Writing

Mauna Loa Café

Mauna Loa Café, a 220-store coffee and pastry company, is facing several challenges. The company is asking you—one of their smart, new employees—for ideas to improve the business.

Write a memo to management proposing your idea(s) for improving the business.

Audience

Your audience is company management. They have specifically asked you for your ideas. This is your opportunity to impress them.

Purpose

Your goal is to convince management to adopt your ideas. Consider what will persuade them and what they need to make a decision. For purposes of this assignment, you can "invent" marketing studies, cost-benefit analysis, profit projections, etc. Be sure to include enough background and evidence to enable them to make a decision. Focus on benefits but also acknowledge obstacles.

Structure

You can include as few—or as many—ideas as you wish. Each idea should be in a separate paragraph. However, if the description of an idea makes the paragraph too long, find a natural break point and continue to another paragraph. Also, arrange your ideas in order of importance. Your first idea should be the most important, your next idea should be the next most important, and so on. How do you determine what is most important? Consider your audience. Decide what is most important to Mauna Loa Café management.

Style

You are writing to people above your position. Choose a sincere, reasonable, and respectful tone. Also, because your goal is to convince your readers, convey confidence in your ideas.