i9 marketing plan

i9 Sports 2016-2017 Marketing Plan

i9 Sports Marketing Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part One: Introduction Product Description Mission Statement

Part Two: Situational AnalysisStrengths Opportunities

Part Three: Target Market Target Market

Part Four: Marketing ObjectivesPromotional Objectives 11Profitability Marketing Objectives 11

Part Five: Marketing Mix Product

Product Differentiation 13New Product Development/ Extensions 13Product Positioning 14

Promotion 15Advertising 15Sales Promotions 15

Price-Oriented Promotions 15Non-Price Oriented Promotions 16

Price 18Place 19

Retail Distribution Placement 19Online Distribution Placement 19Creative Distribution Placement 20Advertisement Placement 20Print Media 20Online Media 21

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Part One: Introduction

Product Description

Who We Are: The First & Largest Youth Sports League Franchise

i9 Sports is based in Tampa, Florida, i9 Sports® is the nation’s first and largest youth sports league franchise business in the United States with over 1 million registrations in more than 500 communities from New York to Hawaii. i9 Sports offers youth sports leagues, camps and clinics for boys and girls ages 3-17 in today’s most popular sports such as flag football, soccer, basketball, T-Ball and cheerleading. With our focus on fun, safety, convenience and good sportsmanship, i9 Sports is reinventing the youth sports experience for families across the country.

All skill levels welcome - No tryouts! No drafts! Everyone plays – every game! No fundraisers of any kind! No mandatory volunteering! One day per week - practice is conveniently scheduled prior to the game. Trained officials at every game.

Mission Statement

i9 Sport’s mission statement is: To Help Kids Succeed in Life Through Sports

There isn’t a better tool to teach a child the skills necessary to succeed in life than sports. Self-discipline, determination, teamwork and good sportsmanship are only a handful of the many valuable life skills learned through sports participation. Unfortunately, anyone with a ball and a whistle can offer a sports league for kids, and many kids leave organized sports because of a negative experience. Research has shown that the number one reason kids play sports is to have fun. It is not surprising then, that the number one reason they quit playing sports is because they stop enjoying it.

Our goal is simple: To put the FUN back into youth sports.

i9 Sports offers an alternative to the hyper-competitive, win-at-all-cost culture that pervades most kids sports leagues today. Through the i9 Sports Experience, we offer families an experience that focuses on fun, safety and convenience.

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Part Two: Situational AnalysisStrengths

1. Complete Organization & Communication Professional management of all programs – someone is always in-charge Proactive communication - you always know when and where you need to be 24/7 online access to latest schedules, standings, and statistics Flexibility to accommodate “buddy” requests on teams

2. Convenience Easy registration online or by phone through our Customer Service Center Once a week practices on game day, at same location No mandatory fundraisers or concession duties

3. A Safe, Supportive Environment Instruction by coaches screened with criminal background check

Trained officials at every game “i9 Sports Parental Pledge” which prohibits sideline negativity

4. Instruction in Skills & Good Sportsmanship Age appropriate instruction in game fundamentals Weekly sportsmanship value taught and award given on each team Emphasis on fair play vs. score of the game

5. Focus on Fun Equal playing time regardless of talent level No tryouts or drafts Post-season participation award

Opportunities

At the end of the day, it's not the sport that makes the difference. It's the experience you and your child have at the game that makes the difference. That's why we operate our leagues very differently than other leagues. We operate based on the following 5 core principles:

Fun: We believe that the primary reason children play sports is to have fun. They love mastering new skills, developing friendships, and healthy competition. We avoid spoiling the fun by focusing more on skills development and enjoyment of the game than on the score.

Inclusivity: That's our word for everyone's right to play and have fun. Our program is for everyone, regardless of race, gender, religion, or ability level. No child will ever be excluded by a tryout, be made to feel like they aren't good enough because of a league draft, or be cut from a team. We endeavor to play every child at least half of every game.

Safety: We believe your child’s safety is paramount. As such, we background check each of the adults supervising your children and hire trained officials for each game to ensure that "safe play" is enforced.

Good Sportsmanship: We believe that learning to play the game is only half the equation. Helping children develop character is the other half. The value of teaching children teamwork, fair play and good sportsmanship goes far beyond the game.

Healthy Competition: Competition is a natural instinct. However, the "win-at-all-costs" mentality so prevalent in youth sports today is not only destructive to team morale, it severely undermines

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individual self-esteem. We believe everyone should be both encouraged and given the opportunity to make the most of their abilities.

Part Three: Target Market

The i9 Sports Target MarketIt is crucial that your marketing campaign is focused on the people who are most likely to register for your sports programs. A message sent to the wrong person is a waste of your precious time and money. You must utilize the marketing vehicles most likely to grab your target’s attention in the most cost effective manner.

For example, if your primary target is the “soccer mom,” a newspaper ad placed in the sports section is going to be ineffective and a waste of marketing dollars. However, securing an ad or posting in the community calendar section of the local paper will yield much better results.

