FREE ESSAY ON BUSINESS REPORT

BUSINESS REPORT

I-Introduction
A comprehensive advertising plan will help this company capitalize
on many current and future market trends in the casket industry. 
We will develop a strategy for the company that will pull the 
product through the supply chain by creating consumer awareness 
and developing and interest for the product, thus creating a more
educated, knowledgeable and empowered end-consumer. The
new trend sweeping the funeral services market is that of pre-
planning, people are starting to realize that as with everything else,
prices are moving higher on a regular basis. Many individuals 
realize by pre-planing know they are relieving the burden from
family members and also taking advantages of saving money by 
planning theirs and their spouse at the same time.
II-Company Description
Eternal Life Casket Company (ELCC) is located in Orlando, 
Florida. ELCC is a very reputable funeral casket manufacturer
with a large product line to meet the needs of their diverse clientele
and these caskets are available through most funeral home service
providers. Eternal Life Casket Company understands whether you 
are planning for a loved one or yourself the casket selection reflects
the personality, tastes and a final tribute making this a very personal
decision. 
Mission- To turn Eternal Life Casket Company into a household
name by building up a strong client base combined with selected 
advertising mediums enabling us to reach our target market both
effectively and efficiently. To create and maintain the public image
of a caring compassionate company who not just another business, 
rather neighbor and a contributing member of the community giving
back to the communities we serve. At this point our main 
competition is the Batesville Casket Corporation. Currently there 
are few to no casket companies advertise to the general public 
giving us a clutter free communication environment to market our
product inn.
III-Product Information
With casket cost averaging between $2,700 and $3500 we have 
created for the market a newly designed casket by combining all of
the most popular casket choices and options thus creating a high 
end casket, offering an exceptional value to the consumer. At a
cost of $6,000 this casket comes with silk lining, vermetically
sealed chamber (airtight), a steel shell, handles and a wooded
exterior. The choice available are the type of wood, Maple, Cherry, 
Mahogany and Oak. The only other option to be chosen is either 
brass or stainless steel handles. These choices are included in the
price making this an excellent choice. By creating this casket we
have designed a new product in the infancy stage of the product
life cycle.
IV-Target Market
Target/Marketing
Our target market includes people 45 years of age and older with
a household income of $50,000 dollars or greater. It is important
to note that the baby boomer generation has transformed every 
industry as they have gone through mainly due to the large size of
their population. We will be marketing this product throughout
the Southeast region of the United States to begin. This product
and advertising campaign is economically viable through out the
U.S. with little modifications as long as the region the criteria of 
our target market.
Demographics:
The demographics for the Southeast U.S. are ideal for this 
campaign since the age group 45 years and older represent 58% of the
population. Broken down into gender this region consists of 53% female
and 47% male.
Psychographics:
Lifestyle: Higher income earners tend to be more organize and meticulous
planners. 
Religious Beliefs: This could result in clientele whom would spend above
the average.
Positioning by price/quality:
This product will be positioned within higher end price levels and targeted
to people who are willing to spend higher dollar values on their loved ones
funeral casket. These individuals are also looking for a product of higher 
quality; increase their value for the dollars being spent.
Positioning by cultural symbols:
Another factor in the purchase and amount spent on a casket would be
ones religious beliefs and other cultural assimilation.
Repositioning:
This product does not require repositioning because of poor performance
malice. This repositioning is more a mental one. Since the topic is no 
longer taboo more people, including the elderly, are more comfortable
discussing the topic along with the numerous benefits of prepaying
funeral products and services. In addition to the savings that can be 
accomplished and that knowing their loved ones will not put into undue
emotional conflict.
V-Advertising Objectives
Educating the consumer builds a strong sense of caring, trust and 
compassion simultaneously increasing product knowledge, brand 
recognition at the same time showing these future customers the 
advantages of pre-planning and by combining all these factors together will
create this brand into the consumers EVOKED SET. This creates an
opportunity to create a brand loyal and predisposition the consumer to our
brand. this task will be easier to accomplish under the current conditions
since is very little clutter in this product.
