ProgramsMSM - Fall 2022 Interterm ProjectsDeveloping an Industry Vertical Growth and Market Plan

Project Title: Developing an Industry Vertical Growth and Market Plan

Force 5

Details
Project Title Developing an Industry Vertical Growth and Market Plan
Project Topics Growth Strategy Marketing Product Design & Development
Skills & Expertise
Project Synopsis: Challenge/Opportunity
Force 5 has primarily focused on local businesses spread across many different industries throughout its history. While this approach has borne fruit over the years and enhanced the company's local presence in the South Bend-Elkhart region, today the firm is looking to build industry-specific expertise.
 
In today's competitive environment, businesses of all kinds are looking for partners with specific knowledge and focus on their industry vertical. This could be anything from automotive manufacturing to Software-as-a-Service. To stand out from competitors, vendors must demonstrate that they understand the unique environment a business operates in and the challenges they face.
 
With that in mind, Force 5 would like to develop a go-to-market plan for positioning itself and its services as uniquely suited to customers within the sustainability industry. Force 5 has a significant client in its portfolio in this vertical, and it wants to develop a plan to win more. That involves many facets such as case study development, strategic investments in things like conferences/sponsorships, and even hiring and training plans--among many more. 
Project Synopsis: Activities/Actions Required
To create a workable plan, we believe the following components will be necessary:
  1. An assessment of our current capabilities and clientele, as well as our procedures as tech stack.
  2. Competitive analysis of other marketing firms in the sustainability space. This will also include an assessment of business viability--is there a market? How big is it?
  3. Formulation of what it looks like to operate as a business that competes in that market.
  4. Development of a plan to move our operations from our current situation (1) to what we need to compete in the vertical (3).
Project Synopsis: Expected Results
We would like to achieve the following:
  1. Have a much stronger, quantitative understanding of the sustainability vertical market.
  2. Develop a workable plan that our team can begin executing and experimenting with to move us from the current to the ideal state.
  3. Produce a list of technological or vendor solutions that might aid us in any gaps in our expertise or processes.

Project Timeline

Force 5 - Developing an Industry Vertical Growth and Market Plan
Due Date
Activities
Deliverables
Status
Action
Wed, 10/05/22
12:00 AM UTC
Teams Introduced
No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
Location:
Event Description:
Student Teams Introduced to Project Mentors
Thu, 10/06/22
12:00 AM UTC
Finalize, Sign & Upload Statement on Intellectual Property Rights
Required Deliverable
Required Deliverable
Deliverable submission is required.
Description:
Sun, 10/09/22
12:00 AM UTC
Pre-Engagement Self Assessment
Required Evaluation
Evaluation submission is required.
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Description:
Please complete this Pre-Engagement Self Assessment, which will help us measure your growth and learning!
Mon, 10/10/22
12:00 AM UTC
End of Day 1 GROUP Temperature Check
Required Evaluation
Evaluation submission is required.
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Description:
By the end of Day 1, please schedule 20-30 minutes as a team either in person or via Zoom to check-in with each other. Give each person a chance to share 1) what they feel is going best so far about the project and 2) what questions/hopes they have for addressing any challenges that are coming up. 

Then, as a team please discuss and complete the questions in the GROUP TEMPERATURE CHECK. During the meeting, have one representative enter and submit the team's responses. 

Students may also reach out individually with any questions or concerns to Professor Muir (kmuir2@nd.edu), to Ben Wilson (bwilson2@nd.edu), or to your project mentor. 
Mon, 10/10/22
12:00 AM UTC
Program Kickoff
No Deliverables
No deliverables are required for this action item.
Location:
Tue, 10/11/22
12:00 AM UTC
End of Day 2 INDIVIDUAL Temperature Check
Required Evaluation
Evaluation submission is required.
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Description:
By the end of your second day (Tuesday, Oct 11), as an individual please complete this INDIVIDUAL TEMPERATURE CHECK to provide your feedback on how things are going. Each person should submit an individual response.
Tue, 10/18/22
12:00 AM UTC
Post-Engagement Assessment
Required Evaluation
Evaluation submission is required.
View
Description:
Please complete this Post-Engagement Assessment so we can hear more about your experience and help measure your learning and growth!