Acme Consulting
Strategy and Implementation Summary
Acme will focus on three geographical markets, the United States, Europe, and Latin America, and in limited product segments: personal computers, software, networks, telecommunications, personal organizers, and technology integration products.
The target customer is usually a manager in a larger corporation, and occasionally an owner or president of a medium-sized corporation in a high-growth period.
5.1 Pricing Strategy
Acme Consulting will be priced at the upper edge of what the market will bear, competing with the name-brand consultants. The pricing fits with the general positioning of Acme as providing high-level expertise.
Consulting should be based on $5,000 per day for project consulting, $2,000 per day for market research, and $10,000 per month and up for retainer consulting. Market research reports should be priced at $5,000 per report, which will, of course, require that reports be very well planned, focused on very important topics, and very well presented.
5.2 Sales Strategy
The sales forecast monthly summary is included in the appendix. The annual sales projections are included here in Table 5.2.
| Sales Forecast | |||
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
| Sales | |||
| Retainer Consulting | $200,000 | $350,000 | $425,000 |
| Project Consulting | $270,000 | $325,000 | $350,000 |
| Market Research | $122,000 | $150,000 | $200,000 |
| Strategic Reports | $0 | $50,000 | $125,000 |
| Total Sales | $592,000 | $875,000 | $1,100,000 |
| Direct Cost of Sales | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
| Retainer Consulting | $30,000 | $38,000 | $48,000 |
| Project Consulting | $45,000 | $56,000 | $70,000 |
| Market Research | $84,000 | $105,000 | $131,000 |
| Strategic Reports | $0 | $20,000 | $40,000 |
| Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales | $159,000 | $219,000 | $289,000 |
5.3 Milestones
Our detailed milestones are shown in the following table and chart. The related budgets are included with the expenses shown in the projected Profit and Loss statement, which is in the financial analysis that comes in Chapter 7 of this plan.
| Milestones | |||||
| Milestone | Start Date | End Date | Budget | Manager | Department |
| Business plan | 10/1/1995 | 11/19/1995 | $5,000 | HM | Devpt |
| Logo design | 1/1/1996 | 2/1/1996 | $2,000 | TAJ | Marketing |
| Retainer contracts | 2/1/1996 | 12/31/1996 | $10,000 | HM | Sales |
| Stationary | 3/1/1996 | 4/15/1996 | $500 | JD | G&A |
| Brochures | 3/1/1996 | 4/15/1996 | $2,500 | TAJ | Marketing |
| Financial backing presentation | 4/1/1996 | 9/15/1996 | $10,000 | HM | Devpt |
| Initial mailing | 6/1/1996 | 7/1/1996 | $5,000 | HM | Sales |
| Office location | 1/15/1996 | 2/9/1996 | $5,000 | JD | G&A |
| Office equipment | 1/15/1996 | 2/19/1996 | $12,500 | JD | G&A |
| Other | 1/1/1996 | 12/31/1996 | $10,000 | ABC | Department |
| Totals | $62,500 | ||||
5.4 Strategic Alliances
At this writing, strategic alliances with Smith and Jones are possibilities, given the content of existing discussions. Given the background of prospective partners, we might also be talking to European companies including Siemens, Olivetti, and others, and to United States companies related to Apple Computer. In Latin America we would be looking at the key local high-technology vendors, beginning with Printaform.
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