Market and Price

    

Appendix A : Customer Survey

If you are a business owner, these questions are for you. Have you conducted your own private interview of customers? Have you personally talked to at least 50 to 60 customers to find out what they like or dislike about your business, products and service?

A personalized business survey is a simple thing to prepare and implement. If you do it regularly, you can find when and where things are breaking down in your service.

Use a piece of 8.5x11 inch paper with the following types of "yes" and "no" questions:

1. Is the service we provide meeting your highest expectations? If

not,, what areas can we improve? _____ yes _____ no

1. ___________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________

2. Are we providing the brands and lines you want and expect? If

not, please list what is needed. _____ yes _____ no

1. ___________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________


3. Is our business clean and pleasant to be in at all times? How

can we improve it? _____ yes _____ no

1. ___________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________

4. Do you feel the business is truly a part of the community? _____ yes _____ no


5. Is it a friendly place? _____ yes _____ no

6. Are the prices competitive? _____ yes _____ no

7. Do you feel you are getting good values? _____ yes _____ no


You may want to include more specific questions, but the key is to keep the survey short and to the point. Keep it personal by preparing and signing it yourself. Leave room for written comments.

Questionnaires should not be stacked at the cash register for casual distribution. Personally present them to customers along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope.


What can you learn from this? Plenty. What can customers learn? Well, it shows you care and that is always a sales plus.

Appendix B : Annual Sales By Store Type

Percentage Of The Years Total Shape

(Five Year Average)

Store Type Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year

All retail stores 7.4 7.0 7.9 8.1 8.6 8.6 8.5 8.3 8.2 8.7 8.3 10.4 100%

Department stores 6.3 5.7 7.2 7.6 8.0 7.9 7.6 8.0 8.0 8.7 9.5 15.5 100%

Drug and proprietary stores 8.0 7.5 8.0 7.8 8.2 8.1 8.1 8.2 8.2 8.5 8.2 11.2 100%

Eating and drinking places 7.3 7.0 7.7 8.0 8.8 8.9 9.2 9.3 8.7 8.8 8.1 8.2 100%

Family clothing stores 6.3 5.7 7.8 7.6 8.1 7.7 7.5 8.2 7.6 8.8 9.1 15.6 100%

Furniture, home furnishings stores 7.6 7.2 7.7 8.0 8.3 8.5 8.2 8.4 8.2 8.8 9.0 10.1 100%

Gasoline service stations 7.8 7.2 8.0 8.2 8.7 8.8 9.2 8.6 8.1 8.5 8.3 8.6 100%

Grocery stores 8.4 7.4 7.9 8.0 8.6 8.3 8.7 8.4 8.2 8.9 8.0 9.2 100%

Hardware stores 6.2 5.7 6.3 7.9 9.3 9.8 9.4 8.7 8.3 8.9 8.5 11.0 100%

Household appliance TV radio stores 8.2 7.1 7.4 7.7 7.9 8.4 8.6 8.2 8.0 8.6 8.3 11.6 100%

Jewelry stores 6.0 5.0 6.0 6.0 8.0 9.0 6.0 7.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 23.0 100%

Lumber yards building materials dealers 5.9 6.3 7.3 8.3 8.7 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.3 9.5 8.3 7.9 100%

Men's&boy's wear stores7.9 6.2 7.1 7.2 8.0 8.1 7.4 7.2 7.5 8.7 9.3 15.4 100%

Passenger car other automotive dealers 7.5 7.8 8.8 9.3 9.4 9.9 9.3 8.2 7.9 8.4 6.7 6.8 100%

Shoe stores 6.6 5.9 8.8 7.5 8.0 8.2 7.3 8.8 9.3 9.3 8.7 11.6 100%

Tire battery accessory dealers 6.6 6.0 7.3 8.7 9.0 9.3 9.2 8.6 8.1 8.9 8.7 9.6 100%

Variety stores 5.9 5.8 7.5 7.2 8.3 7.8 7.5 8.0 7.9 8.4 8.9 16.8 100%

Women's apparel accessory stores 6.8 6.3 7.6 7.6 8.0 7.9 7.3 7.9 8.0 9.0 9.1 14.4 100%

