Dog Park Marketing Proposal
... will allow the NDS to become a stable organization by having members commit to volunteer to see the dog park succeed and have the organization prosper. Our final marketing objective is the overall usage of the dog park. Our situation is clear, from May 15 – October 15, dogs are prohibited from the beach and those who do take their dogs on the beach are subject to a fine. The NDS would like to see a 15% increase in usage of the dog park during these months. This is because the dog park for that time of year is the only public area for dogs to run off leash. V. Marketing Strategy A. Analysis of Buyer Behavior The NDS will be using complete buyer to consumer targeting. Since the NDS is a non-profit organization, they are appealing to consumers for a product that will benefit their lives and community and are not out to make a profit. Our first example user is the Newburyport dog owner. This buyer is a responsible dog owner, meaning they realize the responsibilities associated with owning a dog. Secondly, they realize that dogs have needs as animals, one of those needs being off-leash exercise. This responsibility and needs are what the NDS wants to use to appeal to the buyer. The complementary relationship between having dogs off leash in public areas with public support is important to both the NDS and their target of the example buyer. Lastly, the dog owner will understand the missions of the NDS and the dog park and how that fits into the park being part of the public community of Newburyport. The second example users are the community supporters who do not own dogs. Since this buyer realizes that all pet owners have needs, and the NDS is supporting the needs of dog owners. First, they will support a regulated off-leash exercise area. Secondly, they will realize that the NDS will provide the central organization to organize, communicate, and answer any questions pertaining to the dog park. Lastly, the NDS will appeal to these supportive buyers by stating the dog park will function to help restore balance within the community that was upset due to the loss of summer beach usage. B. Market Segmentation Analysis In order for the NDS to have a successful dog park at March’s Hill, there are three groups that the organization must have complete agreement and support. The first is the Newburyport City Council, then two groups from the community, dog owners and non-dog owners, our buyers as well. Each group has specific questions, concerns, and needs when it comes to introducing a dog park to the area where they live. The NDS will provide the utmost support to these groups in return for their support of the dog park. The NDS required City Council support primarily for the change in trash regulations to allow animal waste to be disposed in the public trashcan at March’s Hill. Additionally, as a body governing Newburyport, the NDS must show the council that the use of March’s Hill for a dog park will help alleviate some of the tension based on beach regulations concerning when dogs. Additionally, the NDS will show the council that they are a self sufficient organization; our first year plan to implement the dog park, along with continued evaluation will show the City Council the NDS is taking this request seriously. Lastly, the NDS will continue to prove to the council that they will continue to keep March’s Hill clean, through the requirement to have owners pick up after dogs, and providing the mutt mitts to do so, along with a trash receptacle present. The second group the NDS needs support from is local dog owners. Since the dog park does have a membership requirement, and the organization is working toward 100 members, dog owners need to support the dog park by becoming a member and by utilizing the park and the amenities within the park, such as provided mutt mitts and the weekend dog sitter. The NDS will be providing a year round area for dogs to run off-leash. Since tension does exist concerning dogs being allowed to run on the beach, the NDS wants to position itself as a viable alternative to the beach for dogs to run off-leash. March’s Hill provides a large grassy area for dogs to run, plus dogs will not come back home dirty and wet from the beach, which could be a plus for many dog owners. Safety will be stressed to this group in that the dog park is specific for this use, whereas the beach possessed problems of people and families with children, especially younger children, being disturbed, knocked down, or annoyed. Lastly the NDS wants dog owners to realize that they are an organization looking for out for their needs and the initial creation of a dog park is the first step in that direction. The last group that the NDS needs support from are non-dog owners within the community. The first selling point to this group is the idea that the dog park will be a viable alternative to dogs running off-leash on the beach. Non-dog owners may have fears about dogs off-leash and within the dog park, unlike the open beach; this is a designated area, with regulations, where dog can run off leash, always under the careful watch of their owners or a reliable pet sitter. Secondly, as with the unregulated beach, this dog park will have regulations, especially concerning picking up after the dogs. Each owner is expected to use the provided mutt mitts to clean up after their dog, where, on the beach, an owner may choose to not pick up after their dog, may have forgotten to bring a bag, or sometimes dogs use the water as a restroom. This dog park will alleviate all of those unsanitary problems. The NDS has cleanliness of the community as their priority. Lastly the NDS wants to educate each of these groups about the overall benefits that the dog park will provide. Dogs that get the opportunity to run off leash are better behaved. They have had to opportunity to expel some energy in a productive manner. Dogs and owners can go to this designated park, play fetch, run around, and get