La Fitness Marketing Plan Phase Iii
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“LA Fitness grew out of three clubs, each owned by one of the founders. In 1990 Fred Turock, Jeremy Taylor and David Turner decided to get together to jointly manage these clubs, with the aim of building up a network of gyms with first class facilities. In 1996 they created the LA Fitness brand and the following year they joined the top ten health and fitness club operators, catering to a wide variety of people of all shapes and sizes and with a huge range of goals. In 1999 the growth and success of the LA Fitness group led to a listing on the London Stock Exchange. In 2005 the team decided they needed more control – they wanted to make sure LA Fitness could continue to provide affordable membership and a fun environment for its growing band of members. LA Fitness now has more than 88 clubs and over a quarter of a million members all over the United Kingdom” (LA Fitness, 2007).
Consumer behavior is the ways that consumers exhibit in searching for, purchasing, using, evaluating, and disposing of, products and services. The study of consumer behavior as a separate marketing discipline all started when marketers realized that consumers did not always react as marketing theory suggested they would (Ekstrцm, 2003). Many consumers rebel at using the identical products that everyone else used, instead they prefer differentiated products that they feel reflect their own special needs, personality and lifestyles.
Instead of trying to persuade customers to buy what the LA Fitness has already produced, the marketing department has decided to produce a product for families not just individuals. The corporation has decided to do this through research. Consumer needs and wants became the firms primary focus. This consumer-orientated marketing philosophy came to be known as the marketing concept (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University , 2001). The consumers and buyers that make up LA Fitnesss demographics are the suppliers, current clients, potential clients, tourists, corporations, and the media.
In order for a company to decide what marketing program will work, the company needs to have an understanding of how consumers make decisions. Consumers are quite unpredictable. So what might have worked yesterday or today may not work tomorrow. Therefore the marketers need to constantly improve their understanding of consumers and their behavior and form that adapt their marketing strategies to the changes in consumer behavior.
The decision-making process is the central component of any consumer behavior model; it is basically the process of perceiving and evaluating brand information, considering how brand alternatives meet the consumers needs and deciding on a brand. Factors that influence the consumers choice and the consumer-buying decision process are information, social influences, psychological factors, situational factors and marketing strategies.
Suppliers
Suppliers refer to all the companies that provide the equipment that is located in the gyms. They tend to offer reduced rates when gyms buy in bulk and offer memberships at a discounted price to their employees. Suppliers must feel that their association with LA Fitness will provide them with greater visibility, especially amongst tourists, and will attract many new customers.
Current clients
This group refers to all the individuals and corporations who have used LA Fitneess services in the past and have been satisfied with the planning and organizing of the company. These clients consider using these services and are most likely to refer to the organization as a perfect escape to their day, a way to socialize or even way to increase their health.. Their perception of the overall services received is that the organization offers great equipment for their workouts, provides families with proper care for their children, introduces guests to all the hip new styles of fitness, and provides customers with the best experience of the industry.
Potential clients
This is a group of locals that have never previously used LA Fitnesss services. These individuals like to have a good time and enjoy the benefits of fitness for the whole family. The new service will provide a way for new clients to feel comfortable that every family member will succeed in a healthier lifestyle.. They would use the companys services to organize a better way to workout with the family. The company would like to perceive themselves as being the only company who can offer the Kidz Kraze service.
Tourists
This group includes everyone from around the world. These are individuals that are looking for a place to exercise in a comfortable and fun atmosphere. They like to come to LA Fitness for its culture diversity, fitness flair, and outstanding programs. LA Fitness would like to attract these individuals and be perceived as the only fitness organization that can truly make them enjoy their fitness time that allows their family to become physically fit together.
Corporations
Since corporations tend to plan in a larger way, rather than small, LA Fitness would like this group of stakeholders to believe the company is one of the best internationally to plan, organize and coordinate special fitness events and programs because of its high customer focus and numerous contacts for them and their employees.
Media
The media deals directly with the organization through advertisements and commercials and has a strong influence on public opinion. This is why LA Fitness would like to ensure the various groups that are in the media and reached through the media have a positive perception of the organization as a whole so as to influence potential customers to desire to join LA Fitness.
Information
Information processing is a broader aspect of the individual consumer perception. Marketers are interested in information processing because it largely determines what information consumers remember, what information they use in the process of brand evaluation, and how they use it (Morwitz, Greenleaf, &Johnson, 1998). Basically purchase decisions require information. Until consumers know what brands and products are available, what benefits and features they have to offer, who sells them and at what price; there will be no decision process because there will be no decisions to make.
Social influences
The way in which we think, act and believe are all determined to an extent by social forces. The social forces around us affect the needs we experience, the alternatives we consider, and the ways