International Marketing Communications - Business Plan Example

International Marketing Communications Plan 05212 Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Context Analysis and Main Issues Identification 3 Marketing Communications Objectives 5 Marketing Communications Strategy 5 Tactics or Promotional Mix 6 Scheduling and implementation: 9 Evaluation and management of marketing plan: 10 Reference List 12 Introduction According to Dimitrov (2014), international marketing can be defined as the functioning of different marketing philosophy in the international aspects. Such marketing technique is used by the firms in order to obtain growth and sustainability in different countries. Moreover, such strategies are promoting extension local or niche marketing strategy into international segment having multiple countries. Communication techniques are the crucial strategic factors of international marketing policies of firms. They are using various communication strategies for developing marketing classification, target selection and international decision making. In the current study, international marketing communication plans are outlined on behalf of The Phoenix Partnership (TPP). The UK based IT company planned to expand their business in the Indian healthcare industry (Jain and Saxena, 2010). Marketing communication plans will be developed on the basis of situational analysis of Indian market. Moreover, effective communication technique will be helping the firm in meeting external challenges. Gradually, such marketing plan is having the objective of increasing sustainability and competitiveness of the Phoenix Partnership in Indian market (DeeterSchmelz, 2014). Such plan will be contrasting various external market threats, which are reducing potentials of the profitability of The Phoenix Partnership in the Indian market. Major objective of the marketing communication is diversifying the business operations in the Indian markets. Diversification strategy is increasing the requirement of effective marketing communication to attract new customers. The Phoenix Partnership is mainly an UK based IT firm, thus proper marketing communication strategies must be used for attracting the Indian health care clients (Duncan, 2002) Context Analysis and Main Issues Identification In the current section, working circumstance is outlined on behalf of The Phoenix Partnership. Mainly, it is observed that the UK based IT company is having favourable amount of market share. However, the firm is facing huge challenge in the UK software or IT industry. In order to maintain the objective of serving health care clients, they are providing high quality healthcare software. Such products are helping clients for using the innovative products and operating systems. It is observed that The Phoenix Partnership (TPP) is having the service support contract with more than 5000 NHS supported organisations (TPP, 2015a). The Phoenix Partnership (TPP) offers effective services and IT products so that the clinical statistics access is quite easy. It will help both the patients and care stuff. However, the firm is facing the challenge of intense competition from many other IT organisations. Changing technology and financial crisis also increases complexity in desired financial and operational outcome. It was observed in assignment one The Phoenix Partnership (TPP) aimed to diversify their business in new market segments (TPP, 2015a). They were planning to target and penetrate in the Indian market. Thus, international marketing plans and communicational plans are highly solicited to ensure the growth and sustainability. These strategic factors help in attracting new customers and hospitality and care service clients and make the entry strategy more successful (TPP, 2015c). Proper marketing plan requires effective internal and external market analysis. They are currently having high support for the care service providers. Internal analysis will be outlining level of competency of organisation in the international aspect. Brand identity is playing crucial role in penetrating into any new market. The Phoenix Partnership is providing IT and consultancy service to more than 5000 NHS set up of UK area. High quality IT or software products and services are offered by the UK based firms (kpmg.com, 2015). Healthcare spending of Indian and UK people are representing sound amount of gross domestic product. It is observed that Indian people spends 4.1% of their GDP (kpmg.com, 2015). Indian economy is facing the constant increase of population, disposal income, and literacy rate. In addition, lifestyle-related diseases are examined among the Indians. The Phoenix Partnership is one of the major IT service providers in the UK based healthcare organisations. Thus, clients are having the responsiveness, insight and positive attitude for the brand as it is providing high quality services (TPP, 2015b). The Phoenix Partnership is increasing the level of involvement among the employees. They are recruiting various local care professionals in order to increase the efficiency of decision-making. Employees will be able to provide