ENGLAND SQUASH // MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMERCIAL STRATEGY

MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMERCIAL STRATEGY

2015 – 2017 DECEMBER 2015 ENGLAND SQUASH // MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMERCIAL STRATEGY

CONTENTS

06 INTRODUCTION MISSION VISION 10 STRATEGY OVERVIEW 14 DOCUMENT STRUCTURE 15 COMMUNICATION // Establishing and maintaining an effective communication framework 21 MARKETING // The promotion of squash and the ways to enjoy it 31 COMMERCIAL // Identification of a viable offering to secure commercial revenues

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ENGLAND SQUASH // MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMERCIAL STRATEGY

This strategy interlinks, supports and builds on our other three key strategic initiatives: Game Changer, Performance: A New Era, and Insight.

It delivers a marketing, communications and commercial framework that redefines the way the organisation and the sport is communicated and promoted.

4 5 INTRODUCTION MISSION ENGLAND SQUASH // MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMERCIAL STRATEGY

KEIR WORTH CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Through our Game Changer It has become evident through an extended consultation with stakeholders and members (participation) and Performance that the organisation’s ability to effectively Strategies, we have already promote and communicate itself and the game has, historically, been severely flawed. It is begun to implement a series WE WILL ENTHUSE vital to address this and create a free-flowing of radical changes required to and constructive dialogue that is relevant to our various audiences. In addition to this, THE NATION AND revitalise the grassroots game the organisation needs to develop an attitude and build towards sustainable that leads towards self-sufficiency rather success at elite level. than dependency. CREATE A POSITIVE This strategy sets out our intent to align all our marketing, communication and commercial PERCEPTION activities in line with existing strategies and the overarching vision, to become the number OF SQUASH. one racket sport in England.

We are grateful for the continued support from Sport England as well as other key stakeholders, as we progress towards our vision.

6 7 INTRODUCTION VISION ENGLAND SQUASH // MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMERCIAL STRATEGY

DARREN BERNSTEIN DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

England Squash must embrace We will embody the needs of our stakeholders through our values and behaviours with clear the findings of our extensive WE WILL USE BOLD AND and consistent communication whether that research and insight. It tells us be to providers or participants. We will ensure that through our products, designed from INNOVATIVE MARKETING that members, participants and our insight work, we drive the sport forward stakeholders want a governing to ensure that marketing and communication is central to achieving the goals set out in AND COMMUNICATIONS body that communicates and England Squash’s Game Changer document. informs them of its work and Finally, we will strive to diversify our income creates great products that streams by taking a strategic and planned TO REINVIGORATE INTEREST, approach, ensuring our events, membership leads the sport forward to new and commercial properties are maximised. GROW THE SPORT, AND TO audiences and improves the England Squash’s Marketing, Communication experience of those already and Commercial Strategy sets out how the ASSIST US IN ACHIEVING within it. organisation will move forward for the first time in a planned and strategic manner, in a discipline that it has yet to embrace GREATER COMMERCIAL wholeheartedly. The document intends to provide funders and stakeholders with the confidence that the organisation and sport is SUSTAINABILITY. moving, at pace, in the right direction.

8 9 OVERVIEW ENGLAND SQUASH // MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMERCIAL STRATEGY

OVERVIEW

Set against a backdrop of declining participation, How do we create strong strategic • New brand values and culture embedded allegiances with our key stakeholders and throughout the organisation and full the contrasting but unheralded effective engagement with our members? implementation of branding collateral success at elite level and A legacy of neglect must be reversed by • New membership and affiliation coupled with significant implementing pro-active, controlled and offer operational with a 100% increase reliance on Sport England, tailored communication planning that in profit encourages a feedback-rich relationship. England Sqhash and the sport • Implement a fully functional technology itself is faced with a range of platform, and grow our database from 20,000 to 40,000 full and clean diverse, yet inter-related How do we connect and engage with membership records challenges, namely: people so they participate in the way that suits them? • Increase the revenue and value of commercial activities by 250% As well as changing the way people think about squash, we need to promote • Implement a fit-for-purpose structure easy-to-access formats of the game that for the Department fit their lifestyle and personal goals.

How do we encourage investment in the sport?

There is no commercial model to rebuild. The organisation must seek to understand and maximise its assets in line with insight and consideration to the needs of potential strategic commercial partners.

