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MARKETING PLAN – Paul Herbert
The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Town of Cornelius, through its department of Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture (PARC) is building a four field baseball/softball facility known currently as the Westmoreland Athletic Complex. When complete this Fall 2011, it will include four youth baseball/softball fields amidst a larger community park and all of its amenities. Various estimates by the Town supported Visit Lake Norman organization show millions in economic impact from tournament play on the fields. An investment of 5.7 million in Robbins Park and The Westmoreland Athletic Complex within the past two years is an unprecedented commitment to quality of life in Cornelius coupled with strategic investment in economic development. Properly marketing it does help to establish priorities and ensure its success as a tournament facility and realize its promise for economic sustainability and development.
Knowing the purpose of the facility and an analysis of the PARC’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats provides great insight in marketing the facility. Analysis of the baseball consumer in this plan provides valuable information on age, location and type of offerings possible. The plan also provides insight into other current or planned facilities which compete for the target youth market of 7-‐14 year old travelling baseball players and their families. The goals and objectives outlined in the plan are informed by both the demographics and character of Cornelius contained in the outcomes of its comprehensive master planning process. Together, this information sets the stage for marketing strategies reaching this desired market to create awareness of the new facility to achieve the objectives of booking tournaments and generating sponsorship opportunities. It also uses the strategies to enhancing the play experience and branding of the Town to promote its amenities, attractions and accommodations while differentiating the facility from among its competitors and is now rebranded as “The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman.” Marketing tactics are the actors upon this stage relating to the marketing strategies with specific tactical roles such as product, branding, pricing, distribution, personal selling, merchandising, publicity, and, the star role in the show – promotions. The role of promotions is integral in carrying out the mission as a paid performer with a budget of $41,000 in advertising, brochures, discounts, sponsorships, web site presence, signage, direct mail and other marketing collateral. The deployment of the promotional package is spread out across a timeline for delivery spanning 2011 and 2012. At its end, a mix of approaches for evaluating this cast of marketing characters include tournament counts, economic development reports, sponsorship tallies and, ultimately, whether the target market is satisfied and wants to come back for more.
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I. INTRODUCTION a. Mission statement:
The Town of Cornelius Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture (PARC) Department desires to be a primary source of leisure activities and the promoter of healthy living in Cornelius and the immediate region. The mission of the Town of Cornelius Department of Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture (PARC) is to provide great parks, natural areas and recreation experiences for its citizens. Those citizens see PARC as offering a strategic framework that balances the needs of its customers (both internal and external) through four balanced perspectives per the following diagram.
b. Background:
Two factors drive Cornelius to invest in the Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman. One is the need for more youth baseball fields and the other is the need to grow its economic base. A balance between the means to build new recreation facilities and the ends they serve for recreation and economic development has received increasing attention for municipalities. The Cornelius PARC comprehensive parks master plan identified deficiencies in the numbers of fields for youth. Based on standards established specifically for Cornelius, there is a need for a number of additional recreational facilities by 2015 to include: two adult/older youth baseball fields, four youth baseball fields, and five softball fields. The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman addresses the needs for these fields with scalable baselines and the addition of three 300 foot centerline fields for older youth and adult play in both baseball and softball. The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman also serves an economic development purpose. Cornelius’ need to grow its economic base has never been more critical during these depressed economic conditions. The proposed Complex was initially conceived by a private investor group including a major league baseball player who brokered a public-‐private arrangement with the Town PARC Department and Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department to purchase the land and reinvest those proceeds into the building of a four field baseball complex that would be operated by the investment group. The Town stepped in when the investment group dissolved and worked with the County as partners to secure funding and expand complementary fields into the adjacent Robbins Park. The overriding decision to fund the project was based upon its economic development model which is estimated to generate over $5 million per year into the local economy.
c. PARC history and current target markets
PARC has been in the youth municipal sports recreation business for over eleven years. It has an experienced staff and collaborates with area municipalities and the Visit Lake Norman
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organization. In 2010 PARC offered 400 activities with over 3400 registered users. An additional 9,000 attended special events and other non-‐registered activities. These were largely youth sports activities (56%) targeted to youth between the ages of seven and fourteen. Baseball is a facilitated activity offered by a separate non-‐profit, the Cornelius Lake Norman Youth Athletic Association (CLNYAA). CLNYAA working with and through PARC had 536 participants last year. 381 played baseball and 155 played softball. PARC partners with this organization as the principal “first-‐use” baseball/softball provider to maintain fields and facilitate administrative aspects of the baseball/softball program. Three of the four Cornelius parks with baseball fields contain two baseball fields each except one older park with just one field. Most play on these fields is from local teams within Cornelius or an easy commute. The target market has been local youth between the ages of 5 and 14. The influence upon overall direction for The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman has been undeniable with many elected officials having coached or participated in local sports. This direction influences marketing strategies for moving PARC into the baseball tournament business.
Philosophy
The Town has largely built its ball fields sized to children and youth between the ages of seven and fourteen. Based upon park sizes, configuration of the publically held park properties in which they are sited. There is some adult softball play at the larger fields but the orientation is to provide first-‐priority to youth. The fee for rental of the fields is nominal with resident and non-‐resident rates. The Town, like many municipalities has sought to explore economic development through sport and is aligning and configuring part of its operations to seek out the maximum competitive advantage to bringing the benefit of traveling teams and larger regional or nation sport to Cornelius. A recent expansion of the disc golf course has secured Cornelius as one of the venues for the 2012 World Disc Golf Championships, for example. Because of the long-‐standing commitment to baseball and enthusiasm of local residents and elected officials, baseball has figured prominently in Cornelius’ Lake Norman based identity. Economic development through sport is a relatively new effort on the part of the Town through its PARC Department to utilize its parks assets and specialized facilities towards these ends. The Town works with and through the Visit Lake Norman organization that employs a sports tourism professional. This professional sits on the PARC department advisory commission. Visit Lake Norman, partially funded by the Town to enhance a “heads in beds” philosophy works together with PARC to offer opportunities to collaborate on economic development sports tourism opportunities. This relationship figures prominently in marketing strategies to ensure visiting teams, sports promoters and their entourage are welcomed and return repeatedly for a great on-‐site and off-‐site experience in Cornelius.
