Strategic Marketing Plan: Ashanti Solutions in the German Market

This report presents a strategic marketing plan developed by a senior marketing consultant from Ashanti Marketing Solution Ltd, focusing on introducing a new product into the German market. It begins with an executive summary highlighting the importance of strategic marketing and the specific objectives of the plan. The report then details the recommended product (web design and related services) and the chosen location (Germany), followed by a PESTLE analysis to understand the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors influencing the market. It explores various market entry options, including strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures, before recommending an appropriate approach. The report also covers market segmentation, Porter's Generic Strategy, and concludes with recommendations for Ashanti Solutions to successfully launch its product in Germany. The analysis incorporates various marketing tools and theories to provide a comprehensive and actionable plan.

Strategic Marketing
Word counts: 4,289

Executive Summary
Strategic marketing serves as the process of comprehending the fundamentals of marketing from a
tactical standpoint. It provides a thorough approach to strategic planning as well as a methodology
for analyzing, addressing, and discovering marketing challenges.
The marketing plan's major goal is to introduce an innovative product into a new country's market by
focusing on two key market categories.
The study goes into detail on the marketing strategies used by Ashanti Solutions Company. Marketing
and advertising services are available by this UK-based company to other consumers. There are
several aspects of a new product entering a new market, like strategies, competition, dangers, and
benefits to consider. Using Porter’s 5 Forces model of competitive advantages, as well as market
segmentation and differentiation strategy and positioning, the organization will be able to develop a
decision-making tool. The marketplace where the new product is going to enter is one of the top
economic European countries which is Germany. A PESTLE analysis will help us to understand the
market of Germany’s market where we can find out significant threats or important opportunities for
the new product to enter in the new market.
And not last, but the most important is to suggest some solutions and strategies for the marketing plan
of introducing the product in the new market and to become successful as well.Therefore the
suggestions of the strategic marketing plan will come from a senior marketing consultant that is
employed by the Ashanti Marketing Solution Ltd which is me. My knowledge and skills in the
domain as well as the tools,analyses and theories will help find the easy and successful way/path of
the new product in the new marketplace of Germany.
This country has been chosen just because its a strong economic country where people love
innovation and development and also by doing some research in the market of the country it shows
that AMS will not have too many rivals and can become quite successful if it has a good and strategic
plan.
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Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Recommended Product and Location 3
PESTLE 4
Market Entry Options 5
Market Segmentation 7
Porter’s Generic Strategy 9
Conclusion 10
References 11
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Introduction
Business requires strategic planning because it provides a roadmap for them to follow and adjust their
path if necessary. The business plan, which includes the company’s mission, vision, and values, is the
first step in developing a strategic strategy. As a means of supporting an organization’s long-term
goals and objectives, strategic planning aims to stabilize the existing environment. New initiatives,
new technology, data centers, data warehouses, exponential data expansion, ownership costs, and
available resources in an organization may all be implemented via strategic planning, which aids in
assessing future needs. Strategic planning enables a corporation to adapt appropriately to the external
environment’s causes of uncertainty and risk (Mazzarol and Rebound, 2020). Strategic planning
begins with an examination of the company’s numerous future possibilities in light of recent
alterations in the external environment. The most important part of this study is identifying the
company’s market position. It is therefore necessary to analyze the internal and external environment
in order to come up with an appropriate product recommendation for the organization and not at last
recommendations on how all those innovative products or services to get on the market to the
customers of the company.
Recommended Product and Location
Marketing, promotion, public relations, and more are all part of Ashanti Marketing Solutions
Company’s scope of work (Rajnoha et al., 2019). As a way to penetrate new markets, a new product
may produce new customers, grow the firm, and enhance market share but also profit margin. The
following is a list of suggested readings:
“New Product for
Ashanti Marketing
solutions”
“Recommendations” “New Country to
enter”
“Recommendations”
The organization
offers a web design
service as one of its
many offerings (Fox,
2018). The creation
and upkeep of
websites will be
included in Ashanti
Marketing Solutions'
already-existing
Ashanti Solutions may
develop new products
for consumers who
would benefit from
web design and other
Ashanti Solutions
services (Wilkerson,
2020). Customers are
being sought for the
launch of a new
Germany is a market
in Europe where the
new product may be
sold. Because Ashanti
Solutions is
headquartered in the
United Kingdom,
Germany would be its
most convenient entry
point. Germany’s
Using Porter’s five
forces, this business
may benefit from
fewer rivals in the
German market.
