Display Case Marketing Business Plan

Mirabile Dictu Advertising, LLC (MDA) principal operators are former marketers, producers and sellers of hardware goods and have combined over 55 years experience in the hardware Industry.  Experience ranging from marketing services, to national brand advertising to retailer operations.  The firm is being formally founded to provide an advertising program sought after by national brands and desired by industry retailers. 

Competitive edge is demonstrated in the firm’s expertise in positioning value to retailers to gain endorsement and positioning of enhanced support to national brands to gain participation.  The firm will be an advertising based company meeting the awareness needs of both retailers and national brands.  The firm will be focused on a core competency of providing advertising promotions. 

Advertising will be placed in selected stores for national brand items.  These “advertising” tools will be put into the stores, where 70% of purchase decisions are made.  Brands will pay all fees and costs of these promotional programs.  Hardware retailers will be under contract to allow the firm to exclusively execute these promotions.

MDA has a business relationship with the industry leader in producing hand tools for retailers.  The firm also has a business relationship with producers of widgets for retailers.  The second item to be exploited will be power tools.  A relationship is being fostered with Cott Equipment the industry’s leading provider of screwdrivers. 

All of these partner companies have excellent relationships with retailers.  Their products are excellent promotional items due to household usage benefits and their promotional demand.  Exploiting the relationship with these manufacturers and their retailers will catapult Retailer contracts faster and more effectively.

Our key to success will be to utilize key relationships to penetrate national brand key decision makers.  The firm will price services at the middle tier of what the market will bear, providing enhanced advertising compared to other marketers.  The pricing fits with the general positioning of the firm as providing a high-value advertising with in-house expertise and costs. 

Sales estimates project revenues of tripling between the first year and the year three.  The firm does not anticipate any cash flow issues. 

Mirabile Dictu is offering up to 40% ownership of the company to one well-heeled outside investor/owner with a dressed-to-the-nines offer of investment capital.  This owner/investor will share in the annual dividends.  Mirabile Dictu Advertising, LLC will be created as a Nebraska LLC based in Creighton County, owned by its principal operators and sole principal investor. 

1.1 Objectives

1. To saturate advertising opportunities with hardware retailers in the retail goods industry.  Within the next twelve months it is the objective of the company to market our services to the top five targeted hardware retailers and to establish a business relationship with at least three of them.  This will grow to five retailers in the second year and seven in the third year. 
• Sales for the first full calendar year will be {$whopper}. 
2. A second target group of retailers will be contacted in the third quarter of year one with plans to established business with two additional retailers for 2006. 
• Sales for the second full year will be {$ginormouz}.
3. A third group of retailers will be targeted in the third quarter of year two with a business relationship to be formed with two additional retailers for year three. 
• Sales for the third full year will be {$humuongorificatious}.

1.2 Mission

Mirabile Dictu Advertising, LLC is an advertising company dedicated exclusively to advertising programs for national brands.  These promotions are for key products found in the hardware store.  The sole business purpose is to provide a new avenue of promotional effectiveness for brands so they can secure incremental merchandising with key hardware retailers.  This is accomplished by bundling brands together with synergistic products with tie-in advertising.

1.3 Keys to Success

The founders have over 55 years of experience with hardware companies in the hardware industry, including sales and marketing companies, national manufacturers and hardware retailers.

Industry Expertise:

McKenzie Bossard– over 25 years in the hardware industry.  Past three years as VP Sales and Marketing with USA Hardware, has successfully provided services for brands and has generated over $2.2 million in revenue.  Prior experience as VP of Advertising, with Advertising Specialists Corp, managed $960 million in advertising sales at USA Advertising with a team of 110 seasoned professionals.  USAA was the largest advertiser to USA Hardware representing an estimated 7% of sales.  Prior to this, Region Manager for SEUS Hardware and managed all advertising sales for the southeast US.

Fernando Hearndon – over 31 years in the hardware industry.  25 years with SEUS, experience in managing sales and profit with $1.0 billion in sales with a profit margin of 30% and sales growth of 5.6%.  Also was responsible for development and management of private label products with sales increase of around 22% with 40% increase in profit, again while other categories were declining.

Excellence in fulfilling the promise to grow sales with key clients with completely confidential, reliable, trustworthy expertise and solid execution. 

1. Key relationships to generate new business leads with prospects. 
2. Leverage from pool of expertise branding, advertising and retailing, into proven revenue generating opportunities.