Softwire: Report on Entrepreneurial Marketing Strategies

This report analyzes entrepreneurial marketing, focusing on the case of Softwire, a software company operating in the telecommunications sector. It begins by examining the features of the small business marketing environment, considering both internal and external factors such as political, technological, and competitive landscapes. The report then identifies key operational issues faced by Softwire in a global context, including tariff barriers, administrative policies, cultural diversities, political instability, and ethical challenges. It contrasts standard marketing theory with the practical application of marketing strategies, particularly in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The analysis highlights the importance of innovation, interaction, information, and identification in entrepreneurial marketing, as well as the use of word-of-mouth marketing. The report concludes by summarizing the differences in marketing approaches between small and large companies, emphasizing the need for SMEs to adapt to the complexities of international markets. The report offers insights into the challenges and strategies for successful entrepreneurial marketing.

Entrepreneurial marketing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................3
A) Analysing and distinguishing the features of small business marketing environment ........3
B) Identification of key marketing operational issues faced by Softwire in global context ....5
C) Critically comparing and contrasting standard marketing theory and practice ....................7
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Entrepreneurial marketing is referred to as unique set of marketing practices as well as
methods which utilised by business owners for marketing and developing the sustainable
business. An entrepreneurial marketing which have different dimensions such as pro activeness ,
opportunity focus, calculated risk taking, customer intensity, innovativeness etc. The main
purpose of entrepreneurial marketing is to promote newly established venture. In addition to
this, it also intends to provide high value to customers.
The report will have focus on analysing the features of small business marketing
environment in context of Softwire. It is basically a software company which operate business in
telecommunication sector. Study emphasizes on identification of the operational issues faced by
an enterprise in international context.
TASK
A) Analysing and distinguishing the features of small business marketing environment
Small business are those which operates business at small scale. These are the firms
which generally have few business operations. Softwire is small business enterprise located in
UK. The various activities which are performed by organisation are marketing, sales, human
resource management etc. Changes in External factors such as political , technological ,
political, legal, level of competition have significant influenced on the marketing activities of an
organisation. There are few external variables such as political, legal etc. which can not be
controlled and an organisation need to adapt themselves to such changes. Both internal as well
as external variables together develop a marketing environment in which small business such as
Softwire operates. According to the view of Grappi, Romani and Bagozzi, 2018.., marketing
characteristics of small business entities derived from experiential knowledge of marketers or
business owner as well as characteristics of an organisation such as ownership, limited resources
and interdependence. The main features of marketing activities by small medium enterprise in
global context is that , marketing manager in such firms mainly emphasizes on four I these are
innovation, interactions, information and identification. Word of mouth is the marketing
strategy which is basically adopted by small firms such as softwire for promoting goods or
services.

Marketing environment can be referred to as mixture of internal and external
components which directly influenced the firm potential to built relationship as well as serve its
clients. In context of softwire , the internal environment of an enterprise include employees,
owners, materials, machinery etc. The external marketing environment of Softwire
organisation could be further classified into two these are macro as well as micro environment.
The micro marketing environment of an enterprise comprises of activities such as production ,
distribution and promotion of goods or services. In addition to this, macro environment includes
societal components which directly have great influence on the society. Marco environmental
consist of various variables such as technological, political, legal, economic etc. which has great
effect on the promotional plan made by softwire company.
Internal marketing environment consist of all those variables within environment of
Softwire company which effects marketing operations of firm. Components in internal
environment can further grouped into following these are : men , money, machinery , material
etc. which are required for developing as well as implementing marketing plan. In addition to
this, markets is also considered to be as important element which are needed for performing
marketing activities. Different Variables in internal environmental are controllable. In context of
softwire organisation, the internal environment of an organisation include manufacturing unit,
marketing department, human resource and sales unit (Magnani, Zucchella and Floriani, 2018.).
External marketing environment are present external to business. The external business
environment can further categorised into two these are micro as well as macro environment.
Micro environment : It is also recognised to be as task environment. Micro environment
directly related to the business . It involves intermediaries, customers, partners, competitors,
customers, market intermediaries etc.,
Macro environment : Changes in such marketing environment has significant influence on the
marketing operations as well as plan of softwire company. Macro environment can be further
classified as ;
Demographic environment: it is the environment which is made up of people who are part of
market. Demographic environment is characterised as factual investigation as well as
categorisation of large customer group on the basis age, gender, occupation, race, location etc.
Economic environment: It is the environment which directly influence purchasing power of
customers. This factor also have great influence on the marketing budget of the firm. The