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SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
d. Internal analysis and External environmental analysis An internal and external analysis of PARC has been compiled to reflect its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for analysis. Highlighted are selected internal and external factors relevant to The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman.
Selected Internal Factors
Strengths Weaknesses Selected External Factors
Opportunities Threats
Staff/ Management
• Professional staff to administer programs
• Volunteers to augment programs
• PARC Comm. Voice of advocacy
• Recognition of staff & management in
• Competitive salaries/staff recognition and support
• Growth flat lined NO promotions EVER
• Vendor control
Consumer trends • Tournaments –stable/inclining
• Synthetic turf fields
• Staycations • Rise of certain sports
• Walking – trails
• Special interest influence
• Staycations – prevent travel
• Print media dying
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Selected Internal Factors
Strengths Weaknesses Selected External Factors
Opportunities Threats
performance/audit • SEE ATTACHED ORGANIZATIONAL CHART*
• PARC Commission participation
• Town lacks communication staff
• Biking • Use of Internet • Social networks • Use of local media news
Planning • HAVE plans • Healthy initiatives planning
• Comprehensive master plan (’05)
• Greenway/bikeway plans (’05)
• Use of part time to augment planning construction/greenway
• Navigate Cornelius (Town Master Plan) coordination
• Collaboration with County/Towns
• Plans are outdated (2005)
• Professional help needed to augment planning
• Need formal strategic plan
• Town lacks communications/marketing plan
Leisure Industry/Market
• Lower capital costs to build
• Lake access • School partnerships
• Partnerships & Sponsorships & grants
• Senior Center • Research of healthy living
• Sailing and Rowing center
• Use of Vendors/Contractors/Partners
• Augment staff with contracted services
• Population increases • Nearby tournament facilities
• Rise in product costs affect sport and recreation delivery
• Loss of identity between other Towns
• Grant funds diminishing (PARTF)
• Replace staff with privatized services
• Competition with other government, or private tournament facilities
Programs • Diverse program mix • Affordable • Accessible • Quality • Special Pops • Creativity/Innovation • Collaboration with County/Towns
• Program delivery partnerships
• New Tournament facility (WAC)
• Transportation • Diversity • Restrictive policies
• Special interests groups impact resources
• Funding • Affordability and program diversity for some programs
• Facility availability
Communications • Links to free resources
• Nearby colleges • Wayfinding signage
• New opportunities to distribute information
• Improvements to Town branding
• Technology improvements
• Use of local print newspapers
• Internet to convey
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• Identity of Town to compete
• Minimal resources for promotions
• Website • Government restrictions (no push/pull on social media)
• Technology changing
Service • Online registrations • Reservations • Customer service • Response time
• “Pay to play” forces out low income
• Operating cuts
Economy • Affluence of Cornelius
• Staycations • Economic
• Influence of affluent to keep taxes low
• Tourism low • Staff salaries and
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Selected Internal Factors
Strengths Weaknesses Selected External Factors
Opportunities Threats
• Service quality rated very high
affecting service
Development Commission
• Visit Lake Norman
promotions frozen • Unemployment • Growing reliance on “pay to play”(reduces diversity and free programming)
• Home revaluations increase tax values
Marketing • Website • E-‐news • Social Media • PARC a leader
• Need Marketing plan
• Funding • Website-‐lacking • Town marketing expertise.
Health • Growing interest • Awareness of physical activity
• Fitness Zone concept
• Concessions are healthier
• Increasing health provider partnerships
• Trends to “pay to play”
• Environment declines (air, water)
• Investments in quality of life affected by politics
• Obesity/Diabetes at epidemic proportions
Facilities • Parks • Tournament Baseball-‐ WAC
• Convenient • Locations • Fitness Zones
• Lack of indoor • Capacity • Lack of parking • Greenway development
• Lack of equipment
• Operating funds • Demand – increased use
• Construction schedules tight
• Dependence on County for facilities
Commerce • County greenways
• Planned Interstate Exit “27”
• Business sponsors
• Navigate Cornelius guides business dev
• Product placement at events/activities
• Corporate investments in social capital/associative marketing
• Taxes on business hinder sponsor investment
• Regulatory restrictions of food sales in parks restricts selection
• Competition from business affects tournament concession sales
Economic • Tournament Baseball-‐ WAC
• Sufficient operating support
Mobility • Rail line • Staycations • Physical location of facilities
• Gasoline costs • Reliance on automobile
• Traffic congestion • Lack of convenient indoor facilities
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*There is no communications or marketing division within the Town. The Special Events Coordinator functions as a Marketing Coordinator for the PARC Department. The organizational chart is as follows:
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e. Competitive analysis:
There are several municipal and county facilities within driving distance of The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman. All are similar in product offerings with more adult use dependent upon larger field sizes. Facilities focusing on youth with fields of similar size are within a 20 minute drive. A new proposed 21 million dollar complex in Mooresville (20 minute drive) will focus on skilled players and large regional and national tournaments because of its capacity. It is a for-‐profit LLC that will receive significant subsidization from the Town of Mooresville. Fees have not yet been determined, but pricing strategies in other similar venues nationally indicate fees will be much higher than those proposed by The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman as a municipal facility. Other area tournament ball fields have been analyzed for fee structures and participating tournament promoters and fees. Some have full-‐time staff dedicated to tournament operations (supervisory and maintenance. Most organizations do little to no marketing relying upon negotiations with tournament sports promoters to fill their tournament schedules. Private tournament complex in Mooresville will likely use extensive marketing and position its price and offerings as “premier.” Customer service is generally consistent across municipal borders with recognition that proper field maintenance and on-‐site customer service require staffing levels and operational support from the athletic division within a department. Customer convenience for travel varies, however, some facilities are not as attractive from an off-‐site accommodations and shopping perspective. The closest competing facility at Bradford Park has a full-‐time dedicated sports tournament coordinator which has contributed to repeat tournament business with area sports promoters.
f. Customer Analysis
The history of local baseball and softball use has had an undeniable influence upon the provision of baseball fields in Cornelius, affecting the design and function of the Westmoreland Athletic Complex at Robbins Park. Local youth sport use has demonstrated to elected officials the need for fields and organized youth programs. This local use has stimulated the desire to couple it with non-‐local use for economic benefit to local players and the local economy. The makeup of current users then is relevant to understanding the impact on non-‐local use consumers.
