The purpose of this paper is to provide a marketing plan for India/Bangalore where Dubai Internet City is planning to take its business operations. Dubai Internet City is a one stop shop which offers a variety of services and support to businesses when they want to start their businesses. Because of its continued offering of services in Dubai, the company has slowly obtained fame over the years.
Located in Dubai, this company enjoys its brand since it is one of its own kind. The success and reputation of this company has further been stimulated by factors like the location and the diverse services that the company offers. Services like the communication, the transportation network and specialist management which this organization offers is one way of making this company create a success in the entire running of its services. In the new market, the business plans to recruit several firms which will be categorized into three. Through this the growth of the Dubai city is expected to rise from 57% to 76% (www.dubaiinternetcity.com).
This paper will begin by analyzing the market strategies that the organization has adopted so as to be able to excel. In relation to the target market which will be based in India/Bangalore, the various groups which will be influenced and are located in this region will be observed so as to know their influence on this company. By using a detailed framework of the persona’s framework, the marketing plan will also highlight the three market segments that the business will be targeting. There will also be a brief description of how these target market segments will be joining the new business park. The competitor strategies will also form part of this marketing strategy that this business is going to rely on in the new market so as to achieve. The strengths and weaknesses of this business will be looked at and related to that of its competitors so as to find out whether the business can be able to withstand this over a long period of time.
The marketing mix of the business will also be be analyzed so as to find out the mix that the business finds it the most effective for use so as to achieve its goals. Marketing mix will entail looking at issues like the product, price, place and promotional techniques that the business will adopt so as to meet its goals. So as to clearly analyze these parameters, more examples will be drawn from other businesses which offer the same products and those which have been in the market for over a long period of time.
The financials and risks shall be the final part of analysis in this marketing plan. This will entail looking at the expenses and revenues which the business operates on. This will give a clear picture of the financial performance of this company and the changes that it is doing so as to be able to keep the graph of making profits to progress rather that retrogress. The balance sheet, the projected profit and loss account and the cashflow statements will be shown in this section so as to give a clear picture of how the business is performing financially.
II. Situation Analysis and Strategy
India/Bangalore is a very good place for Dubai Internet City to take its business to. This is because it has a very viable environment which will offer the business a good climate to make more profits. Many businesses are located in India and this will therefore offer the Dubai Internet City a chance to get reach to these business that they which to expand and offer its services to them. India, just like Dubai is among the leading business countries, Bangalore being one of the cities with the leading businesses. Together with other cities across the Middle East, Bangalore offers a good environment for trading since it provides very a very good platform and a comprehensive added value platform (www.dubaiinternetcity.com).
Because of its strategic location, Bangalore is also a very good base because the economic trends in India has been favorable for over a long period of time. This therefore implies that this city is favorable for any international business to thrive and offers an opportunity for instant expansion. With the various businesses a round the town and hosting of various firms which would wish to rejuvenate their businesses by developing alternative ways of doing their businesses. The city is also ideal for the Asian Subcontinent, the Middle East and Africa for inter-business communications and activities to thrive. A part from this, the great population of these countries which is about 2 billion people is good for offering support and a good business network with the business (www.dubaiinternetcity.com).
Market Dubai Internet City’s ability to operate in India/Bangalore is attributed to the institutions which are in place in this country and particularly the city of Bangalore. The healthcare centers for instance, have contributed through their tough economic cluster with other institutions like
the media, the finance department of the country and technology. The school system offers a lifestyle which is unique for the business because it offers excellent opportunities for the business to excel in its activities. The sporting and leisure organizations also offer the business a good range of entertaining and dining choices. The Airport in Bangalore is also a very good organization which offers the business a chance to perform its activities with ease because it can easily move to other places when there is need. The government is also another institution which is geared at enabling the business to develop with a lot of ease. The Indian government has been gaining success and reputation because of its stability over several years. The government also offers support in terms of the incentives that they give for the business to thrive and besides they provide the best policies which are geared at making the business to operate without restrictions in the company (www.dubaiinternetcity.com).
Persona: customer segments
The lifestyle, nature and status of the customers will vary depending on how the business is and the number of years with which the business has been in place. Basing on the persona’s framework, the main segments which are expected to join the new business park include the executive companies, the retailers and small businesses which operate within the business. The most valuable group is the executive companies which have their business across the world. These companies include Cisco Systems, Siemens, Computer Associates, Microsoft, Dell, HP, Sony Ericsson and PeopleSoft organizations. So as to make these companies to gain a market for these companies, the business has put in place several strategies that are directly related to the improvement of these companies. These strategies include developing special places where these companies can stay as they handle the process of registration, posting their business to the website so that these companies can be able to get more of the services which these companies are offering. The executive target is at times called the CEO’s and it is the most valuable group that the business gas. This is because it is the largest group and it has a lot of resources that it can offer so as to make the business excel (www.dubaiinternetcity.com).
