Example Two: Canadian Menuboard Inc.
Description of Company
Canadian Menuboard Inc. is a manufacturer of in-store
menu displays. The company builds and markets
menuboards for restaurants, coffee shops and all other
business that need to display their product offerings.
The company intends to create a web site to promote their
product to a larger base of customers that may not
have heard of the company because of lack of advertising/promotions.
The site will also develop and increase
international sales to other regions around the world.
Mission Statement
"To build effective and affordable menuboards that are
of the highest quality and built to the customers
specifications and demands."
Product Description
Menuboards are menu displays that are illuminated (if
desired) by fluorescent lights. They can be segmented in
to different categories based on homogeneous products
such as "Beverages", "Dinners" and "Desserts" what
ever the customer desires.
The boards are manufactured by using plywood and other
industrial resources such as paints and screws.
Through the process a frame is made which contains the
fluorescent lights that illuminate the product offering
from behind. There is a multistep process to the manufacturing
which will be shown on the web site and its page
links.
The product offering is encased in a "panel" that fits
in a slot in front of the lights. The panel is further segmented
where-by each slot in it contains one menu item. One
entire panel contains strips that has first a heading i.e.
"Coffees" followed by different selections such as "Colombian",
Irish Cream " and/or "Regular" that are part of
that product category.
The company also offers single panel signs that are silk
screened with inks and are called "Neonfaces". These
faces usually display an image or single phrase such
as "open" or "ice cream". They too are illuminated from the
rear with lights and are encased in a enclosed frame.
"When a patron of an establishment
enters a store and peers up at what the proprietor offers and at
what price, that is a
menuboard." President and C.E.O.
Market Description
The market for menuboards is substantial. In general
terms, any owner that intends to display the offerings of
his/her business may require a menuboard. Company's as
Tim Horton's, Wendy's, McDonalds as well as sole
proprietors like "Mom n' Pops" down the street use menuboards.
Our Neonfaces will be demand by business that desire to
communicate that they are open or have certain times,
but can not afford actual neon lighting, can purchase
these signs at an affordable price while maintain the same
affect.
Target Customers
The target customers are small business operators that
use/ need displays to market their item offerings.
Competitive Analysis
The main competitors are Ameriboard In.,Menuboard Plus
Inc. and MenuSign Inc.
Competitive Advantages
The competitive advantage that our company has is that
we are the only menuboard manufacturer to offer the
ability to product menu strips that are either
a.Engraved item wording
out of the painted plastic strip.
b.Silk screened item wording.
c.Vinyl worded items.
Most other competitors offer only on of the above and
not many offer the silk screened option.
Long-Term Goals
To increase customer base from that of the Greater Toronto
Area.
Strategies
Promote the company's products through the
use of an online company web site showing various features of the product.