Through market research and i9 Sports’ own database, we know that moms are the predominant target consumer for youth sports. While mothers and fathers both share in making the decision about which sports their children will play, Mom’s account for the majority of registrations and is the primary decision maker regarding their child’s activities. As such, i9 Sports has defined its marketing targets as follows:

i9 Sports Target Audience: Minimum household income of $65,000 Families with at least 1 child between the ages of 3 -14 Primary decision maker: Moms ages 21-54 Secondary decision maker: Dads ages 21-54

Part Four: Marketing Objectives

Promotional Marketing Objectives: • Increase online advertising by 30% by November 2016.• Align with five or more business by November 2016.• Sponsor 10 or more events each month.

Profitability Marketing Objectives:• Increase overall sales and registration number by 30% by November 2016.

Part Five: Marketing Mix

Product: There isn’t a better tool to teach a child the skills necessary to succeed in life than sports. Self-discipline, determination, teamwork and good sportsmanship are only a handful of the many valuable life skills learned through sports participation. Unfortunately, anyone with a ball and a whistle can offer a sports league for kids, and many kids leave organized sports because of a negative experience. Research has shown that the number one reason kids play sports is to have fun. It is not surprising then, that the number one reason they quit playing sports is because they stop enjoying it. Our goal is simple: To put the FUN back into youth sports. i9 Sports offers an alternative to the hyper-competitive, win-at-all-cost culture that pervades most kids sports leagues today. Through the i9 Sports Experience, we offer families an experience that focuses on fun, safety and convenience.

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Product CONTINUED: The i9 Sports ExperienceThe first step toward effectively marketing your i9 Sports program is clearly defining what you are marketing, including:

The Type of Program (i.e., which sport, league, tournament, clinic, etc.) The Core i9 Sports Experience plus any additional value you create. Format and Length of Program (i.e. Jamboree + 7-week season + 1 wk. of playoffs).

The term “product” refers to tangible, physical goods and services as well as intangibles such as the emotional experience. It is critical that you understand and embrace the concept that your i9 Sports product is NOT the sport. Your product is the i9 Sports Experience!

Promotions: Advertising:

The target market for this product is very particular. Online advertising will get most of the attention. I believe this are i9’s strongest advertisement section along with in-person events and flyer distribution.

By achieving the goal of increased online advertisements by 30 percent in the next year, i9 should increase its dominance in the youth sports league market.

Sales Promotions:Price Oriented Sales Promotions:

A Multi Child Discount of $5.00 is automatically applied for additional children after initial registration in the same season.

Non-Price Oriented Sales Promotions: Monthly Giveaway: Once a month, i9 will be giving away 5 free registration

opportunities at a local event chosen by a raffle drawing. Each person is only eligible once and all names will be chosen at random. This should reach the young athletes/moms which are a part of our target market.

Obstacle Course Sampling Days: Once a month, i9 will hold a local practice day in the county at a specified public park. Anyone can come down and participate and run around a mini course that will be set up with sports relation games. This will help our target consumers get an idea of how fun and performance oriented this program is.

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Dick’s Sporting Goods Give Away Event: “i9 Sports Hall Shop Day”.

Promotion Continued: Communicating to Your Target Audience Beyond firmly establishing your delivery of the i9 Sports Experience, promotional activities will be the majority of your marketing effort. Your promotion plan will involve a combination of the following types of activities: Guerilla marketing (flyers, road signs, in-person events, etc.) Online marketing (emails, website management, links, Facebook ads, Twitter, etc.) Direct mail. Traditional advertising Customer promotion (special discounts or incentives for early registration, multiple purchases, etc.) Public relations Community involvement Call Fire (note: See the Call Fire Policy for details including notifying the Customer Service Center if applicable

at least 2 weeks prior to execution or face penalties.).

Price: Adaptive/Special Needs: $80.00-90.00 Leagues: $145.00-155.0

Price Continued: Understanding the Pricing Structure You are offering a high-value, high-service product that warrants a higher price. Discuss pricing tactics with your Area Developer to understand the structure including: Early registration & payment discounts Seasonal pricing (multiple seasons) Sibling discounts

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Place: Online Retail Placement: i9 Sports will make specific use of its i9sports.com for advertising and

registration opportunities as well as the online store. Creative Distribution/ Placement: One way i9 could enhance its retail placement is through the

use of creative distribution. In order to more effectively reach the target market, i9 Sports could advertise at popular fitness chains. The company could contact gyms such as 24 Hour Fitness and to ask for their participation in this distribution scheme. They will be offered a small percentage of every new registration added at their locations to ensure their desire to participate. This new approach will help i9 reach out to avid fitness connoisseurs such as young moms at locations in which they are sure to frequently visit.

Advertising Placement: Advertisement placement for i9 is paramount to its success. Thissection will specify where each advertising medium will focus its attention and resources.

Print Media: Print Media Advertising will be primarily centered on flyers. Nike will target its consumers through flyers and road signs in popular areas of the county. These print ads will be very similar to our online ads. Online Media: i9 Sports will focus on heavily trafficked websites such as craigslist in order to reach its intended market. These advertisements will display images of our programs with verbal descriptions explaining why our program is superior.

Place Continued: Where the Product/Service is Being Delivered The i9 Sports Experience is delivered at every customer touch point: Your venue locations (are they convenient; well-maintained; how many) In-person Events (right locations, timing, and frequency) Telephone (live answering; quick response) The i9 Sports website (online registrations, scheduling, useful, current content, etc.)

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i9 marketing plan