What Does Your Company Do? What Core Vision Drives Your Business? What is Your Elevator Pitch? These may sound like elementary questions but surprisingly the answers to these essential questions oftentimes do not match the Mission Statement, Core Values or Stated Objectives of many organizations.

Take the Test

Without referring to your company’s website or literature, answer these questions:

• What is your Mission Statement?
• What is your Organization’s Core Vision?
• What are the Organization’s Core Values?
• If you had 1 minute to sum up what your company does, what would you say?

Take it a Step Further…

Now ask the same questions impromptu in a managers meeting. Then… ask the same questions in an all-staff meeting. You may be very surprised at the responses… but the insight will prove invaluable.

Reality Check

Think about it. If a good percentage of your employees can’t answer the fundamental questions posed above, how can management honestly expect to deliver on the company’s core objectives and values?

What Exactly is a Mission Statement?

Mission Statement’s have been described as a summary of the overall plan of the organization including objectives and values; the definition for the existence of a company; or, the company’s vision translated into written form. “We make jet engines”, “we exist to be the best”, or “we provide excellent service” won’t cut it.

Who Are You?

From an organizational standpoint, you need to be able to answer this question: Who are you? Take a look at some of the power players:

Google: is the world’s largest search engine.

Starbucks: is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world.

Microsoft: is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions.

Walt Disney Company: is the world’s leading producer and supplier of premier family entertainment.

Xerox: is the world’s leading document management technology and services enterprise.

What Do You Do?

Now, answer the subsequent question: What do you do? This is your mission–your purpose, the reason you exist. If you polled your employees by asking them to fill in this blank: “We exist to _____”, the answers would likely be varied. The point is–there is no variance in a Mission Statement. It needs to be clear, concise and accurate on paper, and in reality. Again, take a look at some of the world’s most successful companies:

Google: to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful (by pursuing innovation and pushing the limits of existing technology to provide the fastest, most accurate and easy-to-use search service that can be accessed from anywhere).

Starbucks: to be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world (by serving the perfect cup of coffee and creating an unparalleled customer and community experience through inspiration and nurture of the human spirit).

Microsoft: to help people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential (by providing software, services and solutions and delivering technology innovations).

Walt Disney Company: to be the world’s leading producer and provider of family entertainment …

Have you embarked to design a company logo for your business yet? Are all of your business cards and brochures drawing a blank? What message do you wish to portray to the world about your business? These are very serious questions that you should be worried about if you wish to establish a brand in your field of industry today.

Perhaps you have a company logo, but it just does not send the proper message, or your business has changed anything, and your existing logo no longer libraries the entire scope of the nature of your company. These are also reasons to set out to design a company logo for your business, whether old or new.

But let's examine this one obvious question more closely; Is having a logo important today? Well, the importance of having an iconic symbol is in the message it symbolically sends to your potential clients. Just think of the famous Burger King symbol – it's simple, yes? But it also pretty much says it all, right? And how many billions of people in the world are familiar with this logo?

You see, setting out to design a company logo means having a symbol which can communicate volumes of information about what your business is all about, to the whole world, within the second it takes to look upon it. As any advertising agent can tell you, this is crucial in establishing a recognizable brand in the world of business. Design a company logo that can speak to the world, and within a second, the world can hear your message. …

Sales letters are the foot-in-the-door your company may need when contacting potential clients or a way to announce a new product or service to existing clients. Here are some tips on writing a sales letter that gets results.

1. Personalize it! Whenever possible, make sure you address the letter to a specific individual within the organization. Nothing says amateur more than "Dear Potential Customer" or "Dear Client". Let the reader know you've done your research and took the time to find out who they are.
2. The opening is the most important part of the letter. Consumers are inundated with direct mail both in their mailboxes and inboxes. Your letter must grab their attention and force them to read on! This is not an easy thing to do. Consider opening your sales letter by offering a free product or service, identifying the problem your company can solve, or suck them in with a story. Do your research and find out what potential customers are looking for and play to that need.
3. Tone. Do not turn people off by speaking over them. Keep it friendly and informal. Sales letters are mean to showcase your company and state the benefits for your clients, not show how smart you are and how many big words you can use. Remember- simple sells.
4. Your middle paragraphs should reinforce your introduction by highlighting what you are here to offer and how you can help.
5. End it with a call to action. How can the reader you've just captured take the next step? Include your business card, website address, phone number, reply card, or order form with the letter. Make contacting you easy and hassle-free.
6. Enclosures. Depending on your level of familiarity with the client, including a brochure, flyer, or work sample can really pay off. However, in many cases the sales letter alone is enough.
7. When to hire professional help. Sales letters are a daunting task for many business owners, and you may decide it's not worth the headache to do alone. Numerous professional writing companies offer this service at a reasonable rate considering its potential return on investment. If you're finding sitting down and writing this letter is overwhelming, it may be time to call in the big guns.

Business and corporate laws are also specifically known as commercial and company laws. Both forms of law govern business and commercial transactions as well as the internal rules of business firms. Business laws refer to the laws involving contracts, sales, commercial paper, agency, and employment law among many others. Corporate law, on the other hand, studies the relationship between businesses and consumers under the internal rules of the firm. Both provide the bodies of law that govern all business and corporate transactions whether in private or public.

Business law reflects to the laws which are applied to business entities such as partnerships and corporations. These are used as reference when putting up businesses either big or small – from sole proprietorship to corporation. Business laws specify how different business can be set up, how taxes apply to them, registrations, documents and requirements; Define different terms relating to business, making by-laws, and articles of organization among many others. These also provide the regulatory schemes on how commerce should be conducted.

Business law is applied to all sectors of businesses such as automotive, estate planning, health, law, intellectual property, litigation, employment and labor, business restructuring and business & corporate. It governs all business and commercial transactions whether private or public. Business law covers covers other business issues such as starting, selling or buying other businesses, managing the business, dealing with employees and contracts to name a few.

Corporate law, on the other hand, involve the same laws and processes under business laws but have 5 defining characteristics which include:

• Separate legal personality of the corporation
• Limited liability of the shareholders
• Transferrable shares
• Delegated management
• Investor ownership

These are all applicable largely for corporations which are publicly owned. Corporate law is applied to protect both company and shareholders' rights especially if the corporation fails or is involved in legal matters. Corporate law can be traced back to the middle ages when medieval guilds were formed but not for common profit. It was also during this time that different forms of businesses such as partnership were developed.

Corporate law covers corporate governance that includes the corporate constitution, balance of power, corporate personality, capacity and powers, director's duties, and corporate litigation. All of these are vital for the application of corporate laws. In addition, this also involves how shares, liquidity and transactions should be handled as well in cases of corporate crimes, mergers, acquisitions and insolvency of the company.

Both business & corporate laws involve the details, rules and regulations involved in setting up businesses, choosing legal structures, recruiting & hiring, financing, paying of taxes, dealing with consumers and shareholders, solving issues, dealing with business and corporate crimes, and regulating All aspects incorporating commercial and corporation by-laws. …