Source:U.S. Department of Commerce

Appendix C : Share Of Anual Sales By Month

%

________________________________________________________________

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

24 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

22 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

20 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

18 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

16 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

14 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

12 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

10 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

8 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

4 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

| | | | | | | | | | | | |

2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

___|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Appendix D : Projected Sales and Planned Ad Volume

Projected Sales Volume By Months and

Planned Monthly Ad Volume

Previous year's gross annual volume $__________

Projected volume for planned year $__________

Percentage of gross volume for advertising __________%

Projected total annual budget for advertising $__________

Projected monthly

% of annual monthly advertising

Month sales by month sales volume budget

January ____________% $____________ $_____________

February ____________% $____________ $_____________

March ____________% $____________ $_____________

April ____________% $____________ $_____________

May ____________% $____________ $_____________

June ____________% $____________ $_____________

July ____________% $____________ $_____________

August ____________% $____________ $_____________

September ____________% $____________ $_____________

October ____________% $____________ $_____________

November ____________% $____________ $_____________

December ____________% $____________ $_____________

Total ____100_____% $____________ $_____________

(annual total (total annual

volume) ad budget)

Appendix E : Average Advertising Investments Of Retail Stores

Advertising and Promotion as a Percentage of Sales

Business credit institutions .2%

Commercial printing .2%

Services-equipment rental and leasing .2%

Services-advertising agencies .3%

Security and commodity brokers .4%

Services-building cleaning and maintenance .4%

Office computing and accounting machinery .5%

Retail-auto dealers and gas stations .5%

Savings and loan associations .5%

Services-engineering and architect .5%

Services-linen supply .5%

Insurance agents and brokers .7%

Services-research and development laboratories .7%

Services-computer and data process .9%

Office furniture 1.0%

Retail-mobile home dealers 1.0%

Services-detective and protective 1.0%

Services-hospitals 1.0%

Ship/boat building and repairing 1.0%

Retail-grocery stores 1.1%

*arm and garden machinery and equipment 1.2%

General building contractors 1.2%

Travel trailers and campers 1.2%

Retail-drug and proprietary stores 1.3%

Transportation services 1.3%

Personal credit institutions 1.4%

Services-nursing and personal care facilities 1.4%

Silverware and plateware 1.4%

Motorcycles bicycles and parts 1.5%

Bakery products 1.7%

Motor vehicles and car bodies 1.7%

Retail-apparel and accessory stores 1.8%

Hardware 1.9%

Paints varnishes and lacquers 1.9%

Services-automotive repair and service 1.9%

Retail-lumber and other building materials 2.0%

Hotel and motels 2.1%

Cigars 2.2%

Retail-shoe stores 2.2%

Musical instruments 2.3%

Retail-variety stores 2.3%

Footwear except rubber 2.4%

Household appliances 2.5%

Services-management consulting and PR services 2.6%

Watches clocks and parts 2.6%

Retail-women's ready-to-wear 2.8%

Retail-department stores 2.9%

Retail-eating places 2.9%

Retail-sewing and needlework stores 3.0%

Finance-services 3.2%

Photographic equipment and supplies 3.2%

Radio/TV receiving sets 3.4%

Radio/TV broadcasters 3.5%

Pens pencils and other office materials 3.6%

Real estate 3.6%

Services-miscellaneous amusement and recreation 3.6%

Services-motion picture theaters 3.7%

Services-educational 4.1%

Services-personal 4.3%

Jewelry-precious metals 4.4%

Retail-jewelry stores 4.5%

Retail-household appliance stores 4.7%

Bottled and canned soft drinks 5.7%

Retail-mail order houses 5.9%

Candy and other confectionery 6.1%

Cigarettes 6.3%

Toys and amusement sport goods 6.3%

Malt beverages 6.5%

Soap and other detergents 6.5%

Drugs 7.8%

Retail-furniture stores 7.8%

Phonograph records 8.6%

Perfumes cosmetics and toiletries 8.8%

Source: Advertising Age, August 17, 1981

 

Appendix F : Determination Of Advertising Media Budget

 

| |*Less | Net | | |

Percentage of total store sales | Total|reserv| media | | |

contributed by each Dept. | ad |10% of| budget| | |

_______________________________________|______|_______| | |

| | | | | | | | | |

Month|Dept.A|Dept.B|Dept.C|Total|Budget|Budget|Monthly| A | B | C

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Jan. | | | | 100%|$ |$ |$ | $ | $ | $

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Feb. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Mar. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Apr. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

May. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Jun. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Jul. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Aug. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Sep. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Oct. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Nov. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

| | | | | | | | | |

Dec. | | | | 100%| | | | | |

_____|______|______|______|_____|______|______|_______|___|___|__

TOTALS

* 10% of the total monthly ad budget is held in reserve for special promotions.

