Forecasting requires a little math and a little logic. For example, does your forecast predict your product will take half a segment’s sales when there are four or five products in the segment? Unless your product’s positioning, age and MTBF are significantly superior to the other products – and your price is at the low end of the range – it is not likely that you will take half the sales. Does your forecast predict you will take only one tenth of the sales when there are four or five products in the segment? Unless your product’s positioning, age and MTBF are significantly inferior – and your price is at the high end of the range or above – chances are you can sell more.

Entering Forecasts

Log into Capstone.xls and select Marketing under the Decisions menu. There are two forecasts per product. The Computer Prediction assumes your competition has mediocre products, and therefore is not reliable. The Your Sales Forecast column allows you to enter forecasts of your own.

If you do not enter values in the Your Sales Forecast cells, the proformas will use the Computer Prediction to project financial results.