Careers In Sports -- Very Comptetive

Read the article below and answer the questions as comment posts:

Breaking Into the Sports-Management Game
Training Helps In a Highly Competitive ArenaBy Rebecca R. Kahlenberg

Special to The Washington Post Sunday, February 5, 2006
In February, millions of Super Bowl viewers will return to day jobs that have nothing to do with athletic pursuits. But for Bethesda resident Ricky Mattei, 24, every workday is sports-related.
In January, Mattei began working as an account executive for Washington's professional men's soccer team, D.C. United, for which his job focuses on persuading more Hispanic fans to attend games. "I said I'd never go into sales, but I love it," he said.

Sports management is a $221 billion industry, up from $182.8 billion in 1999, according to the Charlotte-based Sports Business Journal. The field includes advertising, endorsements, facility construction, apparel, broadcast rights, concessions, ticket sales, community recreation programs and much more.

But insiders caution that being an athlete or avid sports fan doesn't automatically mean you are cut out for employment in the sports world. "There's a naive sex appeal sometimes among people who read the sports section or watch ESPN SportsCenter three times a day and think that because they know players' batting averages they should be working in sports," said Jeff Yocom, vice president for executive search and placement of the Tualatin, Ore., sports-marketing firm Game Face Inc. "At the end of the day, sports is a business," Yocom said.
The doors to a sports career are more open than they used to be to people of all backgrounds, experts said. "For years, people got into sports because they had an uncle on the team or knew someone . . . or because they had a letter jacket," said G. Lynn Lashbrook, president and founder of Sports Management Worldwide, an online sports-management training and placement organization in Portland, Ore. "But now it's more business-oriented," with more opportunities for women and minorities. Still, it's not easy to get into or succeed in this industry. "There is still a much larger supply of candidates than places in the field," said Yocom.

In applying for jobs, it's an advantage to have taken relevant courses and have an undergraduate or graduate degree in sports management. Alternatively, you can complete a training program that specializes in the sports business. Mattei attended such a program at Game Face's Executive Academy, which he describes as "mostly a sales training camp." Although he had no prior sports-related work experience other than as a professional volleyball player in Puerto Rico, he landed a job with D.C. United shortly after completing the two-week program.
An internship is another path to a sports job, said Ronald Dick, assistant professor of sports management at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. "It helps you get your feet wet," he said, noting that internships are usually unpaid, last two to three months and vary in the duties assigned.

When seeking an internship or entry level sports job, think broadly, including minor league and college teams, high school athletic departments and community recreation programs, Dick said. "There are only 30 general managers in Major League Baseball in the world and only a handful of real-life Jerry Maguires," he said, referring to the fictional sports agent in the 1996 film.
Matt Goldberg, a senior at James Madison University who is majoring in sports management and business, spent last summer as an unpaid intern at Octagon, a McLean sports- and entertainment-marketing firm. His tasks were mostly menial, including making copies, sending letters and shipping merchandise, he recalled. "You definitely have to put in your time," he said, noting that he loves the "behind-the scenes aspects of sports" and hopes to become a professional team's general manager.

To build your career, seek out teams that need your help rather than ones that are already winning championships, advised Robert Cornilles, president of Game Face. "Ask yourself, 'where can I make the most difference?' " he said. Also, keep in mind that sports is a mobile industry. "Your first job is not likely to be where you will retire," he said. "Very few people start and end with the Redskins."

And even though some professional athletes draw millions of dollars, don't expect anyone to show you that kind of money. Sports management "is primarily a young person's industry, with long hours and relatively low pay," Cornilles said.
But there are perks, he noted, such as the opportunity to be around exceptional athletes or attend games frequently. Besides, he said, "you've got the coolest business card in town when you work in sports."

1. Are you interested in a sports related career? If yes explain.

2. To break into this industry you often have to work for little or no money to start. Do you think this industry is worth that sacrifice? Explain.

3. What do you think some of the perks would be if you worked in the sports industry.

4. Why do you think this industry is in such high demand???

Stadium Food Vendors -- Are the Worth it??

Going out to a professional or college sporting event can be very expensive. It is bad enough that we have to pay $75-$150 or more per ticket but then there is the cost of food and drink. Answer the questions below to let me know how you feel about buy food and drink at a sporting or entertainment event.