Gain a larger portion
of the market (Shpak
et al., 2020).
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services including
advertising,
promotion, and public
relations (PR). This
will cover the creation
of websites, content,
branding, user
interface design, and
proprietary software,
as well as the layout of
user experience and
SEO.
service. Expanding the
company, attracting
new clients, and
boosting revenues are
all possible thanks to
this innovative service.
economy is one of the
most advanced in the
world (Sankaran et al.,
2019). Compared to
other companies,
Ashanti Solutions has
a fantastic opportunity
to develop in Europe’s
biggest economy,
which is growing at a
far faster rate than that
of the rest of the globe.
Expand the company
by going into new
markets
More clients and
prospective customers
will be attracted to
their products and
services.
The size, expansion,
share, and
infrastructure of the
market all favor the
company’s entry.
PESTLE
Macro-environmental elements are those that have an influence on organizations on a broad scale and
are independent of any one firm’s internal resources. Competitors, PESTLE analysis, and market
research may all be impacted by this trend (Saad et al., n.d). Ashanti Marketing Solutions
recommends doing a PESTLE study before entering a new market. It’s a marketing principle known
as PESTLE analysis. It is also used as a way of monitoring the environment before launching a
product, service, or other kind of product.
Political: As a general rule, this refers to countries where the government has a significant impact on
the economy and business environment. Since they are entering the German market, this new firm
should research the laws and taxes in Germany to see what effect they will have on the business, such
as the 30 to 33 percent corporate income tax in Germany (together with the solidarity surcharge and
the trade tax) (Katuu, 2020). As a result of tax rises, the corporation will have a lower profit margin.
Economic: Rates of interest, inflation, currency exchange rates, and patterns of economic
development are a few examples of economic factors. The German economy grew at the quickest rate
in Europe and ranked sixth globally in 2017 in terms of GDP growth. Ashanti Solutions stands to gain
greatly from this because of the increased demand, market share, and financial rewards. However, if
the inflation rate rises, it will have an impact on the pricing of goods and services.
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PESTLE analysis FIG 1
Social: For Ashanti solutions, demographic trends, market divides, and consumer preferences in
Germany are all factors of the population size in each location, as do cultural trends and demographics
(Scott, 2020). But if there is a large demand for Web design in these markets, it may be a good fit for
the organization.
Technological: When it comes to the company’s ability to innovate and be creative, technology has an
impact (Raith, 2020). The more modern the company’s equipment, the more quickly and effectively
the process will function. Because technology in Germany is more expensive than in the UK,
companies must make a budget for how much money they will spend on it.
Legal: A country’s rules and regulations affecting the business climate and other policies may be
referred to as legal. Take, for example, consumer protection legislation, workplace safety regulations,
and so on (Elhassan, 2019). As a result, legal discussion in Germany should center on consumer and
labor regulations, among other things, to reflect the implications.
Environmental: Climate, geography, weather, environmental offsets, pollution, global climate
change, and other aspects of the immediate environment are all included in this category (Selvi and
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Bezawit, 2020). For Ashanti solutions, it is critical to do environmental research in Germany in order
to identify pollution levels, recycling rates, and eco-friendly practices.
Threats to the firm may include:
Market risks (input availability competition, cost changes, consumer preferences, etc.) might have an
impact on the organization. Employees in the operational (maintenance, appropriateness, and safety)
division benefit from the expertise of the web design department (Islami, Mustafa and Topuzovska
Latkovikj, 2020). Failing to finish a project due to a lack of funding, planning, or design Currency
fluctuations, inflation, and taxes may all be regarded hazards, as can the company’s actions’ effects on
the environment or society as a whole. Ashanti must devise a strategy to counteract these challenges
by analyzing all parts of the business, implementing improved research and development programs,
and employing skilled employees.
