Overview
We work closely with senior management to think through how an organisation in the metals and mining sector should develop – we evaluate options and bring in innovations. The results typically form the core elements of a fresh business plan.
The key deliverable is a credible in-depth strategy which sets out how our client company should be able to get more deeply involved in a metals sector. Our advice will be based on:
- Our bespoke fact and data-based analysis as to whether there is still worthwhile growth potential the sector
- how price movements and other external factors may influence this potential growth
- how difficult it may be to enter the sector, the risks, whether there is space still for a new player and how the competition will react
- an outline of the marketing strategy most likely to lead to market success .
We use a wide range of methodologies in our strategy and marketing consultancy work, the precise methodology depending on the project objectives. Here are some examples:
Strategy Workshops
Often senior management have all the answers to the questions the investigation has been set up to answer but are not able to bring all these different aspects together into a coherent and credible strategic plan. In these situations it is very useful to set aside a day for a structured discussion lead and moderated by Gorham & Partners. The objective of this type of workshop is to share the knowledge of the management team, discuss and agree directions, assign responsibilities and work out the first steps in an activity plan focussed on realising immediate results.
Market Investigations
A market investigation provides reliable market based data about the probable development of demand for your product/service in selected world regions. Gorham & Partners has many years specialist experience of carrying out investigations into poorly documented markets, fulfilling the tailor-made research goals of our clients. Our approach is to use a judicious blend of methodologies to suit the specific goals of the project. These include desk research, standardised, expert and customer interviews. Based on the results from these different techniques, we are able to provide our clients with an accurate quantified and descriptive picture of their target market. Based on the market information we deliver, we provide theclient with advice on their strategic options and explain which one in our view will maximise the value to the business.
We devised the methodology below for a market investigation aimed at understanding how future legislation worldwide would impact future demand for an important metal:
A junior miner asked us to develop an initial business plan for nine products which were to be the output of a new mine the company was about to open. Our task was to appraise and quantify the worldwide demand for each product, identifying which markets should be targeted for each of the products when the mine came on stream. We used the following investigation structure for each of the nine products to come up with the business plan:
- market attractiveness investigation,
- SWOT analysis,
- forecast revenues and
- strategy recommended for each planned product.
The client wanted to have a milestone meeting after 3 weeks when we delivered indicative results which we built into the work plan.
One of the deliverables – see below - was a revenue forecast and comparison of the planned products showing significant differences in the potential sales revenue available from each product and hence their comparable business attractiveness.