1. Why are food and beverage products at sporting events so expensive?

2. Why do we spend two, three and sometime four times as much to buy food and drink at a sporting event than a normal restaurant?

3. Do you think these outrages prices are fair?  Explain your answer either way!

4. What can you do about the high prices?

Risk in College Sports

You are are college junior who is rated as a top ten pro prospect for the NFL draft. You could potentially earn a signing bonus of 4-6 million dollars. Answer the questions below as comment posts.













1. What are some of the risks you have to deal with until you are drafted?



















2. How can you protect yourself from these risks?











3. What could potentially happen if you don't protect yourself?

BONUS: What is the famous company that handles issues like this??

Stadium Security

Read the security policies below from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. This is were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play and where the Outback Bowl is played. The listed security is tight and there are things going on behind the scenes that involve high tech equipment. Answer the questions as comment posts.

Stadium Policies

Safety and security for our guests, employees, entertainers and players have always been our number one concern. We want all people entering the venue to be confident that measures have been taken to secure their environment. The Outback Bowl and Tampa Sports Authority will implement and reinforce several security measures for the game. Numerous measures will be obvious to fans while some other measures will not be made public in order to maintain their effectiveness.
The Tampa Sports Authority, managers of Raymond James Stadium, is known throughout the sports industry as security innovators. Having created the first ever stadium disaster/evacuation/ emergency plan, the staff is trained in preparing for difficult security situations. Additionally, the staff has received plaudits through their work with the National Football League in hosting three successful Super Bowls since 1984, particularly Super Bowl XXV held during the Gulf War without incident.
For major events such as the Outback Bowl the stadium security deployment includes more than 600 personnel representing the Hillsborough County Sheriff Dept., Tampa Police Dept., Florida Highway Patrol, Emergency Medical Services and private security. The staff also work closely with federal agencies such as the FBI and FAA.
In addition to the 24 hour security that is always in place at the stadium, vehicles and personnel will under go daily searches in the days leading up to and including the game. Everyone and everything is subject to inspection and search (this includes vehicles, coaches, media, entertainers, employees, fans, and personal belongings - no exceptions). In the unlikely event of cold weather guests will be asked to unbutton/unzip jackets or remove/raise heavy sweaters for visual security inspection.
Some of the security measures are sure to cause delays upon entering the parking lots and stadium, therefore we ask for the patience and full cooperation of all guests attending the game, and request their respect for the policies and the personnel enforcing them.

The following items will NOT be permitted in the stadium:
Backpacks
Thunder sticks
Large duffle bags
Seat cushions
Rolled up ponchos or blankets
Banners or flags with sticks or poles
Umbrellas
Video cameras
Coolers
Strollers
Weapons or fireworks
Lasers
Horns or air horns
Food, drinks, cans, bottles, glass
Cameras with lenses longer than 12"
Large radios or TV w/no earphones
Items that can be used as projectiles
Anything that would obstruct a fan's view
Pets
Skates, skateboards, skate shoes, cycles, segways
Drugs and/or narcotics
Whistles
Lunch boxes
Flasks

Actions prohibited in Raymond James Stadium:

Smoking (except in designated locations)
Throwing or kicking any objects
Standing on chairs
Stepping over chair backs
Standing or sitting in the following areas: main level, club level or upper level aisles, ramps and chair backs
Disorderly conduct including public intoxication, fighting and profanity
Abuse of intoxicants
Spitting tobacco juice
Placing cups on any walls
Running or jogging
Entering field without proper credential
Selling of game tickets except by box office
Hanging signs over equipment or existing signage

Parking Lot Policies:

All vehicles subject to search
Disorderly behavior will not be tolerated
Throwing or kicking of objects is prohibited
Running is prohibited
Parking tickets are not valid for re-entry
Patrons are not allowed to save spaces. One space per vehicle
Tents over 10'x10' without prior approval and proper permits are not allowed
Buses and campers over 25 ft long must park in lots 8, 13 or 14
Selling of tickets in parking lots is prohibited Tailgating in parking lots is permitted, but patrons may not infringe on another patron's area and there must be room for vehicles to get out of lots (Cannot block row access).