Market Entry Options
To enter countries like Germany, there seem to be a variety of models organizations may use to
determine which approach is best. In this scenario, we’ll examine three possible entrance points and
determine which one is most appropriate for Ashanti Solutions Company (Firoz Suleman, Rashidirad
and Firoz Suleman, 2019). Organizations might be impacted in a variety of ways by new entrants to
the market, therefore it’s critical to gather data on such things as risk, market size and growth,
distribution channel availability, competitive intensity, and other things like legislation and
restrictions.
When two or more parties commit to a set of goals in working together, yet maintain their own
identities, strategic alliances are formed. Organizations who decide to join forces and build alliances
across several initiatives and marketplaces may find this useful (Abdolshah, Moghimi and Khatibi,
2018). As a result, Ashanti Solutions may collaborate with other organizations in the same sector in
the German market in order to prepare for contracts. Due to the obvious new market that the firm is
entering, this model will be of no help in developing the new product that we create.
Mergers, Acquisitions and Joint ventures:
Mergers and acquisitions are tactics used to transform the ownership of firms, merge with other
businesses, or cooperate together on operations and projects, such as a merger or acquisition. In the
situation that one corporation decides to buy out another, a merger is inevitable. To cooperate with
another company in particular projects or activities, they would employ acquisitions instead (Sankaran
et al., 2019). These synergies can boost market share and save costs by leveraging the company’s
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economies of scale. This is particularly true if the newly combined firms can streamline their
administrative processes.
Mergers may be classified as either vertical or horizontal in nature. Organizations that are all in the
same production stage may be merged into a single company, which is called horizontal integration.
Expanding a company’s operations to new markets or growing the variety of goods and services it
offers to existing customers is horizontal expansion. Other German marketing firms might be
identified and merged with or acquired by Ashanti solutions via negotiations (Shpak et al., 2020).
When two firms that are at various stages of production merge together, the result is a vertical
integration. A company’s ability to control both its upstream and downstream suppliers (backward
integration) (forward integration).
Vertical Integration – Benefits
● gaining access to existing unavailable downstream distribution channels
● Improved scheduling, collaboration, and planning
● Reduce the expense of travel.
● Margin of profit, whether in the upstream or downstream sector
Disadvantages of Vertical Integration
● Costs that might go up in the future
● The expense of bureaucracy has risen.
● It might prevent a business from switching suppliers.
● a decrease in the ability to adapt
Joint Venturing
Employing joint ventures as a strategy to enter new markets is yet another option. Contracts for
management, franchises, licensing, and subcontracting all should be used in overseas markets.
Depending on the degree of the joint venture and the size of the market, they might vary (Saad et al.,
n.d).
Foreign direct investment (FDI)
When a company from another nation makes a substantial investment in a company in their country, it
is what is known as foreign direct investment (FDI). A direct stake in the company sets it apart from a
foreign portfolio investment. Since they have total market control, Ashanti Solutions Company may
use this technique to enter the German market. This is especially true with the launch of a new
product. With their market domination, they may also win new customers and maintain their income
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(Katuu, 2020). To take advantage of scale savings, Ashanti Solutions may also benefit from tight
control over operations in countries like Germany. Since it requires a significant investment of time
and money, this is clearly a long-term approach.
Ashanti Solutions sees a joint venture as an excellent starting point for expanding into new markets
because of the cost savings and risk reduction it offers. Subcontracting or franchising may be utilized
as a way to strengthen your position in the marketplace (Raith, 2020). As a first stage, this approach
may assist the firm enter the German market, gain market share, and increase customer awareness of
their brand and goods.
Market Segmentation
Segmentation is a process of dividing clients into distinct groups or subsets. As a result, businesses
have the option of either creating distinct goods for each market group or using the same brand to
target several markets (Scott, 2020). Businesses may benefit from this strategy because they can
increase average pricing and increase sales by segmenting markets. Businesses may typically save
money on manufacturing and marketing expenditures by segmenting and targeting their customers.
