the pittsburgh racquet & fitness club
an integrated marketing communications plan
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contents
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Executive Summary.........................................................................................6
IMC Tactics; Post-Grand Opening........................................................30
Situational Analysis..........................................................................................8
Advertising.........................................................................................31
SWOT Analysis...................................................................................................13
Public Relations...............................................................................32
Target Audience...............................................................................................14
Digital Media.....................................................................................33
IMC Objectives..................................................................................................15
Measurement...................................................................................................34
Marketing Strategies.....................................................................................17
Conclusion..........................................................................................................37
Communications Positioning.................................................................18
Timeline................................................................................................................38
Creative Strategy.............................................................................................20
Investment.........................................................................................................41
IMC Tactics; Pre-Grand Opening...........................................................21
Creative Executions.......................................................................................44
Advertising..........................................................................................22
Appendices
Digital Media......................................................................................24
Public Relations................................................................................26
Sales Promotion.........................................................................,.....28
Research Results............................................................................52
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executive summary
T
he Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club (PRFC) is scheduled to open in
late 2010, and plans to position itself as the premier choice for indoor
tennis and fitness in the Pittsburgh area. The center will feature six
indoor tennis courts, a 1/8-mile indoor track, a fitness center with Strive
training equipment and sport-specific trainers, a spa and a pro shop.
The PRFC will offer multiple membership levels and revenue sources including
tennis memberships, tennis lessons, court rental, fitness memberships, family
memberships, and sport-specific training. A tremendous opportunity lies
ahead for PRFC, given the fact that tennis was the only sport in America to
gain in popularity over the last six years. Also, the health & fitness industry has
seen tremendous growth recently, reaching $14.1 billion in yearly revenues.
The planning and development of the club is backed by six financial investors
and two local tennis professionals, operating with an approximately $3
million budget for construction and initial operating expenses. The investors
are projecting 370 club members when it opens and another 300 members
throughout the first year, for a total of 670 first-year members, generating
roughly $950,000 in revenue.
Based on projections and goals, The Lingle Marketing Group has composed
several strategic objectives, to be achieved through implementation of our
marketing communications plan. Our plan is designed to secure pre-sale
memberships and generate an anticipatory buzz about PRFC, prior to its
opening. To launch the club, part of our plan calls for a grand opening event,
which will project at least 500 visitors and 250 subsequent memberships
generated. Following our grand opening strategies and tactics, our marketing
plan throughout the first year is designed to increase brand awareness and
increase your market share, to the point of being recognized as the #1 choice
for tennis and fitness by 40% of our target audience. Through our Internet
marketing strategy, our plan will generate an average of 250 visits per month
to the PRFC website and a minimum of 500 Facebook fans by the end of year
one. This presence in the digital world will undoubtedly lead to increased
sales and revenues for the PRFC.
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To help guide our planning, strategies, and tactics, The Lingle Marketing
Group conducted primary research, which consisted of a survey that was
e-mailed to past and present clients of Rob Gregoire and Craig Perry. The
survey results provided us with valuable information in regards to our target
market demographics, price points, preferred amenities, media habits of our
target market and their propensity to purchase memberships. We were also
able to gather several dozen mailing addresses of people who were interested
in receiving more information on PRFC.
Our messages and creative executions will resonate with avid tennis players,
bringing them to the realization that The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club
is the tennis training facility, which will give them the tools they need to bring
their game to the next level. We will also emphasize the friendly environment,
superior service, and clean, modern amenities. Our tagline, “Advantage,
PRFC” will strike a chord with our target market and once again drive home
our desired brand image of a premier tennis training facility.
We plan to accomplish this by effectively maximizing exposure and interest
through traditional advertising, digital media, and public relations venues.
We also plan to utilize sales promotion and sales training. Our campaign will
include, but not necessarily be limited to; direct mail, e-mail, radio, billboard,
newsletters, promotional items, special events, sales promotion, and social
media initiatives.
The Lingle Marketing Group proposes this plan with careful consideration
paid to our research conducted, your financial projections and goals, and
our intention to see you meet and exceed those goals. Our plan takes an
aggressive, yet strategic approach, which is necessary for a new product of
this magnitude. A project of this undertaking should be complemented and
supported by a comprehensive, solid marketing communications plan. The
Lingle Marketing Group is confident that our plan will meet and exceed
PRFC’s financial projections, by positioning the club as Pittsburgh’s #1 choice
for indoor tennis and fitness.
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situational analysis
A
lpha Tennis Partners, LLC,
D.B.A.
The
Pittsburgh
Racquet & Fitness Club
is constructing a six-court indoor
tennis facility complete with a fitness
facility, 1/8-mile indoor track and spa
in Harmarville, PA. The facility will
be located one mile from the New
Kensington exit of the Pennsylvania
Turnpike and one mile from the
Harmarville exit on Pennsylvania
Route 28 North.
The facility will be located in an area
where there are no other indoor
tennis facilities within 15 miles. In
addition, there are currently five
outdoor tennis clubs (Fox Chapel
Country Club, Oakmont Country
Club, The Pittsburgh Field Club, Fox
Chapel Racquet Club and Longview
Country Club) within five miles of
the proposed location. The intention
is to eventually form partnerships
with these outdoor clubs, allowing
their members reciprocal access to
indoor facilities at The Pittsburgh
Racquet & Fitness Club.
In addition to tennis lessons and
court rental time, the club will run
several tournaments throughout
the year, at least two of which will
be United State Tennis Association
Rated and will attract players from
far and wide, thereby providing a
positive economic impact on the
local economy. Club tournaments
will be both social and competitive.
Another unique aspect to the facility
will be the fitness offerings. PRFC
will differentiate themselves from
other fitness facilities in the area by
providing sport-specific training,
along with a 1/8- mile indoor track.
The training will consist of not only
physical training but also nutritional
guidance and strategy development.
