control tests on all apples according to Washington State Produce regulations

Some good action verbs for use in your Job Application Project materials:

Verbs Galore!

Sample Job Ad Posting

Note
Please submit your applications ASAP, we're looking for self starters and the more on top of things you are the better. Thank you!

Mission Statement:

Our dream at Treehouse Vending LLC is to bring delicious yet healthy snack foods to our customers at a competitive price point. We are not out to have healthy “options” next to unhealthy ones as many of our competitors do. Our organization will change the way people think about the vending industry and become a national vendor because of our aesthetically pleasing state of the art machines and our innovative product list.

Treehouse Vending LLC Company Profile:

Overview
Founded in late 2007, Treehouse Vending will provide all-healthy snacks for hungry workers, students, and passers-by through untraditional, nature-inspired vending machines. The company's product list will include selections from Bear Naked Granola, Powerbar, Planters, Welch's, Newman's Own Organics, and Flying Pig Natural Foods. The machines themselves will be modified to look like a treehouse, complete with real salvaged wood sides and shingled roofs. Each product's nutritional information will be displayed in a fold out menu attached to the side of the “treehouse bulletin board”.

Founding Team
The company's founder, Matthew De Silva, is a division I scholarship cross country and track athlete for the Purdue Boilermakers. Outside of working on the company he manages a successful rental property company, Desylvia LLC, and is pursing a degree in management with minors in finance, history, and entrepreneurship. The company's strategic adviser is Strother Brann, an entrepreneurship professor and successful business owner. Through his company, Seneca Consulting, he provides advice for small and medium businesses. Another member of Treehouse's advisory board is Rachel Clark, a registered dietitian. She is working directly with the management team to approve each product's nutritional value before it can be added to the product list. Dr. Erika Sundstrum has offered her expertise by reviewing the product list and evaluating the company's overall health message. Currently positions are available in marketing, primary research, and secondary research.

Strategic Partnerships
Treehouse Vending is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, the home of Purdue University. The firm leverages many resources provided by the school. A strategic partnership as an affiliate member of the Purdue Research Park , a business incubator, has given management access to another set of advisors, a commercial shipping address, marketing support, legal council, and networking opportunities. Continued support from Purdue's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurhsip will help the company gain experience through business plan competitions and seminars. All new hires will come from various majors across campus and bring diverse skill sets to the company.

Competitive Advantages

No other vending company in the greater Lafayette area can legitimatly claim that they can improve a company's bottom line or a school's test scores. Treehouse Vending's healthy food choices allow our customers to have better focus, energy, and overall health. This in turn generates better returns on labor for our location owners, allowing us to take the best locations with the most traffic and profit potential. The firm also has superior marketing in relation to its competitors, who have no interaction with customers and very little interest in introducing new products or marketing their services. Treehouse Vending will also utilize the latest technology for vending machines, including built in credit card readers and LCD television screens.

Marketing Specialist

Description
Are you looking for a position where your creativity and skill can make a difference? Working with Treehouse Vending will allow you to gain real-life marketing experience from a real company. The firm is registered with the state of Indiana as a limited liability corporation and will be launched either during or following this class. Your work will be used in the final business plan and on all business marketing materials, including our unique machines. This opportunity is an excellent resume builder and will be exciting, challenging, and rewarding for the successful applicant.

Skills/Attributes You Will Need
• Creative
• Passionate
• Team Oriented
• Drawing/Computer Rendering Ability
• Analytical Nature
• Punctual

Your Job Entails
•Creating a visual representation of the “Treehouse” Vending Machine to be used in sales presentations
•Leading the team in developing a full-scale marketing plan, writing, editing, and re-editing in a group environment
•Designing brochures and flyers
•Re-designing existing blog
•Working with Primary Research Teammate to study competitors and their marketing strategy/product mix
•Adding to existing marketing vision with innovative ideas and observations

Please Submit
• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Prior Work (if applicable)
• Other materials that qualify you for the position (letters of recommendation, business plan, concept statement, et cetera)

In an email with attachments to treehousevending@gmail.com with “Marketing Specialist” in the subject line

Thank you for your time and application, we look forward to filling the position.