1. In your opinion do you think all of this security is necessary? Explain.

2. Do you think it is fair that the cost of this security is built into the price of your ticket? Explain.

3. Do think it is right that these venues can search your personal property to see if you have anything deemed unsafe? Explain.

Do Young People Need Insurance??

You have just graduated from college and are starting a new job. You are moving into an apartment in downtown Washington DC. Your job is about six miles from your apartment. Answer the questions below as comment posts.

1. What are some of the risks that you now have given your new responsibilities in life?

2. What do you stand to lose from these risks?

3. What will be your risk management plan to deal with these risks?

Knock Offs Good or Bad

On any given day in China you could find literally thousands of unlicensed(knock offs) merchandise. You could buy a New York Yankees jersey for much less than it would cost in the states. You could get a David Ortiz jersey for pennies on the dollar? Answer the questions below based on how you feel about this.


1. Is this good for consumers of sports merchandise? Justify your answer.



2. Is this fair to the licensee(those people/business who pay to have the rights to use logos)? Justify your answer.



3. Is this fair to the licensor(those people/teams/businesses that own the logos and trademarks)? Justify your answer.




4. What is the overall impact on unlicensed merchandise on the market?

Apex Bojangles High School???

Read the small excerpt below  from a WRAL article and answer the questions as comment posts.

Selling naming rights could help generate Wake schools funds

At least one Wake County school board member thinks the school system should look at selling the naming rights at high school stadiums to help with school funding.

The public school system is looking at $80 million less in funding for the upcoming school year, because of low revenue and state-mandated budget cuts.

Finding companies willing to pay for exposure at high school sporting events is one option officials should consider, board member Keith Sutton said Thursday.

The school board did discuss the idea in 2003 but never decided on the matter.
School system spokesman Michael Evans said Thursday that given the current financial situation of the school system, every idea is worth considering.

"But we need to do the due diligence to have the information for the (board members) so they can make an informed decision, and that's what we're doing right now," Evans said.
Sutton said he believes stadium sponsorships could be a win-win for every party involved as many companies are scaling back advertising revenue.

"We can offer, perhaps, a better bang for their buck and give them more exposure for smaller dollars," he said

1. Would the companies that agreed to do this be sponsors or endorsers?  Explain your answer.

2. How would you feel about Apex high school's football field being named Taco Bell Field? Explain.

3. Do you think this is an ethical thing to do since schools are paid with public tax dollars? Explain.

4. Who do you think would be a good corporate/business to sell the naming rights to Apex high athletic fields to? Explain.

Ridiculous Ad Placement

Before our blog moves on from advertising to Endorsements and Sponsorship I thought we would have some fun with poor ad placement. Click the links and view the ads and the pages they are placed on. Answer the questions below as comment posts:


Grilling Your Kids?

Muslim Marriage Counseling?

Does Ad Make You Want to Fly??

Do you want to buy a car from a company that is losing money??

XBOX Anyone?


1. Explain your best guess as to how you think this happens. Think it through!!



2. Do you think this poor placement will adversely effect the message of the products for sale??




3. How do you think this problem can be fixed?? Think it Through.

Humor and The Print Ad

The printed format, whether it is for magazines, newspapers or billboards, sets specific challenges for ad designers. An idea or message must be communicated simply and swiftly, it must be eye-catching enough to grab the viewer’s attention and convey the important information in an instant. When a print designer employs humor to carry this information, the result can be become a visual ‘one-liner’, a joke that speaks the message the ad intends. This post brings together some hilarious print ads that combine great imagery with cracking comedy.
Posted by Tom Walkerok at Spyrestudios.com
Look at the print ads and answer the questons as comments posts:

Bose Noise reduction Headphones: Waterfall








Kodak Rechargeable Batteries: Tiger





Fibermesh Concrete Reinforcement: Karate



3M Scotch Magic Tape: Overload




DynaKids Vitamins: Making Kids Stronger




Lazer Cycle Helmets: Hospital



Pepsi Twist



1. what is the first thing you notice about these ads as far as what you have learned about print ad layout?


