Gosford All Blacks RFC, Marketing Plan Example

Executive Summary

This marketing plan demonstrates a strategic and methodical effort for the Gosford All Back Rugby Football Club. Based in England, the Gosford All Black Rugby team has the fortune of taking part in the Rugby World Cup in which they use to provide a legacy for their club, as well for the Oxford Rugby Football Union. Rugby football is one of the biggest sports in the world. As the popularity of the sport continues to grow, the Rugby World Cup is an important international tournament in which the top international teams compete for the William Webb Ellis Cup. In showcasing the importance of Gosford All Blacks RFC to the tournament as well as the league.

This two-year marketing plan for January 2015 to December 2016, will evaluate the organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as a review of their opportunities, as well as their threats that serves as a basis for this analysis strategy, and the team’s marketing plan. This marketing plan will look at the growth strategy of the organization, and suggest ways in which it can build on existing fan base, and the development of their team’s notoriety in the international rugby market. It will effectively discuss the timescales, resources, responsibilities, and monitoring and control of the organization. Since Gosford All Blacks RFC is one of the top teams in the union, there this plan is tasked with highlighting the increasing opportunities to drive more fans, customers, and businesses (sponsors) to invest in the longevity of the organization.

Organization Description

Gosford All Blacks Rugby Football Club is a local rugby club that is established in Kidlington. The Gosford All Blacks Rugby Club has grown considerably since their inception, and they have steadied a growing local fan base, as well as a youth clubs to compete amongst other rugby clubs in the Oxon Rugby Football Union. Gosford All Blacks RFC is an up and coming professional rugby football team that represents the league’s highest level throughout the UK. The rugby football club has successfully created a modern sophisticated club within the local UK culture. Gosford All Blacks RFC is a rugby organization that offers both entertainment and sports to men and youth of both genders that focuses to provide a popular and friendly framework for rugby in the UK. The emphasis of Gosford All Blacks places premium self-esteem, confidence, and character by stressing the values of teamwork and sportsmanship through hard work during tournaments, games, and other skills.

The Mission

The mission of Gosford All Blacks is to aim to be the premier organization for providing quality rugby football in England, and throughout the UK. Through is quintessence of community involvement and sportsmanship while offering top-level rugby facilities. More importantly, the Gosford All Blacks mission is to offer harmonious, reputable, and competitive association that enables the players and other members to compete throughout the league. Thus developing an environment in which parents, supporters, and players can proudly associate with the club presently, and in the future.

Goals

During the next two years, Gosford All Blacks will seek to achieve the following nonfinancial and financial goals:

Non-Financial:

• Increase the number of players to the organization through innovative marketing strategies
• Increase participation from parents, new coaches, and other volunteers
• To create an enticing environment from the club and local area for the premier of the Rugby World Cup 2015.

Financial:

• Expand the customer base
• Obtain more financing opportunities for fan merchandise, and increased distribution
• Increase advertising revenues
• Increase sponsorship from supporters in the surrounding area (local business, corporate sponsorships, and international businesses)

The vision of Gosford All Blacks RFC is to be one of the most well known and respected within the ORFC. Gosford All Blacks RFC main mission is offer the fans and the country with pride and entertainment through the members of their rugby club. The players and the organization will continue to showcase the purpose and the vision with continual promotion and sportsmanship of fair play. The purpose of the marketing plan is not only to provide their strategic marketing plan, but also present the opportunity for the rugby club to showcase their financial and expected operations over the next two years. The marketing plan will expound on the ways in which the organization will attempt to achieve the goals of the organization. Along with the marketing objectives and strategies provided, this marketing plan will include a comprehensive Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, and the identification of the methods, target markets, and attempts to maintain the competitive advantage of the organization. The success of the marketing plan will in turn mean that the organization. Gosford All Blacks RFC will be a profitable, reputable, and popular organization in the league.

Environmental Analysis

Being a part of the Rugby World Cup 2015 in England, will provide Gosford All Blacks RFC the premier opportunity to raise the level of awareness for the involvement of rugby, for not only mean, but also women, and children of ages. Founded in May 15, 1956, the Gosford All Blacks was named after the touring New Zealand All Blacks. In the beginning, the team was a part of the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier League, and used the Gosford High School pitch and facilities. In 1959, the organization moved to Langford Lane, and they acquired their own clubhouse, becoming the youngest club to do so in 1962.  The club is currently participates in the Oxon Rugby Football Union. The organization is structured as an executive committee. The Executive Committee is made up six people, which consist of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Head of the juniors, and the Head of the 13-26 year old club players. The club also contains a general internal committee that is made up of eight individuals that oversee the day-to-day general activities that go on in the club. However, the club has a limited amount of coaches to the players, in order to train them. Although, the quality of the coaching has never been a question, they have been sufficient thus far in helping to propel the soccer squad. However, it remains a priority of the club to attract more people (coaches, players, etc.) to the club.