effective support to the Indian healthcare organisations (TPP, 2015c). Marketing Communications Objectives Current marketing communication plan of The Phoenix Partnership will have the objectives of meeting the Indian healthcare industry organisation. Major objectives can be outlined as; To increase the growth rate and profitability of the Phoenix Partnership To create attraction among highly increasing population of Indian market and enjoy the growth of $170 BN during the year 2017. To gain the share of medical tourism industry reporting US$ 2 billion in the year 2015. To create more reliable statistics access for 1261527930 Indian health care customers. The objective of marketing communication plan will be evaluating competency of company according to health care market situation of India. Marketing Communications Strategy Segmenting: The Phoenix Partnership is using different types of the techniques to segment their market. Demographic traits or factors are used as ethnicity, gender, learning and occupations of the health care seekers. Mainly, the patients and healthcare set up of Indian domestic health care industry is targeted by the firm. The firm will be targeting Indian healthcare system and hospitals. Health care set ups are segmented into costly and moderate charging ones. Moreover, segments like telemedicine, medical tourism and generic drug sections are outlined (Kerin, Hartley and Rudelius, 2004). Targeting: The Phoenix Partnership will target Indian market that is having most commercial attractiveness and profit potentiality of $100 billion during the year 2015. In the current marketing communication plan, The Phoenix Partnership will be targeting Indian healthcare organisations, patients and doctors. Mainly they are selling the healthcare software and services for the healthcare units thus such targeting will be efficient. The management can use various targeting factors in order to gain most profitability. The market size is a crucial one that decides the profitability. The IT Company will be able to enjoy higher market potentials in the Indian market. Indian market is reporting higher difference rate in area, regions or states (Mahajan, Nauriyal and Singh, 2015). Income capacity, rate of healthcare or hospital arrivals are distinct in India. Targeting stratagems also need to outline the cost incurred in separate segments. Marketing note must be accessible to the target group (Mahajan, Nauriyal and Singh, 2015). Positioning: The firm must outline various consultancy service related offerings to their clients. Indian health care marketers require intense information on consultancy services and software used. The Phoenix Partnership must select proper positioning strategies in order to meet the requirement of B2B like Apollo, Max, Fortis and B2C customers. Such strategies will be helping IT based firm in providing best quality consultancy. Recently, E-commerce software or portals are used by the firms. The firm can use the hospital based consultancy centres to meet the maximum care seeking customers. Advertising message: This can be defined as the promotional statements that are outlining the features of The Phoenix Partnership consultancy features. Such statement will be outlining various constancy system and charges of using such consultancy set up. Briefing of the software products is mandatory for the IT firm. In order to penetrate in the Indian health care market, interactive advertising massage is crucial (Loda, 2014). Tactics or Promotional Mix Promotional mix includes the factors like advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, Public relations, and direct marketing. Current promotional communicational strategies are designed to attract the Indian customers. The Phoenix Partnership will be using various conventional policies like direct advertising, personal relationship, sales endorsement and individual selling (Dodwad, 2013). On the contrary, Indian market based communicational plan will be using the social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus in order to promote The Phoenix Partnership’s products and service. Such communication tools will attract more youth and technology friendly customers from Indian health care market (Blythe, 2000). Direct Advertising: The Phoenix Partnership is going to use such promotional marketing strategies in order to attract the Indian clients. It is more popular and used than the other promotional communication strategies like sales promotion, advertising, public relations and personal selling, (Clow and Baack, 2004). The firm will be using the leading print and television media in order to attract Indian health care clients towards the products and services. the firm will be able to attract the customers having $100. Direct advertisement strategies of The Phoenix Partnership will be selecting proper distribution channels. It has been observed that Indians are using newspapers and streaming TV channels for gaining information and entertainment. Currently it has been observed that the doctor nurse ratio reported as 7 doctors and 13 nurses for 1000 patients. Direct promotion of software and consultancy