To demonstrate the ability to research, problem solve, and propose effectivesolutions for a specific audience and through professional and persuasive communication principles.
Learning Objectives:
1. Create effective business messages that establish, maintain, or repair credibility.
2. Analyze audiences and situations in order to plan and create messages, selectappropriate communication channels, identify relevant research, and adapt tovarious business contexts and purposes.
3. Construct messages with a professional business style, tone, language, mechanics,and voice.
4. Design messages using visual principles with attention to formatting, graphics,navigation, and readability
5. Collaborate and communicate with and through teams and technologies Outcome:
For the final project, you’ll complete an
1) individual solution memo,
2) team proposal, and
3) team virtual presentation. While each of these assignments have theirown detailed instructions.
Each will be based around this scenario.
Individual assignments will follow.
Scenario:
You love your new job and have enjoyed getting to know your teammates.Yesterday, your boss called your team into the office to discuss a new project. Your boss asked your team to create a proposal for a potential client, Solaris Solutions. Solaris isa small Lubbock sales company that specializes in solar energy equipment for home andbusiness.
They are stuck in the age of e-mail and discourage the use of any social media at work.However, after an employee suggested that social media may boost sales, the CEO has put out a Request for Proposal with a budget of $75,000 for a company to provide evidence that socialmedia will benefit their solar energy business and that Solaris’ small, tech-resistant staff can beequipped to run social media to boost sales. A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a document tosolicit bids and solutions for a particular problem.
Your current company often responds to these RFPs to gain new projects and clients. As a team,you know the benefits of social media and sales. You also have hands-on experience with a widerange of social media tools, having used them to collaborate on school projects, to learn moreabout various industries and professions, and to research potential employers during your jobsearch. Additionally, your boss has tasked another team with this project.
He has told both teams thatyou will present your proposal and presentation to the Board, and they will decide who gets to pitch it to the client as a representative of the company. This is an incredible opportunity that comes with increased status and pay.
Background/Introduction
Solaris Solutions is a medium-sized solar energy company in Lubbock, Texas. They provide services to both residential and commercial customers, and often rely on word-of-mouth or door-to-door sales to sell their services and products.
Lately, their sales have started to decline, but the CEO is unsure whether social media will benefit their company and increase sales. Solaris ismanaged by several Baby Boomers that have been resistant to using technology to sell their products and services.
The CEO is hoping to understand how social media might boost their sales and how quickly her current employees can be trained to use the different platforms. Shealso wants to understand how effective the advertising would be with a $75,000 budget Project Goals and Scope of Service Solaris Solutions is seeking the services of a full-service social media consulting firm to developand execute a comprehensive and integrated training program to use social media marketing tohelp the company increase sales.
The award will be made to a responsive and responsible firmbased on the best value, professional capability, and most effective recommendations founded onconclusions drawn from relevant research.
The selected firm will be responsible for the development and implementation of acomprehensive and cost-effective social media training program. The firm must provide insights on ways to effectively train Solaris to run their own social media campaigns andplatforms to reach sales goals.
In other words, Solaris is not interested in hiring anyoneexternally or internally to manage the social media program.
Tasks include, but are not limited to, the following criteria:
•Comprehensive coverage of relevant research about which social media platforms aremost effective for this specific objective of promoting services and helping to reach salesgoals.
•Audience analysis of who purchases solar energy products and how social media mightbe used to reach this audience. Additional research should be conducted on how a social media program should be implemented in a company that is unfamiliar with managing social media outside of personal use and without the assistance of a communication team. 3
•Specific recommendations for developing a company training program. How muchtraining is necessary? What topics should be included? Should the training be face-to-face or online?
How should Solaris address potential resistance to the process byemployees and customers? Also address schedule and budgetary requirements for atraining program running from September 15, 2020 through December 4, 2020.
•Brief explanation of how to assess the training program to ensure that it results in properimplementation and accomplishes sales goals.
