MARKETING PLAN

Marketing Plan

Marketing Plan

Marketing Plan Phase I

2. Situation Analysis

Strategy is about playing towards strengths and away from weaknesses. Marketing is about understanding AMT target markets and target market needs.

2.1. Market Needs

AMT focuses on small business in the local market? with special focus on the high-end home office and the 5-20 unit small business office.

AMT have broken the markets into groups according to standard classifications used by market research companies: home offices and small businesses. (Aaker 2000)

Exact definitions of these market segments are not necessary for the marketing planning purposes here; general definitions will suffice. AMT know the home office customers tend to be heavy users? wanting high-end systems; people who like computing and computers. The low-end home office people buy elsewhere. AMT also know that the small business customers tend to be much less proficient on computers? are more likely to need and want hand-holding? and more likely to pay for it. (Simon 2008))

2.2. The Market

2.2.1. Market Demographics

The home offices in Tintown are an important? growing market segment. Nationally? there are approximately 30 million home offices? and the number is growing at 10% per year. AMT estimate in this plan for the home offices in the market service area is based on an analysis published four months ago in the local newspaper. (Kotler 2001)

Home offices include several types. For AMT plan? the most important are the home offices that serve as the only offices of professional firms. These are likely to be professional services such as graphic artists? writers? and consultants? also some accountants and the occasional lawyer? doctor? or dentist. There are also individuals who maintain home offices for part-time use? including "moonlighters" and hobbyists. This segment is not who AMT wishes to sell to; AMT marketing focus consists of professionals and entrepreneurs who maintain a full-time office. In this plan? AMT will refer to customers in the home office segment as HOs. (Pfeffer 2008)

Small business in AMT market includes virtually any business with a retail? office? professional? or industrial location outside of someone's home? and with fewer than 30 employees. AMT estimate 45?000 such businesses in the market area. (Keller 2008)

The 30-employee cutoff is arbitrary. AMT find that the larger companies turn to other vendors? but AMT can sell to departments in larger companies? and AMT shouldn't be giving up leads when AMT get them. AMT will refer to customers in the small business segment as SBs.

2.2.2. Market Trends

The SB buyers are accustomed to buying from vendors who visit their offices. They expect the copy machine vendor? office products vendors? and office furniture vendors? as well as the local graphic artist? freelance writer? or whoever? to come visit the SB office to make their sales.

There is usually a lot of leakage in ad-hoc purchasing through local chain stores and mail order. Often the administrators try to discourage this? but are only partially successful. (Kapferer 2007)

2.2.3. Market Growth

Overall AMT see the number of potential customers in the small business and home office markets growing at ...