Local Market
A recent market analysis commission by the Town as part of its “Navigate Cornelius” master planning process describes the makeup and spending habits of the residents living in the local market. This analysis breaks down the counts and percentages of social group clusters and is
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designed to help identify customers based on their demographic groupings including age, gender, income, education, occupation, and ethnic group. A quick summary is as follows:
• Population estimate for Cornelius in 2009 is 24,847 • 8,708 households • Median age for residents of the Town of Cornelius is 40, • Average age of Town residents is 38. • 2020 the population of Cornelius will range between 30,651 and 36,867. • Median household income in the Town of Cornelius is nearly $84,000, NC median is
$46,494, and Mecklenburg County median is $58,431. • Over 50% of the population has a college degree • Less than 10% percent have not graduated from High School. • Unemployment is under 8% • 66 percent of the workforce in Cornelius is in a white-‐collar profession. • 24% are split evenly between service jobs and blue-‐collar employment. • 28% of those households have children under the age of 18 living in the household. • 3400 people registered for PARC activities in 2010 and 87% of them were children
and youth. • An additional 9000 participated in special events • Over 55% or 3463 were youth sports, 45% recreation • 63% are elementary age, 13% were preschool, 11% Teens, 9% adults and 4% 55 or
older • 55% male, 45% female • 37% are from Huntersville, 31% are from Cornelius, 19% are from 4% from Charlotte
and the remaining 9% rest from other Towns in the surrounding area
Cornelius has experienced very robust population growth over the past two decades. It is a very affluent community with income levels surpassing that of nearby communities. It is also a slightly older demographic with high-‐income households that are empty nesters or “dink” households (double income no kids). Much of that growth is attributable to annexation of rapidly developing properties. Population growth models predict continued aggressive growth. However, the pace of growth is expected to decline by 2020 because of the impacts of the recession and more importantly the lack of available land to continue to grow the city limits of Cornelius. This affluence has maintained a very low tax rate and higher than recommended fund balance accounts with incentives to invest in infrastructure such as parks or tournament facilities. An investment of 5.7 million in Robbins Park and The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman is an unprecedented commitment to quality of life in Cornelius coupled with strategic investment in economic development. The psychographics of Cornelius have an interesting “split personality.” There are those who view Cornelius and the area as a second tier city that is closely aligned with Charlotte while there are those who view the area as a small town with more rural characteristics. These
Town Market Analysis
PARC Market Analysis
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psychographics have the potential to produce conflicts on the vision of what Cornelius should be in the future. Interestingly, the consensus recommendations from the perspective of the Navigate Cornelius focus group committees, i.e., 1. Placemaking and Town Services, 2. Community Services, 3. Economic Development, 4. Leisure and Commerce, and 5. Mobility heavily emphasize retaining a “small town” look and feel, separate from its larger brother in Mecklenburg County, the City of Charlotte. They recommend aligning the Town with its Lake Norman identity. The use of the metaphor “Navigate Cornelius” to denote its association with the Lake and use of a sailing vessel in its official seal reference this desire to seek identity in the watery shadow of beautiful Lake Norman and all that it promises for incubating a tourism culture capable of sustaining economic development. This shadow has affected the development of the Westmoreland Athletic Complex at Robbins Park from its purpose of attracting visiting baseball and softball teams for economic development to the very signage design at the facility reflecting a nautical theme.
The baseball consumer market The mix of participants locally in the Cornelius Lake Norman Youth Athletic Association represents one user group at the facility along with other local users. The broader baseball consumer market reflects a changing demographic, according to market studies from 1993 through 2009 by the National Sporting Goods Association (2011) through the Sports Business Research Network (SBRnet). The baseball consumer shows an overall decline in participation between 1993 and 2009 by 5.2 million participants from 16.7 million in 1993 to 11.5 million in 2009. Not surprisingly, there is greater numerical participation in youth and young adult age brackets but lower percentage growth overall. North Carolina was ranked eleventh (3.1 percent) in 2008 participation out of a base of 15.1 million with some 470,000 participants. The Active Network (2007), using National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) data, states that 42 million adults traveled 50 or more miles to see or play in baseball or softball games between 2003 and 2007 and that frequency of baseball participation has increased by 50 percent over the last decade. A 2009 study of team sports conducted by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (2009) identifies league play (as opposed to casual/pickup play) as a stabilizing factor in retarding declines in participation. The economy has affected decisions to participate in baseball (and other team sports) considering the high cost of travel, uniforms, equipment, protective gear and footwear and other participatory factors. This trend towards all-‐things-‐Internet is an operational and marketing juggernaut mirrored in baseball equipment consumer purchases. These have increased by 4.4 million according to the NSGA. Online unit purchase patterns indicate an increase (19 percent) in baseball consumer spending. Knowing what consumers spend as players, parents, spectators in their communities or while travelling in league play is of critical importance as a matter of practical marketing for a municipal recreation agency. The means to measure and track this spending will need to be a part of a marketing plan. The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (2010) says consumers are looking for value when it comes to spending (time or money), and in more recent studies, state
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that they are willing to pay for it. This search for value translates to those baseball consumers who participate in or view the sport. It cascades to affect the team, league, tournament provider and ultimately the host agency and community. As municipalities (like Cornelius) get into the Tournament business, the baseball consumer perspective is influenced by issues related to the quality of the facility, its design and service. It is also affected by their off-‐site experience in the Town. An Amateur Sporting Event Study 2009, commissioned by the National Association of Sport Commissions (2009) documented participant increases in both overnight and day trips compared to the previous year. Adults in travel parties rose as well as youth. Household spending on trips, rose from $621 in 2008 to $793 in 2009 with spending at local attractions up 170 percent. Shonk & Greenwell (2009) conducted a study for the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) identifying site selection factors favored by sports promoters, sometimes called event rights holders. They emphasize that host organizations (like Cornelius) should “focus on satisfying their customers and should invest due diligence in investigating the facility needs of these event rights holders to ensure that they exceed their standards.” The most important site selection factors culminating from their study related to availability of the facility, suitable competition facilities and supportiveness of the host organization. Their recommendations highlight the need for sales and marketing collateral to complement these elements. They recommend coordination with law enforcement, hotels, transportation and other agencies to ensure safety of the athletes, spectators and equipment both on and off site. Issues related to affordability, proximity to accommodations, restaurants, attractiveness, grooming of facility fields, welcoming attitudes of the host agency and support from the visitor’s bureau are cited as contributing factors for consumer satisfaction and will be reflected in this marketing plan.