economic variables includes inflations, financial condition of market, tax rate, exchange rate
etc.
Physical environment: It is a basically a environment in which an enterprise operates.
Variables in physical environment involves changes in weather conditions, occurrence of n
natural disaster etc. All these variables can have significant influence on the promotional plan of
an enterprise.
Technological : The advancement in technology is the main factors in external marketing
environment which has significantly change the way promotional activities are carried out by
softwire organisation. It is the technological advancement which has created opportunities and
threat for an enterprise.
Legal : It includes changes in the laws made by government. In context of softwire company,
these variables in external business environment involves pressure groups as well as other
agencies which implement the policies in order to limit the business operations of companies in
specific sector.
Socio-cultural environment : It includes changes in trends, lifestyle , taste and preference of
customers.
The difference between marketing activities of small and large companies. In context of
marketing, small companies concentrates on Niche market whereas, on the other hand large
organisation intends to offer their goods or services to large number of customers. Small
business entity make less investment on marketing activities, on the other hand large enterprises
make huge investment on promotional activities.
The large enterprises have more creative advertisement as compared to the small business
ventures. In addition to this, small firm generally adopts conservative messaging strategies for
promoting their brand. The large firms uses technology for promoting business, on the other
hand small enterprises seeks support from consultant for promoting their brand.
B) Identification of key marketing operational issues faced by Softwire in global context
The small companies such as soft wire are considered to be as high vulnerable to changes
in the internal as well as external marketing environment. Many of the firm has failed to
maintain its business sustainability in the market due to ineffective marketing strategies. The
main issues faced by the small medium enterprise such as Softwire in context of marketing is
related to reaching customers. International marketing are quite complex procedure , as global

business environment posses number of uncertainties as well as issues. The two main factors
such as cultural diversities as well as political realities creates big barriers in the implementation
of marketing strategy.
In addition to this, various issues which are faced by sofwire company in context of
international marketing are :
Tariff barriers : It includes the increases in the tax rate and also imposition of import as well as
export barriers. The companies such softwire faces issues in earning sufficient amount of profit
by promoting and selling products at global level. The tariff policies implemented by
government restrict the firm from conducting the marketing activities at international level. In
addition to this, continuous changes in the tariff policies by government create level of
uncertainty for traders to trade goods or services at global level. By implementing the tariff
barriers the government in Uk has made difficult for small firms like Softwire to enter into new
market.
Administrative policies: The administrative regulations imposed by the political parties create
difficulties for small firm like softwire in context of promoting goods or services at international
level.
Considerable diversities : The changes in the culture and unique civilisation has posses special
issues for small enterprises liker softwire to market their products or services at global level. In
context of global marketing environment, the small business entity such as Softwire is facing the
issue in identifying the needs and demands of customers due to change in the culture. Due to the
changes in culture, it is quite difficult for marketing manager in softwire organisation to develop
the understanding about the behaviour of target customer group. In addition to this, due to
continuous changes in customer behaviour, marketing manager in softwire is facing major
issues in identification of the target customer group for selling their products or services. In
addition to this, the other issues faced by small enterprise such as softwire due to changes in the
culture is related to the determining the prices for products or services, identifying the source for
distributing goods or services, selection of an appropriate advertisement media. Difference in the
language as well as religious diversities has created the major issues for softwire company in
context of international marketing (Schellenberg, Harker. and Jafari, 2018).
Political instability : The political instability in the nation might create major barriers in relation
to the marketing of products or services at global level by softwire.