PRFC plans to add several physical
therapists and a nutritionist to the
staff.
One goal for the club is to be renowned
for its friendly, warm atmosphere as
well as its dedication to its members
and exemplary customer service.
It should appeal to both tennis
fanatics and fitness enthusiasts alike.
The target audience focus will be
cyclical, with an emphasis on tennis
enthusiasts during the indoor tennis
season, and an emphasis on the
fitness offerings during the summer
months.
The Situational Environs
Demand and Demand Trends
According to our research, 75% of
respondents indicated that they
would be very likely to join the
Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club.
Additionally, among parents of high
school-age children, 75% indicated
that they would be interested in
sport-specific training for their child.
Our secondary research revealed that
the sport of tennis is rapidly gaining
popularity across the country. In fact,
with 18% growth, tennis was the only
sport in America to grow over the last
six years. Despite these encouraging
numbers, if very few people know
about The Pittsburgh Racquet &
Fitness Club, memberships will suffer.
Our marketing communications
plan will overcome this lack of
recognition.
Social & Cultural Factors
The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness
Club will provide ample opportunities
for socializing, building relationships
and business networking. There are
no outside social or cultural factors
affecting the development and
growth of PRFC.
Demographics
Our main target audience is middleage (35-50) adults, within a 15mile radius of PRFC, with annual
household incomes in excess of
$100,000. Regardless of this specific
target audience, it’s intended that
The PRFC will appeal to all age levels
across the greater Pittsburgh region,
especially avid tennis players.
Economic & Business Conditions
The country is still mired in the
greatest economic recession since
The Great Depression, but local
economies are beginning to show
signs of rejuvenation. Many experts
are predicting it will be another 12
months before we begin to see a true
turnaround of the economy.
Additionally, from 2000-2009, the
Pittsburgh region experienced the
second-highest population decline in
the country. Only hurricane-ravaged
New Orleans saw more people leave
in that time period.
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situational analysis
Neutral Environs
Financial Environment
Competitor Environs
Main Competitors
The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness
Club appears to have ample financing
with a total of $2,988,800 in working
capital - $771,110 is coming from
six investors, with the remaining
$2,217,690 being funded by bank
loans and SBA loans. There is also an
additional $450,000 available from
the six investors, if needed. One
concern with financing and capital is
the fact that only $16,000 is allocated
to marketing and advertising to
launch the club, and continued
through year one – that’s only half of
1% of the total budget. It’s unlikely
that 670 memberships would be
generated (~$950,000 in revenue)
by the end of year one, with only a
$16,000 marketing investment.
The main competitors for The PRFC
will be Monroeville Racquet Club,
Greentree Sportsplex, Lakevue
Athletic Club and Oxford Athletic
Club. All of these clubs offer indoor
tennis and fitness facilities, but none
are within 15 miles of The PRFC.
Media Environment
Two of PRFC’s investors, Rob
Gregoire and Craig Perry, have years
of experience in tennis and will serve
as the club’s primary operators and
tennis pros. The remaining investors
are comprised of medical doctors
and business professionals. While
there is ample experience in business
and finance, there appears to be little
retail marketing expertise among the
investors.
We plan to leverage local media to
help promote certain aspects of PRFC,
including sport-specific training,
promotions, stories of success, and
other newsworthy events.
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Company Environs
Products, Experience and Know-How
The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness
Club will offer indoor tennis
and fitness facilities, but it will
differentiate itself from competitors
with features like sport-specific
training, a 1/8-mile indoor track,
home school physical education
curriculum and DecoTurf playing
surfaces.
significant research findings
Our research, conducted via an e-mail survey to roughly 250 potential
club members, revealed that most people play tennis to train for
competitive play, with 44% of respondents indicating that they would
expect to pay between $51 and $60 for a one-hour tennis lesson and 18%
indicating they would pay up to $70 for a one-hour lesson.
Respondents indicated that the main reason they exercise is to stay in
shape (97%), compared with 46% who said they exercise to lose weight
(question allowed for multiple answers per respondent). Most people
were willing to pay $31-$50 per month for a gym membership. Also,
82% of respondents said that cleanliness is “extremely important” in a
fitness facility – other highly-rated factors included location, hours and
modern equipment.
In terms of amenities and features of the club, the indoor track and private
tennis lessons were among the highest-ranked. People were also very
interested in reciprocal country club memberships. On average, people
were willing to pay $101-$110 per month for a family membership at The
Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club, and preferred a combination country
club and family atmosphere. In regards to sport-specific training, 75% of
parents expect that their children will participate in college athletics, with
81% of those parents indicating that they think sport-specific training
would increase their child’s chances of receiving an athletic scholarship.
These parents were willing to pay, on average, $75-$100 per month for
sport-specific training for their children.
Among people who indicated they were “very likely” to join the club, the
average age was 44 years old with an average annual household income of
approximately $150,000. There was no statistical significance in gender,
meaning it was roughly a 50/50 split of male and female respondents. 79%
of respondents indicated that they have received a Bachelor’s degree or
higher, with 49% earning a Master’s degree or higher. The most common
zip code of residence was 15238.
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strengths
•
Positive reputation of Rob Gregoire & Craig Perry in the
tennis community.
•
Ample financing.
•
Convenient location.
•
New, clean, modern facility.
•
Sport-Specific Training – unique to PRFC.
•
DecoTurf playing surfaces – a more forgiving surface
which is ideal for an older demographic.
•
1/8-mile indoor track.
•
Multiple membership levels offered.
•
Business experience of investors/partners.
weaknesses
•
No brand recognition.
•
Currently no Internet presence.
•
Initial research only surveyed approximately 250 area
residents, with only 102 responses – a larger, more diverse
sample size would be ideal for a project of this magnitude.
•
Lack of experience operating a fitness center.
opportunities
• Tennis is the fastest-growing sport in America – 27
million players with 18% growth over the last six years.