There remains a vast market of participants within a three to four hour travel distance to Cornelius who may be booked tournaments in many leagues. There are those sports promoters who are decision-‐makers on behalf of the leagues, teams, families and individuals who are critical to successful marketing of the facility so they are an exceptionally important consumer representative to be cultivated. When considering the marketing mix of product, price, place, and promotion, several marketing strategies emerge from the research that may be strategized in terms of the consumer. The consumer is the entourage of players, athletes, family, friends, spectators, coaches, officials, league booking personnel, sports promoters and even ballpark facility neighbors who must realize the promise of a great value for their time and money. So, strategy number one is to emphasize customer service in all aspects of the baseball or softball experience, from the consumer’s perspective, creating value. While specific information on the teams and their player preferences is indicated here, a look at the primary sports promoters and their schedules indicates strong need for complimentary facilities to suit their clients.
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Market Segmentation
1. The travelling baseball consumers sought through The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman today are segmented as follows:
a. Youth baseball competitive teams between the ages of 7 through 14 who are comprised of predominantly male team members.
b. They have enough disposable income to play anywhere from 12-‐30 games at a variety of locations requiring travel accommodations that will cost approximately $300 per tournament.
c. They live up to three to four hours away and are more likely to stay overnight. d. They fit a participation market for “getaway activities” with primarily a social motivation –
have fun, be with family and friends. Some, with higher skill levels fit the “fitness driven” psychographic usually participating in activities that require strength and stamina.
e. They are skill driven and competitive in nature. f. They are desirous of available facilities that are well-‐maintained facilities with amenities
that are family friendly. g. Clean bathrooms and amenities for visiting families such as on-‐site playgrounds, walking
trails, are important. h. Selection and quality of concessions. i. Comfortable and shaded bleachers. j. Other nearby amenities for shopping and accommodations that represent a value are of
real concern because of the high costs of travel. k. They will use the Complex for a weekend tournament to play competitively within the
sanctioning league requirements. 2. Identifying this market and reaching them will occur through sports promoters who are
“events right holders” for their sanctioning leagues. Their needs are identified with their teams and also include the following:
a. Availability of facilities for booking. b. Ease of booking. c. Value of the facility for revenue to them and for their constituent teams. d. On-‐site accommodations for their tournament coordinators. e. Off-‐site accommodations for staff and teams. f. Facility design and function. g. Cleanliness of facility. h. Shaded dugouts i. Cement dugout floors. j. Revenue potential from gate and concessions.
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III. MARKETING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Organization goals
The goals of The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman reflect the broad strategic framework of the Town of Cornelius as reflected in its Comprehensive Master Planning process called, “Navigate Cornelius.” Those broad areas of focus and specific goals within these broad focus areas provide a basis for the goals of the facility.
Town Focus Area Outcome Descriptions
Place making and Town services
Be prudent stewards of citizen tax dollars while still providing a high level of service to all citizens.
Community Services Develop a proactive communication system that increases awareness and allows for the exchange of information concerning services, resources, and opportunities that will enhance the small town quality of life.
Economic Development
Position and market the town as a place focused on the future by creating an environment that encourages us to attract, retain, and expand a variety of businesses to benefit from and improve our local assets.
Mobility Land Use Decisions should be made in a manner to improve mobility to enhance the business environment, support tourism, and improve residential values to improve and maintain the quality of life.
Leisure and Commerce
1. Create venue(s) that allows the community to gather in a central location that leverages and connects waterfront to the community that is a destination for the area. Aspects should including social, recreation, health, retail, restaurants, and tourism.
2. Define and promote a brand for Cornelius that includes small town charm with the Lake Norman lifestyle to promote the waterfront and commerce and differentiates us regionally.
A. Specific project goals and objectives
The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman touches each of these Town focus areas but is also informed by the internal and external organizational analysis along with the consumer needs and market positioning. Product, price, place, promotions and public relations issues related consumer trends, marketing, leisure industry/market, health, facilities, mobility, and communications were examined, along with
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economic, commerce, service delivery, facility, personnel, and program areas analyzed. An organized distillation of each is identified here in the following goals and objectives:
Goals Objectives
1. Position and market The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman as a place that attracts, retains, and expands a variety of tournaments and sponsorships to benefit the local economy.
2. Differentiate the Town and the athletic complex regionally by featuring Town social, recreation, health, retail, restaurants, and tourism in the marketing mix. It will define and promote the brand for Cornelius that includes small town charm with the lake lifestyle.
1. Book and offer 20 two-‐day youth tournaments in FY12 for travelling teams, increasing to 28 in FY13 and 32 in FY14.
2. Achieve economic impact of all tournaments for FY12 at $1.4 million or an average rate of $70,000 per tournament.
3. Solicit at least 20 sponsorships to augment and offset operational or capital costs in FY12, increasing to 25 in Fy13, and 30 in FY14.