2. What do you think the selling message is for the scotch tape ad?


3. Explain why you think the use of humor in a print ad is effective or not effective.


4. Do you think it is OK to have print ads without all the elements that we learned about? Explain your answer.


5. Did you find the ads funny?

Creating Workplace Quality Presentations

Below are guidelines for designing, creating, and delivering workplace quality presentations.  Read the article and answer the questions below as comments posts.  Remember these guidelines as you create your sales presentation.


Guidelines For Designing Your Presentation
1. List and prioritize the top three goals that you want to accomplish with your audience. It's not enough just to talk at them. You may think you know what you want to accomplish in your presentation, but if you're not clear with yourself and others, it is very easy - too easy - for your audience to completely miss the point of your presentation. For example, your goals may be for them to appreciate the accomplishments of your organization, learn how to use your services, etc. Again, the goals should be in terms of what you want to accomplish with your audience.


2. Be really clear about who your audience is and about why is it important for them to be in the meeting. Members of your audience will want to know right away why they were the ones chosen to be in your presentation. Be sure that your presentation makes this clear to them right away. This will help you clarify your invitation list and design your invitation to them.


3. List the major points of information that you want to convey to your audience. When you're done making that list, then ask yourself, "If everyone in the audience understands all of those points, then will I have achieved the goal that I set for this meeting?"


4. Be clear about the tone that you want to set for your presentation, for example, hopefulness, celebration, warning, teamwork, etc. Consciously identifying the tone to yourself can help you cultivate that mood to your audience.


5. Design a brief opening (about 5-10% of your total time presentation time) that:
a. Presents your goals for the presentation.
b. Clarifies the benefits of the presentation to the audience.
c. Explains the overall layout of your presentation.


6. Prepare the body of your presentation (about 70-80% of your presentation time).


7. Design a brief closing (about 5-10% of your presentation time) that summarizes the key points from your presentation.


8. Design time for questions and answers (about 10% of the time of your presentation).


Basic Guidelines About Presentation MaterialsYou might be handing out supplemental materials, for example, articles, reports, etc. along with making your presentation. You might also be handing out copies of your presentation, for example, handing out copies of your slides that you will be referencing during your presentation. You might be using transparency slides or showing slides from a personal computer onto a project screen.


1. If you plan to project your slides from a computer onto a projection screen, then be sure to check out the computer system before people come into the meeting room, if at all possible.
2. Use a consistent layout, or organization of colors and images, on your materials.
3. If you use transparencies on an overhead projector, then allocate one slide for every 3-5 minutes of your presentation. Include 5-8 lines of bulleted phrases on each slide.
4. If you provide the supplemental information during your presentation, then your audience will very likely read that information during your presentation, rather than listening to you. Therefore, hand out this information after you have completed your presentation. Or, hand it out at the beginning of your presentation and ask them not to read it until you have completed your presentation.
5. If you hand out copies of your slides, be sure that the text on the slides is large enough that your audience can read the text on the table in front of them without having to hold the handouts up to their faces. Be sure to leave space on the handouts for the audience to make notes on them.


Basic Guidelines About Your Delivery
1. If you're speaking to a small group (for example, 2-15 people), then try to accomplish eye contact with each person for a few seconds throughout your delivery.
2. Look up from your materials, or notes, every 5-10 seconds, to look into the audience.
3. Speak a little bit louder and a little bit slower than you normally would do with a friend. A good way to practice these guidelines is to speak along with a news anchor when you're watching television.
4. Vary the volume and rate of your speech. A monotone voice is absolutely toxic to keeping the attention of an audience.
5. Stand with your feet at shoulder-length apart.
6. Keep your hands relatively still.

Post your answers as comments to the following questions:1. Who is your audience for the sales presentation and what are you trying to accomplish with them?



2. What does the article say will happen during your presentaion if you show supplemental information. How should you handle supplemental information?




3.What tone do you think would be good to set for your presentationl?



4. How often should you look up from your notes to make eye contact with the audience?

Using Questions to Overcome Objections to the Sale!!

Watch the video I show and then answer the questions below as comment posts.








1. What step of the sales process is the author talking about when he says, "the interview"?  Explain.





2. What happens when you ask customers open ended questions?  How does this help you?





3.What did the car salespersons do wrong when the author went to purchase a car but left empty handed?





