The short paper activity for this module entails the creation of a specific business communication message. For this assignment, write a brief proposal in letter format to Doneta Zach, fleet manager for Midwest Express, 338 S.W. 6th, Des Moines, Iowa, 50321. In the letter:

1. 1.    Introduce your company; explain the benefits of the Air-Trak System.
2. 2.    Propose a trial deployment in which you would equip five Midwest Express trucks.

Message Strategies: Proposals

As a sales manager for Air-Trak, one of your responsibilities is writing sales proposals for potential buyers of your company's Air-Trak tracking system. The system uses the global positioning system (GPS) to track the location of vehicles and other assets. For example, the dispatcher for a trucking company can simply click a map display on a computer screen to find out where all the company's trucks are at that instant. Air-Trak lists the following as benefits of the system:

1. ---Ensuring vehicles follow prescribed routes with minimal loitering time.
2. ---"Geofencing," in which dispatchers are alerted if vehicles leave assigned routes or designated service areas.
3. ---Route optimization, in which fleet managers can analyze routes and destinations to find the most time and fuel efficient path for each vehicle.
4. ---Comparisons between scheduled and actual travel.
5. ---Enhanced security, protecting both drivers and cargo.

For the purposes of this assignment, you don't need to worry about the technical details of the system; focus on promoting the benefits and asking for a decision regarding the test project. (Learn more about the Air-Trak system at www.air-trak.com.)

You must follow the following format and guidelines for all short paper assignments:

• Title Page: Include your name. the paper title, course title, instructor's name, and date.
• Introduction: Discuss the purpose of the paper in succinct, declarative sentences. The introduction should offer a preview of the paper and its value, and be based upon the concepts studied in the course.
• Discussion Content: Present relevant and legitimate information to support your purpose or argument and display evidence of an in-depth analysis of the topic.
• Conclusion: This should be a summative paragraph which includes what you learned from rewriting the message.
• References: A minimum of one reference must be used to support your discussion. Document all sources according to APA style.

Your paper should be submitted as a Word document (.doc, docx or .rtf) file and adhere to the following guidelines:

• Be 1-2 pages in length (not including the title and the reference pages).
• Be double-spaced, in Arial or Times New Roman font, with a font size between 10 and 12 point.
• The margins should not exceed 1" on all sides.
• Follow APA guidelines for formatting [PDF file size 131 KB], including the title and the reference page.