Sound Transit Customer Development Research Plan presented by EMC Research

Measuring and capturing mind shareAPTA 2013 Marketing & Communications Workshop

Share of mind marketing is aimed at establishing a brand firmly in place as the first brand people in a market think of when they need what the brand offers. This type of marketing requires connecting to your customers emotionally in order to compel them to champion the brand and be loyal buyers.

Research goal2Measure public transits market shareMeasure levels of awareness of Sound Transit among general commutersDetermine demographics of riders and non-riders among regular commuters Determine the size of the potential ridership marketDefine our audiencesWho are our current customers?Who is not riding but could be?What are the characteristics of riders and potential riders?Who will never ride?Establish BenchmarksWhat is the size of our current ridership?What is the size of the potential rider market?Where are the existing and potential customers located?Develop/Refine MessagesWhat methods, messages, and tactics can we use to increase ridership?Which of these is most effective among which types of potential riders?Measure EffectivenessHow have travel patterns and methods changed over time?Has our market share grown over time?Who have we kept, and how has the potential rider market changed?

24,001 telephone surveys of residents age 16+ in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties; April 23 May 16, 2012Respondents were screened for regular commuters, (defined as 16+ years old and commuting to a regular activity two days or more a week).

3Methodology

4Commuting population

Total regional population:3,700,868Non-regular commuters570,73019%Regular commuters2,375,57981%

No Transit1,880,31479%Regular commuters:2,375,579Transit users 495,265 -21%Transit UseHow do you usually commute do you drive alone, drive or ride with someone else, take public transit, or commute some other way?Do you take a bus or train for any part of your commute? (Q6F)Of the population of regular commuters, 13% (295,407) say transit is their primary mode and another 8% (199,858) say transit is their secondary mode.5Mind Share (Considered transit) Have you ever considered riding Sound Transit express bus, Sounder commuter rail or light rail for your current commute instead of driving?

Not considered ST1,523,05481%Non-transit commuters:1,880,314 (79%)Considered ST357,26019%Active Mind Share (Looked into using transit)Have you ever looked into Sound Transit schedules or routes for your current commute?

Looked into ST 239,571 (13%)Non-transit commuters:1,880,314 (79%)Considered transit357,260 (19%)Not looked into ST 117,689 (6%)Former users (Taken transit in past) Have you ever taken Sound Transit Express Bus, Commuter Rail, or Light Rail for a regular commute in the past? Never taken ST 1,475,890 (78%)

Taken ST in past 404,424 (22%)

Open to ST (No Transit)Q23-32 Please tell me if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with each of the following statements.

If it were available for my commute, I could see myself riding an express bus one or two days a week.If it were available for my commute, I could see myself riding a train one or two days a week.Strongly agreeSomewhat agreeStrongly disagreeSomewhat agree35%36%12%12%29%25%24%27%64 percent of the non-transit users agree they would take a bus one or two times a week if it were available. 61 percent of the non-transit users agree they would take a train one or two times a week if it were available.9Target MarketPercentage of the regions regular commuters who do not take transit, are between ages 16 and 64, have commutes 10 miles or longer and are not opposed to riding on of Sound Transits services

Target Market of 38% of regular commuters(902,720)Taken ST in past 8% (190,046)Not considered & not taken - 24% (570,139)Considered & not taken6% (142,535)ST Incompatible if: Strongly Disagrees that they could see themselves riding ST65 or olderCommute is under 10 miles

The market with the most immediate potential is the group of people who have considered it but not taken Sound Transit (6% or 142,535 people). The 24% who havent considered or taken Sound Transit are a long term market that have the potential of being moved along the mind share spectrum towards public transit use. The 8% who have take transit in the past would likely take it again if new service was added that meets their needs.10The mind share spectrum11

Target a geographic area.Conduct Focus Groups to understand in detail the beliefs and obstacles that prevent these residents from riding ST, and to test potential messaging, information and outreach strategies that might motivate them to ride.Conduct a detailed telephone survey to establish baseline attitudes, beliefs and obstacles and to determine if the suggested messaging and outreach strategies developed in the focus groups have broader appeal with Target residents. Develop messaging and outreach strategy based on the focus groups and phone survey.Test specific materials and refine messaging and outreach strategy in focus groups.Implement pilot outreach program(s) to recruit new riders.Periodically track changes in attitudes, beliefs and obstacles using phone surveys to assess program effectiveness.

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Barriers to using transit

Flexibility.

TIME.FREEDOMAbout 76 percent of the non-transit commuters agreed that commuting by public transit didnt offer enough flexibility for their schedules. Yet the the top disadvantage to driving expressed by non-transit commuters was traffic. The second most cited disadvantage was the cost of gas and a vast majority (75%) agree that transit is less expensive than driving.12Perceptions of public transit

Its scary

and confusingNearly half of our target audience admit that they dont really know how to get to their destination using transit.13

Saving money and the environment arent big motivators for using transit. In order to convert commuters we need to convince them that transit is easy to use, convenient and saves them time.14

Break down information barriersCommunicate the how to aspects of using transitReach out at points of transition (new job, relocating)Communicate convenience/ease of use 1516Tim E. Healy, Marketing & Creative Services Directortim.healy@soundtransit.org206.398.5062