No other sport experienced any growth in that same
period.
• Older demographic – partner with health insurance
companies, who subsidize fitness memberships.
• Other local indoor tennis facilities are outdated.
• Reciprocal memberships with local country clubs.
• Facility is in the introductory stage, within a growing
market.
• Health and fitness is a $14.1 billion industry, serving
nearly 40 million members in the U.S.; experienced 25%
growth rate in 2010.
• Nutrition and weight loss is a $44 billion industry.
threats
• Competing indoor tennis & fitness clubs; Greentree
Sportsplex & Monroeville Athletic Club.
• Continued economic recession.
• Revenue projections are based on pre-selling 370
memberships - people will be asked to purchase a product they cannot see and know very little about.
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key swot issues
The key swot issues are the greatest strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats. The objectives of the marketing plan will seek to leverage your greatest
strength, bolster your greatest weakness, seize the greatest opportunity, and
mitigate your most significant threat. As we examine the SWOT analysis, your
greatest strength appears to be the new, modern facility, built with the avid
tennis player in mind. Your most glaring weakness is that no one knows about
The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club. That will change with our marketing
plan. Your greatest opportunities lie in the tremendously fast-growing health
and fitness industry, which nets roughly $44 billion per year. Following
execution of our marketing plan, the PRFC will be positioned to tap into that
growing market. Finally, your potentially most crippling threat is not your
competition, but rather the stalled economic climate. Families are tightening
their belts, with many eliminating ancillary spending – like country club
memberships or private sports training. Fortunately, our marketing plan will
show the key decision makers that their investment with PRFC will be an
investment in their physical and even financial health for the future.
target audience
Among people who indicated they were “very likely” to join the club, most
were willing to travel 11-15 miles to get to the club, with an average age of
44 years old and an average annual household income of approximately
$150,000. There was no statistical significance in gender, meaning it was
roughly a 50/50 split of male and female respondents. Other demographic
information collected included 79% of respondents indicating that they have
received a Bachelor’s degree or higher, with 49% earning a Master’s degree
or higher. Fifty-three percent of overall respondents had an average annual
household income over $151,000. The most common zip code of residence
was 15238. Perhaps most importantly, 67% of our target audience plays tennis
more than once per week, with 87% indicating that the main reason they play,
is to train for competitive play. In short, these people are tennis fanatics. It
appears that, for them, tennis is much more than a game - it’s a lifestyle.
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In terms of marketing and advertising venues for the club, 26% of
respondents indicated that they listen to satellite radio. Among local radio
stations, 96.1 WKST and 93.7 WRKZ were the two most listened-to stations.
The Pittsburgh-Post Gazette (70%) is the most-read newspaper among survey
respondents.
planning statement
To develop and implement a strategic
marketing communications plan, that
will effectively position The Pittsburgh
Racquet & Fitness Club as the premier
tennis training facility in the Pittsburgh
region, for tennis enthusiasts and
fitness fanatics across all levels.
imc objectives
•
To
secure
370
pre-sale
memberships, prior to the opening
of PRFC.
• To increase memberships by 80%
throughout year one.
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• To create 50% brand awareness
among our target audience, by the
end of year one.
• To grab 30% market share among
area tennis & fitness centers, by the
end of year one.
• To be recognized as the #1 choice
for tennis and fitness by 30% of our
target audience, by the end of year
one.
• To generate an average of 250 visits
per month to The PRFC website
and at least 500 Facebook fans by
the end of year one.
• Generate at least 500 visitors and
250 memberships as a result of the
grand opening event.
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strategy explanation
W
hen promoting The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club through
an integrated marketing communications (IMC) campaign,
it’s important to keep in mind the fact that this club is in the
introductory stage of the product life cycle, within a growing industry. This,
in itself, provides a tremendous opportunity, but also a challenge. Our IMC
campaign will focus around educating our target market on all the offerings
of PRFC while stimulating their impulse and desire to spend their hardearned dollars at the club. It’s our intention to capitalize on the growing
health and fitness arena and continued popularity of tennis, by positioning
PRFC as Pittsburgh’s premier indoor tennis and sport training facility. We will
differentiate PRFC from the competition, while showing consumers how the
club meets a top-ranked need – health, wellness, and competitive drive. We
also plan to position PRFC as a tennis fanatics’ dream – with PRFC’s one-ofa-kind tennis training facilities, the die-hard tennis players in the Pittsburgh
area will finally have a place to call their own. At PRFC, they’ll find the answer
to their opponent’s nasty drop shot and have an opportunity to perfect their
cross-court backhand.
education strategy
image strategy
We will educate our audience on
the professional and experienced
tennis staff at PRFC. Given their
positive name recognition in
the local tennis community,
it’s important to highlight their
involvement with the club.
We will position PRFC as
the premier indoor tennis
training facility in the greater
Pittsburgh area, through a
targeted campaign increasing
communication and engagement
with your core audience.
We will position tennis as being
easy to learn, enjoyable, and
great exercise. The intention is
that if people see how popular
tennis is, they’ll want to “jump
on the bandwagon” and learn the
game. This will likely boost club
memberships and revenue from
private tennis lessons.
We will communicate with PRFC
members, keeping them up-todate on happenings at the club
and familiarizing them with the
staff, trainers, and professionals.
This will bolster PRFC’s position
as a premier club, through wordof-mouth, courtesy of your
satisfied members.
We will convince avid tennis
players that a great tennis game
requires training both on and
off the court. The best tennis
competitors have tremendous
strength, endurance and speed,
which is achieved through offcourt training. This is the unique
piece that the pros and facilities of
the PRFC will bring to your game.
We will show your target audience
the friendly, likeable nature of
the staff at PRFC. They’ll feel like
part of a family, building bonds
with their tennis instructor,
staff members and fellow club
members. They’ll truly feel like
part of a community, rather than
just a paying-member of the club.