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For ease of reference this strategy document is divided into three component parts: COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION MARKETING COMMERCIAL

Deliver the relevant Promote the sport and Drive new and diverse information to all the organisation across all income streams in order stakeholders in a timely market segments in a way to create greater way through channels that embodies our brand commercial sustainability appropriate to and values. for the organisation in both the audience. the short and long term.

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BACKGROUND STRATEGIC THE PERCEPTION OF GOALS

ENGLAND SQUASH • Adopt a style and tone of voice for all • We will be more visible to all our communications that aligns with the new stakeholders, providers, counties, clubs England Squash brand and England and individuals Squash’s vision for the sport as a whole The game of squash has stagnated in the minds of consumers • Review current roles and responsibilities and the reputation of England Squash within the game is that • Among all communication channels, ensure within the Department an appropriate balance between elite and of an organisation lacking direction and leadership without the participation content ability to engage effectively with our stakeholders and members. • Through a thorough analysis of the Whilst the marketing component of this poorly led, ineffective communicators and available channels and resources, ensure strategy will help reposition the sport by elitist to one that the majority perceive as we utilise the most efficient and effective challenging misconceptions and promoting effective custodians of the sport and a relevant means possible to communicate new ways to engage with squash, it is only and desired partner. through more effective communications that the organisation will establish itself Our recent brand work revealed current in the minds of stakeholders, members and perceptions and provides a benchmark players as the rightful custodian for the for future surveys that will be conducted sport in England. on an annual basis in the future, commencing spring 2016. MEASUREMENT Our goal is to move from an organisation perceived by the majority as unsupportive, Measurement will be achieved by assessing Outcomes will be benchmarked, by survey, both outputs and outcomes; what we do and on an annual basis against the Brand Audit the impact it has. conducted in the spring of 2015.

Outputs will relate to the volume, content, tone and channels utilised in line with the communication audit.

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SUPPORTING INFORMATION

01 02 03 04 05 06 AUDIENCE THEMES METHOD MESSAGE CONTEXT TIME

TO WHOM ARE WE WHAT IS THE PURPOSE? WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WHAT IS IT WE ARE TRYING WHAT ELSE MAY BE AFFECTED? WHAT IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATING? MEANS TO USE? TO SAY? TIMEFRAME TO WORK WITHIN? There are a range of themes for Given the number of initiatives The England Squash audience can be outbound communication that are N.B. All digital communications also In line with the Brand Guidelines underway there are likely to be few The timing of a message can broadly classified as: essential to fulfil the overall strategy fit within the remit of the Technology all communication should follow communications that do not relate to be as important as the content. of the organisation. Themes must Platform project. However, this a specific tone of voice and use other projects or dependencies. Consideration must always be given be matched appropriately to both strategy seeks to accommodate business 2 business model appropriate language. to when it is the most appropriate audience and channel. current and future delivery methods We will implement regular, time to make the communication. to avoid unnecessary delay individuals structured briefings to all key in implementation. KEY stakeholders to minimise crossover STAKEHOLDERS and avoid danger of ‘mixed INTERNAL (STAFF, COUNCIL, messaging’. DELIVERY COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS) PARTNERS CLUBS, LEISURE CENTRES, EDUCATION (B2B) KEY STAKEHOLDERS CLUBS EXTERNAL WE WILL POSITION THE GAME IN SUCH CASUAL & (SPORT ENGLAND, REGULAR PSA, WSF) PARTICIPANTS A WAY THAT CURRENT PLAYERS ARE

PUBLIC REINVIGORATED AND NEW AUDIENCES (LAPSED AND POTENTIAL ARE INSPIRED TO GET INVOLVED. MEMBERS PLAYERS)

MEDIA (PRINT, BROADCAST, DIGITAL) COMMERCIAL PARTNERS

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MARKETING

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BACKGROUND DRIVING PARTICIPATION & REFRAMING PERCEPTION

Research makes it clear that England Squash is little known and less well understood, particularly in relation to participation.