Appendix G : Media Budget Allocation Form

Plan | Allocation

______________________|__________________________________________

| | | | Fixed | | | |

| Gross|Less|Net | adv. |Print budget |El'tronic| |

| budget|res.|budg| exp. | % total -% total| |

| | | | | | | | | |Misc|Total

19--|-%sales|_% |%tot| -%tot.|med.|med.|med|med.|med.|-% |100%

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Jan.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Feb.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Mar.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Apr.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

May | | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Jun.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Jul.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Aug.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Sep.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Oct.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Nov.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

Dec.| | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

| | | | | | | | | | |

TOTALS | | | | | | | | | |

____|_______|____|____|_______|____|____|___|____|____|____|_____

NOTE:
Step 1: Transfer advertising budget figures from Appendix D to Plan Portion

Step 2: List all fixed monthly advertising expenses (example-- Yellow Pages)

Step 3: Determine percentage of total budget to be allocated to each category

Step 4: Apply each media's percentage share against net budget dollars and record dollar amounts.

 

Appendix H : Advertising Layout Guide
Not Available In This Format

 

Appendix I : Type Styles
Not Available In This Format

Appendix J : Information Resources
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
The SBA offers an extensive selection of information on most business management topics, from how to start a business to exporting your products.

This information is listed in The Small Business Directory. For a free copy contact your nearest SBA office.

SBA has offices throughout the country. Consult the U.S. Government section in your telephone directory for the office nearest you. SBA offers a number of programs and services, including training and educational programs, counseling services, financial programs and contract assistance. Ask about

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), a national organization sponsored by SBA of over 13,000 volunteer business executives who provide free counseling, workshops and seminars to prospective and existing small business people.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), sponsored by the SBA in partnership with state and local governments, the educational community and the private sector. They provide assistance, counseling and training to prospective and existing business people.

Small Business Institutes (SBIs), organized through SBA on more than 500 college campuses nationwide. The institutes provide counseling by students and faculty to small business clients.

For more information about SBA business development programs and services call the SBA Small Business Answer Desk at 1-800-U-ASK-SBA (827-5722).

Other U.S. Government Resources

Many publications on business management and other related topics are available from the Government Printing Office (GPO). GPO bookstores are located in 24 major cities and are listed in the Yellow Pages under the bookstore heading. You can request a Subject Bibliography by writing to Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC 20402-9328.

Many federal agencies offer publications of interest to small businesses. There is a nominal fee for some, but most are free. Below is a selected list of government agencies that provide publications and other services targeted to small businesses. To get their publications, contact the regional offices listed in the telephone directory or write to the addresses below:

Consumer Information Center (CIC)

P.O. Box 100

Pueblo, CO 81002

The CIC offers a consumer information catalog of federal

publications.

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

Publications Request

Washington, DC 20207

The CPSC offers guidelines for product safety requirements.


U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

12th Street and Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20250

The USDA offers publications on selling to the USDA. Publications and programs on entrepreneurship are also available through county extension offices nationwide.

U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)

Office of Business Liaison

14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW

Room 5898C

Washington, DC 20230

DOC's Business Assistance Center provides listings of business opportunities available in the federal government. This service also will refer businesses to different programs and services in the DOC and other federal agencies.


U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Public Health Service

Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration

5600 Fishers Lane

Rockville, MD 20857

Drug Free Workplace Helpline: 1-800-843-4971.

Provides information on Employee Assistance Programs.


National Institute for Drug Abuse Hotline: 1-800-662-4357. Provides information on preventing substance abuse in the workplace.

The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information: 1-800-729-6686 toll-free. Provides pamphlets and resource materials on substance abuse.


U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

Employment Standards Administration

200 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20210

The DOL offers publications on compliance with labor laws.

U.S. Department of Treasury

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

P.O. Box 25866

Richmond, VA 23260

1-800-424-3676

The IRS offers information on tax requirements for small businesses.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Small Business Ombudsman

401 M Street, SW (A-149C)

Washington, DC 20460

1-800-368-5888 except DC and VA

703-557-1938 in DC and VA

The EPA offers more than 100 publications designed to help small businesses understand how they can comply with EPA regulations.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

200 Charles Street, SW

Washington, DC 20402

The FDA offers information on packaging and labeling requirements for food and food-related products.

For More Information

A librarian can help you locate the specific information you need in reference books. Most libraries have a variety of directories, indexes and encyclopedias that cover many business topics. They also have other resources, such as

  • Trade association informationAsk the librarian to show you a directory of trade associations. Associations provide a valuable network of resources to their members through publications and services such as newsletters, conferences and seminars.
  • Books -- Many guidebooks, textbooks and manuals on small business are published annually. To find the names of books not in your local library check Books In Print, a directory of books currently available from publishers.
  • Magazine and newspaper articles -- Business and professional magazines provide information that is more current than that found in books and textbooks. There are a number of indexes to help you find specific articles in periodicals.


In addition to books and magazines, many libraries offer free workshops, lend skill-building tapes and have catalogues and brochures describing continuing education opportunities