We will educate consumers on
sport-specific training at PRFC
– another one-of-a-kind feature.
This will provide a unique target
audience with high school
students and their parents.
We will portray the Club as the
place for avid tennis players in
the Pittsburgh area. The staff at
PRFC knows that tennis is more
than just a game – it’s a lifestyle.
We’ll show our target audience
that we share their passion for
tennis.
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communications positioning
The Pittsburgh Racquet and Fitness Club is
Pittsburgh’s premier indoor tennis training facility,
boasting top-notch facilities, experienced coaches,
and modern fitness training equipment - all within
a friendly, inviting atmosphere where tennis is
more than a game, it’s a lifestyle.
primary
key messages
secondary
key messages
The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness
Club is host to two of the most
renowned tennis professionals in
the Pittsburgh area.
Tennis is the fastest-growing
sport in America and provides
great exercise for all ages and skill
levels.
The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness
Club is committed to bringing
your tennis game to the next
level, and shares your passion for
tennis.
The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness
Club offers membership levels
and amenities that will satisfy
many customers’ needs.
Patrons and members of the
conveniently located Pittsburgh
Racquet & Fitness Club will be
welcomed by a warm, inviting
atmosphere, where friendly,
personalized service is a top
priority.
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The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness
Club provides unique offerings
that are unlikely to be rivaled
by other clubs, including sportspecific training and a 1/8-mile
indoor track.
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Advantage, PRFC.
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creative strategy
A
dvertising will convince “tennis nuts” ages 35-50 in the Pittsburgh
area that the PRFC can help them win more matches. Support will be
the availability of seasoned tennis professionals to teach strategy, as
well as a full fitness facility to improve strength and endurance. Tone will be
sports minded and competitive, but welcoming.
creative brief
Why are we advertising?
To launch the brand new Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club creating
awareness, subsequently generating club memberships.
To whom are we talking?
Potential club members, specifically avid tennis players 35-50 years old,
HI $125k+, MF mix. Tennis nuts – these people love tennis. They play 4-5
days per week and would do anything to improve their game. They’re ultracompetitive and hate losing.
What do they currently think?
Tennis is more than just a sport – it’s a lifestyle. They think about their cross
court backhand day and night. They’re constantly thinking about ways to
improve their game and they’re willing to invest any amount of time and
money to beat their neighbor in just one match.
What would we like them to think?
There’s finally a facility where they can improve their ground stroke, build
speed and endurance, and learn strategy and technique from seasoned tennis
pros – all under one roof. They have, at their disposal, the tools they need
to improve their game. With a PRFC membership, there’s a chance they just
might beat their boss in straight sets.
What is the single most persuasive
idea we can convey?
With a PRFC membership, you
will learn tennis from the pros and
eventually earn bragging rights when
you finally start winning the tough
matches.
Why should they believe it?
With tennis professionals available
for personal lessons, indoor courts,
a complete fitness center, and
indoor track, the PRFC has all of
the amenities needed to improve
your game and beat your toughest
opponent.
Creative guidelines?
Tennis-speak, PRFC-approved logo,
“Advantage, PRFC” tagline.
Tone of voice?
Persuasive, welcoming, competitive.
campaign explanation
O
ur IMC campaign employs
a two-pronged approach – a
campaign leading up to the
grand opening and a campaign to
continue throughout the first year,
after the grand opening. We feel it’s
important to distinguish the campaigns
in this manner, since most of our initial
marketing will be intended to drive
people to the grand opening event. Since
we’ll be introducing a new product to
the market, the initial campaign will
require a larger investment over a
shorter period of time.
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Our grand opening campaign is
designed to make a minimum of 12
direct contacts with our target audience,
in addition to our complementary
pieces, which will reach a broader
base. The IMC initiatives throughout
our grand opening campaign will
build recognition and trust with our
target audience, while also conveying
PRFC’s passion for tennis and sport
training. Upon completion of the grand
opening campaign, your audience will
be compelled to visit the club, and,
ultimately, purchase a membership
when they find that PRFC meets their
needs.
While the individual pieces of the
campaign will be compelling and
persuasive, the true power and
influence of the campaign comes with
the combination and integration of the
entire marketing mix.
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pre-grand opening advertising
We will design,
print,
and
implement
a direct mail
campaign,
aimed at generating general interest
in the club – it will also serve as a
teaser campaign, revealing more
information about the club, with
each piece. We’re recommending
four mailings, one every two weeks,
to a minimum of 1,500 people
each time. One of those mailings
should be a formal invitation to the
grand opening event, rather than
a traditional postcard. It should
have the look and feel of an upscale
invitation, similar to that of a
wedding invitation. This will appeal
to our target audience, since most of
them report household incomes in
excess of $125K. They’re accustomed
to and appreciate the finer things
in life – like the grand opening of a
brand new racquet club.
To target our mailings, a mailing
list can be purchased with results
tailored to the demographic of our
target audience. According to our
research, most respondents were
willing to travel 5-10 miles to get to
the PRFC, so we’ll likely limit our
mailings to that radius.
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Following
the
template
of
our direct mail
campaign,
we
will design an
HTML e-mail, and
distribute it once a week, for eight
weeks. Each message will highlight
a different feature of the club and
will include links to the PRFC
website. The e-mail campaign will
be designed to generate traffic on the
web site, visits to the grand opening
event, and ultimately new members.
HTML e-mails contain more than
just text, and will feature highlyappealing, slick design, prompting
people to visit the website for more
information. For distribution, we’re
recommending using your existing
e-mail database of approximately 500
addresses.
Using the same
brand image we
created with our
direct mail and
e-mail
pieces,
we will design
and strategically place several
billboards, generally within a 1015 mile radius of the club, in hightraffic areas. We’re recommending a
total of four billboards, November
through January. These will provide
visibility and exposure to hundreds
of thousands of people who drive by
them every day.