Retailers refer to businesses which are established within the country yet they offer only products which are meant for resale but the nature of the products in which the handle is not so much sophisticated. So as to address the problem of this group of individuals, Dubai Internet City has a strategy that is geared towards making the retailers undertake their registration with the company. Such strategies include developing friendly prices and discounts for them so that they can afford the payment of the registration fees. The business also makes the process of registration easier for such businesses since they make the process of legalizing with the government to be shorter and at the same time to be reliable.
The third segment involves the mall businesses which are organized by individuals and small scale organizations. Such businesses are thought to operate within the country and therefore their products are not exported to other countries. So as to win this group, Dubai Internet City has made sure that the right procedure is being followed when they are doing their registration so that the government allows them to perform their activities within the business.
Positioning
The positioning of the business attracts both direct and indirect competitors who are a threat to the persona. There are several competitors who offer the same services that this company offers and they include International Media Production Zone (IMPZ). So as to be able to outstand above such businesses, Dubai Internet City has developed a plan that is geared towards developing a long term unique production of its services. The plan involves production of quality services which are produced in a timely manner and at the expected rate. The business has done a lot of research as to the best solutions which can offer to its customers so that thy can keep coming again and again. This research involves understanding of the needs of the client in
advance and making sure that these needs will be met (www.dubaiinternetcity.com).
In line with the mission of the business which is to develop an infrastructural attitude an environment that will create a chance for communication to thrive in the local, regional and global markets in the entire world, this business is striving towards maintaining this mission,thereby making it to compete effectively with the competitors. The new positioning of the business will offer a competitive advantage because India has not been so much exploited by businesses which offer the same service as Dubai Internet City (www.dubaiinternetcity.com).
The diverse services which the business offers will also be an upper hand and a booster in this market because it will attract many firms. The presence of potential firms which require services like that which the business offers is also an added advantage because they are going to be the potential clients.
III. Marketing Mix
It’s difficult to come up with strategies that are geared towards influencing a customer to accept one’s services. Having realized that, Dubai Internet City has devised ways of finding out the appropriate way of dealing with this issue especially by controlling other factors which are at their disposal like the external environment which is the opportunities and threats that the business faces. The four common marketing mix tools which are also referred to as the four P’s determine the method which the business will balance so as to be able to produce the best results. These tools include the product, place, promotion and the prices of the products which the business will offer (www.dubaiinternetcity.com).
Product
The product which this company is offering include a good metro Ethernet, environment, dynamic international community, world’s largest commercial IP telephony network and exemption from corporate taxes and personal income tax for 50 years for the executive businesses; offering opportunities for business interaction and networking, opportunities for channel and market development, communications infrastructure based on next-generation technologies and 100 percent repatriation of profits for the retail businesses as well as the small business organizations. These products are unique and one of their own kinds and therefore they give the business a chance to outshine its competitors within the market. So as to achieve this, the business makes sure that it utilizes the technological know-how which is slowly gaining fame within the markets and also performing a thorough research on the type of changes that need to be made and at what instances. With these products in the new market, the proposed business park will act as a good base for the development and striving of its business (Cousins, 1999).
Price
The price of the services which this business offers is very friendly and flexible for all the potential customers. The business has adopted a price strategy that is flexible and is aimed at making sure that al the groups which the business targets will be flexible with these prices. The level of contributions from the clients varies depending on the type of the firm that is being dealt with. Those firms which are in the executive group have their own package and target which they have to meet. This will however be a higher target that that of the retailers and the small scale dealers. These contributions will also be made basing on the time period with which the business is operation. During the holidays, the contribution will be higher because there are many businesses which would want to register and legalize their operations during this time.
Place
The place refers to the distribution channels through which the clients will be approached and recruited. This is a very important element for the business since it will determine whether the business is going to be accepted by many of the customers or not. So as to adopt the best distribution methods, the business ensures that that method is favorable for all regardless of the class, level and the ability to apply for recruitment with the company. One method that the company offers for recruitment is through the website. Since the business is going to deal with multinational companies which have their headquarters in various parts of the world, then it will have to develop a reliable website which can be the source of information from the clients. The business will ensure that the website is well maintained and updated so that important news and promotions can be posted to new and potential clients and therefore attract more clients to the business.