services of the firm will use some hoarding or display type of promotional tool in the hospitals and care homes of India. In addition, advertisements will use the goodwill of the firm to attract the Indian customers, who have lack of insight about the firm and its products and services (Jolivot, 2008). Direct marketing The Phoenix Partnership is one of the leading UK based consultancy and IT company that are accessing the huge health care customers data. The direct marketing approach will be helppping the firm in attracting 26% of healthcare professionals and 72% of the Indian population by direct interaction about the features of various software product and consultancy support (Fisher, 2014). They are planning to distribute leaflets and hoarding marketing for their B2C clients and B2B clients are contacted directly by the help of the various sales personnel (Pasco and LeSterBeaumevieille, 2007). Personal Selling approach The Phoenix Partnership will be using the Personal selling approach in influencing Indian clients. Such policy will be adopted in the metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai. Such policy is using highly interactive communication technique which helps The Phoenix Partnership to influence sophisticated care clients from Indian market. Sales representative of the firm will visit and communicate with the healthcare homes, nursing setups and care consultants with the in depth information of the software and consultancy service and price. This gradually develops more client relation in the Indian market (Zoltners, Sinha and Lorimer, 2012). It has been observed that the Indians are facing various health issues like malnutrition among peoples of all age, baby death rate is higher, diseases and epidemics, poor sanitation, drinking water, female and rural health issues (Koekemoer and Bird, 2004). Sales Promotion Sales promotion policies will be adopted in the lower developed areas of Indian health care industry. The Phoenix Partnership will be adopting such way of adverting products and services in the north east regions of India where the healthcare setups are offering economic service to their clients. Financial incentives are key mode of such promotion, which assures more sales of the services and products. The Phoenix Partnership is able to use such policy of marketing their products or services. They will be offering discount coupons for the Indian patients as Indians are spending 4.2% of their GDP. Moreover, health care organisations of southern India are offered with discounted rate on the software programs (Loth, 2004). On the contrary, The Phoenix Partnership will be facing certain limitations of sales promotion as 70% of Indian population is living in rural areas. In order to diversify their market in the Indian hospitality segment, they can gradually lose the attraction of incentive offered as only 5% Indians are covered by medical insurance policies. Moreover, the UK based IT firm can lose its brand value. In the Indian health care industry, The Phoenix Partnership can use their brand value to influence nursing care patients and health care firms as 80% market is captured by low-cost drugs (Mayrhofer, 2012). Public Relations Siddhanta and Banerjee (2014) argued that public relations can play crucial role in developing Indian market of The Phoenix Partnership. The firm is planning to use the public relation policies in terms of developing loyal customer base. The Phoenix Partnership is planning to develop more interactive relation with almost 150000 medical tourists which will enjoy a yearly growth of almost 15%. Such promotional mix helps the firm to increase the loyalty among the Indian health care clients. Recently, it has been observed that the international marketers are using both PR and advertising in order to attract the new markets. Thus, The Phoenix Partnership can use the strategy to collect feedback from the users which will help them top enjoy the share of the growth of $100 billion. The Phoenix Partnership can grab the advantage of word of mouth promotions with such advertising plan. Management can easily recognise their strengths and weakness by communicating with customers and service users. However, such promotional process has certain limitations like it is more expensive than any other promotional technique. Interactive connection is the key strategy of public relations. The Phoenix Partnership can develop effective association with their Indian customers (Mattson, 2012). Finally it can be said that the promotional communication plans of The Phoenix Partnership are developed on the basis of the Indian healthcare industry break up. Above mentioned promotional tools need to be utilized in order to achieve the success. Using any one promotional tool will not ensure Indian marketplace success (Djukic, 2011). Scheduling and implementation: Components April May June July August September October November December January February March Media Strategy Internet Online (Website) Direct Marketing Demo Service Segment   Monthly Subscription Above The Line Advertising Magazines           Radio           Television       Social