There are four types of market segmentation: demographic, geographic, behavioral, and
physiographic. Consumers are segmented based on a variety of factors, including their gender, age,
and place of residence. For example, Ashanti Solutions would indeed be able to observe the
preferences and incomes of clients if they were to use demographic segmentation. Geographical
segmentation based on the division of customers into local, rural, and national populations (Elhassan,
2019). Ashanti Solutions, if it chooses to use this segmentation, has the ability to target clients in
certain market segments. Pricing, offers, promotions, and other factors influence how consumers
behave in the market, which is reflected in behavioral segmentation. By using segmentation, Ashanti
Solutions Company will be able to understand consumer preferences and keep them by offering and
pricing them attractively. Customers’ attitudes, views and interest in items, as well as their perceptions
of these things, are all influenced by physiographic segmentation (Islami, Mustafa and Topuzovska
Latkovikj, 2020). Furthermore, Ashanti Solutions might benefit from this category as well since the
impression of goods affects consumer feedback and comprehension in various marketplaces.
Considering the segmentation, Ashanti Solutions Company’s next step might be to design a marketing
plan for the German market. Whenever it comes to selling goods and services, this approach is a
selection of customers. Companies will be able to pick just one or two segmentations, dependent on
how decisions are made. Segmentation, targeting, and positioning all play a major role in the
marketing mix, which is composed of the four p’s: product, price, location, and promotion. Each P in
the plan marketing mix should be good if it is to be a success (Firoz Suleman, Rashidirad and Firoz
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Suleman, 2019). A generic product may be introduced as in mass marketing or a new product could
be launched for distinct groups as in multi-segment marketing, as Ashanti Solutions Company has a
vast variety of goods and services to offer (Abdolshah, Moghimi and Khatibi, 2018). The target
market for Web Design in Germany can include professionals, small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) that are interested in providing website design services, as well as newly established
businesses. Geographical and physiographic segmentation could be used to break this down.
However, there are various types of target markets:
The term “niche/concentrated marketing” refers to this type of marketing, which focuses on a certain
segment of the market (Saad et al., n.d). Consumers of Ashanti Solution Company should have a
well-defined set of customers and address specific client demands, which is the most appropriate
strategy for Ashanti Solution Company because they are only targeting a few sectors.
Undifferentiated mass marketing refers to the practice of a business selling the same generic product
to most of its clients without differentiation.
Marketers use a strategy known as “selective/differentiated marketing” to target certain sorts of
customers with a variety of items. There are going to be many various items that they’ll be pursuing.
To meet the needs of various customer groups, a business may tailor its product line.
A company’s position in the market, as well as its strengths and limitations, are outlined in
positioning. Companies can stay on top of their game and have a thorough understanding of their
industry by strategically placing themselves (Katuu, 2020). The marketing mix of 4 Ps is used to
classify this. Ashanti Solutions’ marketing mix may be summed up as follows:
Product – a new service of Web design will be launched in Germany
Price – To match the modern German market, pricing methods may include a mix of cheap and
high-priced offers and bargains for bundles, depending on the website’s design and functionality.
Place - The customer’s ability to attend is dependent on the location. Depending on the firm, clients
may be able to access the service online.
Promotion - There are several sorts of promotion tools available, including advertising, brochure,
poster, radio, and internet marketing. In the case of the firm, they should employ a combination of
promotional strategies in Germany’s market to raise awareness.
The new product’s first positioning in Germany should be aimed at professionals and small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a focus on the niche/concentrated market. However,
marketing SMEs’ businesses and raising awareness of the new product might be expensive.
