Business Competitions and Activities Overview

Five Types of Business Competitions

• Direct Competition: Two companies competing directly for the same customers
• Indirect Competition: Two companies compete indirectly for the same customer base, like a restaurant and a grocery store
• Price Competition: Competing based solely on price, often resulting in price wars
• Non Price Competition: Competing based on factors other than price, like quality, service, or brand image
• Competitive Advantage/Positioning: Developing a distinct advantage over competitors, allowing you to stand out and attract customers

Exploring the Major Fields of Business Activity

• Production: Creating goods or services, includes sourcing raw materials, manufacturing, and assembly
• Marketing: Promotion and selling of products and services, includes advertising, market research, and customer relationship management
• Finance: Managing financial resources, includes budgeting, accounting, and investment decisions
• Human Resources: Managing employees, includes recruitment, training, compensation, and benefits
• Operations: Day-to-day running of the business, includes production, logistics, and customer service

Exploring the Four Pillars of Business and Exit Strategies

• Production: Processes involved in creating goods and services, ensuring quality and efficiency
• Finance: Managing financial resources, ensuring sufficient funding and profitability
• Marketing: Attracting and retaining customers, promoting the business and its products
• Customer Service: Providing excellent service and addressing customer needs effectively, building loyalty and repeat business
• Exit Strategy: Plan to exit the business, includes selling, closing, or transitioning ownership

Social Responsibilities and Legal Issues in Ethical Business Choices

• Legal Compliance: Following all laws and regulations relevant to the business operations
• Ethical Standards: Acting in a morally principled way, considering the impact on stakeholders and society

Key Components of a Business Plan

• Executive Summary: Concise overview of the business idea and its objectives
• Company Description: Detailed explanation of the business, its products, and its mission
• Market Analysis: Research on target customers, competitors, and market trends
• Organization and Management: Details on the business structure, team, and management roles
• Financial Projections: Revenue, expense, and cash flow forecasts, demonstrating financial viability

Business Structures

• Sole Proprietorship: Single person owns and operates the business, with unlimited personal liability
• Partnership: Two or more individuals share ownership and liabilities, benefiting from shared expertise and resources
• Limited Liability Company (LLC): Offers limited liability protection for the owners, separating personal assets from business liabilities
• Corporation: Legal entity separate from its owners, offering limited liability and potential for growth, but subject to more regulations
• Cooperative: Owned and controlled by its members, often focusing on specific industries or services

Five Key Marketing Concepts

• Production Concept: Focus on producing and distributing products efficiently
• Product Concept: Emphasizing quality, performance, and features over other marketing aspects
• Selling Concept: Focus on aggressive sales and promotions to convince customers to buy
• Marketing Concept: Understanding and fulfilling customer needs and wants, building long-term relationships
• Societal Concept: Meeting customer needs and desires while considering social responsibility and long-term well-being

Five Key Promotional Factors in Advertising

• Source: The person or organization delivering the message, credibility and trust are crucial
• Message: The content of the advertisement, conveying the value proposition effectively
• Media: Channels used to reach the target audience, selecting the right media mix to maximize impact
• Budget: Allocating resources for advertising, balancing reach and effectiveness with cost
• Target Audience: Identifying the specific group of people the advertisement aims to reach, tailoring the message accordingly

Telemarketing vs. Internet-Based Selling: A Modern Comparison

• Telemarketing: Using phone calls to reach potential customers, can be intrusive and expensive
• Internet-Based Selling: Utilizing online platforms to reach potential customers, offering broader reach but potentially facing competition
• Cold Calling in Telemarketing: Reaching out to potential customers without prior contact, leading to low conversion rates
• Conversion Rates in E-commerce: The percentage of website visitors who complete a purchase, heavily influenced by factors like user experience and trust

Four Main Effective Workplace Communication

• Verbal: Spoken communication, ensuring clarity, active listening, and effective feedback
• Nonverbal: Body language and tone of voice, conveying emotions and intentions
• Written: Emails, reports, and memos, ensuring clarity, conciseness, and proofreading
• Electronic: Instant messaging, video conferencing, and online collaboration tools, offering speed and efficiency

Key Pricing Strategies and Market Factors

• Fixed Costs: Expenses that remain constant regardless of production volume, like rent or utilities
• Variable Costs: Expenses that vary based on production volume, like materials or labor
• Elastic Demand: Demand changes significantly based on price fluctuations, sensitive to price changes
• Inelastic Demand: Demand remains relatively stable despite price changes, less sensitive to price changes
• Bait-and-Switch Advertising: Promoting a product at a low price to attract customers, then switching them to a more expensive product
• Government Regulations: Legal requirements and restrictions affecting pricing practices
• Target Market: The specific group of customers the business aims to reach, influencing pricing decisions
• Competition: The actions and pricing strategies of competitors, a key factor in pricing decisions
• Economic Conditions: Overall state of the economy, including inflation and consumer spending, impacting pricing strategies
• Supply and Demand: The relationship between the availability of products and customer demand, influencing price fluctuations

Financial Essentials: Break-Even Point and Markup Strategies

• Break-Even Point: The sales volume required to cover all costs, identifying the minimum level of activity required to reach profitability
• Fixed Expenses: Costs that remain constant regardless of sales volume, including rent, utilities, and salaries
• Variable Expenses: Costs that fluctuate based on sales volume, including materials, labor, and commissions
• Markup: Percentage added to the cost of a product to determine its selling price, ensuring a profit margin

Pricing Strategies in Marketing

• Pricing Policy: Overall approach to setting prices, ensuring consistency and alignment with business objectives
• Psychological Pricing: Utilizing price points to influence consumer perception, employing tactics like odd pricing (e.g., 9.99insteadof9.99 instead of 9.99insteadof10)
• Unit Pricing: Displaying the price per unit of measurement, allowing customers to compare prices effectively
• Product Line Pricing: Setting prices for a range of products within a category, reflecting different product features and qualities
• Promotional Pricing: Temporary price reductions to stimulate sales or clear inventory, effectively using discounts and sales
• Pricing Strategy: The specific approach to setting prices, taking into account various factors like cost, competition, and market demand
• Price Skimming: Setting a high initial price for a new product to capture early adopters, gradually lowering the price as demand grows

Business Plan Component

• Executive Summary: Summarizes the entire business plan, providing a concise overview of the business, its goals, and its proposed strategy.

Types of Business Competition

• Price competition: Businesses compete primarily on the basis of price, offering the lowest cost for products or services.
• Non-price competition: Businesses differentiate themselves through factors other than price, such as branding, customer service, product quality, or innovation.
• Direct competition: Businesses offer similar products or services to the same customer base, directly competing for market share.
• Indirect competition: Businesses offer different products that satisfy the same customer needs, indirectly competing for the same consumer spending.

Business Structures and Liability

• Limited Liability Company (LLC): Offers limited liability protection to its owners, separating their personal assets from the business's liabilities.

Pricing Strategies

• Price skimming: A strategy where a high price is initially set for a new product or service, then gradually reduced over time as the product matures or competition increases.

Workplace Communication

• Direct communication: An effective method for urgent information delivery, such as email, phone calls, or face-to-face meetings, as it ensures immediate delivery and understanding.