4. Increase awareness of Town branding, leisure and commerce features to at least 14,000 team members and spectators in FY12, 20,580 in FY13, and 22,050 by FY14.
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Product portfolio and positioning. The Facility will feature a unique selling position congruent with Town and marketing goals and objectives so that it resonates in the minds of tournament promoters and their tournament teams.
Unique Selling Position: It’s the best place to play and stay for tournament youth baseball and softball competition in the Lake Norman area! -‐ Navigate to the beautiful small town Lake Norman community of Cornelius North Carolina for a winning tournament baseball or softball experience. See the attractions and be attracted to playing ball adjacent to the green forests of Robbins Park and the shimmering waters of nearby Lake Norman. Catch a fly ball now or a catfish later -‐ the convenience, ease of access, accommodations, and value will surprise you!
Product Portfolio Westmoreland Athletic Complex at Robbins Park
product positioning A baseball/softball tournament facility. An athletic tournament destination for travelling baseball and softball teams.
As The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman will be positioned to be the best place to play and stay for tournament youth baseball and softball ball competition in the Lake Norman area! –The positioning speaks to its unique brand, service quality and design.
A ball field complex for local baseball and softball teams.
When not in use for tournaments, the facility, which is part of a larger park, will be used by local baseball and softball teams and positioned to invoke the small town quality of life.
A facility for economic development. A leisure and accommodations destination for visiting Cornelius and the Lake Norman area.
Consistent with Town objectives, the facility will be positioned as a sports tournament venue focused on attracting, retaining, and expanding a variety of tournament opportunities. It will be positioned as being associated with a larger Lake Norman community within a small town invoking a vacation and destination feel. The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman will define and promote the brand for Cornelius that includes small town charm with lake lifestyle to promote the waterfront and commerce and differentiates the Town regionally.
A public park and outdoor recreation opportunity for hiking, walking,
The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman will feature social, recreation,
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playing and healthy living. health, retail, restaurants, and tourism in its marketing mix.
Branding/Value Proposition
The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman unique brand offers sport promoters and youth baseball participants what they want for their play and their stay in Cornelius. Its value proposition is as follows: “The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman offers sport promoters and youth baseball participants what they want for their play and their stay in Cornelius -‐ a great ballpark within a great park, within a great little Town, by a big beautiful lake. Its value proposition is as follows: “Whether you live nearby or are visiting, The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman offers a winning combination for the dedicated tournament level baseball player. Enjoy baseball today the way it was meant to be played with your team and whole family in the beautiful Lake Norman area of Cornelius NC.”
IV. MARKETING STRATEGIES
There are two basic directional strategies for achieving the goals and objectives.
1. Awareness will have to be created regarding the availability of the facility for tournaments, sponsorships and its benefits to the target consumer. This is fundamental to achieving the objectives of booking tournaments and generating sponsorship opportunities. This will be measured by a consumer awareness index which is administered as part of a consumer satisfaction survey.
2. Enhancing the play experience both at the facility and while visiting the Town will increase awareness of Town branding, leisure and commerce features achieving the goal of differentiating this facility from its competitors. This will be measured by the on-‐site consumer satisfaction survey and the redeemable coupons documented at area hotels.
Various strategies occur within these fundamental directional strategies that comprise a comprehensive marketing approach as follows: 1. Market share strategy will involve taking a portion of the tournament youth baseball
from area competitors. The market for tournaments is well established but growing in this market segment (ages 7-‐14). These will be measured by documenting the actual number of tournaments compared to targets and also compared to selected competitor public facilities. The secondary market of developing sponsorships will lean
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toward building market share by adding a new product to the Cornelius mix of sponsors to compete against an array of demand for sponsor support. Sponsorships will be measured by the number achieved and a sponsor satisfaction index.
2. Regional and local market strategy will involve concentrating and developing marketing to local and regional sports promoters who book travelling youth teams. There is also the potential to link to national sanctioning bodies. The measurement of tournaments coordinated by local, regional or national youth sports promoters will be documented to maximize the size and scope of offered tournaments.
3. Seasonal strategy: The baseball consumer market occurs between February and November following increasing the likelihood of booking the facility heaviest during the warm months. Larger regional tournaments may be booked a year or more ahead. Sponsor support commitments fall along fiscal years that being in January or July. The greatest efforts to market the booking of tournaments peaks in December and January while sponsorships may be solicited all year long but peaking in May and June and November and January respective of the fiscal year of the company. Completion of marketing tactics to book tournaments and when they occurred will serve to document and populate a Marketing Information Database.
4. Spending strategy: The resources for marketing dollars need to be spent at times during the year but also in amounts that may be expended as a percent of the total revenue of the facility. Additionally consideration should be given to the amount spent as a percentage of total economic impact. Spending parity on marketing should occur but does not occur in the area. The ability to have a dedicated recreation professional support is critical to executing the marketing of the facility. The plan here should at least match other municipal resources put to bear in soliciting sponsorships but also in soliciting sponsorships. Additionally those amounts expended on marketing collateral are recommended to be at least 5% of the total revenue. Actual dollars against projected spending timelines will be compared and gauged against a percent of the total direct expenditures for marketing.
5. Customer competitive strategy: To distinguish the facility among the competition, featuring the Town and Lake Norman is a positioning strategy to enable competitive market share. Attention to the details of sports promoter, their teams and the needs of sponsors for recognition will increase brand equity for the facility and the Town. This occurs both on and off the field. Sport promoter feedback along with on-‐site feedback will help measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts to sell the consumer on the Town facility rather than other choices in the area and indicate a desire to return.