•NOTE: these are not necessarily sections in your written proposal, but things you need toconsider when writing your proposal. For proposal sections, see below. Elements of the Proposal
a. Proposal Cover Page (no heading):
The cover page should creatively include yourcompany’s name, logo, group members’ names, date, and team number.
b. Letter of Intent (no heading necessary):
This is a one-page ‘cover’ letter that introducesthe RFP response, and should be directed to Solaris CEO Ms. Taylor Russell. It is apersuasive document that helps the reader identify with the company and prepares themfor the content in the report. Use the AIDA model in your letter. Use an appropriateattention-getter to introduce the letter.
The attention-getter should relate to the project and reference theme of the proposal to help make your plan memorable. Briefly explain thatyour group understands the importance of the RFP.
Use a hook to be more persuasive: for example, discuss extraordinary results with details to be revealed; showcase efficient andeffective results; promote resources exclusive to your company; identify a seriousproblem and provide a solution to be explained; specify key issue or benefits you feel areat the heart of the proposal.
Be clear and concise and keep this section to one page. Thisis an actual letter within the proposal, so use the correct block letter format with a closing signature from one of the team members.
c. Background (Situation Analysis, Problems & Opportunities, or Needs):
Explain why the topic is important (use outside sources as support).
Provide facts and research thatexplain the problem/topic and provide insight. Use relevant and credible sources to showthe depth and breadth of the issue.
Use tables, charts, or graphs to help visually communicate data and highlight your findings. Use subheads within this section to helpkeep your content organized and help the audience stay focused.
Example subheads could include:
Audience, Industry, Insights (or any combination, etc.)
After detailing the research support, draw the conclusions that will be the basis for your recommendations. The conclusions could bebulleted with an explanation as necessary. You could call this subhead Takeaways, etc.
d. Recommended Solution (Proposal Plan, Scope of Work):
Identify the purpose of theproject, the objectives that you plan to reach, and your team’s plan for solving theproblem. There should be evidence that you have read the RFP. Based on your expertise and the client’s objectives, detail what you propose to do, how it will be done, and how itwill benefit the client (both short-term and long-term).
e. Timeline (Schedule):
Provide a timeline (in a graphic format) that describes when keyphases, activities, approvals, or events will take place. This timeline should give theclient a clear picture of how your team will work with them to develop and launch thecampaign.
f. Budget:
The budget section should detail how your team will allocate the $75,000 toprepare and deliver the items in the timeline. Be careful with the numbers since this issimilar to a contract. Determine internal fees for your time and effort (consultation feessuch as content creation, design, coordination, etc.) and separate those from external costs(outside vendor or hard costs such as printing, webhosting, etc.).
Show these costs in atable and create a graph(s) such as a pie chart to identify total expenses by category. Also, be sure to provide justification to give details about any costs that might need moreexplanation. This could be done in a bulleted list following the table, but before to thegraph.
g. Project Team (Key Personnel):
Create realistic and relevant details about yourcompany. Describe the credentials and expertise of project leaders. To complete thisproject, you will need a solid understanding of who you are as a company, your roleswithin that company, and the potential relationship between you and your audience.Remember to focus on the benefits your organization offers the client.
Do not use thissection just to highlight the features of your company. When providing details on yourteam members, be consistent with the style. Also, limit this to items that are relevant to the audience.
Use pictures of yourstaff, but make sure they are all consistent in size, background, and style.
h. Closing (Next Steps):
The end should remind the reader of the key benefits to motivatethem to act. Use the closing to seal the deal and identify the main reasons your companycan help solve the problem and meet the project’s objectives. Make the conclusion memorable and have it tie back into your attention-getter or persuasive theme. Include arequest for approval.
Be sure to indicate the length of time the proposalwill be valid (costs, etc.). Make it easy for the reader to authorize the project . Do not includeyour signature after the conclusion.
i. Appendix:
This should include relevant references. Make sure they are also in the actual paper.
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