Demonstrating to the consumer how preplanning saves money, ensures
that their wishes and desires will be meet and relives the burden placed
upon the family members to make large decisions at the time when their
judgment is clouded. The growing popularity of preplanning your own
funeral is just in its infancy stage now combined with the growing social
acceptance of discussing funeral plans and since death is no longer the 
taboo subject.
Baby boomers are making plans for their parents who are unable to make
their wises known. At the same time the boomers are getting more
comfortable with the subject matter and deciding that they don't want
to be a burden and want to make their own arrangements. These
arrangements stand to be more elaborate then usual simply because
this generation stands to receive the largest inheritance as a group
in history.
VI-Copy Platform
1. Basic problem or issue the advertising must address;
How much will be spent?
You can never be prepared
2. Advertising and communications objectives:
Show client money will be saved
Relieve burden from family
Planning is a good idea
3. Target audience
People who plan ahead
45 and older age group
4. Major selling or key benefit to communicate
The saving of money
Your loved ones won't have to make decision when judgment is
clouded.
5. Creative strategy platform
The dollars saved now could be the dollars needed to keep your
spouse from having to sell the house.
6. Supporting information and requirements
Population age increasing
7. Supply and demand effect on price
Funeral cost increasing @ 4% a year
VII-Advertising
Fear Appeal
If you don't plan ahead will you get what you wanted, will your loved
ones get caught up in the moment and spend to much (they will be 
shopping for a product when their decisions will be clouded and at their
emotion and rational time.
Emotional Appeal
By planning ahead you are a leaving burden of having your loved ones
make decisions during and already trying time.
Refutation
If you planned ahead you would be getting what you wanted, not putting
loved ones though a decision making process at their weakest emotional
state. Since you did not plan ahead your loved ones could be spending
hard earned money giving you more that you ever wanted and spending
money that they will need in order to live placing themselves in financial
hardship. The funeral service will sell the product as it the last chance you 
have to show them how much you care and loved them.
Advertising Message
This will have the aspects of dramatization, straight sell and be factual.
VIII-Media Strategy
We will use both emotional and factual appeals. The budget for these
will be as follows: Direct mailing 25%, Magazines 30%, Television 25%
Radio 18% and the Internet 2%.
Direct Mailing
These brochures will be mailed out through the U.S. postal system 
throughout the Southeast region with emphasis on the retirement
communities, civic groups, senior citizens organizations and 
communities that cater to the age groups in our demographics.
These brochures will serve to make initial contact, educate the consumer
and entice the consumer to find out more information. The other purpose
is to act as support media to the print media, television and Internet for 
those already seen our other various advertisements.
Magazine
We feel that this media will offer us the highest success rate due to the 
ability to reach targeted demographics, geographic and various 
phychographic markets. It's for this reason that this area will receive 
the lions share of the budget. Magazines such as Business Week
Fortune, Senior Living, Modern Maturity, County senior papers and
senior community's newsletters will prove to be an invaluable tool for
our campaign. All these print media will also have reader response
cards of freestanding inserts to receive additional information.
Television
Through this venue we will be focusing on both broadcast and cable
network shows that cater to a generally older audience and news talk
shows with mainly morning broadcast. E.g. Regis and Kathy Lee,
Golden Girls, Alice.
Internet
This will serve as a place to receive additional information or t request 
information mailed to their household. We view this as an area to 
contact future customers. We are going to consider this as support
media and not rely on this venue for revenues.
Radio
With this media we will center our attention to the AM talk radio stations
and give the most attention to the time periods of 5:00am to 11:00am.
IX-Sales Promotion
While we don't plan to offer large discounts or rebate programs we will 
offer a standard discount of $500 dollars if people purchase or enter into 
contact for 2 or more units.
X-Conclusion
We are confident that by following our plan we will increasing your brand
awareness, increasing consumer comfort level, create an open and 
willingness to communicate about the subject this allow you to capitalize
on the desire to pre plan funeral, have more elaborate funerals. In doing
so the consumer will become educated and recognize the build in value
of your products simultaneously increasing your brand name. These steps
taken will allow you to build upon the client base, which you have already
establish.