4. If you have a successful interview/presentation with the customer why should it be easy to close the sale?

Effective Selling

Coffee Veteran Mosely Explores Effective Selling And Innovation


CHERRY HILL, NJ — “Today, we need to deliver not only a great cup of coffee,” said Jim Mosely, sales manager for Southern Refreshments (Tucker, GA). “We have to provide service beyond the cup, and many different products. We have to raise the bar.”



Speaking at the National Automatic Merchandising Association’s first-ever OCS Summit, Mosely pointed out coffee service started out with a simple plan: drop off a brewer and ship enough coffee and basic supplies (filters, condiments, stir-sticks) to keep the client brewing. Today, however, competitive operators must be prepared to provide total breakroom solutions, and it can be helpful to look imaginatively at ongoing product introductions in order to find attractive additions.



He noted that technology is creating almost unbounded opportunity. For example, it would be perfectly feasible right now to design a “coffee terminal” that would respond to voice commands, and perhaps “read” programmable mugs that store their owners’ preferences in memory. It is useful to imagine things like this, he suggested, so one can respond quickly when something new enters the market.



Mosely showed the audience a novel paper towel dispenser, about the size of a toaster, that loads with recycled-paper wipes feeding out a hold in the front. The number of sheets in a single load is equivalent to five rolls of conventional paper toweling. Operators can sell this, he emphasized. “Green’ is the future.”



The products and services to be sold are done so in the context of the operating company’s vision, the speaker observed, and sales training consists primarily of imparting that vision while sharing proven methods of communicating. This requires the salesperson to understand the prospect’s needs and expectations, and to determine how the company can meet them.



“Use a form that can accommodate all the necessary information,” he recommended. “That includes the name, address and phone number of the company, the county or municipal tax rate, the name and title of the decision-maker and the qualification: the number of people, the hours and days worked, the number of shifts – the night shift will drink more coffee – and the average age of the clientele. It used to be that the ‘older crowd’ drank more coffee; that may be changing now. What is the ratio of male to female patrons? Is it a white-collar or a blue-collar location? Is the coffee free? What’s the ethnic balance? A predominantly Hispanic population will tend to use more sugar; an Asian clientele often prefers tea to coffee. How many breakrooms are there, and what kind of access do employees have? What’s the lunch schedule? This is important for vending, too,” Mosely continued. Asking the right questions at the outset makes it much easier to come up with a program that will please the account.



It’s also very helpful to ask about the prospect’s present service. “Ask, ‘How would you rate it: Average? Fair? Poor?’ Don’t suggest ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ as choices,” the speaker advised. “And ask, ‘If you could wave a magic wand, what would you wish for as the perfect service?’”



The next step is to propose a visit to the breakroom. This, with the information already gathered, will enable the sales rep to make a recommendation: “You qualify for our single-cup system; let’s see whether one can be installed in the available space...OK, I’ll leave you this one for a couple of days; play with it.”



Mosely observed that, in this presentation, he has not mentioned price, nor asked for a demo. And, he said, that scenario is just one of many that can be envisioned, along with other questions that might be asked. One would be, “Do you have a ‘green’ program?” he noted, and invited the audience to suggest others.



There were many replies, ranging from whether the location receives regular visitors (like a medical office), presently pays rental on a brewer or a water dispenser, presently pays with a credit card and/or orders online – and, “What do you buy, other than coffee?”



The questionnaire is the key, Mosely summarized. “It’s my garden; it lets me plant the seeds, and control how they grow. It can be updated regularly with ongoing order information, and used as the guide to truly personalized service.”


1.  Who does Mr. Mosely sell to, B2B or retail customers?     How do you know this?




2.  In the second half of the article what “steps” is Mr. Mosely going through? Give me evidence from the article do not just give a one word answer.



3. Go through the steps of the pre-approach and identify how Mr. Mosely addresses each step.

Sales Prospecting and How to Find Gold

Read the article below from About.com and answer the questions as comment posts.

Sales prospecting is a key activity for most sales driven small businesses. Successful business must constantly replenish their customer base. Take the time to revisit your assumptions about sales prospecting...the results will surprise you.