To ensure maximum
market penetration
and
maintain
efficiency
of
marketing dollars,
we’re also recommending Internet
advertising, often known as banner
ads. Based on our primary research,
much of the PRFC’s target audience
are regular users of the Internet, and
more specifically, utilize Pittsburgharea websites. The local site visited
most often by our target audience,
as indicated by our research, is
www.post-gazette.com. As such, we
recommend a targeted banner ad
campaign on post-gazette.com, on a
cost-per-impression basis, through
the months of November, December
and January.
Using
the
results from our
research,
we’re
recommending
a targeted radio
campaign on either
96.1 WKST or 93.7 WRKZ, along with
ESPN Radio 1250AM. The Lingle
Marketing Group will compose
compelling 60-second radio spots,
designed to generate interest in the
PRFC and prompt a visit to the grand
opening event. The radio spots will
serve as a complement to the mailing
pieces and outdoor advertising.
We’re
recommending
running
two simultaneous campaigns (two
stations), for two weeks leading up to
the grand opening. Each campaign
will air approximately 25 spots over
the two week period, in selected time
slots. A campaign concentrated in
late December will capture many
listeners who are spending extended
time in their car, finishing (or
starting) their holiday shopping.
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urrently, the PRFC has no
presence on the Internet.
This would be a tremendous
weakness during a membership
drive and would seriously limit
the number of membership sales
prior to the club opening. Our
Internet strategy focuses on two
key elements: a PRFC website
and social media engagement.
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www.advantageprfc.com
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he site should be established prior to the
launch of our grand opening campaign.
It should be visually appealing, including
as many photos as possible and be organized in
a concise, easy-to-navigate fashion. It should
include information on all membership levels,
including the ability to purchase memberships
online. Site content - the actual words on your
web pages — is one element of site building that
often gets short shrift. But sales copy is essential
to success on the Internet, and you should commit
to making it the very best it can be. A professional
copywriter should be utilized to compose your
web copy, since well-written sales copy can
increase your sales exponentially. A professional
will also pay close attention to search engine
optimization, to ensure your site appears near or at
the top of relevant search results. Overall, the site
should reflect our key messages as well, portraying
the PRFC as a premier tennis training facility,
committed to bringing your game to the next level.
We also recommend that the URL for the website
coincide with our overall marketing campaign www.AdvantagePRFC.com.
social media initiatives
W
hile many businesses are jumping on the band wagon and
attempting to utilize social media in the marketplace, very few are
effectively leveraging the power of social media. One of the keys
to social media success is engagement with your audience. Many businesses
simply post content on sites like Facebook, with little regard for how customers
will respond. Ideally, you’re generating dialogue with your audience through
social media and keeping the PRFC top-of-mind. Furthermore, social media
should not be intended to generate immediate membership revenues. The true
value of social media lies in it’s ability to keep your brand in the consciousness
of your audience. Through Facebook “likes” and Twitter posts, eventually,
your brand should reach a viral status with your target audience and quite
simply, always be a key player in their social universe. Once a person “likes”
the PRFC, there is no cost for the PRFC to speak continually to a user via their
news feed. And once you’re in their news feed, the content is available for
all of their “friends” to see and hopefully “like.” Such is the viral and highlyeffective nature of Facebook engagement.
Our social media strategy prior to the grand opening will focus on establishing
a Facebook page for the PRFC. The page will update “fans” throughout
building construction and remind them about the upcoming grand opening.
Once the club is open, the Facebook page will update fans on upcoming
events and promotions, while also posting photos from events and running
contests which are exclusive to the Facebook page. There should be some
exclusive content only available on the Facebook page, giving fans a valuable
reason to “like” our page. Possible exclusive content could include daily or
weekly tennis tips (including video tennis tips), court rental notifications, and
exclusive discounts on memberships, lessons, or pro shop items. The page
will be cross-promoted with all advertising efforts, especially in the first few
months of the club. It’s recommended that someone on staff at the PRFC
manage the page on a daily basis.
The PRFC should utilize Twitter in a similar fashion, updating followers on
all the happenings at the club. It’s important to ensure that your content is
engaging and valuable to your audience, and similar to that of Facebook,
consistency and engagement is key to the success of your Twitter strategy.
cross-court backhand
need some work?
Tired of losing?
Click here.
Advantage, PRFC.
The Pittsburgh Racquet
& Fitness Club
To promote your Facebook page and PRFC
web site, we’re recommending using Facebook
ads, particularly during the initial membership
drive. The nature of Facebook advertising allows
us to target very specific demographics, thus
making efficient use of marketing dollars. We’ll
have the capability to target people according to
age, location, and even interests, like tennis. If
information in their Facebook profile matches
the specifications on our campaign, the ad will
appear on their Facebook page. We’ll have the
ability to link the ad to either the PRFC Facebook
page or the PRFC website. You can choose to pay
for Facebook ads on a per-click basis or a perimpression basis.
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W
orking in concert with
our advertising and
internet tactics, our
public relations tactics will continue
to build trust in the PRFC brand and
maintain top-of-mind awareness
among our target audience. The
public relations initiatives will be
built around a grand opening event
and strategic media releases –both
of which will be designed to reflect
our key messages and be driven by
our research and strategy.
grand opening event
T
he grand opening event should, coincidentally, coincide with the grand opening of the PRFC. With that in
mind, it need not be held on the exact day that it opens – it could be held sometime in January 2011. The
grand opening event will drive home the desired brand image of the PRFC, highlighting the top-notch tennis
training facilities, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, and family atmosphere with exceptional personal service. The
event should feature refreshments, guided tours, meet & greet opportunities, interactive tennis stations, a Nintendo
Wii tennis tournament with prizes, youth athletic challenges, and projector screens playing classic tennis matches.