Ethical challenges : Ethics can be referred to as standard principles as well as practices which
governs the behaviour of organisations (Sternquist and Goldsmith, 2018.). If the company fails
to comply with the ethical standards , government in nation might restrict firm from promoting
brand. In context of softwire company, if business entity fails to follow the law in context of
marketing , then it might have to face legal or ethical issues. Softwire company has implemented
the ethical marketing strategy, as it has helped an enterprise in preventing such type of issue. In
addition to this, it is the word of mouth marketing activities which has assisted softwire company
in gaining the customer loyalty in international market. It is the strategy which has provided
softwire an ease in attracting more numbers of customers and positively influencing them to buy
goods or services.
In addition to this other issues faced by small business enterprises such as softwire
company in context of international marketing include changes in ecological environment,
difference in climate has created the major barriers in implementation of the marketing
activities at international level.
C) Critically comparing and contrasting standard marketing theory and practice
As per the opinion of Liuand Atuahene-Gima,2018., the level of marketing activities is
completely based on the size of firm as well as number of customers in the market . However, it
has been argued by other authors that marketing activities by small medium enterprise is
basically dependent on business owners as well as marketing manager expertise, experience and
also attitude. According to the perception of Luo and Bu, 2018. , the small business enterprises
mainly applied the 7 elements of marketing mix such as product, price, place, promotion,
procedure, people and physical evidence for promoting the products or services at international
level. However, it has been argued by other authors that in context of international marketing,
small medium enterprise focus on mainly I these are identification, innovation, interaction and
information. As per the view of Martell, 2018., word of mouth is the marketing activity is the
marketing strategy which is adopted by marketing manager in small medium enterprise for
promoting brand at international level. However, it has been argued by other authors that
innovation to the marketing function is strategy which is adopted by small medium enterprises
fort promoting their products or services at international level. According to the opinion of
Chaouki, Burns and Bulmash, 2018., exhibitions are organised by small medium enterprise for

selling their level at international level. The author also states that it is the exhibitions the small
medium enterprise get an ease in reaching to the target customers group and helps firm in
positively influencing people to buy specific product or services. However it has been argued by
other authors that, the small medium enterprises have different sources through which they get
information about international market which provides them an ease in development of
marketing plan for promoting brand at global level.
The Tape model has been utilised for facilitating an overview of literature review and
findings of investigation on marketing practices by small medium enterprise in global context.
From the above literature review, it has been found that the innovative marketing practices is
conducted by small medium enterprise for promoting brand or business at international level.

CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that innovation marketing is the strategy
which is adopted by the small medium enterprises for promoting business ta global level. It has
also been concluded that feature of marketing activity is that small business enterprise the
promotional activities of the firm is completed based on the knowledge of market by business
owner as well as on attitude of entrepreneur.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Schellenberg, M., Harker, M.J. and Jafari, A., 2018. International market entry mode–a
systematic literature review. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 26(7), pp.601-627.
Magnani, G., Zucchella, A. and Floriani, D.E., 2018. The logic behind foreign market selection:
Objective distance dimensions vs. strategic objectives and psychic distance. International
Business Review, 27(1), pp.1-20.
Grappi, S., Romani, S. and Bagozzi, R.P., 2018. Reshoring from a demand-side perspective:
Consumer reshoring sentiment and its market effects. Journal of World Business, 53(2),
pp.194-208.
Sternquist, B. and Goldsmith, E.B., 2018. International retailing. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Liu, W. and Atuahene-Gima, K., 2018. Enhancing product innovation performance in a
dysfunctional competitive environment: The roles of competitive strategies and market-
based assets. Industrial Marketing Management, 73, pp.7-20.
Luo, Y. and Bu, J., 2018. Contextualizing international strategy by emerging market firms: A
composition-based approach. Journal of World Business, 53(3), pp.337-355.
Schellenberg, M., Harker, M.J. and Jafari, A., 2018. International market entry mode–a
systematic literature review. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 26(7), pp.601-627.
Magnani, G., Zucchella, A. and Floriani, D.E., 2018. The logic behind foreign market selection:
Objective distance dimensions vs. strategic objectives and psychic distance. International
Business Review, 27(1), pp.1-20.
Grappi, S., Romani, S. and Bagozzi, R.P., 2018. Reshoring from a demand-side perspective:
Consumer reshoring sentiment and its market effects. Journal of World Business, 53(2),
pp.194-208.
Sternquist, B. and Goldsmith, E.B., 2018. International retailing. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Liu, W. and Atuahene-Gima, K., 2018. Enhancing product innovation performance in a
dysfunctional competitive environment: The roles of competitive strategies and market-
based assets. Industrial Marketing Management, 73, pp.7-20.
Luo, Y. and Bu, J., 2018. Contextualizing international strategy by emerging market firms: A
composition-based approach. Journal of World Business, 53(3), pp.337-355.

Martell, D.A., 2018. Marketing Information and New Technology. In Management Information
Systems: The Technology Challenge (pp. 161-181). Routledge.
Chaouki, S.M., Burns, C.H. and Bulmash, S.L., 2018. Digital prescreen targeted marketing
system and method. U.S. Patent 9.996.856.