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Porter’s Generic Strategy
Due to the obvious increased power providers will have in the German market, Ashanti Solutions’
entry into the industry poses a danger to existing organizations by increasing the price of its products
due to the presence of new entrants. Additional prices, high exit costs, and a sluggish market all result
in increased competitiveness among market players, yet this typically results in lower profitability. In
a market, competitors will constantly be looking for methods to get an edge over one another. If the
market’s buyers grow stronger, they can influence supply-side pricing, which in turn raises the stakes
for providers (Islami, Mustafa and Topuzovska Latkovikj, 2020). If there are numerous providers in a
market, they may boost rivalry amongst themselves, but suppliers that have a lot of power can also
include a lot of procedure. As soon as the Ashanti solution comes on the market and reaches the
customers, their competition will rise since they provide a service (Firoz Suleman, Rashidirad and
Firoz Suleman, 2019). Customers in Germany wield considerable purchasing power, and there are
several businesses in various regions. This gives them a competitive edge in Germany. In order to
acquire a competitive edge and seize the German market, Ashanti solutions might use Porter’s
Generic model. For the sake of both classifying and influencing corporate behavior, Porter established
general strategies.
Generic Porter Strategy Fig 2
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Cost Leadership Strategy:
This value chain management technique has as its major purpose the maintenance of market
dominance. This approach could help the company get greater market share because the middle class
makes up the majority of the customer marketing mix in almost every nation in the globe (Sankaran et
al., 2019). The best way to meet the requirements of middle-class clients, who put a premium
emphasis on pricing, is via cost leadership. For a business to accomplish sales targets and endure
competition from its closest rival, it may also be necessary to constantly provide promotions and
discounts in addition to decreasing production costs and increasing supply chain efficiency
(Abdolshah, Moghimi and Khatibi, 2018). The goal of these discount and promotional campaigns is to
raise customer awareness of the brand and encourage them to buy more of the company’s goods.
Differentiation
Another often used generic method for obtaining a competitive advantage is differentiation. It is
possible for Ashanti Solutions to reach growth targets by combining differentiation and cost
leadership. It is necessary to add the company’s consumer base by stressing the product’s distinctive
attributes via differentiation as a supplementary generic approach (Katuu, 2020). Distinguishing one’s
own product offers from the competition is a key component of differentiation generic strategy.
Marketing, branding, and celebrity endorsements may all be heavily promoted in order to set a firm
apart from the competition.
Focus strategy
Companies should concentrate their efforts on a small number of targeted market segments as the
third general competitive strategy. A low-focus strategy may be used to Ashanti Solutions’ benefit,
even while delivering the best value. In order to apply a low-cost focus strategy, the lowest possible
price is provided for the needs of a certain market segment (Raith, 2020). The best value strategy, on
the other hand, will place a focus on the quality, size, and look of the product.
Conclusion
An examination of Ashanti Solutions Limited’s marketing plan for a new product and its entry into a
new country has given valuable understanding of how businesses may both gain and be threatened by
the challenges and dangers associated with entering new markets. Decision-making and
problem-solving are based on identifying and addressing risks. Decisions based on the PESTLE
analysis may be made better with the help of market research, investigation, and data collection
provided to the business. Because of this, Ashanti Solutions Company has to come up with a solid
marketing plan.
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As a conclusion it can be said that the analysis that had been made has determined that strategies are
critical for any business, therefore any organization may quickly build a variety of alternative plans
and strategies using those methods as Ashanti Solution has been doing. The result can be successful or
not as that depends on the research and data collection that are made before entering in the market of a
new country in our case Germany,which for Ashanty Solution it looks that they will be able to
generate more income and increase their market share. PESTEL research, as was mentioned also
above, was used to determine the right chances of circumstances and dangers that are discussed in
relation to the firm. We can find several modes of market entry, which are chosen by Ashanti
Solution Ltd based on their ideal business environment. Market segmentation, categories, and target
markets are all necessary for focusing on a determined market. Some of the companies use Porter's
generic tactics to attain a specific business goal and therefore that had been applied also for the
Ashanti Solution Ltd. As a result of all my research and with the help of all the theories and tools that
could be applied it has been proved for the Ashanti Solution Ltd. that Germany is a good country and
a perfect market where the company can open and provide their products and services as the rivals are
not so many and would be plenty space for such companies on the market, therefore they can attract a
good amount of customers by building a strong advertising campaign and not at last to reach their
objectives and revenues.
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