The marketing that has been undertaken has majority of marketing support will be delivered regularly failed to achieve the desired impact. via clubs, leisure providers and our education Insight indicates that this is due to a fractured partners with whom we are actively developing approach, promoting individual initiatives our relationships through implementation of without effectively harnessing the ready-made the Communication Strategy. distribution network offered by clubs, leisure providers and education. England Squash will have a much closer relationship with The England Squash The focus of this marketing strategy is to Foundation, working together to ensure support the goals of the Game Changer that the programmes put into place by the Strategy, namely to engage with and Foundation are promoted and publicised. encourage people to play squash. In doing this we must tackle negative perceptions, All marketing materials, irrespective of the encouraging participation and enjoyment promoted product or message, will carry of the game irrespective of ability, gender, consistent brand messaging; visually and ethnicity or social status. tone of voice. For the first time the organisation will have a comprehensive Resources do not permit direct investment in and actively controlled set of Brand and public engagement campaigns. Therefore the Marketing Guidelines.

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STRATEGIC GOALS

Participation – to reposition squash as a sport and exercise of choice, for all people irrespective of ability, background or previous experience.

• Launch and promote products and • Review the values, culture and direction campaigns that redefine the ways in which of the organisation and develop a new squash is played and promoted, working brand to reflect these with partners where appropriate • Create new branding and collateral • Reposition squash as a desirable fitness to represent the new brand and leisure activity in terms of perceptions and evidenced through participation levels • Review current roles and responsibilities within the Department • Develop a clean and relevant database underpinned by an all-encompassing technology platform

MEASUREMENTS

Number of campaigns to be delivered and Delivery of re-brand, 2 new their effectiveness: participation products and a membership solution.

Maintain a clean and growing database of participants to 40,000.

Identify baseline data for the perception of stakeholders in England Squash’s guardianship and development of the sport, and set appropriate improvement targets

Increase participation by 11,000

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MEASUREMENT

OUR PARTICIPATION GOALS FOR THE SPORT HAVE BEEN CLEARLY ESTABLISHED IN GAME CHANGER. IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE WILL WORK WITH OUR DELIVERY PARTNERS TO REGULARLY BENCHMARK THEIR CUSTOMERS’ PERCEPTION OF SQUASH.

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SUPPORTING INFORMATION

MARKETING TOOL-KIT PRODUCT PROMOTION EVENT PROMOTION

We already have insight from delivery The Game Changer strategy has resulted There are a range of events throughout partners that they will benefit from a suite in the creation of new ways to play and England; from the British Open to localised of materials, provided by England Squash. enjoy squash; irrespective of experience. tournaments. All events and competitions Although we will focus on digital collateral. affiliated to England Squash will have access We will also accommodate printed collateral As explained previously, in essence England to and be encouraged to use a suite of digital requests where a business case exists. Squash ‘manufacture’ the product and our marketing materials that can be tailored to delivery partners are the ‘distributors’. This is their particular event. We will also promote England Squash’s a critical repositioning in the way we promote role and commitments direct to our squash. Although we are seeking to reach and Any events ‘owned’ by England Squash will be delivery partners. connect with players, we are custodians of promoted strictly in line with brand guidelines. COMMERCIAL the game. The day-to-day relationship exists between delivery partner and player. England Squash is in the process of compiling its own Competitions and Events Strategy Squash will be delivered by our partners which when completed will provide direction and ‘powered’ by England Squash. for this part of the business not only from a commercial basis but also a performance and Taking the above into account, marketing participation legacy point of view. activity will be two-fold:

Delivery Partner focus – we can only grow through our products if they find the proposition compelling enough to commit. We will produce a ‘sales’ pack that accommodates playing and financial perspectives.

Player focus – we will support our delivery partners through the provision of marketing materials that they can distribute to their customers. This will comprise a digital tool-kit of core collateral with the opportunity for partners to incorporate their own details on specific items.

WE WILL REDEFINE SQUASH AS SOMETHING TO BE ENJOYED BY ANYONE IN THEIR OWN WAY. WE WILL POSITION THE GAME IN SUCH A WAY THAT CURRENT PLAYERS ARE REINVIGORATED AND NEW AUDIENCES ARE INSPIRED TO GET INVOLVED.