Also, if possible, you should consider securing a local professional athlete for an autograph signing session during
the event. The entire facility should feature PRFC-branded ‘welcome’ signs and banners, along with an ample amount
of PRFC-branded merchandise, prizes, and SWAG (Stuff We All Get). Perhaps most importantly, the grand opening
event should feature opportunities to purchase PRFC memberships, with discounts offered for same-day purchases
(see sales promotion section for details).
The PRFC management should also consider a raffle or drawing at the grand opening event, with the grand prize being
a complimentary year-long membership. The raffle would ideally be free, but the only way to enter is by attending the
event. Participants would simply provide their contact information on the raffle ticket to be eligible. This would also
provide the PRFC with mailing information to begin compiling a database of potential members.
The grand opening event should be a one-day event, ideally on a Saturday. This concentrated time-period will create
more of an atmosphere and buzz, with people coming and going and mingling throughout the day. It will also increase
the likelihood of people bumping into someone they know, creating a very familial atmosphere – similar to that of
“Cheers.” This positive, vibrant atmosphere will lead to a positive feeling about the PRFC, and subsequently, increased
membership revenues.
media releases
O
ur media releases will be timely and relevant, and will be targeted to emphasize key features of the
PRFC. Prior to the grand opening event, we recommend at least two releases – a general release
highlighting the grand opening event, and a construction-phase release which highlights the green
building design of the PRFC. The grand opening release will be of interest to media outlets since the PRFC is
the newest indoor tennis facility in the Pittsburgh area and the only one built within the last 15 years. The green
building release will appeal to the media by piggybacking on the national green movement and localizing it.
It will highlight the cost-effective measures that the PRFC employed to make the building more energy efficient.
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sales promotion
S
ince you’ll need to have members prior to the official opening of the club, it will likely be necessary to lure
them via attractive sales promotions. Discounted membership options will help to overcome the fact that these
potential members will be unable to tour the facilities, assuming the club hasn’t opened yet. We’re proposing
deep discounts on memberships purchased prior to the grand opening event – in the range of 25%-30% savings on a
one-year membership. The discount needs to be significant enough to prompt a purchase prior to the opening date –
this will only be accomplished with a discount in excess of 25%.
At the grand opening event, we recommend offering a 20% membership discount for people who purchase a year-long
membership that day. This tactic will encourage people to purchase a membership at the grand opening event, rather
than going home and “thinking about it.” If they leave the event without purchasing a membership, the probability of
them purchasing a membership at a later date significantly decreases.
Any dollars lost in membership discounts will be recovered in membership volume and positive word-of-mouth
from the newly-acquired members. Following the official opening of the club, sales promotion tactics should be
implemented on an as-needed basis, and need not be discounted as deeply as the pre-grand opening promotions.
I
sales training
n accordance with our pre-grand opening membership drive, it will also be necessary to provide comprehensive
sales training for PRFC associates. Our marketing campaign will most definitely bring people in the doors and
keep the phones ringing, but the responsibility of converting those inquiries into paying members lies with the
management and staff of the PRFC. To that end, we recommend composing a sales training manual and providing sales
training for your associates. This will ensure that your staff is maintaining a universal sales approach with potential
members and that they’re sufficiently educated and fully aware of all the distinct competitive advantages of the PRFC.
The sales training should be completed prior to memberships going on sale, and training should continue as associates
are hired or relegated to a sales role.
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ssuming our grand opening
campaign
was
hugely
successful
and
generated
hundreds of memberships, now it’s
time to maintain those members,
while finding new members and
generating new revenue streams.
Our grand opening event strategy
and tactics will generate tremendous
buzz and membership revenue, but
it’s equally important to maintain that
momentum throughout the first year of
operation, and beyond. This portion of
the campaign is designed to maintain
and grow brand awareness and also to
inform our audience about upcoming
events and promotions at the PRFC,
throughout the first year. The following
tactics and initiatives will be most
effective working together, in lieu of
being parceled out as individual tactics.
Consistency in message and frequency
throughout the first year is paramount
as well.
post-grand opening advertising
direct mail
It’s recommended to continue the direct mail campaign to members of our target audience, who haven’t already
purchased memberships. We should make a minimum of one contact per month, whether it be through direct mail or
e-mail. We’re recommending a total of six mailings throughout the year, to approximately 1,000 people in your target
audience.
e-mail marketing
Given our access to a comprehensive e-mail list and the low-cost of an e-mail campaign, we’re recommending continued
e-mail marketing. Recipients in the e-mail database should receive two contacts per month throughout the first year.
This will help to ensure top-of-mind awareness for the PRFC, but avoid information overload and possible inundation
and saturation of our audience. We plan to utilize a contact management system similar to that of Constant Contact.
outdoor advertising
The Lingle Marketing Group is recommending a steady billboard campaign throughout the year, with a total of four
boards strategically placed, in high-traffic areas. The boards will be a secondary reinforcement to our mail and radio
campaigns, again generating exposure to hundreds of thousands of people.
radio advertising
Additional radio advertising should be purchased in January and February, in preparation for New Year’s health &
fitness resolutions. We’re recommending a campaign similar to the grand opening, with spots running for a week each
in mid-January and mid-February.
web-based advertising
Similar to our pre-grand opening web advertising, we’re recommending a consistent Internet advertising presence
throughout the first year. Internet advertising is effective, since it provides a direct link to your product and brand.
None of the other advertising venues facilitate this type of interaction. The web based advertising will provide
ample opportunity to promote PRFC monthly specials and events, in a fluid, interactive manner. We’re once again
recommending a consistent presence on post-gazette.com, a website frequented by our target audience.