Primary Research Analyst

Description
Here at Treehouse Vending we're looking for people with a strong sense of the world around them. Entrepreneurs certainly have that, so if you want to be a successful small business owner take a look at this position! Our Primary Research Analyst will be our eyes and ears on the ground. Primary research entails going out into the real world and talking with potential customers and locations. The position will allow you to develop a sense of how to put together strong and convincing data. You will also be asked to present your findings to the group and possibly to other third parties. Coincidentally this is a skill that most every employee needs to have. If you want to "be your own boss", you'll need an even stronger background in research and presentation/communication skills. Here's your chance to back up that "strong communication skills" qualification on your resume with actual research (shown on the business plan), that you can take to your future employer or a venture capitalist!

Skills/Attributes You Will Need
•Punctual
•Resourceful
•Analytical
•Outgoing
•Friendly
•Conversational
•Organized
•Strong Writing Ability
•Well Spoken
•Persistent
•Passionate

Your Job Entails
•Interviewing customers about their preferences in a “normal” vending machine
•Quantifying data into meaningful trends and visual representations (graphs/charts)
•Writing various sections of the business plan with other members of the team
•Calling and meeting with locations and identifying their needs
•Conducting blind and open taste tests with customers
•Advising the team on “real world” trends gained through research

Please Submit
• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Prior Work (if applicable)
• Other materials that qualify you for the position (letters of recommendation, business plan, concept statement, et cetera)

In an email with attachments to treehousevending@gmail.com with “Primary Research Analyst” in the subject line

Thank you for your time and application, we look forward to filling the position.

Secondary Research Analyst

Description
If you are the type of person who wonders why things happen please read on. If not well... Why do we have two people just doing research? Research is what a business plan is primarily comprised of and it is what Treehouse Vending is missing. Our "secondary" researcher is not at all going to play second fiddle to our "primary" researcher. In fact they are completely separate jobs. The title refers to doing secondary research, which includes sources from other businesses, academia, demographic information etc. This means that you won't have to get out into the real world and talk to people about our products. You are our "big picture" person who can offer us a view of the opportunity from 30,000 feet up. Thinking this way is very important for starting a business, because we all inherently think far too small.

Skills/Attributes You Will Need
•Resourceful
•Analytical
•Determined
•Punctual
•Academic
•Organized
•Strong Writing Ability
•Persistent
•Passionate

Your Job Entails
•Creating a comprehensive list of all competitors in the Lafayette area
•Digging for professional information and studies that support our mission
•Identifying our target demographic (numerically)
•Modeling some of our financials with aid from project manager
•Graphing data into useful and visible trends to be used in the business plan

Please Submit
•Resume
•Cover Letter
•Prior Work (if applicable)
•Other materials that qualify you for the position (letters of recommendation, business plan, concept statement, et cetera)

In an email with attachments to treehousevending@gmail.com with “Secondary Research Analyst” in the subject line

Thank you for your time and application, we look forward to filling the position.

Attached is my resume and cover letter that validates why I will be a successful project manager. Please review these materials prior to your application. They are in Microsoft Word 97 format. Thank you and good luck.

T-Letter Resources

Resource 1
Resource 2
Resource 3

Resources for Pitches

Some Aspects of the Pitch

Six Questions your Pitch (Elevator Style) should answer:

What is your product or service?
Briefly describe what it is you sell. Do not go into excruciating detail.
Who is your market?
Briefly discuss who you are selling the product or service to. What industry is it? How large of a market do they represent?
What is your revenue model?
More simply, how do you expect to make money?
Who is behind the company?
"Bet on the jockey, not the horse" is a familiar saying among Investors. Tell them a little about you and your team's background and achievements. If you have a strong advisory board, tell them who they are and what they have accomplished.
Who is your competition?
Don't have any? Think again. Briefly discuss who they are and what they have accomplished. Successful competition is an advantage-they are proof your business model and/or concept work.
What is your competitive advantage?
Simply being in an industry with successful competitors is not enough. You need to effectively communicate how your company is different and why you have an advantage over the competition. A better distribution channel? Key partners? Proprietary technology?