6. Target market strategy: There are ranges of tournaments that may be played at the facility. This is apportioned further by the physical size of the fields and the capacity of the park to accommodate the size of the tournament which may be augmented by a regional approach. The greatest concentration of marketing efforts should be
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expended on the youth travelling team baseball market between the ages of 7 and 14. From a sponsor standpoint, there is a range of interest in sponsorship but brand recognition among those sponsors with the most to gain from thousands of visitors traveling from 3-‐4 hours to get to the Tournaments and visit the area orient marketing approaches to broaden the base of support from what typically is more locally oriented sponsorship. A final tally indicating the type of tournament and age bracket will measure the accuracy of efforts to target this specific age group.
7. Product strategy: The core product offering is the facility as baseball tournament venue but there are many product extensions ranging from food, the surrounding park and surrounding leisure and commerce selections to the naming opportunity inventory for sponsorship. Cross promotion of the core facility with these extensions should be emphasized to package these product offerings to the target markets. The actual bookings, redemption of discount to area attractions, accommodations and number of sponsor naming opportunities will indicate the success of the product strategy.
8. Branding strategy: The facility is branded with the park and town as The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman. The branding strategy is to use this name to appeal to visiting teams, identification with the Town and its brand featuring the Lake Norman lifestyle. The consumer satisfaction survey and consumer awareness index will include feedback to gauge the effectiveness of the branding along with anecdotal information gleaned from meetings with Visit Lake Norman, partner organizations, contracted vendors, staff and sports promoters.
9. Pricing strategy: Maintaining a parity approach on prices for booking the facility, charges for gate fees, concessions and rates for sponsorship on site will be imperative to the perceived value of the venue in Cornelius. Off-‐site prices for hotels, shopping and attractions will be affected by strategies to offer discounts at slightly less than the competitive rates at this introductory stage of the facility’s development. Prices for rental, gate fees, concession percentages retained and estimated receipts from area hoteliers will be monitored against those of area facilities for parity. Further tests within the market research and test strategy will help understand the opportunities for increases in prices against demand and price elasticity.
10. Distribution strategy: Primarily, the booking of tournaments will be accomplished through sports promoters in the local market. Sponsorships will also be achieved through local contacts. Some emphasis however, may be placed at regional or national levels when soliciting larger regional tournaments through sanctioning bodies that are not represented locally or sponsor companies with local distribution channels that are located in other cities. Identification of national and regional opportunities along with corollary sponsor opportunities will be identified at local and national levels at incremental levels and documented to form a database for future decision making.
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11. Personal selling strategy: Specific targets for years one through three are established to ensure bookings and sponsorships. Incentives for achieving these targets are limited to the municipal “toolbox” of rewards for a job well-‐done, however, broader incentives exist for “off-‐site” coordination of the marketing exist within other organized channels of distribution and coordination. The number of booking and sponsorships solicited will be measured.
12. Promotion strategy: The specific needs of promotion should be aligned with the goals and objectives of the plan to book, sponsor and consume local leisure and commerce offerings. Promotional incentives to encourage more bookings, more sponsorships and more use of area amenities will be in place for sports promoters, sponsors, staff and partners. As in other measured strategies, documentation of the success of a given promotional tactic will be compiled against actual bookings, sponsorships or participation in area amenities, accommodations and attractions. Both on-‐site, off-‐site and after-‐action evaluation will occur to gauge effectiveness
13. Merchandising strategy: On-‐site and off-‐site non-‐media will be developed to reinforce the positioning of the core product and its extensions. Collateral booking, sponsor naming rights sales, materials, signage, and educational/informational oriented merchandising will occur to book, name or encourage local consumption of amenities for the visiting teams. The number and effectiveness of these merchandising strategies will be documented through a cataloging of their deployment and a question within the customer satisfaction survey.
14. Publicity strategy: Advertising media strategies are not envisioned for the purposes of this marketing plan except in very limited fashion, however, unpaid publicity will be oriented similarly. The local market is more likely to benefit from learning about the venue and its benefits and publicity regarding the visiting teams or publicizing tournament availability or sponsorship opportunity so advertising locally is not cost effective as the lure is the travelling team market. Use of consistent media releases, testimonials and acknowledgements for sponsors will build awareness, credibility and support for the facility mainly from local funding sources. The number of these publicity efforts will be catalogued.
15. Market research and testing strategy: Strategy here will include the continued examination of price, product, promotional effectiveness toward the goals and objectives. This final strategy will be informed by the results of the others, but the number of specific research efforts to examine each will be documented.
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V. MARKETING TACTICS The marketing mix related to product, price, place, promotions and public relations is certainly affected by the strategies to determine market share, regional and local marketing, seasonal and spending strategies, customer competitive and target market strategies. In creating that awareness of the booking availability, sponsorship naming opportunities and visits to Town amenities and accommodations, they consider taking market share from the competition, identifying regional as well as local youth baseball sports promoters, when best to deploy marketing tactics, how much to spend on them, what will distinguish the facility from the pack and who is the specific target market most likely to achieve success. These provide a stage upon which the marketing plan five “P” actors perform to the betterment of the goals and objectives of the marketing plan.
Strategy Type Tactics 1. Product strategy: Cross
promotion of the core facility product and its extensions should be emphasized to package these product offerings to the target markets.
2. Branding strategy: The facility is branded with the park and town as The Westmoreland Athletic Complex – Cornelius NC on beautiful Lake Norman. The branding strategy is to use this name to appeal to visiting teams, identification with the Town and its brand featuring the Lake Norman lifestyle.
• Identify the key attributes of the facility and its opportunities both on-‐site and off-‐site for the sports promoters, their teams, sponsors and local use. (see product attributes and features inventory)
• Identify all sponsor naming opportunities at the facility, e.g., naming rights, electronic, signage, print, facility amenities, communication forms, associated programs, merchandising.
• Develop a brand name for the new facility and coordinate its use for branding across marketing platforms.
• Create awareness of the facility (core product) and its on-‐site and off-‐site amenities (product extensions) for use by the travelling baseball teams, promoters, sponsors by the end of 2011.
• Feature (and ensure) 100% clean, well-‐maintained, family-‐friendly, convenient and exemplary on-‐site customer service.