exercise. Now exercise for a dog will not consist of being placed on a leash and taken around the block. With the loss of beach usage during the summer, dogs and owners needs somewhere to play. For example, a dog, which is just cooped up in a backyard all day is not happy. Often times, dogs will have barking and behavior issues based on this type of care and what some owners may consider adequate exercise. Secondly, the dog park will help bring the community together. The dog park can serve as a center for dog owner and possibly non-dog owners to come together. When on the beach normally people are walking along the beach with their dogs running around near them and they simply pass others on the beach that is also walking along. A dog park environment has people in closer proximity allowing them to strike up conversations with each other while their dogs are playing in the park. Additionally non-dog owners passing by the dog park may stop by and talk to owners, since the park will be open (non-fenced). Building a greater sense of community through the dog park will be helpful in alleviating tension from the loss of beach usage and possibly additional restriction. If dog owners did not have an alternative such as the dog park, they could become non-compliant with the beach regulations in to defy the City Council, may continue to use the dog park illegally. The dog park will provide a constant opportunity for dogs and dog owners to play and exercise, giving the feeling that even if they cannot use the beach, they do have the park. VI. Marketing Tactics C. Product The location of the dog park will be in a pre-existing park in Newburyport, March’s Hill. The dog park is located on High Street, near to residential and beach areas, making it a prime location for the town. The location of the park is also important because it does not have parking, helping to limit usage to only Newburyport residents, while keeping the general public out. It does importantly, have a working crosswalk with light so walking into town is not a safety issue. Marches Hill is a beautiful wide area covered with grass. Additionally, since our survey results showed a non-fenced park was preferred, March’s Hill allows a dog park to exist without a fence due to its landscape. The slope near the road keeps dogs toward the center of the park, away from the road. The back edge of the park has a thick tree barrier, which will also prevent dogs from getting too far. The dog park will have a membership program, where dog owners will fill out an application form (Appendix C). This will allow the NDS to continue to maintain the park, without putting extra burden onto the city. NDS will charge $50 for a one year membership. If a family has more than one dog, each additional dog will cost another $10. In order to show which owners are members, the NDS will be providing tags that will be attached to the leash, that will show membership to the NDS, the year, and have a tag number specific for that dog. The dog park will operate in the same manner as the other public parks. It will be open from dawn to dusk. Additionally from May through October a dog sitter will be hired by NDS to watch dogs at the park from 11am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday (Appendix D). Dog owners would be able to drop their dog off with the sitter during these hours. The NDS will also be setting up a website http://www.newburyportdogsociety.com. The website will have the information brochure, the application form, as well as park regulations and other information such as meetings, etc. D. Price The NDS will require that all members pay an annual fee that is based on the number of dogs they wish to register as well as the total number of dogs registered. When calculating the members annual fee, everything from fixed and variable costs to the total number of dogs registered in the town were taken into consideration. We plan to target at least 50% of the dog owners who have registered their dogs through the methods mentioned earlier, which will reach close to 500 households. We have made the assumption, based on our survey results, that from these 500 dog owners 20% will want to become members of the NDS. In order to calculate the annual membership fee, all costs used throughout are based on a minimum of 100 members. In the case of an exceptionally higher membership rate than previously determined, we will reevaluate the pricing and make necessary fee adjustments, or package additional benefits into their memberships for added value. The $50 annual membership fee was calculated by adding the total fixed costs and total variable costs to calculate our total costs that we expect to occur over the course of one year (Appendix E). This total of $4704.07 was then divided by the minimum 100 members that we expect to sign up in the first year, so in order to break even each member would pay $47.04 per year. We then rounded this number to $50 to ensure that any variances in our variable costs would be covered and would not have to come directly out of any one individuals pocket. Throughout our pricing decision, we explored two other annual fee options, which would offer less benefits and accommodations at a lower price. The $10 package we explored would have offered dog owners the bare essentials of an established Dog Park such as a sign noting the rules and regulations as well as some marketing to create awareness (Appendix F). The $20 package that was also discussed is a much more generous package which included NDS Membership identification for the dogs, provided dispensers for the ease of dog cleanup in addition to a bench for owners to enjoy (Appendix G). However, due to Newburyport’s dog owners lifestyles we felt that the $50 package which includes an on-site dog sitter during peak weekend hours would be the more desirable package. In addition, a majority of the dog owners surveyed were willing to pay an average of $50 per year (Appendix H). E. Distributio...