2. ENC 3250, Professional Writing University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Fall 2015 Week 9 © 2015 by T. E. Roberts, Instructor Length of this lecture audio: 00:43:48 REMINDER: Assignment 3 is due on Mon, Oct 19, 2015, 6 pm Assignment 4 Options

3. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 1 of 14 Today ’ s Agenda The Three Options Business or Professional Report Business Proposal Business Plan Making the Best Choice for Your Needs Assignment 4 Outline and Details Assignment 4 Resources Will You Learn Anything of Value? Will Your Reader Remember It? Remaining Tasks in the Semester

4. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 2 of 14 Option A: Business or Professional Report Update on progress, plans, analysis, investigation, or opportunity Analysis of issues important to one ’ s professional career Timely statement of financial results (quarterly, semiannual, annual, five-year) Inspiring and thanking the troops Efficient way to communicate controlled information to shareholders, management, employees, media

5. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 3 of 14 Five Sections of Business Report 1.Executive summary: this comes first for the reader, but is written last (1 page) -- this may be all that your boss actually reads 2.Introduction and methodology: why, how, who, and what (1 to 2 pages) 3.Background: facts and hypotheses, supported with charts, tables, statistics (1 to 2 pages) 4.Analysis and interpretation: what do the facts mean? (2 to 3 pages) -- do not simply rehash someone else ’ s ideas 5.Conclusion and recommendations: logical result of analysis plus recommended course of action (1 to 2 pages) Titles for your sections need not match these exactly, but content must be similar.

6. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 4 of 14 Option B: Business Proposal Read the instructions in the syllabus The proposal is a selling document, not a report The proposal represents a combination of sales pitch and draft legal contract See this student sample for helpful information: http://www.todroberts.com/USF/3250_ProposalSample.pdf Proposal is presented by one business to another (not by one individual to another individual -- be aware of “ B2B ” )

7. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 5 of 14 Eight Sections of Business Proposal 1.Background / Business Challenge: nature of prospect’s company and industry, brief history, current and future business challenges (do not present the background of your company here -- that comes later in Part 7) 2.Project Mission and Scope: precise statement of what will be done, how much will be done, and how results will match the prospect’s needs 3.Project Approach and Deliverables: breakdown of mission into broad actions to be carried out and the particular results for which your company will be responsible 4.Project Workplan and Timeline (Gantt Chart): specific activities, meetings, communications flow, and individuals’ responsibilities (team members will usually be from both vendor and client) 5.Project Staffing: Who will manage the effort, from both client and vendor sides? Who will act as staff and in what capacity? (Include mini-resumes of all key players) 6.Project Budget: careful estimate of costs for labor, materials, and profits (will become part of legally binding contract if you win the proposal) 7.Proposer’s Qualifications: concise summary of your company’s achievements for clients, evidence of professional reputation, and anything else that shows that your firm is perfect for the job -- like the rest of the proposal, this must be concise! 8.Conclusion: the final pitch … ask for the business!

8. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 6 of 14 Option C: Business Plan Read the instructions in the syllabus The business plan is a kind of hybrid between report and proposal Main purpose of a plan is to present both factual information and insightful analysis of risk/benefit tradeoffs to potential investors or lenders Only students who understand the required financial information for a business plan may choose this option (for example, those majoring in accounting, finance, or management, or those with meaningful entrepreneurial experience) See this document for helpful information: http://www.todroberts.com/USF/ENC3250_BusinessPlanExample.pdf

9. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 7 of 14 Ten Sections of Business Plan (This list has been adapted from http://cpa.utk.edu/FAQs/prodev_q6.htm.)http://cpa.utk.edu/FAQs/prodev_q6.htm 1.Executive summary. The executive summary is a one-page summary of your business plan. The summary should briefly describe your enterprise idea and discuss the conclusions made in your financial strategy. This section comes first in your business plan, but it is normally written last. 2.Mission statement. The mission statement reflects the core purpose of your business, stating your values concisely in 50 or fewer words. 3.Business concept or idea. Your business idea comprises a one-page, concise, complete and persuasive statement describing the what, where, why and how of your enterprise. This section includes your: Enterprise idea Product(s) and/or service(s) Target audience or marketplace (potential customers) Enterprise’s “fit” with others in the market, both competitive and complementary 4.Measurable goals, expected outcomes, objectives and action steps. This component of your business plan describes the goals of your enterprise as well as the outcomes you expect, objectives and steps you will take to reach your goals. Goals describe the long-term plans (three to five years) you want to achieve. Objectives are your short-term (one year or less) plans that identify how you will meet your goals. Goals describe what is to be accomplished, and objectives describe how those goals will be accomplished. 5.Background information (industry research and market analysis). Background information relevant to your enterprise is explained in this section. You need to state why you are choosing to develop a value-added enterprise and provide supporting market analysis that justifies your plan.

10. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 8 of 14 Sections of Business Plan (cont.) 6.Management needs and management history. The management needs and management history section explains how you will run your business and describes your management team, the legal structure of the enterprise, insurance needs and staffing needs. It also notes what regulatory agencies you will be working with and how you will address their requirements. 7.Marketing strategy. This section of the business plan describes the strategies you will use to market your enterprise. Marketing strategies should be developed for “the four P’s of marketing” -- product, price, place and promotion. Start-up costs for the enterprise will need to be estimated. 8. Financial strategy. Your financial strategy is basic to making management decisions and obtaining financing. In this section, you will identify sources of existing debt and financing needs. You will also develop financial statements including 1) profit-loss statement, 2) balance sheet, and 3) cash flow projection including sales projections. These statements will be summarized in this section of the business plan. 9. Exit strategy. An exit strategy specifies situations by which you plan to exit the business or situations which may necessitate the closing of the business. The exit strategy should also outline the method that will be used in exiting the business. 10.Appendix. The appendix, located at the end of the business plan, contains supporting documents. Financial statements, customer support statements, and credit terms available should all be included. (Because of target length of 2,000 to 2,500 words for Assignment 4, this section may be briefer than normal.)

11. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 9 of 14 Which Option Should You Choose? Each option demands about the same amount of research, analysis, and writing Consider your career interests REPORT: a common activity for every business professional at every career stage PROPOSAL: especially useful if you expect to work in sales or marketing PLAN: well suited for those entering accounting, banking, investing, or financial management (but open only to students with some coursework and/or experience in these fields) Which option will let you best demonstrate your potential to a prospective employer or graduate- school admissions committee?

12. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 10 of 14 Assignment 4 Outline and Details Business report, business plan, or business proposal will be around 2,000 to 2,500 words in length. Follow format shown in syllabus and sample documents. Send required outline by Monday, Nov 2 at 6 p.m. in body of email (NOT as an MS Word attachment). Include audio codes for Week 9 and 10 lectures). I will respond promptly. See sample outlines here: http://www.todroberts.com/USF/3250_ResearchOutline_Samples.pdf. http://www.todroberts.com/USF/3250_ResearchOutline_Samples.pdf Send final submission by Monday, Nov 30, 6 p.m. (no late submissions permitted except for verifiable health-related or other serious emergency). The assignment represents 30% of course grade. You will be graded on (1) content, (2) adherence to assignment directions, (3) writing quality, and (4) format. Detailed markup not available because Assignment 4 occurs late in semester, but you may request brief emailed comment.

13. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 11 of 14 Assignment 4 Resources Seek meaningful information relevant to content, not report samples to imitate or copy Many tools available:  Google, Bling, Yahoo and other web search tools  Interviews (executives, co-workers, customers, faculty, peers)  Business journals and newspapers (paper and online)  Annual reports and similar corporate publications  USF library (online and on campus) Document all sources accurately and according to proper MLA style; use parenthetical documentation within the text (see links on course website for information) Plagiarism on this assignment will result in a potentially devastating penalty (assume you WILL be caught). All submissions will be checked using TurnItIn®.

14. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 12 of 14 Will You Learn Anything of Value? Will Your Reader Remember It? Creativity = use style, tone, pace, relevant facts, and personalized touch to stimulate reader ’ s interest. Incorporate anecdotes and war stories where appropriate to counter-balance serious, dry facts. Keep every statement simple, concise, and clear. Use heads, subheads, and quotes to clarify message and guide the reader. Be objective and dramatic at the same time. There ’ s no such thing as a “ boring subject ” -- it ’ s the writer ’ s job to stimulate the reader ’ s interest in any subject. The report, proposal, or plan can showcase your skill in creative analysis and communications (effective in job-hunting and career advancement -- see student statements in intro lecture, quoted on next slide).

15. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 13 of 14 The Value of Assignment 4 3 May 2011 / Mr. Roberts, I just wanted to share some good news. I submitted my ENC 3250 Assignment 4 "Business Report" (with some slightly more detailed financial info on proposed costs) to the CEO of my company on Saturday afternoon. This morning I was called in for a meeting and given a raise. I was also informed that the hardware proposal I made in the paper is being further reviewed by our purchasing department for deployment and that the hiring proposal I made is being implemented by our company in the form of job postings today. So basically both recommendations that I made in my "business report" are being implemented by my employer. Once again I'd like to thank you for organizing ENC 3250 in a manner that allows us to write projects that can have real-world impacts in our lives. I hope you have a good summer. Sincerely, [student name available upon request] 15 November 2010 / Mr. Roberts, I thought I would share a bit of news with you. I had to step up my employment search and was called to Tallahassee for an interview with the Department of Revenue. The position is a project management position and has a strong technical writing component (writing policy and training for employees covering newly implemented projects) and I decided to take examples of my writing. I brought the completed final assignment from your ENC 3250 course. The review team was thrilled that I provided them with the paper, and I found out late last week that I am on the short list for the position. I'm certain that the skills I learned your course and the resulting paper were defining factors in their decision. Thank you for being an attentive, tough, and demanding professor. I will likely use the information and skills I honed in your class more than any other lessons I've learned. Regards, [student name available upon request] [NOTE: the student was hired soon after sending this message.] See additional comments here: http://www.todroberts.com/USF/Roberts_Evaluations.htmhttp://www.todroberts.com/USF/Roberts_Evaluations.htm

16. ENC 3250, Fall 2015 Week 9 Slide 14 of 14 Remaining ENC 3250 Schedule Sat, Oct 17Week 9 lecture - Assignment 4 Options Mon, Oct 19Assignment 3 due by 6 p.m. (include Week 6, 7, 8 lecture codes) Sat, Oct 24Week 10 lecture - topic to be announced Sat, Oct 31Last day to drop a course without academic penalty Sat, Oct 31Week 11 lecture - topic to be announced Mon, Nov 2Assignment 4 outline due by 6 p.m. (include Week 9 + 10 lecture codes) Sat, Nov 7Week 12 lecture - topic to be announced Sat, Nov 14[Unnumbered week – no lecture, use time to work on Assignment 4] Mon, Nov 24Week 13 - NO LECTURE - Thanksgiving Holiday (campus closed Thu + Fri) Mon, Nov 30Assignment 4 due at 6 p.m. (include Week 11 and 12 lecture codes) Wed, Dec 2Week 14 lecture - course summary and exam preparation Fri, Dec 5End of Fall 2014 semester (Required Course Evaluation to be announced) Dec 6-9Final exam on Canvas Actual dates of lectures may vary from those stated above. (Read all Canvas announcements.)