Break-Even Point

The Break-Even Point is where Total Costs equal Sales. In the Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis model, Total Costs are linear in volume.

NLP

this is a video showing subliminal advertising and if this is forbidden or not.

NLP

On the day 14, October Lau and Ignacia made a presentation about NLP, neuro-linguistic programming, and that is the definition by the Oxford English Dictionary:

''a model of interpersonal communication chiefly concerned with the relationship between successful patterns of behaviour and the subjective experiences (esp. patterns of thought) underlying them" and "a system of alternative therapy based on this which seeks to educate people in self-awareness and effective communication, and to change their patterns of mental and emotional behaviour".
[1] The co-founders, Richard Bandler and linguist John Grinder, claimed it would be instrumental in "finding ways to help people have better, fuller and richer lives".
[2] They coined the title to denote a supposed theoretical connection between neurological processes ('neuro'), language ('linguistic') and behavioral patterns that have been learned through experience ('programming') and that can be organised to achieve specific goals in life.

Job Description

-Research job descriptions and download an example:
Job Description - SNP Co Ltd

Title: Sales and Marketing Executive

Reports to: Sales and Marketing Director, Newtown.

Based at: Sparkly New Products Co Ltd, Technology House, Newtown.

Job purpose:

To plan and carry out direct marketing and sales activities, so as to maintain and develop sales of SNP's ABC machinery range to UK major accounts and specifiers, in accordance with agreed business plans.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

1. Maintain and develop a computerised customer and prospect database.
2. Plan and carry out direct marketing activities (principally direct mail) to agreed budgets, sales volumes, values, product mix and timescales.
3. Develop ideas and create offers for direct mail and marketing to major accounts by main market sector and SNP's ABC products.
4. Respond to and follow up sales enquiries by post, telephone, and personal visits.
5. Maintain and develop existing and new customers through planned individual account support, and liaison with internal order-processing staff.
6. Monitor and report on activities and provide relevant management information.
7. Carry out market research, competitor and customer surveys.
8. Maintain and report on equipment and software suitability for direct marketing and sales reporting purposes.
9. Liaise and attend meetings with other company functions necessary to perform duties and aid business and organisational development.
10. Manage the external marketing agency activities of telemarketing and research.
11. Attend training and to develop relevant knowledge and skills.

Scale and territory indicators:

Core product range of four ABC machines price range £50 to £250. Target sectors: All major multiple-site organisations having more than 1,000 staff. Prospect database c.10,000 head offices of large organisations. Customer base of c.150 large organisations. Typical account value £20-50k pa. Total personal revenue accountability potentially £4.5m. Territory: UK.

homework

Examine the impact on a business if there is a fall in the rate of interest:

If the rate of interest falls, business mighty be directly affected.
First the definition. Rate of Interest is the price of acquiring a loan. Businesses of all sizes borrow money, often from banks, as a result, the bank imposes a charge for the privilege, this charge is the interest, usually expressed as a percentage.
If interest rates change, the incentive for individuals to take out loans to buy goods will also change. If the rate of interest falls, for example, then the charges on a loan to buy larger items like cars is also likely to fall. As a result, more people might be willing to buy such items. Businesses selling these items might see an unexpected rise in demand for their products.
In conclusion a rise or a fall in the rate of interest can influence a lot a business.

100 GREAT BUSINESS IDEAS

Idea 2
Scenario planning

Making a Scenario planning is a really intelligent thing to do. As Pierre Wack for Shell, all companies should do it. Fortunately for Shell, Wack did it and they climbed from seventh to second place in the industry's profitability league table.


Idea 33
Reinvention

This is a really good idea, but it's dangerous. Making changes can coast the company many loyal customers. In another hand, with an innovation you can win lots of new ones.

Marketing Plan - Rotating Spaghetti Fork

We want to sell a product which will revolutionize pasta eating as we know it. We present to you the rotating spaghetti fork. No more pasta stains, no more embarrassing moments at the Italian restaurant, no more, no more!!!

Our marketing plan consists of the following:
- P.E.S.T. analysis
- S.W.O.T. analysis
- Advertisement (TV, magazines, Posters, radio, etc.)
- Internet marketing projects (homepage, online shop, etc.)
- Distribution to house holding shops across the UK

we plan to begin with a budget of 9,000 pounds, to produce, distribute and make publicity.
-5,000 for materials and production process
-2,000 for distribution
-2,000 for publicity

PEST analysis

Our PEST analysis shows that the rotating fork would be help for the ageing parts of the society, of which it would easier for them to eat pasta when they don’t have to rotate the fork by hand, it also shows us that it would be a great help for the younger parts of society as the rotating fork would reduce their chance of getting pasta stains on their clothes, thus reducing the amount of laundry and saving the family a little money.

But, a negative side of this is the costs of replacing the batteries to the fork since its battery powered.

SWOT analysis

Strengths: This is a unique product and it will receive a lot of attention, especially from the
younger people (kids) because we think they will find it funny and interesting.

