Investigative Business Journalism - Finding and Pitching Ideas by Alec Klein
Pitching a New Business
2
This Educational Feature is Sponsored by www.redfishbaseball.com “Just breathe that fresh air, would you!” T. Tommy Sterling said as he emerged from the Central City Airport terminal carrying the Sports section of the Los Angeles Times. “Doesn’t this place just smell like baseball?” “Smells more like agriculture to me, boss,” replied Sarah Tinker, who was hauling her bags - and T. Tommy’s - on a luggage carrier. T. Tommy stopped inhaling. “Yes ... well, the breeze must have picked up something from that farm over there,” he said as he led Sarah to a cab. “There’s room in this state for agriculture and baseball, you know.” The cab that pulled away from the curb and headed toward downtown Central City carried the staff of Double Play, a store set to open in two weeks. “You all visiting Central City for the first time?” the driver asked. “We’re just in from Southern California and here to stay, friend,” T. Tommy said, handing the driver a business card. “Sterling’s the name; I own Double Play. Think of my store as the link to your past - assuming you’re a baseball fan, that is.” Sarah leaned up from the back seat. “We sell baseball collectibles,” she explained. “Cards, autographs, photos, ...” “Are you, by any chance, a Reds fan?” T. Tommy asked the driver, interrupting his assistant. “You would sure want to see my Johnny Bench collection. He played his entire career with the Reds, you know. Seventeen years.” The cab driver eyed T. Tommy in his rearview mirror. “I follow the Cubs,” he said, switching lanes. “Why, Sarah here helped me ship three boxes of Cubs items just yesterday,” T. Tommy said. “I bet you’re a Sammy Sosa man. Or Ryne Sandberg.” The driver slowed for a stoplight. “More like Ernie Banks,” he said. T. Tommy fell silent for the first time, and Sarah jumped in. “We’ve got programs and team yearbooks from Banks’ playing days, and three autographed baseballs.” Within minutes, the cab arrived at Double Play - a large, new building with an empty parking lot. “Here we are, friend. Come back in two weeks and I’ll give you a good price on one of those Ernie Banks baseballs,” T. Tommy said, tucking his Sports page under his arm. “Help me with the bags, would you, Sarah?” Once inside the store, T. Tommy and Sarah spent the next three hours sorting through boxes of inventory, testing office equipment, and making phone calls. As the late afternoon light shone through the front windows, T. Tommy called a halt to their work. “That’s enough for today,” he said. “What’s tomorrow’s schedule?” “Between nine and noon, we’re interviewing eight people for sales jobs, then we’ve got lunch with the insurance guy,” Sarah said, reading from a small notepad. “At 2:30, we’re meeting with somebody from our ad agency.” “Say, that’s right,” T. Tommy said, carefully holding a 1953 Pittsburg Pirates scorecard. “We’re going to make a local kid famous, aren’t we?” “S-A what?” T. Tommy demanded. “Spell it out, Tammy!” He and Sarah were sitting in his new office with Tammy Dibbs of Dibbs Advertising Agency. “Essay, Mr. Sterling,” Tammy said. “I’m talking about an essay contest for local kids. The winner will be used in all your ads.” T. Tommy rose from his chair, but only to remove a George Brett signature glove he’d been sitting on. “An essay? Like the causes of the Civil War? Compare and contrast Romeo and Juliet? What essay?” Sarah’s face lit up with excitement. “They could write about baseball, boss!” she said. “That way, we’d be sure to get a real fan to be the face of Double Play.” Tammy smiled. “That’s exactly what I had in mind, Sarah,” she said. “In the first set of ads, we run the essay with the kid’s photo.” T. Tommy looked unsure. “Writing, huh?” he said. “I was thinking we’d have a home run derby to pick the winning kid.” “Well, that makes sense if you’re looking for the next Barry Bonds,” Tammy said. “But that would limit your contest to big, strong boys. You want to draw everybody into baseball.” T. Tommy nodded his head. “I’ll take care of the ads and rounding up judges,” Tammy continued. “We’ll also need to hold an event to unveil the winner of the contest. We can pick four entries as finalists.” Then she turned to T. Tommy. “What will you pay your spokesmodel?” “Well, uh, I thought I might give them a 1954 Al Kaline,” he said. “It’s worth $500.” Tammy was shaking her head. “Tempting, I’m sure, but you’ll need to come up with some cash to attract interest and entries,” she said. “How does $10,000 grab you?” “Right where it hurts,” T. Tommy said, wincing. “I do get to pick the title of the essay contest, don’t I?” “Sure, T. Tommy, this is your store,” Tammy said, winking at Sarah. “For ten thousand bucks, I want to read some great essays,” he said, and then paused. “The title will be, ‘What baseball means to me.’ CHAPTER 1: WRITTEN BY BOB ROUSE • ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRANK YATES Activites 1 5 2 8 4 0 2 1. Explain T. Tommy Sterling’s reason for moving to Lexington. What are other reasons a person might move to a new location? 2. When T. Tommy Sterling arrived in Lexington, his assistant, Sarah Tinker, accompanied him. Describe at least three ways Sarah “assisted” T. Tommy throughout this chapter. 3. Why might T. Tommy assume the cab driver was a Reds fan? 4. T. Tommy handed the cab driver a business card. Think abo ut what it might look like and what informati on would be important on a business card. On the computer or by hand, design a business card for Double Play. 5. Interdependence means that people’s well-being is partly dependent on the behaviors of others. The cab driver’s job is dependent upon travelers arriving and departing from the airport. In groups, make a list of other jobs that rely on airport operations for the success of their business. 6. Sarah Tinker identifies specific goods to be sold by Double Play. With a partner, list those goods and brainstorm othe r “baseball collectibles ” that could be sold at the store. 7 . T. Tommy Sterling traveled from Southern California to L exington. With a partne r or in sma ll groups, find the lowest fare for flights from Los Angeles to Lexington. Remember to use identical departure and arrival dates for each group. (www.expedia.com; www. travelocity.com; or www.orbitz.com) 8. T. Tommy and Sarah planned to interview people for sales jobs. Look through the Herald-Leader Classifieds section at employment ads for sales j obs. Write a classified ad for a sales position at Double Play. 9. T. Tommy wanted to have a home run derby contest. Explain T ammy Dibbs’s reasons for opposing this? Descr ibe her pla n for the co ntest, including the winning prize. ��� � Information regarding the Herald-Tribune’s Newspaper In Education Program Please Call Mary Charland, Newspaper in Education Manager Phone: ( 941) 486-3010• (941) 486-3004 E-mail: [email protected] www.nieonline.com/sarasota
Transcript of Pitching a New Business
8/14/2019 Pitching a New Business
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/pitching-a-new-business 1/1
This Educational Feature is Sponsored by
www.redfishbaseball.com
“Just breathe that fresh air, would you!” T. Tommy Sterling said as he
emerged from the Central City Airport terminal carrying the Sports section
of the Los Angeles Times. “Doesn’t this place just smell like baseball?”
“Smells more like agriculture to me, boss,” replied Sarah Tinker, who was
hauling her bags - and T. Tommy’s - on a luggage carrier.
T. Tommy stopped inhaling. “Yes ... well, the breeze must have picked up
something from that farm over there,” he said as he led Sarah to a cab. “There’s
room in this state for agriculture and baseball, you know.”
The cab that pulled away from the curb and headed toward downtown Central
City carried the staff of Double Play, a store set to open in two weeks.“You all visiting Central City for the first time?” the driver asked.
“We’re just in from Southern California and here to stay, friend,”
T. Tommy said, handing the driver a business card. “Sterling’s the name; I own
Double Play. Think of my store as the link to your past - assuming you’re a
baseball fan, that is.”
Sarah leaned up from the back seat. “We sell baseball collectibles,” she
explained. “Cards, autographs, photos, ...”
“Are you, by any chance, a Reds fan?” T. Tommy asked the driver, interrupting
his assistant. “You would sure want to see my Johnny Bench collection. He played
his entire career with the Reds, you know. Seventeen years.”
The cab driver eyed T. Tommy in his rearview mirror. “I follow the Cubs,” he
said, switching lanes.“Why, Sarah here helped me ship three boxes of Cubs items just yesterday,” T.
Tommy said. “I bet you’re a Sammy Sosa man. Or Ryne Sandberg.”
The driver slowed for a stoplight. “More like Ernie Banks,” he said.
T. Tommy fell silent for the first time, and Sarah jumped in. “We’ve got
programs and team yearbooks from Banks’ playing days, and three autographed
baseballs.”
Within minutes, the cab arrived at Double Play - a large, new building with an
empty parking lot.
“Here we are, friend. Come back in two weeks and I’ll give you a good price
on one of those Ernie Banks baseballs,” T. Tommy said, tucking his Sports page
under his arm. “Help me with the bags, would you, Sarah?”
Once inside the store, T. Tommy and Sarah spent the next three hours sorting
through boxes of inventory, testing office equipment, and making phone calls.