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post-grand opening public relations
media releases
Similar to the grand opening media releases, our releases throughout the first year will reflect the key messages of the
the PRFC and be targeted to our audience. Several initial ideas for releases include success stories of club members,
promotions and hires of club staff, and upcoming tournaments and events. We will work in conjunction with PRFC
management to identify other strategic opportunities for media releases throughout the first year.
media planning and training
We will identify opportunities for the staff at the PRFC to be valuable contributors for media outlets. For example, in
early January, we can pitch a story to a local television station regarding New Year’s resolutions and tips for maintaining
a healthy lifestyle. The highly-trained staff at the PRFC can serve as experts for the story, providing commentary and
tips for viewers. This is obviously a great way to generate free publicity and to keep the PRFC top of mind in the
community. We will work to identify these types of opportunities throughout the year.
sponsorships
It’s likely that throughout the first year and beyond, PRFC will be contacted by local non profits and youth sports
teams for sponsorship opportunities. We don’t advise sponsoring every event that is offered, but you should allocate
some money throughout the year for sponsorship opportunities. This will demonstrate your commitment to the
community, thus engendering trust and respect with your target audience.
member newsletter
To keep your members connected to the PFRC, we’re recommending producing a quarterly member newsletter,
highlighting the happenings at the club. You should update members on promotions and events, new hires, and
achievements and accomplishments of staff and members. The newsletter should be produced both in hard copy and
an e-mail version. The digital version would include links to the PRFC website and might also feature weekly video
tennis tips from the PRFC tennis pros. The newsletters will serve as yet another contact point with club members,
strengthening the bond they feel with the PRFC.
collateral materials
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To better accommodate people who don’t have Internet access, we’re recommending producing a brochure or view
book, which will highlight all the aspects of the PRFC, similar to that of the website. This will also be a valuable piece
to distribute at the grand opening.
post-grand opening digital media
www.advantageprfc.com
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our website should serve as a 24/7 open house for potential members.
With this in mind, following the initial launch of the PRFC website,
it’s imperative to keep the site updated with accurate and timely
information on a regular basis. Without regular updates, your site will become
static and predictable, allowing club members to easily ignore it. Constant
updates with valuable news and information will compel them to visit the
site more regularly, thus creating another contact point with your valuable
members. This strategy will also demonstrate to potential members that the
club is active, engaged, and always keeping their members best interests in
mind.
social media initiatives
W
e’re also proposing continuing with social media initiatives
throughout the year, similar to those prior to the grand opening.
Social media engagement will drive more people to the PRFC
website and provide yet another invaluable contact point with our target
audience. The nature of Facebook advertising allows us to target very specific
demographics, thus making efficient use of marketing dollars. Your social
media initiatives should run concurrently and strategically with traditional
marketing initiatives throughout the year. As is the case with all of our
proposed tactics, social media is most effective when guided by sound strategy
and coupled with complementary tactics. Our goal throughout the first year
will be to continue to build our base of Facebook users who “like” the PRFC,
and continue to engage them in online conversation, thus increasing the
likelihood that their friends will see us and follow us as well.
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measurement
T
he effectiveness of our IMC campaign will be measured against
our original IMC objectives. The grand opening event will be
gauged by overall attendance and memberships generated. We’re
expecting at least 500 visitors to the event, with 250 new members
joining the PRFC that day, or as a direct result of the grand opening
event. The effectiveness of the new PRFC website will be shown
through website analytics, which will show us the number of visitors
to the site on a daily and monthly basis. The effectiveness of our social
media initiatives will be shown through the number of “likes” we have
on Facebook, in addition to the number of our Twitter followers.
Brand awareness will be measured by surveying our target audience
at the end of year one. If our IMC campaign was executed as planned,
we’re confident that the survey will reveal that at least 50% of our
target audience is familiar with the offerings and key messages of The
Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club. Among those people, 30% will
view the PRFC as the #1 tennis training facility in the Pittsburgh area.
Finally, market share will be measured by comparing our membership
numbers to those of competing clubs in the area. Our IMC plan will
most definitely yield a market share in excess of 30% by the end of year
one.
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conclusion
T
he Lingle Marketing Group is confident that this integrated
marketing communications plan will not only generate 750+
memberships in the first year, but it will also position The
Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club for long term success, beyond the
first year. As you’ve seen, our approach is multi-faceted and multidimensional, mixing traditional marketing venues, with new media
integration and solid public relations initiatives. It’s important to note
that the tactics laid out in this plan will not be effective on their own –
more so, it’s the integration of all tactics working together, in concert,
which will yield tremendous results.
For a project of this undertaking, it’s necessary to partner with a firm
which is grounded in a solid strategic approach and complemented by
an enlightening creative flare. The Lingle Marketing Group is just that,
and is fully prepared to introduce the PRFC to the Greater Pittsburgh
area.
We look forward to partnering with the PRFC management and sharing
in the success of this one-of-a-kind facility.
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timeline - prior to grand opening
november
web site &
social media development
direct mail campaign
e-mail blasts
billboard advertising
december
Nov. 1, 2010 - Nov. 30, 2010
Nov. 1, 2010; Nov. 15, 2010; Dec. 1, 2010; Dec. 15, 2010
November , 2010 - December 30, 2010; one per week
Nov. 1, 2010 - Nov. 30, 2010
Dec. 1, 2010 - Dec. 31, 2010 (1)
Dec. 1, 2010 - Dec. 31, 2010 (1)
facebook advertising
Nov. 15, 2010 - Jan. 15, 2011
brochures/view books
printed
Dec. 1, 2010
website launch
Dec. 1, 2010
grand opening
press release
radio campaign
promotional materials
in-hand
grand opening event
january
Jan. 1, 2011 - Jan. 31, 2011 (1)
Dec. 8, 2010
Dec. 13, 2010 - Jan 3, 2011
Dec. 20, 2010
Jan. 15, 2011
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timeline - post grand opening
january
radio campaign
Jan. 17-24, 2011
february
april - december
Feb. 14-21, 2011
direct mail
February 2011 - December 2011; one mailing per month
e-mail blasts
February 2011 - December 2011; two e-mails per month
billboard advertising
green building
press release
May, Aug., Nov. 2011
Feb. 1-28, 2011
facebook advertising
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march
February 2011 - December 2011
Feb. 1, 2011
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estimated investment
grand opening campaign
Direct Mail (design, printing and postage; 1,500 pieces x four mailings)
Mailing List
$500
E-Mail (design & monitoring; ~500 e-mails, 8x)
$500
Outdoor Advertising (design and placement; four billboards)
$13,300
Radio (writing and placement; two stations, 50 spots each)
$8,000
Internet Banner Ads (design and placement)
$2,000
Website production (design and programming)
$5,000
Social Media Advertising (design and placement)
$500
Event Signs & Promotional Items (design and printing)
$3,500
Collateral materials (design and printing, 500 brochures or view books)
$5,000
Grand Opening Event (A/V Rental, refreshments, food, prizes, etc.)
