How we revealed insights and event ideas to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease

Background

Parkinson’s is a charity focused on promoting awareness of, research into and help to alleviate Parkinson’s disease. In particular, they wanted help to understand needs and motivations to take part in events and generate and assess ideas for new events to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease.

Challenge

To research why participants take part in events, and also provide guidance to develop new events to promote Parkinson’s.

Charity Market Research Approach

• Brainstorming and team working to devise and bring-to-life potential new Parkinson’s event ideas
• Charity market research involved depth discussions with a wide range of event participants, from popular to more unusual events such as the Dryathlon, Secret Cinema and flash mobs.
• Research analysis to reveal findings and conclusions

Results

Revealed a clear picture of the type of event participants, their event needs and factors that drive participation. Also reactions to a range of events and what would most stand-out, appeal to event goers and match Parkinson’s objectives. Our work ultimately focused Parkinson’s UK communication and fundraising strategies and event development strategies.

Read more about and then support Parkinson’s great work.

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How we helped inspire a new social enterprise

Background

With origins as a housing association, Livv Homes (was First Ark) is a pioneering social enterprise based in Knowsley, Lancashire.

Challenge

To help Livv Homes establish a clear, motivating and unifying direction. Also to develop strategies to better meet customer and stakeholder needs and improve marketing capability.

First Ark, a pioneering social enterprise

Approach

• Information review and stakeholder interviews to understand hopes, fears, marketing capabilities, business issues and opportunities.
• Create start-point mission and ‘brand’ positioning to explore and develop in working sessions with management.
• Team working sessions covering four business units to determine customers, segments and also needs.
• Develop mission, positioning and series of marketing plans for the overall business. Also for the range of business units and product and service groups. We also devised key performance indicators (KPIs) to aid ongoing management.
• Interactive marketing ‘discovery’ sessions followed finally by a strategy debrief.

Results:

Helped First Ark (now called the Livv Housing Group) understand how to think from a customer point of view and discover the benefits in so doing.
Established a clear and challenging mission to inspire the management team and organisation at large to develop their exciting social enterprise. As a result this sets a new high standard for the way the organisation works and has potential to transform the local economy.
Also established new marketing strategy, brand strategy and plans to ensure concrete and steady progress to achieve desired financial and customer outcomes.

Read more about this pioneering social enterprise.

How we helped a tennis club increase members by 45%

Background

With new management team in place, Marlow Tennis Club wanted to revitalise the club experience, and also boost tennis participation and club membership.

Challenge

To research tennis club member needs and requirements for sporting and tennis facilities. Also to devise growth strategies and plans to inform site development.

Approach

Staged approach:

• Initial online member survey to assess missing facilities in the town of Marlow and reaction to existing facilities. Also to assess drivers and barriers to increasing sport and tennis participation, and reaction to new ideas.
• Development of facilities’ improvement options to improve the tennis playing experience and also boost participation.
• Consultation with members, other sport sections and also Marlow Sports Club trustees to shape facilities improvement recommendations.
• Benchmarking of Marlow Tennis Club vs. other LTA accredited tennis clubs to reveal growth issues and opportunities.
• Development and implementation of sports club marketing strategies and plans to promote to the local community.

Opening of the new mini tennis zone at Marlow Tennis Club

Results

Improved the club experience and ambience by improving courts, adding a new mini tennis zone, and also a vibrant event programme including tournaments and socials.
As a result, Marlow Tennis Club membership grew by 45% to over 350 in three years. It was also awarded Wycombe District Sports Club of the Year in 2016.

Anyone for tennis? Visit Marlow Tennis Club‘s website.

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