Sample Business Plans -> Consulting - High-Tech Marketing
"Acme Consulting" Business Plan:1.0 Executive Summary Business Ideas applicable for this business plan:
Global warming brings new business ideas and opportunities This business plan was originally published |
4.0 Market Analysis SummaryAcme will be focusing on high-technology manufacturers of computer hardware and software, services, and networking, who want to sell into markets in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. These are mostly larger companies, and occasionally medium-sized companies. Our most important group of potential customers are executives in larger corporations. These are marketing managers, general managers, sales managers, sometimes charged with international focus and sometimes charged with market or even specific channel focus. They do not want to waste their time or risk their money looking for bargain information or questionable expertise. As they go into markets looking at new opportunities, they are very sensitive to risking their company's name and reputation. 4.1 Market SegmentationLarge manufacturer corporations: Our most important market segment is the large manufacturer of high-technology products, such as Apple, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Siemens, or Olivetti. These companies will be calling on Acme for development functions that are better spun off than managed in-house, for market research, and for market forums. Medium-sized growth companies: particularly in software, multimedia, and some related high-growth fields, Acme will offer an attractive development alternative to the company that is management constrained and unable to address opportunities in new markets and new market segments Market Analysis (Pie)
4.2 Target Market Segment StrategyAs indicated by the previous table and Illustration, we must focus on a few thousand well-chosen potential customers in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. These few thousand high-tech manufacturing companies are the key customers for Acme. 4.3 Service Business AnalysisThe consulting "industry" is pulverized and disorganized, with thousands of smaller consulting organizations and individual consultants for every one of the few dozen well-known companies. Consulting participants range from major international name-brand consultants to tens of thousands of individuals. One of Acme's challenges will be establishing itself as a real consulting company, positioned as a relatively risk-free corporate purchase 4.3.1 Business ParticipantsAt the highest level are the few well-established major names in management consulting. Most of these are organized as partnerships established in major markets around the world, linked together by interconnecting directors and sharing the name and corporate wisdom. Some evolved from accounting companies (e.g. Arthur Andersen, Touche Ross) and some from management consulting (McKinsey, Bain). These companies charge very high rates for consulting, and maintain relatively high overhead structures and fulfillment structures based on partners selling and junior associates fulfilling. At the intermediate level are some function-specific or market-specific consultants, such as the market research firms (IDC, Dataquest) or channel development firms (ChannelCorp, Channel Strategies, ChannelMark). Some kinds of consulting are little more than contract expertise provided by somebody who, while temporarily out of work, offers consulting services. 4.3.2 Distribution PatternsConsulting is sold and purchased mainly on a word-of-mouth basis, with relationships and previous experience being, by far, the most important factor. The major name-brand houses have locations in major cities and major markets, and executive-level managers or partners develop new business through industry associations, business associations, chambers of commerce and industry, etc., and in some cases social associations such as country clubs. The medium-level houses are generally area specific or function specific, and are not easily able to leverage their business through distribution. 4.3.3 Competition and Buying PatternsThe key element in purchase decisions made at the Acme client level is trust in the professional reputation and reliability of the consulting firm. |
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