Marketing Environment Achievements

Within the world, a multifaceted network of social, cultural, economic, and political connections links countries. As their connections become more complex, the richer the countries become, the more open to greed and corruption. The advances to technology and the fast changing economic and political circumstances are making it easier for more organization to market their services and products internationally as well as locally. (Csutan.edu, n.d) Marketing internationally is the performance and development of activities of marketing across international boundaries. According to FAO, “the process of creating long lasting relationships through monitoring the distribution of ideas, goods, and services, controlling the conception of promotion, pricing, and conception, executing, and planning. (FAO, n.d) There are numerous elements the influence the environment of global marketing. Organizations that enter the markets must adapt to the forces of the market by creating adjustments that are vital to their marketing plans. A successful marketing strategy requires a thorough analysis of the environment to comprehend the necessary desires and needs of the intended markets. The differences in the competitive, technological, legal, political, economic, and sociocultural forces and overwhelmingly affect the marketing strategies. In looking at the PESTEL analysis of Gosford All Blacks RFC, there are ways in which the organization can use these disadvantages to become advantages, and the advantages of the environment to be opportunities. There are several factors in which influence Gosford All Blacks RFC marketing strategy. The UK is profoundly into football, including Rugby, and opportunity in hosting the Rugby World Cup 2015, presents an opportunity to introduce the rugby club to an international market.

Although Gosford All Blacks RFC consists in a competitive league, in which is twofold. Gosford All Blacks relies on community support in which will offer public resources to create a successful rugby program that will have a profound impact on the rugby’s club success. The competition within the rugby football schedule is strong as many clubs suggest premier competition with other international teams. The marketing strategy will be used to set the team apart from the rest in the organization, in playing into the local community, and vying to be the premier rugby team in England. The organization will use the promotion strategy that is further outlined in order to appeal to a wider audience that might be aware of the other teams, and make themselves, well known outside of England, in which to obtain fans and sponsors.

The social factors of the Understanding the distinctive socio-cultural contrasts inside the international market can have noteworthy consequences for showcasing methodology. In the UK, the greater part of the rugby alliances have a solid fan base inside the groups. The fans of rugby change from ages, from the committed more established era to the more flexible of the adolescent that take much pride in their rugby fandom. Advertisers must recognize key sociocultural contrasts among nations to adjust their promoting procedure. In dealing with the social factors, the organization will seek to interact with the local communities, in being more involved in surrounding schools as well as the local businesses in order to establish a more predominant presence in which speaks to the community, that Gosford All Blacks is the team for them. The economy is recuperating from a money related downturn as consumer mentality has changed for more moderate, quality alternatives. Gosford understands that the in order to increase their budget overall, they must play to the preferences of their community. This includes introducing a price strategy in which ties into increasing their fan participation, by offering free tickets to one game, or offering tickets at discounts in order to incite more turnout.

The political forces will likely not play much into the marketing strategy, as; the UK government is steady and does not affect the business. The political forces actually will play to the advantage of the organization, as it will provide more incentives for the local businesses to support the team. This includes the legal forces in which help with the sales of jerseys, and other team merchandise that will be revamped to appeal to more fans, such as women and children. The advances in games innovation that is serving to direct matches with a specific end goal to expand the uprightness of the diversion. In the market for UK, much opportunity is accessible for technological development in the offer of the business for item advancements. The marketing plan will play to this advantage by offering more technology driven services such as applications, or commentary that will go along with the games of the team.

Customer Analysis

The main priority of Gosford All Blacks it to focus on the players, spectators, fans, and parents of their youth players. They must try to identify how to involve all in the organization, and obtained in order to be implemented. By focusing on their commitment to their members of the organization including their sponsors, and other stakeholders, Gosford All Blacks will effectively implement their niche differentiation strategy in the competitive sports market. Its capability to differentiate their team from other will contribute to the overall returns on sales of merchandise, rise in fan base, notoriety, and increase in sponsors. Their target market consists of a mixture of shareholders that support the operations of the rugby club. The target customers of Gosford All Blacks is topographically chosen. The target market is a mass business sector approach that involves the neighborhood specialists, inhabitants, guests, and soccer devotees. Gosford All Blacks services are suitable for all types of individuals of all ages, and the organization will execute a mass business methodology to market for the accomplishment of the club.

Gosford All Blacks target business will focus on all demographical areas and locations. The soccer administrations are practically identical with all sexual orientations, ages, family sizes, social foundations, occupations, ethnicities, and religions. An expanding part of the club’s target business is geographic because of the area. Inside reason, the position of the potential players can be any place in UK. Whilst the players can come anywhere all through the UK. The measure of the nation is a central point in selecting a target market. The UK has a vast populace, especially in the western suburbs close to the area of the offices. This will give the club advantage, as the potential players will work or live close-by. Much attention will be set on the psychographics at present selecting a target market for the club. In establishing, the target market in which is primarily the local and surrounding communities, the marketing plan will implement a promotion, distribution, and place strategies that will highlight their preferences, as well as motivate them to come to more games, as well as purchase merchandise that will increase sales, and retention. The marketing strategy will also be used in the customer analysis to increase volunteers by promoting club services and advantages.