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BACKGROUND DIVERSIFYING AND ATTRACTING NEW INCOME STREAMS

Squash in England remains a COMMERCIAL PARTNERS MEMBERSHIP significant, if minority, sport In excess of 75% of England Squash funding Membership currently accounts for 9% of our attracting in the region of comes from Sport England. Little income is income. Research informs us that the current 200,000 players per week generated by commercial partnerships. membership offer is neither understood nor The Allam Powerhouse title sponsorship provides meaningful benefits to the member. across 4,500 courts. Despite is the exception to this with an arrangement criticisms of the organisation in place until 2017. DELIVERY PARTNERS membership exceeds 40,000. Taking the above into account, the actual England Squash also needs to become more amount of commercial revenue secured Squash also regularly tops the list of calorie- aware of the commercial needs of its delivery by the organisation not tied to specific burning activities. It is relatively cheap to play, partners, ensuring that any initiatives take events is £8,000. and is unaffected by weather. into account the impact on them. This is particularly relevant to the introduction of Although we do not underestimate the new products. challenge, we believe that, packaged and presented in the correct way, squash provides a strong vehicle for the right partner(s) to connect with our players.

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STRATEGIC GOALS IDENTIFY THE COMMERCIAL ASSETS

The overriding goal is to CREATE THE RIGHTS HOLDING In line with the above, we must create • Create the rights holding for an attractive a re-calibrated membership proposition that sponsorship offer at all levels create a rights holding that provides compelling reason and reward for The overriding goal is to create a rights new players to ‘join’ England Squash and • Introduce a membership and affiliation is both substantial and holding defined by its component assets that embraces the research and insight undertaken proposition that reflects the needs of enables constructive dialogue with potential flexible enough to provide through our insight strategy. both members and affiliated clubs, offering partners. attractive and relevant benefits for each a genuine appeal to potential It is our goal to increase the profits from commercial partners. RESTRUCTURE THE COMMERCIAL ASSETS our membership scheme by 100% by 2017, • Develop a single, clean and sophisticated Achieving the above requires a in order for us to reinvest this back into database to drive commercial revenue the sport. comprehensive audit of existing and We will conduct a complete audit and • Explore and implement opportunities potential inventory and assets, across the restructuring of our potential assets taking N.B. The launch of the revised membership for driving commercial income through entire organisation, prior to assembling a into account the elite programme, events scheme is directly linked to the development merchandising viable commercial proposition. This includes and competitions, membership and of the technology platform. events, participation products, elite, and participation products. membership. The Technology Platform • Through implementation of the new DELIVERY PARTNERS brand, review and develop endorsement programme, underway at the time of writing, In tandem with the above, the development and partnership opportunities is key to our ability to deliver an effective of the technology platform, implementation commercial proposition. of the communication strategy and new We will create a financial modelling tool to • Design a programme of events and product launches via partners enhance our demonstrate to providers the benefits of competitions that is commercially viable, ability to construct a compelling commercial promoting squash as a revenue generator. encourages participation and supports the proposition. Squash is entirely facilities dependent and talent and elite pathway

It is our goal to increase the revenue and it is critical that we arrest the demise of • Work with the Squash & Racketball value of commercial partnerships by 250% squash courts by ‘standing in the shoes’ of Foundation to closer align the work by 2017. our delivery partners – not only by promoting of both organisations in order to drive squash to players for its health and happiness opportunities to increase participation MEMBERSHIP benefits but also to educate and incentivise delivery partners in relation to the commercial benefits of squash. We will increase our membership revenue by growing the membership base and We will work closely with the England Squash restructuring the membership proposition. and Racketball Foundation to maximise funding opportunities to reinvest back The membership proposition will be into the sport. re-evaluated, following consultation, with a view to introducing a membership structure We will benchmark the impact of this that reflects the members’ needs and provides initiative through appropriate measures a benefits package commensurate with in collaboration with our delivery partners. subscription levels and that reflects stakeholder interests.

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MEASUREMENT DEFINING OUR SUCCESS

It is important that England Squash can track the success of this strategy. The measures should be a mixture of completing large projects and work programmes, quantitative targets and qualitative perceptions.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO MEASURING OUR PROGRESS AND ASSESSING OUR IMPACT USING APPROPRIATE METHODOLOGY TO DEFINE OUR WORK, WHILE USING ALL INSIGHT GAINED TO DIRECT OUR FUTURE.

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38 39 National Squash Centre Rowsley Street Manchester M11 3FF [email protected] T: 0161 231 4499