• Develop trade allowances for media sponsors to cross promote the tournaments and the sponsors adding value to the brand and the experience.
• Achieve a consumer awareness index and overall value rating of at least 90% by at least 5 sport promoters and 50% of all visiting teams in FY12 increasing to 6 sport promoters and 60% of all teams in FY13 and 7 sport promoters and 70% of all teams in FY14.
• Expand capacity by coordinating use of local and adjacent fields
• Increase consumer awareness of health by partnering with health provider to differentiate the product.
• Conduct on-‐site satisfaction surveys. 3. Pricing strategy:
Maintaining a parity • Develop fees and charges for use of the facility based upon parity with other area facilities.
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Strategy Type Tactics approach on prices for booking the facility, charges for gate fees, concessions and rates for sponsorship on site. Off-‐site prices for hotels, shopping and attractions will be affected by strategies to offer discounts at slightly less than the competitive rates at this introductory stage of the facility’s development.
• Develop a facility partner agreement with area hotels and motels to provide discounts and incentives for sports promoters to pass along to their teams when booking the facility.
• Develop sponsorship rates for various naming opportunities.
4. Distribution strategy: Booking tournaments and secure sponsors for naming rights in the local, regional and national markets.
• Identify youth sports promoters and their sanctioning bodies for primary markets both locally and regionally.
• Identify sponsors for fit with naming opportunities at local and national levels.
• Develop all on-‐site signage to reflect the brand identity along with off-‐site, Town way finding signage to the facility.
5. Personal selling strategy: Specific targets for years one through three are established to ensure bookings and sponsorships.
• Develop incentives package for achievement of bookings and sponsor targets.
• Develop collateral sales materials such as correspondence and a brochure for use in direct mail and personal solicitation of promoters and sponsors.
• Engage Visit Lake Norman and the Chamber as partners to solicit promoters and sponsors.
• Train staff in marketing using inexpensive approach • Develop detailed target volume objectives with operations staff to establish a forecast and performance criteria
6. Promotion strategy: Promote the booking, sponsorship and consumption of local leisure and commerce offerings.
• Develop print and electronic collateral promotional material to create awareness of the product for early booking and sponsorship naming rights.
• Create discount and premium coupons with Visit Lake Norman and area businesses for use by tournament promoters and teams.
• Offer sponsored awards and gift take-‐aways like bobbleheads for random selection on an “email sign up list” to develop e-‐contact lists and mail-‐in promotional opportunities.
• Offer an on-‐site “Catch a fly ball or a catfish” promotion/event at the tournaments that ties in discounts and premiums for off-‐site attractions, accommodations, amenities for the teams with activities in the park and activities for the family.
• Direct mail and follow up personal solicitation to sport promoters and to sponsors featuring facility and value pointing
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Strategy Type Tactics them to web site for information and interactive reservations or booking of naming opportunities.
• Develop a special “tournament edition” overrun page as part of normal newspaper insert catalog and encourage advertisers to purchase ad space adding sponsor acknowledgements.
• Implement social media postings of each participating team before and after each tournament with cross promotional links to area attractions/accommodations
• Develop a web site for the facility containing both sales features, attributes but also interactive links for facility reservation, social media links for photos, videos and sponsors promotions.
• Advertise availability of facility in websites and newsletters of promoters and sanctioning bodies.
• Promote sponsor opportunities for naming, electronic, signage, print, hospitality, promotions and community event inventory.
• Brochure available for take away and kiosk merchandising sales.
7. Merchandising strategy: On-‐site and off-‐site non-‐media will be developed to reinforce the positioning of the core product and its extensions.
• Feature use of partners, contractors (food) or other vendors who add value to the on-‐site and off-‐site experience.
• Display of sponsor acknowledgements • Packaging and display of merchandise and concessions for sale and for information or educational purposes.
• Appearance of the park and site design amenities • Appearance of staff and delivery of both on-‐site and off-‐site experiences
• Banners and signs welcoming visiting teams on digital display at park and in Town.
• Combine product offerings to package the benefits of healthy on-‐site activities, food, etc.
8. Publicity strategy: Publicity will be oriented similarly to advertising but the local market is more likely to benefit from learning about the venue and its benefits.
• Development of a standardized and facility branded news release to promote tournament standings and sponsor acknowledgements
• Development of featured stories on the people, place or programs connected with the on-‐site and off-‐site service delivery
• Breaking news on the booking of certain tournaments and certain sponsors.
• Concept articles featuring the benefits of municipal funded tournament facilities or sponsor benefits or other aspects of the facility and Town.
• Publish photos on the web and on all social media sites. • Public Service Announcements for certain aspects of the
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Strategy Type Tactics facility, such as grand openings, on-‐site park fitness walks or other public events.
• Publicize to web and social media sites of consumers and sponsors.
9. Market research and testing strategy: Strategy here will include the continued examination of price, product, promotional effectiveness toward the goals and objectives
• Develop and ongoing research tracking study among the target market to monitor consumer awareness, attitudes and behavior.
• Test price elasticity for fees to sports promoters’ % of gate, % of concessions and higher fees.
• Test promotional effectiveness of rebates and coupons by assessing redemption success.
• Research benefits of advertising in sports and baseball consumer publications to reach travelling teams.
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VI. IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTROL
A. Action Plan:
These are key deliverables for promotions that span 2011 and 2012
July "Catch a Catfish or a Fly ball“ promotion complete.
May Ongoing Social media postings, Website updates Ongoing on-‐site promotions, Discounts
March Awards and gift takeaways purchased Ongoing on-‐site and off-‐site implementation
January Coupons for use by tournament promoters and teams
Satisfaction surveys Partner contracts
ACTION PLAN TIMELINES FOR KEY PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
September Print and electronic promotional materials for early booking and sponsorship of certain naming rights. Website complete
November Complete direct mail promotion to sport promoters and sanctioning bodies
December Premiums -‐concessions discounts arranged. Trade allowances for media sponsors promoted Direct mail, personal solicitation of naming rights complete
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October Special tournament edition published Brochure complete for take-‐away, kiosks merchandising sales.