$2,000
Total estimated investment
Estimated membership revenue generated
The estimated ROI for the grand opening marketing campaign is approximately 4.5:1.
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$8,250
$48,550
$264,000
estimated investment
post-grand opening campaign
Direct Mail (design, printing and postage; 1,000 pieces x six mailings)
E-Mail (design and monitoring; ~500 e-mails, 2x per month)
Outdoor Advertising (design and placement; four billboards)
$8,250
$600
$13,300
Radio (writing and placement; two stations, 50 spots each)
$8,000
Internet Banner Ads (design and placement)
$5,000
Social Media Advertising
$500
Sponsorships
$2,500
Quarterly newsletter (design, copy writing, and printing; 500 copies, 4x)
$4,000
Total estimated investment
Estimated membership revenue generated
$42,150
$960,000+
The estimated ROI for the entire IMC campaign, including the grand opening campaign is approximately 10:1.
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direct mail piece
cross-court backhand,
perfected.
Want to know what it feels like to land a sizzling
cross-court backhand just inside the line?
The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club’s tennis pros
provide you the strategy and expertise needed
to bring your tennis game to the next level.
Our one-of-a-kind fitness facility offers a
complete workout arena for strength training and
conditioning, transforming a good competitor
into a great one.
Bragging rights start here.
Advantage, PRFC.
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billboards
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billboards
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billboards
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radio script
The Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club
60-second radio spot
Husband and wife talking to each other about a recent tennis match
Wife: Hi honey, how’d your tennis match go?
Husband: eeehh , I lost again . My cross-court backhand is absolutely killing
me . And I can’t seem to get my first serve in . And to top it off, Mike kept
hitting these nasty drop shots that I just couldn’t get to.
Wife: Wow, sounds like a great time .
Husband: Well , I mean , I love playing, I just wish I could take my game to
the next level . You know how competitive I am.
Wife: I know. Why don’t we check out The Pittsburgh Racquet and Fitness
Club? Karen was telling me about it the other day – she and Tom joined .
She says the club has six indoor courts, an indoor running track , and a full
fitness center. Plus you can get private tennis training from one of their
experienced tennis pros.
Husband: Wow. That sounds perfect. I didn’t know we had a tennis training
center like that in Pittsburgh .
Wife: It ’s brand new. I checked out their website and it looks awesome . Plus
they have a bunch of different membership options.
Husband: Sounds good to me . When can we check it out?
Announcer: “Visit the Pittsburgh Racquet and Fitness Club’s grand
opening event, Saturday, January 15, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tour the facility,
meet our pros, and explore membership options. Call 716-5555 or visit
advantageprfc.com for more details.
The Pittsburgh Racquet and Fitness Club – where tennis is more than a
game , it ’s a lifestyle .
Advantage , PRFC.”
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digital media - banner ad
stop smashing rackets and
start smashing overheads.
Tired of losing?
The pros at The Pittsburgh Racquet &
Fitness Club are here to help you beat
your toughest opponent.
Advantage, PRFC.
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grand opening press release
December 2010
CONTACT:
Rob Gregoire
General Manager
rob@prfc.com
(412) 716-7289
For Immediate Release:
OPEN HOUSE SLATED FOR NEW
HARMARVILLE TENNIS CENTER
HARMARVILLE, PA – After months of anticipation and preparation, the brand new
Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club is ready to open its doors with an open house event,
scheduled for January 15, 2011. The event is open to tennis enthusiasts wishing to
explore the new 20,000 square foot indoor tennis and fitness center, located in
Harmarville, PA. The event is free and open to the public – no appointment is necessary.
The grand opening event will feature tours of the facility, live entertainment, interactive
tennis training stations, refreshments, and opportunities to meet club staff and tennis
professionals. Attendees will also be able to purchase memberships on-site.
The Pittsburgh Racquet and Fitness Club is owned and operated by a group of investors
from the Pittsburgh area, including head tennis pros Rob Gregoire and Craig Perry. The
club features eight indoor tennis courts, a full fitness facility, 1/8-mile indoor track, a spa,
sport-specific training, and a snack bar. For more information visit
www.AdvantagePRFC.com.
The Pittsburgh Racquet and Fitness Club is dedicated to providing a premier level of
tennis and sports training, through experienced pros and state-of-the-art equipment. The
experienced staff is dedicated to developing every athlete to their highest potential, while
maintaining a comfortable, family atmosphere throughout.
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survey results
Pittsburgh Racquet & Fitness Club
1. How often do you play tennis?
Response
Response
Percent
Count
Never
2.9%
2
A couple times per year
4.3%
3
Once a month
2.9%
2
2-3 times per month
7.1%
5
Once a week
15.7%
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More than once a week
67.1%
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Other (please specify)
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answered question
70
skipped question
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Response
Response
Percent
Count
2. Why do you play tennis (choose all that apply)?
Exercise/Leisure activity
69.7%
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Training for competitive play
67.1%
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Business Networking
3.9%
3
Social Networking
23.7%
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N/A
3.9%
3
Other (please specify)
4
answered question
76
skipped question
3
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The Lingle Marketing Group November 2010