Promotion
The company has been and will use the six M method it has been using since the inception of this business. This involves having a mission for the promotion which has been ‘to provide the best products through efficient and reliable promotional techniques’. The mission is what drives the process which the business involves itself in the entire activity of dealing with the clients. The means refers to the return on investment which will be attached to the promotional plan. Before settling for a particular distribution process, it is important that the business ought to consider the long term effect of the activity in terms of how much it will contribute to the business, if the results are not viable in that they cannot meet the activities which take place in the company, then a different distribution technique will be sought. The third M is the message and this refers to the overall message which the promotion has.
The message ought to be very comprehensive so that the clients can understand what the promotion is all about. This will also make the business to be well known because by a click on the button, all the information is going to be seen. The moment refers to the timing in which the promotion is being made. Timing is a very important factor which can either influence the availability of the clients either positively or negatively. The media is a very important issue also in the promotional method chosen. The type of media chosen is very important because it will determine the reach of the client. So as to effectively make the promotional activity to be effective, it is important that the business should consider the media that is very flexible and
effective. The measurement refers to how the promotional tool will create a success in the
business. The business ought to have a basis of weighing what will be happening within the
business (Cousins, 1999).
IV. Finance & Risks
The financials of the business involves the income statement, the projected balance sheet
and the cashflow statement.
The income statement is as follows:
Dubai Internet City income statements
2007 2008 2009
Revenue 1,223 997 1302
Gross Profit 678 786 898
Gross Profit Margin 38.4% 38.4% 36.6%
SG&A Expense 531.5 531.5 497.3
Operating Income 171 181 149
Operating Margin 30.3% 30.3% 29.4%
Nonoperating Income 29.8 29.8 92.9
Income Before Taxes 159 189 137
Net Income After
Taxes
1073 1097 979
Total Operations 1072 1162 994
Total Net Income 1094 1123 989
The following is the projected balanced sheet of the business:
Dubai Internet City Balance Sheet
2007 2008 2009
Current Assets
Cash 2160 236 197
Net Receivables 930 984 903
Total Current
Assets
3297 3597 3450
Total Assets 2920 2780 2781
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Marketing Plan of Dubai Internet City
Accounts
Payable
489 443 488
Short-Term
Debt
507 564 790
Total Current
Liabilities
284 274 221
Total Liabilities 1596 1453 1512
Total Equity 1324 1124 1268
Cash flow statement
Dubai Internet City Cash Flow
2007 2008 2009
Net Operating Cash Flow — 255 —
Net Investing Cash Flow — (675) —
Net Financing Cash Flow — (182) —
Net Change in Cash — 972 —
Depreciation & Amortization — 586 —
Capital Expenditures — (848) —
Cash Dividends Paid — (110) —
Risks
There are several risks which the business expects to encounter but there are some mitigation strategies which it has taken so as to avoid diverse effects of these risks. These risks include the risk of its prices going down, the risk of the product getting obsolete and the risk of the market becoming unstable in terms of the economy of the country. These strategies include developing a strategy which will be geared at making sure the prices of the services they offer will always remain higher regardless of the time and the situation in place. The different services that the business offers indicates that the business will always perform because it will be offering a variety to any client who has the problem. With this the company will be able withstand all the situations because the competitors will be far away from the exact services that this company offers. The third mitigation strategy which the company will adopt is making sure
that it has diversified its products across many nations so that in case there is insufficient
business in one country because of instability of the economy, then one country can be sought
for assistance.
References:
Cousins, L. (1999) Role of Marketing Plans in Marketing Planning?, Business Strategy Review
vol. 4, Issue 2, June 1991, Pages: 42-41
Kirsch, D. and Goldfarb, B. (2002) The responsibility of business plans in the decision making process, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 18, Issue 6, Date: May 2009, Pages: 47-91
‘The Centre of the Middle East Economy: Dubai Business one-stop shop’ Retrieved on 23rd
Table of contents:
I. Table of contents……………………………….2
II. Executive Summary…………………………….3
III. Situation Analysis and Strategy…………………4
Market………………………………………5
Persona: customer segments………………..5
Positioning…………………………………6
IV. Marketing Mix………………………………….8
Product……………………………………..8
Price………………………………………..9
Place……………………………………….9
Promotion………………………………….10
V. Finance & Risks………………………………..11
VI. References………………………………………15
November, 2009 from
‘Why Dubai Internet City?’ Retrieved on 23rd
, November, 2009 from
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