Introduction:
The Wounded Warrior Gym is a fitness center that is set to specialize in about ten physical fitness spheres that enhance its competitive edge across Virginia, namely precision, agility, strength, muscle power, coordination, vigor, flexibility, cardiovascular and respiratory resilience (Murphy, 2012). The facility is an affiliate of the CrossFit Inc., a consortium of over 13, 000 affiliated gyms which nearly half of them are located across the United States.
The Wounded Warrior’s competitors’, such as the Fit Slim and Mayfair Fitness, branding strategy is significantly efficient, in clearly and consistently defining the organization and its products. As this facility makes an entry into the fitness industry, its image, and brand awareness among the customers will be the key determiners to its future success. Therefore, these are the prime elements to meticulously plan and envision. In this regard, quality products and services delivery, direct marketing, personal selling, sales promotion, advertisements, and public relations will be the main product definition tools, towards attaining an extensive brand awareness, and improving the business image across the corporate world.
This report provides a concise analysis of the branding/and marketing strategy developed by Wounded Warrior management, to enhance physical fitness among the Virginia Community, particularly the corporate employees, manufacturing employees, and the local families and households.
Mission statement:
Our mission is to impart a memorable fitness experience on our clients, by delivering unparalleled possible fitness programs and nutrition solutions, through fun, inspiring, appropriate, and effective programs, to meet our clientele needs appropriately.
Vision:
Our vision is to become a unique, recognized standard to beat across the fitness industry, by serving the health and fitness educational and training needs of all individuals, households, and corporate employees.
Values:
Bear responsibility for all business outcomes;
Branding strategy:
For the purposes of effectively introducing our fitness services and products within the market, and to create a brand that will grow and advance in a saturated marketplace, the company will use the following strategies.
The company name:
The choice of the company name, ‘Wounded Warrior’ has been designed to evoke the clientele psychological and mental faculties, into conceptualizing a set of products that will offer challenge, and establish their projected character. Endurance, discipline, and fortitude are always ascribed to a warrior, and many customers would strive to master these inherent attributes, even under challenging circumstances (wounded) through our fitness programs.
Logo:
Slogan:
The fitness facility will adopt the ‘Care Beyond Duty’ slogan. This will elicit a proactive perspective in defining our sensitivity and commitment to the excellence of our clientele.
Brand extension:
he Wounded Warrior Gym is making a new entry into the industry under the affiliation of Cross Fit Inc., which has been in the industry for over 15 years. Factoring that clients have a great sense of esteem and approval over the CrossFit products and services, the latter will establish a product extension under the umbrella of CrossFit logo.
Marketing strategy:
Beyond the word of mouth in marketing, the management will produce brochures, pamphlets, and an annual fitness magazine, which will be provided to our customers at no charges. The firm will also manage a website that will be updated on a daily basis, providing relevant information on products and services, upcoming events, and educational materials on nutrition and fitness programs. The website will be supplemented with a social media platform, which will maintain corporate-clientele interactions, in acquisition of feedback, concerns, and recommendations.
Rationale:
With quality products and service delivery, especially the health monitoring programs and parameters, the company is confident that its products will be well placed to sell themselves. Customer referrals are projected to be the main source of new clientele, and this is set to expand exponentially across the years. The company will further create incentives and subscription subsidies to every customer who introduces up to five new friends within a year. Consequently, this will enhance a steadfast flow of customers, while maintaining the existing ones (Anderson, 2012).
Marketing milestones timeframe:
Positioning:
The firm will position itself as a low-cost, exclusive-quality brand. The company has settled on this positioning on the basis that the firm is entering an existing market, with current services and products. According to the Ansoff’s Product-Market Growth Matrix, the firm has adopted the market penetration approach (Jain, 2012). It has been proven to tap the competitor’s clients and it defines the least risky investment platform for the firm to grow.
Perceptual mapping:
Consumer behavior:
According to the previous market research, customers interested in keeping fit subscribe to physical fitness programs near them. As it was established, customers have diverse reasons in defining their physical and fitness programs. Among these reasons are as a socializing avenue, keeping the body fit and healthy, personal satisfaction, and other aspects of passing time and relaxation.
The chart below provides an illustration on the various reasons why customers engage in fitness and physical activity.
The brand name, Wounded Warrior, is projected to elicit the knack of a fighter in the course of the physical workout, and thus it perfectly resonates with the customers’ expectations in building resilience in activity, with the objective of attaining the desired bodily-healthy options.
The logo company logo has been designed to stimulate the customer’s mind into attaching meaning to the programs offered at the facility, with assurance that the premeditated objective, be it fitness or relation, will be accomplished.
The slogan ‘Care Beyond Duty’ is set to stimulate the sense of responsibility, and foster a proactive perspective in defining our sensitivity and commitment to the excellence of our clientele. By adopting the CrossFit logo as a subset of the Wounded Warrior’s log, the resulting combination embodied in the brand extension will build a level of trust and clientele approval, factoring that CrossFit Inc. has managed to deliver quality services and products across the fitness industry (Belger, 2012).
Based on low budgetary allocation on sporting events, clients often choose the products that are pocket friendly, and with no compromise on quality. Consequently, the low-cost and exclusive quality brand positioning is set to market the facility as cost-effective, and with fairly priced and quality products.
Feasibility study on products and services:
According to a second survey conducted across the state of Virginia, most of the participants presented their input towards the provision of the following products and services in the fitness industry. Mind and body activities encompassing stretching and relaxation exercises, such as Yoga, Tai-chi, and mediation (Kelly, 2014).
Moreover, provision of functional training programs encompassing the use of the agility and body balancing paraphernalia, such as the stability poles and balls to exercise the body trunk, particularly among the athletes and sportsmen, was recommended. Detailed training entailing golfing or running was considered a vital program among the working class middle-aged males (Murhy, 2012).
Moreover, intensity training, which entails many activities that are set within short time intervals, proved a major motivator among the short-races athletes and manufacturing plants employees. Cross training, which entails circuit classes and dances, was found preferable among the teenagers and professional dancers (Kelly, 2014).
In addition, outdoor training events involving bike riding, hiking and kayaking were considered befitting among the males and females of varied age groups. Strength training, which encompasses weight lifting, was rated vital among the corporate employees (Kelly, 2014).
References:
Anderson, D. W. (2012). Strategic marketing planning for the small to medium-sized business: Writing a marketing plan. New York: Business Expert Press, LLC.
Belger, A. W. (2012). The power of community: CrossFit and the force of human connection. Las Vegas: Victory Belt Pub. Inc.
Jain, S. C. (2012). Marketing: Planning and strategy. South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning Australia.
Kelly, Q. (2014). CrossFit training: Understanding CrossFit training and get started to a new life of physical fitness. Createspace.
Murhy, T. J. (2012). Inside the box: How CrossFit shredded the rules, stripped down the gym, and rebuilt my body. Boulder, CO: Velo Press.
Sorger,S. (2012). Marketing planning: Where strategy meets action. Boston: Pearson.