Media   Evaluation And Control The marketing communicational plan of The Phoenix Partnership in the Indian market requires proper and effective time framing. This marketing plan will be completed in one year. Starting with the situational analysis in the first two weeks, it will end with evaluation stage in the last six months. The marketing communication plan will be developing media strategies based on the internet. Media strategies are depending on online or website and direct marketing policies. Indian healthcare systems and firms must be provided with free service and monthly subscription. Finally, above the line advertising will be done through the magazines, radio, television channels and social media portals. Evaluation and management of marketing plan: The Phoenix Partnership must develop proper marketing plan in order to penetrate in Indian healthcare market. Management should evaluate the plans in order to increase the potential of profitability by different strategies. It can be done by evaluating return on investment and sales figures. Both of the factors and figures can be contrasted in the pre and post marketing plan implementation period. Moreover, customer response will be helping firms to evaluate marketing plans. On the other hand, development of the marketing reach is also outlines the success of the marketing plans. Marketing partner’s feedback about plans will help the management to justify feasibility penetration plans in the Indian market. Sales personnel and competitor response can be the part of marketing plan evaluation (Xie and Kahle, 2014). In the current marketing plan, detailed evaluation of products or services will be made as per the demands of Indian healthcare clients. Marketing planners have to evaluate requirement of various factors like the effective internal and external analysis for the newly developed market. Evaluation state also collects feedbacks of the customers that are helpful in modifying future operational plan. Reference List Blythe, J. 2000. Marketing communications. Harlow, England: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Clow, K. and Baack, D., 2004 Integrated advertising, promotion & marketing communications. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. DeeterSchmelz, D., 2014. Selling and Sales Management Abstracts. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 34(2), pp.160-171. Dimitrov, R., 2014. Silence and invisibility in public relations. Public Relations Review. Djukic, S., 2011. The role and importance of social media in communicating brand value. Marketing, 42(1), pp.17-26. Dodwad, S., 2013. Quality management in healthcare. Indian J Public Health, 57(3), p.138. Duncan, T., 2002. IMC. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Fisher, E., 2014. You Media: audiencing as marketing in social media. Media, Culture & Society, 37(1), pp.50-67. Jain, S. and Saxena, K., 2010. Lifestyle and general medicines: A study of promotional-mix strategies in India. J Med Market. Jolivot, A. 2008. Marketing international. Paris: Dunod. Kerin, R., Hartley, S. and Rudelius, W., 2004. Marketing. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Koekemoer, L. and Bird, S., 2004. Marketing communications. Lansdowne, South Africa: Juta Academic. kpmg.com, 2015. [online] Available at: https://www.kpmg.com/IN/en/IssuesAndInsights/ThoughtLeadership/Emrging_trends_in_healthcare.pdf [Accessed 25 May 2015]. Loda, M., 2014. Suggesting a More Effective Way to Use the Promotional Mix in Services. Services Marketing Quarterly, 35(4), pp.304-320. Loth, D., 2004. Marketing international. Paris: Publibook. Mahajan, V., Nauriyal, D. and Singh, S., 2015. Trade performance and revealed comparative advantage of Indian pharmaceutical industry in new IPR regime. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, 9(1), pp.56-73. Mattson, E., 2012. Promotion and Marketing Communications. New Delhi: World Technologies. Mayrhofer, U., 2012. Marketing international. Paris: EÌconomica. Pasco, C. and LeSterBeaumevieille, H., 2007. Marketing international. Paris: Dunod. Siddhanta, S. and Banerjee, N., 2014. The impact of promotional mix on profit in the B2B sector. Mrkting Intelligence & Plan, 32(5), pp.600-615. Tollinen, A. and Karjaluoto, H., 2011. Marketing communication metrics for social media. International Journal of Technology Marketing, 6(4), p.316. TPP, 2015a. About Us - TPP. [online] Available at: http://www.tpp-uk.com/about-us [Accessed 25 May 2015]. TPP, 2015b. Clinical software to transform healthcare - TPP. [online] Available at: http://www.tpp-uk.com/ [Accessed 25 May 2015]. TPP, 2015c. Products - TPP. [online] Available at: http://www.tpp-uk.com/products [Accessed 25 May 2015]. Xie, G. and Kahle, L., 2014. Approach or avoid? The effect of regulatory focus on consumer behavioural responses to personal selling attempts. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 34(4), pp.260-271. Zoltners, A., Sinha, P. and Lorimer, S., 2012. Breaking the Sales Force Incentive Addiction: A Balanced Approach to Sales Force Effectiveness. Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, 30(2), pp.171-186. Read More