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Marketing Korfball:. Can it be done successfully with limited resources?. Introduction.
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Marketing Korfball: Can it be done successfully with limited resources?
Introduction • Peter C. Allan is the Managing Director of Plus Four Market Research Limited, a full-service qualitative and quantitative market research company operating in the UK, throughout Europe and the rest of the world • Examples of clients are Unilever Bestfoods, Coca-Cola, BMW, Peugeot…currently evaluating a new product area for Puma and conducting research for Esporta (a health and fitness chain) amongst their lapsed members • More details can be found at www.plus4.co.uk
Does money or do people develop Korfball? • If you had €20k would korfball grow in your country? €50k? • What would you do with it? • How do you know that would be successful? • What is the definition of ‘success’? • You need information upon which to base your planning • You need people to make plans, decisions, communicate, administer: without them the money cannot be spent
Quantity brings quality? • The more players you have the more naturally good ones you will have • My personal ‘2% theory’ would indicate that the Netherlands have around 2000, whilst Belgium have around 60-80……..and most other countries very few indeed • If correct then building the base of the pyramid will improve the quality/strength at the top
Sources of Low or No Cost Korfball Development Support • Sports development officers • Youth leaders/youth groups • Teachers • National government sports/leisure departments • Local media • Volunteer organisations • Teacher Training Colleges • Universities
Sources of Low or No Cost Korfball Development Support • Inter (or intra) company tournaments • Member-get-member schemes (50% off annual membership?) • Veteran events, both tournaments and social – retain people in the sport, some as administrators • Korfballers who work for printers: low cost leaflets • Rebate on course costs for those who lead/run ‘x’ coaching sessions/referee sessions
New Clubs: an investment? € • Initial financial assistance 500 • Pay-back to your National Association/Area Association (from, say, year 2 to 5 – four years) € • Affiliation 150 • Entry to leagues 180 • Entry to cups 120 450 450 ‘loss’ €50
New Clubs: an investment? • Also a gain in terms of entry to tournaments and spectating events……and more players to select squads from
Start Point • Where are you now? • Where do you want to be? • How are you going to get there?
Analyse your present player database – conduct research: • Age profile • How did they come into korfball? • What age did they first start? • How long have they played korfball? • What do they enjoy about korfball? • What do they not enjoy about korfball? • ethnicity
Analyse your present player database – conduct research: • Sources used to gain korfball information • Frequency of use of korfball websites – which? • What does korfball offer them that other sports do not? • Do they describe themselves as a ‘competitive’ korfballer or a ‘recreational’ korfballer – or both?
From this determine: • Who you want to target • Is this would-be top level players? Recreational players? Both? • What your message is
But where? • Where can you support properly? • From people inside korfball • From others within the local community eg. sports development officers • Go to where the people are (leisure centres), don’t try to bring the people to you
And when? • How long must be allowed to plan (longer than you think)? • Certain times of the year will be more fruitful
Don’t solely focus on the short-term: • Plan for the follow-up • What will be the situation in 3 years time? 5 years time?
Who is on-board your development team? • Only work with capable people……their limitations will determine the scale of development that you can handle • Don’t confuse enthusiasm with ability (but it helps!) • If this means that you have money you cannot spend successfully then consider paying personnel
Who is on-board your development team? • Contact volunteer organisations • Do not depend upon 1 or 2 good people
Pilot study: • Test out your approach and evaluate the outcome before proceeding
Be prepared to stop • Not everywhere will be successful, pull-out where defined criteria are not met…….you than have time, energy and money for elsewhere
Budgets • Prepare them • Monitor them • Have budget ‘owners’
Equipment • Have a stock • Annual rental, designed to encourage prompt purchase • If purchase price is €450, then rental for year 1 might be €75, year 2 €150, year 3 €225 • Rentals need a guarantor
Charge proper prices • Whilst early sessions might be free, quickly (after two weeks?) charge a rate that equates with other sports • Don’t under cost or you will not have sufficient income to fund your sport
Measure • How many new clubs/new players have you created? • How does that fit your original plan? • How must you review your forward plan?
“But it is pretty to see what money will do” (Pepys, Samuel 1644-1718)