For years, I dreaded the prospecting part of sales. The constant rejection was excruciating until I learned the myths toward sales prospecting.

The 5 Myths of Sales Prospecting
Myth #1: Prospecting is sales.This is the number one mistake made by small business owners and sales reps. Prospecting is a separate function from sales. Just as marketing is distinct from sales but closely linked.
Prospecting is simply discarding all the unqualified leads and retaining the "gold". The job of prospecting is to find qualified leads that may buy your product. Only after this process is complete, should the selling begin.

Myth #2: Prospecting is a numbers game.The old school of prospecting for business relies on contacting large numbers of cold contacts. However, quality supersedes quantity. You must find prospects that have a propensity and possible motive to buy your product or services.
I know of a large financial powerhouse, who provided sales reps with contact lists for mortgage and investments. The only problem was most prospects lived in a low income area and were highly unlikely to buy any financial product.

Myth #3: Scripts are for kids.
Many sales people insist on prospecting without any script. Scripting provides the framework of a successful prospecting campaign. It allows you to test what key benefits and qualifying questions work. The script must be personalized by the individual so the presentation does not sound "canned".

Myth #4: Prospecting takes time.Prospecting takes only a few minutes to determine if the lead wants your benefits and can afford your company's product or service. Don't waste time on people unmotivated or unable to buy. Remember to focus on the "gold".

Myth #5: Close them on the appointment.Far too many sales reps focus on setting the appointment. "Would Friday morning or afternoon, be better for you?" Next week only 20% of appointments show. What went wrong?
Prospects will sometimes find it easier to agree to an appointment rather than saying they are not interested. If a prospect is remotely interested, then offer a much subtler approach...send them an information package. This allows you to build interest and turn the lead from warm to hot.

Sales prospecting done right can have a huge impact on your sales revenue. It doesn't take an armor suit and great courage to deal with the fear of rejection during prospecting. Just keep an open mind to challenge the old school of sales and the myths of prospecting.

1. Explain how prospecting is different from selling.

2. If I asked you to find prospects who might purchase seasons tickets to the Carolina Panthers, tell me two places you might find?

3. The article suggests using a script(prewritten statement) when contacting prospects. Do you think this is a good idea? Why??




4. The article says, "Remember to Focus on Gold", what does that mean?

Feature Benefit Selling!!!!

Read the article below from changingmids.org and answer the questions as comment posts.

One of the basic rules of selling is to sell the benefits that customers will receive from the features of a product rather than just the list of features that a product has.

Selling on features
A common scenario in selling (particularly in retail) is for the sales person to explain the virtues of the product they are selling by demonstrating the assorted features that it has. In a hi-fidelity entertainment system, for example, this may include showing off the graphic equalizer, talking about the power output, detailing the signal-to-noise ratio, etc.

A big problem with this is that the customer might not appreciate what is being said. They might not want a graphic equalizer. They may want a higher power that that on offer. They may be confused by talk of signal-to-noise. And as a result, they politely say 'no thank you' and move on, leaving behind a frustrated salesperson.

Another variant of the features trap is when the customer comes in with a checklist of the features that they want. Anything that does not have all features is immediately rejected, whilst products with extra features are ignored. When they have narrowed down their choices to a set of products that have all the features they want, then they choose solely on price, which again is bad news for the salesperson.

Selling on benefits
Benefits are what the customer gains by using the product. When using a hi-fidelity entertainment system, they get to hear beautiful music, faithfully reproduced in their living room, with sound as real as if they were in a live concert.

Selling on benefits thus sells to what they really want, not what they say they want or what you want to sell. With benefits, you can get them excited and emotionally engaged. With features, you can only get nodding heads and logical agreement.

Features, when discussed can also be talked about in terms of benefits. With a graphic equalizer they can compensate for booming resonances, further refining the sound and improving the experience. With great signal-to-noise, they can turn the sound up and hear a pin drop, not a nasty hiss.