August Signage and banners design finalized 2011 Ongoing on-‐site and off-‐site implementation
February Awards and gift takeaways purchased for distribution.
June Ongoing on-‐site and off-‐site implementation
April Ongoing on-‐site and off-‐site implementation
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VI. IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTROL
B. Budget:
Item Total Brochure available for take away and kiosk merchandising sales. $600 Develop print and electronic collateral promotional material to create awareness of the product for early booking and sponsorship naming rights (brochures, fliers).
$3,760
Create discount and premium coupons with Visit Lake Norman and area businesses for use by tournament promoters and teams.
$11,750
Offer sponsored awards and gift take-‐aways for random selection on an “email sign up list” to develop e-‐contact lists and mail-‐in promotional opportunities.
$2,000
Offer an on-‐site “Catch a fly ball or a catfish” promotion at the tournaments that ties in discounts and premiums for off-‐site attractions, accommodations, amenities for the teams with activities in the park and activities for the family.
$4,900
Direct mail and follow up personal solicitation to sport promoters and to sponsors featuring facility and value pointing them to web site for information and interactive reservations or booking of naming opportunities.
$370
Develop a special “tournament edition” overrun page as part of normal newspaper insert catalog and encourage advertisers to purchase ad space adding sponsor acknowledgements.
$3,370
Implement social media postings of each participating team before and after each tournament with cross promotional links to area attractions/accommodations
$370
Develop a web site for the facility containing both sales features, attributes but also interactive links for facility reservation, social media links for photos, videos and sponsors promotions.
$1,100
Advertise availability of facility in websites and newsletters of promoters and sanctioning bodies.
$2,500
Promote sponsor opportunities for naming, electronic, signage, print, hospitality, promotions and community event inventory.
$10,000
Grand Total $40,720
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VI. IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTROL C. Evaluation Objectives will be evaluated against their actual measures. • Book and offer 20 two-‐day youth tournaments in FY12 for travelling teams, increasing to 28
in FY13 and 32 in FY14. o Measure: The actual booking numbers for those years (along with other
characteristics within the marketing plan, such as where they are from, when they were booked, feedback and many other data.
• Achieve economic impact of all tournaments for FY12 at $1.4 million or an average rate of $70,000 per tournament.
o Measure: An economic impact calculation sheet used in conjunction with Visit Lake Norman will be used for each tournament.
• Solicit at least 20 sponsorships to augment and offset operational or capital costs in FY12, increasing to 25 in FY13, and 30 in FY14.
o Measure: The actual sponsorship numbers for those years (along with other characteristics within the marketing plan, such as local, regional, national, year of commitment, type of sponsorship,
• Increase awareness of Town branding, leisure and commerce features to at least 14,000 team members and spectators in FY12, 20,580 in FY13, and 22,050 by FY14.
o Measure: A consumer awareness index will be used as part of a customer satisfaction survey to gauge awareness of Town importance in choosing tournament location for the sports promoter and for the team players and families.
Specific marketing strategies and their related tactics will be measured against the following: 1. Awareness of the availability of the facility for tournaments, sponsorships and its
benefits to the target consumer. a. Measurement: Consumer awareness index (part of satisfaction survey) b. Measurement: Consumer satisfaction survey.
2. Enhancing the play experience a. Measurement: Consumer satisfaction survey b. Measurement: Coupons redeemed against those issued.
3. Market share a. Measurement: Actual number of tournaments compared to targets b. Measurement: Actual number of tournaments compared to selected competitor
public facilities. c. Measurement: Actual number of sponsorships to targets d. Measurement: Sponsor satisfaction index.
4. Regional and local market strategy
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a. Measurement: Actual number of tournaments typed by local, regional or national youth sports promoters
5. Seasonal strategy: a. Measurement: Actual bookings by date booked.
6. Spending strategy: a. Measurement: Actual dollars against projected spending timelines will be compared
and gauged against a percent of the total direct expenditures for marketing. 7. Customer competitive strategy:
a. Measurement: Sport promoter feedback along with on-‐site feedback will help measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts to sell the consumer on the Town facility rather than other choices in the area and indicate a desire to return.
8. Target market strategy: a. Measurement: A final tally indicating the type of tournament and age bracket will
measure the accuracy of efforts to target this specific age group. 9. Product strategy:
a. Measurement: The actual bookings, redemption of discount to area attractions, accommodations and number of sponsor naming opportunities will indicate the success of the product strategy.
10. Branding strategy: a. Measurement: Consumer satisfaction survey and Consumer awareness index will
include feedback to gauge the effectiveness of the branding along with anecdotal information gleaned from meetings with Visit Lake Norman, partner organizations, contracted vendors, staff and sports promoters.
11. Pricing strategy: a. Measurement: Prices for rental, gate fees, concession percentages retained and
estimated receipts from area hoteliers will be monitored against those of area facilities for parity. Further tests within the market research and test strategy will help understand the opportunities for increases in prices against demand and price elasticity.
12. Distribution strategy: a. Measurement: Identification of national and regional opportunities along with
corollary sponsor opportunities will be identified at local and national levels at incremental levels and documented to form a database for future decision making.
13. Personal selling strategy: a. Measurement: The number of booking and sponsorships solicited will be measured.
14. Promotion strategy: a. Measurement: As in other strategies, documentation of the success of a given
promotional tactic will be compiled against actual bookings, sponsorships or participation in area amenities, accommodations and attractions.
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b. Measurement: Both on-‐site, off-‐site and after-‐action evaluation will occur to gauge effectiveness.
15. Merchandising strategy: a. Measurement: Customer satisfaction survey.
16. Publicity strategy: a. Measurement: The number of these publicity efforts will be catalogued.
17. Market research and testing strategy a. Measurement: The number of specific research efforts to examine each will be
documented.
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