As the late afternoon light shone through the front windows, T. Tommy called
a halt to their work. “That’s enough for today,” he said. “What’s tomorrow’s
schedule?”
“Between nine and noon, we’re interviewing eight people for sales jobs,
then we’ve got lunch with the insurance guy,” Sarah said, reading from a small
notepad. “At 2:30, we’re meeting with somebody from our ad agency.”
“Say, that’s right,” T. Tommy said, carefully holding a 1953 Pittsburg Pirates
scorecard. “We’re going to make a local kid famous, aren’t we?”
“S-A what?” T. Tommy demanded. “Spell it out, Tammy!”
He and Sarah were sitting in his new office with Tammy Dibbs of Dibbs
Advertising Agency.
“Essay, Mr. Sterling,” Tammy said. “I’m talking about an essay contest for local
kids. The winner will be used in all your ads.”
T. Tommy rose from his chair, but only to remove a George Brett signature
glove he’d been sitting on. “An essay? Like the causes of the Civil War? Compare
and contrast Romeo and Juliet? What essay?”
Sarah’s face lit up with excitement. “They could write about baseball,
boss!” she said. “That way, we’d be sure to get a real fan to be the face of
Double Play.”
Tammy smiled. “That’s exactly what I had in mind, Sarah,” she said. “In the
first set of ads, we run the essay with the kid’s photo.”
T. Tommy looked unsure. “Writing, huh?” he said. “I was thinking we’d have a
home run derby to pick the winning kid.”
“Well, that makes sense if you’re looking for the next Barry Bonds,” Tammy
said. “But that would limit your contest to big, strong boys. You want to draw
everybody into baseball.”
T. Tommy nodded his head.
“I’ll take care of the ads and rounding up judges,” Tammy continued. “We’ll
also need to hold an event to unveil the winner of the contest. We can pick
four entries as finalists.” Then she turned to T. Tommy. “What will you pay your
spokesmodel?”“Well, uh, I thought I might give them a 1954 Al Kaline,” he said.
“It’s worth $500.”
Tammy was shaking her head. “Tempting, I’m sure, but you’ll need to come
up with some cash to attract interest and entries,” she said. “How does $10,000
grab you?”
“Right where it hurts,” T. Tommy said, wincing. “I do get to pick the title of the
essay contest, don’t I?”
“Sure, T. Tommy, this is your store,” Tammy said, winking at Sarah.
“For ten thousand bucks, I want to read some great essays,” he said, and then
paused. “The title will be, ‘What baseball means to me.’
CHAPTER 1:
WRITTEN BY BOB ROUSE • ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRANK YATES
Activites
1 5 2 8 4 0 2
1. Explain T. Tommy Sterling’s reason for moving toLexington. What are other reasons a person mightmove to a new location?
2. When T. Tommy Sterling arrived in Lexington, hisassistant, Sarah Tinker, accompanied him. Describe atleast three ways Sarah “assisted” T. Tommy throughoutthis chapter.
3. Why might T. Tommy assume the cab driver was aReds fan?
4. T. Tommy handed the cab driver a businesscard. Think about what it might look like and whatinformation would be important on a business card.On the computer or by hand, design a business card forDouble Play.
5. Interdependence means that people’s well-beingis partly dependent on the behaviors of others. Thecab driver’s job is dependent upon travelers arrivingand departing from the airport. In groups, make a listof other jobs that rely on airport operations for thesuccess of their business.
6. Sarah Tinker identifies specific goods to be soldby Double Play. With a partner, list those goods andbrainstorm other “baseball collectibles” that could besold at the store.
7. T. Tommy Sterling traveled from SouthernCalifornia to Lexington. With a partner or in smallgroups, find the lowest fare for flights from Los Angelesto Lexington. Remember to use identical departure andarrival dates for each group. (www.expedia.com; www.travelocity.com; or www.orbitz.com)
8. T. Tommy and Sarah planned to interview peoplefor sales jobs. Look through the Herald-LeaderClassifieds section at employment ads for sales jobs. Write a classified ad for a sales position at DoublePlay.
9. T. Tommy wanted to have a home run derbycontest. Explain Tammy Dibbs’s reasons for opposingthis? Describe her plan for the contest, including the winning prize.
����
Information regarding the Herald-Tribune’s Newspaper In Education ProgramPlease Call Mary Charland, Newspaper in Education Manager
Phone: ( 941) 486-3010 • (941) 486-3004E-mail: [email protected]
www.nieonline.com/sarasota
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