Business writing

Metz /Management 306 /Business Ethics Memo/ Fall 2019

What’s in a Name? You decide!

Remember this quote from Yuri in Lord of War: “Selling guns is like selling vacuum cleaners.”

Really? Is selling one product the same as selling any other product? Or, are certain products different? Can some products be CREATED just to cause harm? Can a product be “unethical?” Sounds silly, right?

Some products can appear to be created to cause illegal activity, harm, injury, even death - oh, and lots of profit as well! This is when GREAT BUSINESSPEOPLE are needed.

Consider this:

I am the lead inventor, owner operator, and CEO, of LOW TOOLS. I have created a new, very profitable product, which I currently sell on-line; but, I have been unable to get any major retail stores to agree to sell my product in their stores. This is, of course, limiting my profit, and reducing my ability to expand.

This is why I have hired YOU!!! I have been told by other business leaders, who have hired you, that YOU are a GREAT salesperson. You have sold other questionable products in the past - including cigarettes, prescription drugs, energy drinks, and spy gear used to spy on individuals and companies. I have been told that YOU can sell anything to anyone. I have been told you will not let anything get in the way of sales and profit.

Here’s what I expect you to do: I want you to convince ONE major retail store to begin selling my product. I want my product on the shelves of every Costco in the country - in time for the holiday shopping season!

Costco CEO: John E. Cash has expressed interest in our product and is expecting your memo, which highlights and answers all of his questions and addresses his concerns. He wants a memo that explains all of the product’s functions; he wants to know who might buy this product, he wants to know why this product will be profitable. Finally, he wants to know what to do about potential “boycotts” and negative backlash from certain consumer groups.

***Apparently, many consumer groups (including some law enforcement groups) have threatened to boycott any store that begins selling our product. They claim our product is designed ONLY to promote illegal activity. They have even used the term “unethical” in regards to our newest product. Other CEO’s (Walmart, Target, and Home Depot) have declined to sell our product because of the threat of public boycotts.

Metz /Management 306 /Business Ethics Memo/ Fall 2019

==================================================================== Sounds easy enough. So, what do you have to sell? LOW TOOLS has created a new tool: An all purpose, home re-entry tool. ==================================================================== My current ON-LINE Marketing Campaign goes something like this:

Hey, homeowners and residents ! Have you ever forgotten your keys? Of course you have - there’s no shame there. And, when you have forgotten your keys, was nobody home to open the door? Oh no! Being locked out can be very frustrating; but, being locked out of a house is a thing of the past. LOW TOOLS has the answer! Buy LOW TOOLS new product and never be locked out of your house, or any house ever again! Introducing the “____________________________________________” <——- {I don’t like the product’s current name - so I want a NEW name - and, YOU GET TO NAME IT. This is an important part of your job!} ================================================

You need to know what this tool can do if you are going to convince Costco to sell it.

Here is a detailed description of the new tool, its features, and functions. It looks like a futuristic Swiss Army knife, but it does so much more.

Here are some of the features of LOW TOOLS’ newest product:

- It is equipped with a tool that is guaranteed to pick any lock. As an added benefit this tool can also be used to unlock car doors, lockers, briefcases - almost anything with a lock.

- It has an advanced glass cutting tool - which can easily cut through double-pane windows - which are common on most houses.

- It has a tool to unlatch/open any sliding glass door or window.

- Our tool includes a “signal jammer” that will disable any alarm system, for houses with electronic, monitored security systems, This helps avoid alarm fees and calling the police unnecessarily.

- Our tool has a universal garage door opener, which can be programed to open most garage doors with just the click of a button.

Metz /Management 306 /Business Ethics Memo/ Fall 2019

- A brand new feature has been added for dog lovers: a dog whistle and tranquilizing spray are included to help calm the family dog who is very excited to see you. You don’t want to wake the neighbors because Snowball will not stop barking, do you?

- As a bonus, we will throw in a pair of latex gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints on the windows, doors, or the property. Gloves will also help avoid cuts on the hands, which eliminates blood (DNA) being left around the premises. (This will eliminate the clean up time once you enter your home.)

==================================================================

I have hired you to convince Costco CEO John E. Cash to start selling LOW TOOLS new home-entry tool. You have several tasks:

- First, create a NAME for our new product. I want a clever, unique, memorable name that grabs the customers’ attention! Use the product’s name (and our company’s name as well) in your MEMO. This is really important, so put some thought into it!

(306 Grade BONUS: As an incentive, the “salesperson” who creates the best name will receive extra credit! I will let you know the winning PRODUCT NAME and the salesperson who created it.)

Here is what I expect in your memo:

- An effective introduction. Introduce yourself, your background, and the purpose of your memo. Your writing must be clear, direct, and professional.

- Next, begin explaining WHY Costco will benefit from selling our product. Give several well reasoned examples of the good our product can do, who it can help, and the potential for profit. There are SEVEN listed features of our new tool. You are expected to detail most of these features - explaining their benefit to customers. You can discuss all of the features or pick the ones you think are likely to appeal most to Costco customers. - Finally, I want you to address the ETHICAL concerns the CEO has about selling our product. What can you think of to help Costco deal with potential boycotts, negative press, social media backlash, and other issues that might occur if Costco decides to sell our product. I expect solutions.

Metz /Management 306 /Business Ethics Memo/ Fall 2019

Create a well-written, professional looking, business appropriate, properly formatted memo to the CEO of the retail giant (Costco) and convince him to sell our product.

RESEARCH, RESEARCH RESEARCH: I have not asked you for any research so far this quarter. However, now is the time to add research to your paper. Research is designed to help you strengthen your argument. Research should help you prove your idea is valid. Therefore, you are encouraged to add some research in this memo. Adding a couple outside experts/sources will make your memo stronger and your ideas more convincing to the reader. I will be adding some detail about how to include research in the Business Ethics section.

Writing NOTE: At this point in the quarter, your writing should be much improved. Here is what I want you to focus on: have something to say, write it well, make it LOOK good!

Be sure to avoid using unnecessary, wordy, weak words and phrases (As you know, In my opinion, I feel, I believe) - make your writing lean and clear, BUT detailed with good ideas and examples!!!

LENGTH: YOUR MEMO CAN BE AS LONG AS YOU NEED IT TO BE. MAKE IT CONVINCING AND WELL WRITTEN. THERE ARE NO BONUS POINTS FOR LONGER MEMOS; HOWEVER, THIS ASSIGNMENT MIGHT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES AND IDEAS, SO FEEL FREE TO WRITE AS MUCH AS YOU DESIRE! This MEMO WILL MOST LIKELY BE AT LEAST 2-PAGES (PERHAPS LONGER) BUT THIS IS UP TO YOU. GOOD LUCK!