Prince Sports Case Analysis
Marketing Principles
Prince Sports is a sports equipment retailer that offers many different products for tennis, squash, badminton, and racquetball, and paddle tennis. It’s complete line of tennis products include more than 150 racquet models, more than 50 tennis strings, over 50 footwear models, and countless types of bags, apparel, and other accessories. Inventing the first oversize, long-body racquets, the first synthetic gut tennis string, and the first natural foot shape tennis shoe is something that Prince prides itself on in the history of innovation in tennis.
In the 21st century environmental forces worked for and against Prince in many different ways. Social forces work for Prince due to people being health conscious which results in people participating in physical activities, such as tennis. Income and occupation plays a role here because tennis is known as a “rich” people sport. Technological forces help prince in a few different ways. Increase of technology will make it easier to research and produce many different products. Having availability to not only research different ideas for new products but to actually be able to produce them depending on what the consumers’ needs are will be much easier as technology advances. Also technology provided more outlets for marketing. This can work against Prince as well. Having an available online market gives opportunity for consumers to leave feedback and reviews. One way this could work against Prince is if there are any dis-satisfied customers they are able to leave reviews and feedback for possible new consumers to see, resulting in the loss of business. Many new consumers do review searches before purchasing a product or service on the web. Economic forces are based on the economy. If the economy is good it will work in favor for Prince. If consumers feel comfortable in the purchase of a new product that will only result in more purchases, and more word of mouth marketing. However, if the economy is bad this will make it less likely for consumers to purchase any tennis equipment. They will probably make do with what they currently have.
The growth of tennis related products depends heavily on the growth of the tennis industry as a whole. There are different marketing activities that the United States can do to promote tennis playing. Every consumer loves to see the word free. Giving away free tennis lessons will spark the interest of a consumer. Once a person plays tennis for the first time there is a greater chance they will return to play again. There is also the idea to use internet based websites to sell the sport at a discounted rate. An example of an internet based site that sells goods and services at a discounted rate is Groupon. Here Prince could offer either free or promotional prices for lessons, day trips, games, or group packages. When people use discounted tennis games word of mouth will eventually spread and more people will talk about tennis resulting in more people joining the sport. Media advertising is a great way to target a specific market. Running an advertisement of all the pros of playing tennis such as a great form of exercise, to achieve and maintain good health. If targeting people who are attracted to good health and maintaining it an idea would be to run an advertisement in a health magazine, this would target a specific consumer.
There are many different promotional activates that Prince can use to reach recreational players and junior players as well. Sale promotions such as free lessons with the purchase of a product are ideas for promotions. Offering free lesson services to get consumers interested is a great idea. Since recreational players may be playing tennis for the simple fact of good exercise. Because of this they might be found in gyms, or spas. Hanging advertisements in these locations would be used a luring tool for a target group. Junior players can be attracted through