PARTNERSHIP PLAN
CONNECT TO THE COMMUNITY:
Meet with the DECA Advisor in your community to discuss this project and to
create a project engagement plan.
ACCESS TRAINING + SUPPORT MATERIALS:
Training and support materials are online and available to support your
engagement plan. PostNet Corporate and National DECA staff are also available
to support your local partnership.
GROW YOUR BUSINESS:
Guide your “classroom marketing team” by making in-class and in-store
presentations that support your engagement plan with the local DECA chapter.
SHARE YOUR PASSION:
Share your passion for your business, for PostNet and for franchising—while
growing your business and supporting your community.
PARTNERSHIP DETAILS
HOW ARE POSTNET AND DECA CONNECTED?
PostNet is the corporate sponsor for the 2013
Business Services Operations Research Event.
PostNet Representatives across the nation will
serve as vital assets to DECA advisors and students who
are working on the Business Services Operations
Research Events.
Together, as a team, PostNet Representatives,
DECA advisors, and students will collaborate to analyze
aspects of the business services industry.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DECA COMPETITIVE
EVENT?
The Business Operations Research Events provide
an opportunity for high school students to
demonstrate knowledge and skills needed by
management personnel.
Students choose local businesses to center their
research projects on and work with the businesses
while they complete their projects.
WHAT IS THE BUSINESS SERVICES OPERATIONS
RESEARCH EVENT?
The 2013 topic for this research event will consist of
students working with a business and analyzing the
business’s website, products, and services through a
SWOT market research analysis.
Upon the completion of the research, the students
will evaluate the results and create a strategic plan to
provide new and exciting ways to restructure, change,
and update that business’s website with the plan to
generate more customers and create a wider audience.
HOW CAN POSTNET MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO DECA
ADVISORS AND STUDENTS?
Meet with the DECA Advisor in your community
to discuss the partnership and create an
engagement plan.
Connect with PostNet Corporate and National
DECA to access support materials.
Make in-class and in-store presentations that
support your engagement plan with the local DECA
chapter.
Talk about your experience through the social
media designed for the project.
WHAT IS THE LEARNING FORMAT FOR THIS
SPONSORSHIP & PARTNERSHIP?
The learning format will consist of the advisors,
PostNet Representatives, and students collaborating
on various activities that are centered around the
outline of the DECA event.
The advisors will have lesson plans,
presentations, and activities to implement within
the classroom.
In the lesson plans, there are specific instructions
for DECA advisors and PostNet Representatives to
follow while working together on the project.
The advisors can work with PostNet to decide
which elements of the lesson each would want to
deliver to the students.
Some may be involved more than others; that is
a decision that the advisors and the representatives
can decide on.
PROJECT BREAKDOWN & IDEAS FOR ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSIONS FOR POSTNET
MODULE ONE:
AN INTRODUCTION TO
THE DECA EVENT
MODULE TWO:
DESCRIPTION OF THE
BUSINESS & ANALYZE
THE OFFERINGS
MODULE THREE:
PLANNING THE
RESEARCH METHODS TO
BE USED
MODULE FOUR:
FINDINGS,
CONCLUSIONS, & THE
SWOT ANALYSIS
MODULE FIVE:
PROPOSING A
STRATEGIC PLAN &
ANALYZING THE COSTS
MODULE SIX: FINALIZING
THE PROJECT
Introduce PostNet to the DECA Chapter and DECA Advisor.
Be a Guest Speaker or invite the DECA Chapter to your franchise.
Give an overview of the Business Service Industry.
Share your experience and knowledge about the PostNet Franchise.
Introduce PostNet’s business service offerings and explain how PostNet helps local
businesses create and improve their websites.
Discuss how important a good website is for business.
Discuss what encompasses making an effective website and how businesses benefit from
it.
Show examples of business you have helped create a website for.
Introduce PostNet’s use of marketing research to improve its business and that of its
customers.
Discuss different methods of gathering research.
Share a PostNet survey that the DECA chapter could take to the business that their
project is focused on.
Introduce PostNet’s use of a SWOT Analysis to indentify market opportunities.
Use PostNet as an example for a SWOT Analysis.
Introduce PostNet’s use of promotional plans for the PostNet Franchise.
Discuss the process of planning and designing a promotional plan for your customers.
Explain the importance of planning and implementing a promotional plan.
Show examples of promotional plans that you have created for customers.
Explain what makes a strong Executive Summary and the importance of making that first
impression.
IDEAS FOR ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSIONS FOR THE DECA ADVISOR
MODULE ONE:
AN INTRODUCTION TO
THE DECA EVENT
Discuss the purpose and requirements of the PostNet & DECA partnership.
Get organized and devise a timeline for everyone working together.
Introduce the DECA chapter to the PostNet Franchise.
Discuss the difference between goods and services businesses.
Student Handouts: What is a Service Business Brainstorming Activity & The PostNet Online Scavenger
Hunt
MODULE TWO:
DESCRIPTION OF THE
BUSINESS & ANALYZE THE
OFFERINGS
Analyze the PostNet website as an example.
Describe the PostNet business offerings.
Explain the purpose of designing a good business website.
Compare good and bad website designs.
Assist students as they analyze their business’s website for their DECA project.
Student Handouts: Description of Your Business, Let’s Analyze PostNet’s Website, Let’s Analyze Your
Business’s Website, Let’s Analyze A Competitor’s Website, & The Good VS The Bad Website Design
MODULE THREE:
PLANNING THE RESEARCH
METHODS TO BE USED
Explain the importance of conducting primary and secondary research in order for a business to
satisfy customer wants and needs.
Share the example survey for PostNet with the students. Allow the students to take that survey to
their businesses.
Guide students as they create their research methods and plans to implement them.
Student Handouts: Creating & Formatting Research Methods, Designing Your Research & Planning the
Implementation, and The PostNet Example Survey
MODULE FOUR:
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS,
& THE SWOT ANALYSIS
Explain the purpose and benefits of conducting a SWOT analysis.
Allow the students to conduct a personal SWOT analysis on themselves.
Go through a SWOT analysis on PostNet as an example.
Suggest possible promotional strategies for the students to consider.
Student Handouts: A Personal SWOT Analysis, PostNet SWOT Analysis, A Website SWOT Analysis for
Your Project, and Analysis of Your Research, Major Findings, and Possible Strategies
MODULE FIVE:
PROPOSING A STRATEGIC
PLAN & ANALYZING THE
COSTS
Discuss promotional strategies that PostNet currently has.
Emphasize that benefits are important to have for both the consumer and the business.
Explain the process of getting promotional elements created, approved, and implemented.
Discuss that businesses must have a return on investment in order for a promotion to be worth their
time, energy, and money.
Assist students as they devise a cost breakdown and analysis for your strategic plan.
Student Handouts: Preparing the Strategic Plan: The Road Map Activity, Preparing the Timeline, and
Preparing a Cost Analysis, Benefits, and Return on Investment
MODULE SIX: FINALIZING
THE PROJECT
Provide assistance for “polishing” the students’ final projects.
Suggest possible promotional materials to print and include in the project.
Student Handout: Organizing the Executive Summary