Marketing Objectives

The football market is becoming increasingly competitive, and in order for Gosford All Blacks to stand out from the competition they must provide an innovative and sustainable marketing plan in which supports growth and higher margins as a focus on the development of new offerings, and the sports market to increase participation. The ability for Gosford All Blacks to meet and exceed their financial and non-financial objectives is based on:

• Building a strong reputable organization
• Support from the local communities
• Strong ethic club focus and marketing efforts
• Focus on club merchandise for obtaining revenue
• Sourcing out expertise and contacts for sponsors
• Forward thinking of the management and ownership teams
• The process of procuring more fans, players, volunteers, and coaches for the organization

Marketing Mix

According to Bodet (2009), a successful marketing strategy for rugby unions is to implement a marketing mix in which targets the audience in different ways. For Gosford All Blacks to do this they must go outside of their traditional word of mouth marketing and rely on a more cost effective means. This includes:

• At games display banners for both the team’s logo, as well as the UK flag to provide national pride and fan participation
• Pre-game events that entice the audience, and bring more energy to the games
• More club merchandise, such as t-shirts, jersey’s, and other paraphernalia that attract a younger crowd
• Price strategy that invites more spectators to try out the sport
• Implement a promotion strategy with team players on the TV, sports and non-sports shows.
• Maintain an inviting website that provides more information about the team, organization, and the players

Marketing Strategy

In developing the marketing plan, the product is Gosford All Blacks RFC and all their qualities as a good rugby team in which incorporates men, women, and youth. The services of Gosford All Blacks is being one of the best rugby teams in England, and gaining more fans, coaches, volunteers, and notoriety outside of England. The place strategy, promotion strategy, and positioning strategy is located below in which details what the organization is going to do to implement their marketing plan in order to take advantage of the opportunity that the Rugby World Cup will provide. As well, as turn their weaknesses into opportunities by measuring their progress by developing benchmarks. This includes providing regular reviews from the marketing department, of the goals and the objectives that will provide possible corrective actions and feedbacks on a timely basis. The objective of the marketing plan is to obtain a better comprehension of the satisfaction and the needs of the fans and local area. Gosford All Blacks can use the knowledge and feedbacks from fans in order to better serve the local communities. Gosford All Blacks will utilize current technologies, marketing objectives, and other tools needed for capturing more fans, gaining more coaches, getting more sponsors.

Marketing Implementation

Gosford All Blacks are working on a limited marketing budget, so they must do their best in order to successfully implement these strategies including getting support from the local communities and businesses. By going to the local businesses, they are able to raise awareness of their club, as well as gain sponsorships to supply merchandise that stands out from other rugby clubs. Create banners to be displayed across the city, and in the facilities. Invite local talent to for pre-game events that entertain the audience. Also, promote the club through their players, by appearing on television shows that are not all sports centric, such as local news, talk shows, entertainment shows, etc. The pricing strategy that will be implemented includes a limited offer of discounted tickets that allows more spectators to come and view the matches. With the pre-game entertainment, as well as the sport paraphernalia, and the banners they will entice the spectators to come back and pay full price for the tickets. They will also utilized the promotion and distribution strategy by taking the traditional route of print advertising, word of mouth, and social media that will help in securing their fan base, as well as get out the needs for more volunteers to coach the teams. Gosford All Blacks will utilize direct marketing including distributing team press releases through the post service, and other traditional means. They will also use television as a mode of promotion, and radio to tie into the older market for more fans to their games. The responsibility will be placed on the leader of the marketing department, as well as other members and players in the organization to implement the strategies.

 Evaluation and Control

In evaluating the marketing plan of the organization, the key members will continue to monitor the external and internal environment that will seek to evaluate the SWOT analysis, which will turn their weaknesses into strengths, and their threats into opportunities to attract fans from across the UK and beyond. With the World Cup nearing, the club will do their part in implementing the marketing strategy by supplying a progress report every three months. As well as, by continually monitoring their social media presence, as well as track visitors to their website. Each key member of the organization will have overall responsibility for reporting financial expenditures, and obtaining fan feedback in helping to direct the direction of the organization. The head of the marketing team will be responsible for reporting where the marketing funds will be directed, as well as reports on how the marketing plan is operating. Any new sponsor activity, and change to the marketing plan will be discussed. Any funds obtained will be distributed throughout the two-year marketing plan, and will be compared to the overall budget of the organization. They will also evaluate the marketing strategies throughout the two-year plan, including sales of merchandise, tickets for games, membership, and the overall marketing budget. The monitoring process will include but not limited to, the project management concept used in evaluating the marketing plan implementation, establishing the budgetary or financial expenditures, human resource needs, and time requirements.  A comparison will be made for the marketing strategies from two years ago until the beginning of 2016. These marketing plans will help in gaining more members, fans, volunteers, and sponsors to their club, which will ready them for the Rugby World Cup 2015. Through the constant evaluation and controlling of the marketing environment, they will maintain competitive edge over the other clubs within their union. All members to the marketing and Executive Committee are responsible for determining the changes that need to be made in operations, service focus, and procedures.

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