FAB Selling
To feature and benefits the intermediate position of attributes or advantages is sometimes added.
Attributes are intangibles that are associated with the product, not the person (and hence are not yet benefits).
Thus, for a hi-fi amplifier:
A feature is the large volume control.
An attribute is the maximum decibels of volume that can be achieved.
A benefit is that high volume lets you immerse yourself in the music.
Some products have many attributes whilst others have far fewer. One way of identifying attributes is to look on the product specification. Customers often have attributes on their checklist (rather than physical features or benefits).
Attributes are a useful stepping-stone between the physical product and the benefits that the person actually receives and can be used in a sales pitch as such.
In most descriptions that cover features and benefits, but not attributes, the attributes are usually described as features.

1. Give me another example of a feature and benefit of a stereo/enternaiment unit that you could use to sell to customers.

2. Why are benefits so important to customers?

3. If the product you were selling were tickets to a Black Eyed Peas concert what would be an example of a feature and benefit you would use to sell the tickets?

Should the Government Decide your Business??

Many times when you hear people describe how our country's economic system works they use terms like capitalism and free enterprise. These terms evoke thoughts of having the right to own your own business, make a profit from that business, make decision regarding where, when and how that business should operate. We believe it is our right as Americans to have the government stay out of our business. Give me your opinion on the following scenarios:

1. You decided you want to open a pawn shop on the same block as an elementary school. The local town ordinance states that you cannot do this because of the type of merchandise and clientele the shop might draw. Do you think this is right? Should you be able to open this business anywhere you like? Should the government have a say in this?

2. Fred owns a cigarette vending machine company. He wants to place a machine in the local fast food dinner. Fred knows that cigarette companies need to replace 1000 new smokers a day to replace those that die from health complications. Fred also knows that many teenagers from the local high school hang out at the dinner. Fred has offered the owner of the dinner a nice  cash incentive to sweeten the deal if he allows the machine to be placed in the dinner. Since we live in a free market economy should the government be allowed to decide where potentially dangerous business can operate or should it be solely up to the dinner owner? Do you think it will be good for the local economy if the machine is allowed into the dinner?

Supply and Demand in a Tough Economy

Read the article below from USA Today and answer the questions as comment posts

NASHVILLE — If you want to sit in the really good seats for a Keith Urban concert this summer, a pair of tickets will put you about back about $170. But in a nod to the tough economic times, the country superstar has also priced some tickets as low as $20 per seat, so fans won't stay home because they can't afford to go.



"They may be to the side, but they still have a good view of the stage," Urban said recently of the discount tickets. "It's a way for us to allow those people that are a little hard up for cash to come and see the show."

"It's a balance for me," Urban added, "because we want to put on a good show. I'd make every ticket $10, but we'd be up there with a megaphone and a flashlight with some colored paper over it."
The concert industry has been impervious to the recession and high ticket prices over the years. Last year in North America, the average box-office gross was up 18% and the average attendance up 6.3%, according to Billboard magazine.



But with the economic news getting worse by the day, artists and concert promoters are trying to make sure fans come out to the stadiums, arenas and concert halls this year by offering ticket deals and other incentives.
No Doubt is giving away a digital download of their entire catalog in exchange for the purchase of a premium ticket ($42.50 before taxes and fees). Coldplay plans to give concertgoers a free live album, while U2 is pricing at least 10,000 tickets to every show in the $30 range (though the top price will still cost a hefty $250 a ticket). And alt-country star Lucinda Williams, also worried about the economy and miffed about fees tacked on to her concert tickets, is offering a credit on concert merchandise, about $7 on clothing and $5 on CDs, and on merchandise on her online store, lucindawilliams.com. The offer is through July 31 to accommodate people who attended her shows before the announcement.
"I understand that this may only be a small gesture and in no way solves the problem long-term, but I feel that it is important to try and do something to make it a little easier during this time," she said in a statement.
Promoters are also offering deals. The Stagecoach country music festival in Indio, Calif., (Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and more) cut the cost of two-day passes to $99 from $167 two years ago. Two other popular summer festivals, Bonnaroo and Coachella, are offering tickets on layaway.
Summer is a busy time for the concert business. Live Nation, the world's largest promoter, estimates that more than 50% of its annual profit comes in the summer months.
But with this year's economic uncertainty, promoters could have a tougher time filling seats.
"In a crowded marketplace in difficult economic times, you want your show or event to stand out as something people recognize as a deal," said Gary Bongiovanni, editor-in-chief of the concert industry publication Pollstar.
Rocker Stevie Nicks, who's currently on a reunion tour with Fleetwood Mac, said times are so bad, the band doesn't know if it can afford to go overseas: "It's so expensive to do that that you put people out of business to go play for them. It's affecting everybody."
Live Nation offers a $10 Tuesday promotion for some shows and is expanding its four-pack plan, where fans can buy four tickets for the price of three. Last year, Live Nation offered the four-pack deal at 66% of concerts in the venues it owns. This year, Live Nation plans to expand it to at least 75%.
"Through this we're saying, 'If you reward us by bringing your friends, we'll reward you by bringing you a cheaper ticket,'" said Jason Garner, Live Nation's CEO for global music.


