FAQ: What’s the Right Template?

Frequently Asked Question

What’s the Right Template for my report.

Before the answer, here are 2 related true stories:

Story #1 :

Once upon a time, for real, a multinational company who was considering hiring me to an executive position, gave me an address of a company that will do a pre-employment psychological test. It was the time before waze and google maps, and I was not familiar with the place so I did the next best thing- call the phone number indicated in the address. After 3 rings, a big voice greeted me on the phone:

“Hello?”- a booming, deep voice answered.

“Hi. My name is Bong De Ungria, and this company asked me to go there tomorrow for a 9 am psych test. I am familiar with (mentioned a place) that might be close. May I please get directions from this to get to your place?”

“No. That is part of the test,” and the dude hung up!

Strange? Absolutely! Extraordinary? Yes, and that is why I remember it clearly many years after.

Stranger still – the dude turned out to be a co-faculty at the graduate school. Small world indeed! When I relayed to him the story, he said that the call for directions was one of the most common he receives and there were times it can be really annoying. He said that the answer he gave me was effective for some. It surely worked on me- because I still got to the place and passed the test.

Morale: Some questions are not worth asking. Some answers are not worth mentioning. The wrong question and the unmentioned answer are part of the journey.

Story #2:

Not sure if fact or fiction: Albert Einstein gave the same physics test year after year to different batches of graduate students. When an assistant noticed this, he asked:

“Dr. Einstein, are you not concerned that the students who took the test earlier might give the question and the answer to the succeeding batch of students?? ” said the assistant, wanting to look smart.

“Oh, yes, I am sure they do.” Einstein replied, smiling. “But I am not worried, because the answer to the same question changes every year.”

Genius, aint it!

Morale: The answer depends on the question and the time it is asked. The same question might have a different correct answer!

So now, here are questions with answers…

What is a good guide for making and reporting Marketing plans?

Answer: Templates.

What template is best for your marketing plan report or for case analysis?

Answer- It depends.

Choose the template that matches your particular need/ objective. And your needs will vary from time to time. So you will be using different templates.

Consider this analogy: 1 + 1 =2. Is the answer always 2? Yes, if the question is always 1+1.

But if the question is 3+3, then the answer cannot be 2;

2 is the right answer for a different question.

So 2 cannot be the answer all the time.

The templates presented in class are meant to simplify and guide, not to confuse and complicate. It is not surprising that existing templates will be updated with new ideas; in some cases, the templates may be completely superseded or substituted by new ones. However, even with updates or revisions or complete overhaul of the templates, the old ones will still have value and may be worth referring to.

Parts of template can also be combined with other templates.

What templates are available (and recommended for marketing class?)