Weaknesses: Some people will find this a useless product, saying they can rotate the fork by themselves.

Opportunities: Showing the product to kids, making it good looking for them (colorful)

Threats: there are some conditions which could damage the objective, maybe some people will refuse to use the rotating fork. And the product can be dangerous when used in wrong ways.

Summary: Our idea is to sell a rotating spaghetti fork, especially for the younger people. We hope to begin selling it in UK and if we have success continue with the rest of Europe. We have analyzed all the positive and negative aspects and we are sure that this is a really different product that will call attention from a lot of people.

Price: £19.99

Promotion: Buy two, get the third one free.

more homework

1. Modify it: I wouldn't modify the product because it can be expensive and you need to use your initial budget to do it.

2.Market it:
The Lapdesk is an instrument that came to help people. Ergonomically designed this desk fits the users' lap, when they are seated in a chair, on a bench or on the floor and have no place to use as a table. The plataform is wide enough to accommodate a textbook, a notebook or a writing pad. As a business instrument it should be sold in stationaries as WHSmith.

The initial budget is £25,000 and with this money it has to be produced, distributed and we need to make publicity.

homework

Weight Loss Buddy
CONCEPT: TV shows like The Biggest Loser and
bestselling books like Dr Phil’s The Ultimate Weight
Solution illustrate how the chronically overweight
struggle to overcome their destructive habits. A weight
loss buddy – like a ‘dive buddy’ – mentors, guides,
inspires and supports obese individuals one-on-one in
their drive to reform their health.
STRENGTHS: Massive market sector given the Western
world’s obesity ‘plague’; relationships with clients; low
overheads; home-based; www.CraigsList.org and
www.Gumtree.com are highly recommended advertising
media; with a big number of clients mentored for 1-5
hours per week, this is a dynamite small business waiting
to happen; senior-friendly small business.
WEAKNESSES: Nothing significant except for the
‘buddy’ to be fit themselves and have a good knowledge of
health and diet.
REAL WORLD BIZ:
http://burlington.craigslist.org/bts/546052289.html
(illustrates need for Weight Loss Buddies);
www.freedieting.com/weight_loss_buddy.htm;
www.weightlossbuddy.com

This is a great idea, because nowadays many people worry about their bodies and how well they are. The appearance counts a lot.

Last Minute/Emergency Cleaning Services
CONCEPT: Like the travel service LastMinute.com, a
cleaning service that can be called upon in a crisis to take
care of a cleaning job that simply has to get done offers a
profitable small business model in its own right and a
brilliant segue into lucrative long-term cleaning
contracts.
STRENGTHS: Last minute emergency = higher
charges; a professional one-off service for a client could
lead to long-term cleaning work; cleaning small
businesses have proven to be one of the most bullet-proof
and profitable of all the small businesses ever invented.
WEAKNESSES: Not many except the need for great
staff to call on at the ‘last minute’.
REAL WORLD BIZ: Several are listed on
www.CraigsList.org (as you should if running this small
business)

Besides the staff to call on the last minute there are no weaknesses and it's a usefull job, because lots of people need the last minute cleaning services.

eBay Consultant/Coach

CONCEPT: With the surging interest among small

business aspirants to get on to eBay - why not? - the

parallel demand for coaching in eBay success has also

grown. Such a business could easily be run online with

webcams and IM (Instant Messaging) and very few

practitioners exist in this niche one-on-one business

coaching category so far – despite the relative abundance

of books on the subject.

STRENGTHS: No products needed – service-based;

global potential client base; still relatively untapped

market = higher fees; eBay is hot now; senior-friendly

small business.

WEAKNESSES: Requires an in-depth experience of

eBay success and constant awareness of new

developments in the way that eBay does business and any

other relevant e-commerce developments.

REAL WORLD BIZ:

http://zpg.ziply.com/zpg/us/ViewCA.php?idno=44700;

http://ebaysellingcoach.blogspot.com

This is probably the best idea, because eBay is the biggest online market in the world and lots of people don't know how to use it.

Last-Minute Child Care /Emergency Babysitting

CONCEPT: Parents are occasionally or even often let

down by babysitters who fail to turn up or call in sick.

Rather than cancelling their plans, parents can instead

turn to a small business that specializes in providing

babysitting at the last minute – for a higher hourly fee.

STRENGTHS: Unique selling point; last minute =

higher fees; huge client catchment; home-based means

low overheads apart from marketing; staff paid on a per-

job basis; senior-friendly small business.

WEAKNESSES: Making sure that your own sitters are

reliable as it is your unique selling point; finding and

keeping good reliable sitters.

REAL WORLD BIZ: http://lastminutebabysitting.com;

www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22988

430-5014717,00.html (don’t you love how ‘easy’ some

web archive addresses are?

This is another really good idea, as a last minute service you can charge more for it.

blog done

finally!