1. Has/will the tough economic times stopped you from purchasing a $75 concert ticket to a show you really want to see?




2. Do you think artists should reduce the price of their shows when so many people are struggling to pay their bills?






3. Has your family given up seeing a show they really wanted to see because of these tough economic times?






4. Do you think concerts and shows are priced reasonable?

Ketchup and Utility??

Read the article below and answer the questions as blog entries.


PORTLAND, Ore. — For decades there was only one way to use the humble ketchup packet, and it was messy. Now, thanks to a redesign by Heinz, fast-food lovers have a choice: the traditional squeeze play — or the option to dunk.


You want fries with that, in the minivan? No problem.

The redesigned ketchup pack, unveiled Thursday by H.J. Heinz Co., is shaped like a shallow cup. The top can be peeled back for dipping, or the end can be torn off for squeezing. It holds three times as much ketchup as a traditional packet.

"The packet has long been the bane of our consumers," said Dave Ciesinski, vice president of Heinz Ketchup. "The biggest complaint is there is no way to dip and eat it on-the-go."

Heinz struggled for years to develop a container that lets diners dip or squeeze, and to produce it at a cost that is acceptable to its restaurant customers.

Designers found that what worked at a table didn't work where many people use ketchup packets: in the car. So two years ago, Heinz bought the design team a used minivan to give their ideas real road tests.

The team studied what each passenger needed. The driver wanted something could sit on the armrest. Passengers wanted the choice of squeezing or dunking. Moms everywhere wanted a packet that held enough ketchup for the meal and didn't squirt onto clothes so easily.

Heinz is rolling out the new packs this fall at select fast-food restaurants nationwide. It will continue to sell the traditional packets.

The company said it is still working out prices with customers. But the new packet should cost only a little more, even though it holds much more ketchup.

Heinz is by far the biggest ketchup maker. About half of its ketchup is sold in stores and the other half is sold to the food service industry through its exclusive contracts with chains like Burger King and Wendy's.

McDonald's, the nation's largest burger chain, does only limited business with Heinz.

Heinz sells more than 11 billion ketchup packets every year. But neither the ketchup maker nor the major chains would say who plans to carry the new design.

Customers may force the issue.

Rants about the messy packs have helped spawn hundreds of anti-ketchup-packet groups on Facebook.

Matt Kurtz, a 22-year-old student in New York, has drawn 269 members to the group he started after he ripped open a packet too quickly and spilled it on his jeans while on a road trip two years ago.

"That's when I said 'There has to be a better way.'"

At a McDonald's in Covington, Ky., customers said a redesign was overdue.

"You use up a lot of ketchup now with the packets, I always get extra ones," said Skyler McDermott, 29. "Maybe now you won't have to use your teeth to open them."

These issues come as no surprise to Heinz's Ciesinski. "We created the packet in 1968," he said. "Consumer complaints started around 1969


1. This article is an illustration of a company meeting it customer's ________  and __________?







2. Explain two types of utility that Heinz is adding to this product to meet customers needs. Justify your answer.





3. Which of the seven functions of marketing would have been responsible for developing the new package
 
 
 
 
4. What do you think would have been a good way to test the package?

Target Marketing and the Marketing Mix

Click the target marketing picture to the right and watch the video.
Respond with a comment/answers to the questions below:

1. What do you think the presenter means by the term media?

2. Give me an example of when you think you have been target marketed to?

3. If you had a business on Salem St. downtown how would you market to the local citizens of Apex?