What your Pitch should Contain:

A "hook"
Open your pitch by getting the Investor's attention with a "hook." A statement or question that piques their interest to want to hear more.
About 150-225 words
Your pitch should go no longer than 120 seconds.
Passion
Investors expect energy and dedication from entrepreneurs.
A request
At the end of your pitch, you must ask for something. Do you want their business card, to schedule a full presentation, to ask for a referral, a business partner?

Related Readings

Reading One: Perfecting Your Pitch...

Reading Two: Making Elevator Pitches Work...

Reading Three: Mastering the 30-second Pitch

Reading Four: I will fix my Pitch

Reading Five: A Masterful Elevator Pitch

Reading Six: Develop Your Elevator Pitch

~~Reading Seven: 2-Minute Explainer (video pitches)~~

Reading Eight: The Perfect Pitch: How to Land a Gig or Job Every Time

Some Elevator Pitch Videos with Advice

Elevator Pitch Advice

Elevator Pitch Expert Advice: Part 1

Elevator Pitch Expert Advice: Part 2

Elevator Pitch Components from Investors

Two Minutes in an Elevator (with some good advice)

Elevator Pitch with Analysis (MSNBC - Ryan Blair)

Another Elevator Pitch with Analysis (MSNBC - Ryan Blair)

Another Elevator Pitch for DVR "Commercials"

Qualities of Effective Pitches

What students in previous classes say about why they voted for the person/idea they did:

"I voted the way I did because of the quality of the winner's ideas. Both pitches received votes because the entrepreneurs had done extensive research on their respective industries."
"Strong economic moats"
"The people that I selected were based on their ability to be a leader."
"I voted for two people who had a professional appearance"
"It was clear that they had researched their ideas and done work to take it further. It wasn't something they just thought about in the past week, it's something they've had in mind and have a passion for."
"Part of why I voted was the idea itself, the person's display of ethos, but maybe the most important, was how well I felt they were prepared for this. I'd rather have a great person with a mediocre idea rather than an idiot with an excellent idea.
"When I voted I based it off their ideas, not necessarily the person."
"The main reason behind my votes ...the two students showed that they had researched the target market and even potential investors."
"I also felt they were confident in their skills and that I could work easily with them."
"When evaluating the presentations i picked the top two based on the idea presented as it could apply to a broad market."
"I chose people based on whether or not i would actually use the service or product they were presenting."
The two I voted for had two things in common: Both seemed very prepared and confident because they had clearly done research."
"Both presenters were very professional and persuasive and seem like they would both make excellent leaders."
"I would definitely want to be on either of their teams because I feel they are prepared enough to really make there business happen."
"I seemed to be in the market for both of their businesses they were presenting, which I think is crucial when doing a business pitch. The pitch will be more successful if the person / people you are presenting it to be interested and are a part of your target market."
"Both presenters were well dressed and looked professional. I felt like the presenters were a little more serious about their idea if they took the time out to dress well."
"I mainly evaluated the pitches based on how convincing the presenter sounded to me."
"I only judged on how enthusiastic the individuals were about their ideas and if they were serious and sincere enough to do research on their idea and try to make it sound convincing."
"I mainly judged on the personality of the individual, their ingenuity and their talent because I think that businesses and their decisions are ultimately made by individuals and not the ideas itself."
"He had the most impressive background."
"The two students that I voted for though seemed to be the most prepared and really believed in their company. "
"Both of the students that I chose actually had many things in common in terms of their pitches. They both had very strong communication skills and they were really able to convey that they knew what they were talking about."
"They were also both able to carry themselves in a professional manner."
"My first speaker I chose because right during his speech, I felt like I could see that person as my superior. The way that they presented themselves and stood up in front of the room with confidence really sold."
"The second person I chose because to be honest, I really respected the idea. This particular person had an idea, acted on it, realized that people were interested in it so they wanted to pursue something larger."
"The two people I voted for in the business pitch competition demonstrated a need for their product or service."
"One of the main things that stood out to me about their speeches was that they showed that people would use their product or service; that it was something that people needed."