OPINION
MARKETING ORIENTEERING A STRATEGY for the REBUILDING and REGENERATION of ORIENTEERING Gary Aitken (co-founder of OAWA in Aug 1974) Shrinking Assets Recent articles in both the OAWA Split Times newsletter, and The Australian Orienteer highlight essentially the same situation whilst coming to it from different directions: viz •O AWA (Aug 2005, p10 and AO Sept 2005, p30) Orienteering in Norway. •A O (Dec 2005, p45; OAWA Dec 2005, p9) - re. animal picture controls. In a four page submissions I suggested using pictures of fruit and vegetables to tie-in with Health Promotions (2F, 5V) at Festival events (such as Hyde Park and the Mandurah Crab-Fest). •A O (Dec 2005, p5, 46) Bob McCreddin on Sport versus Recreation adherents, and Bob Mouatt on the ASC and the eight P’s.
getting pulled in too many directions, dissipating resources, rather than establishing it’s (their) own cohesive program be it competition or marketing. It is necessary to be selective, to safeguard against the allure and siren song of the latest bright suggestion, as distinct from a genuine idea. Problems may be avoided by asking some basic questions: •R ationale (why are we considering this? How does it assist short term, long term? Does it complement? Should it replace? - if so, what?) •O utcomes (objectives, strategies, overall fit. Can we use meaningful performance criteria? Are we really measuring what we think we’re measuring?) •R esources (time, effort, finances).
The ASC Challenge The Australian Sports Commission’s criteria for funding is a blessing, a timely opportunity, as it provides associations with a catalyst and impetus to: •R e-evaluate competitions and marketing programs •R eview and assess where we are, and
Purists versus Pragmatists
•F ocus on where we need (not want) to be.
Associations must reform the five P’s - PRODUCT, PRICE, PACKAGING, PROMOTION, POSITIONING - for the ASC (Aust Sports Commission) says.... PLAN for PARTICIPATION OR PERISH.
In marketing terms, Orienteering is an old product, (WA 31-32 years). It needs to be:
In other words, create and maintain a PUBLIC PRESENCE and a PUBLIC PROFILE. The ASC has made it quite clear that future funding must not only reflect but be a measure of •L evel of interest • I mportance • P articipation • R elevance Sport is, and always was, both a prisoner and function(ary) of the PYRAMID OF NUMBERS. Purists need the base. It’s as simple as that.
Attempts To Arrest Decline In Membership Current promotion and development appears to be reliant upon a two-pronged approach: •R ecruitment - whether by on-going passive methods or isolated, sporadic drives. •E xpanding the activity program for the existing members. The formula appears to be: new x = retained interest = retained loyalty/membership. This two-pronged strategy would be familiar to most associations throughout the world. However, each component of the strategy has inherent weaknesses which, in turn, create on-going problems for the associations.
•R EPACKAGED •R EPOSITIONED The challenges keep multiplying. An old product must be transformed to demonstrate (renewed) interest, participation, importance and relevance. This means being innovative and creative, without dragging along some of the problems outlined above. For OAWA this means: •D ifferent means and forms of communication (ie; selling and/or marketing “the story”) • I dentifying ways to tie-in with other funded programs (eg; WA Health Dept - “Fitter Feet” walk trails) • I dentifying different target audiences (so called niche markets) •D ifferent ways of presenting the Orienteering experience •D ifferent ways of realising/experiencing Orienteering • I maginative use of different venues and settings •D eveloping new ways of teaching Orienteering; developing new teaching aids, resource material
Recruitment is so often based on the tried and true of 10, 15, and 20 years past. Now that is normal human behaviour. Going with what worked. Past tense. Doing things the same way (over and over), and expecting different results.
• I dentifying ways to provide continuity of the teaching/ learning experience. (One event, one school activity, is very often both the first and last experience, as there is no follow up. The singularity of the event is tantamount to a diversion or distraction).
Secondly, change (“new x”) does not necessarily equate with progress. Adopting ideas and/or events from whatever the source without consideration of setting, life-cycle, culture that produced the concept; without asking hard questions; without clear analysis and assessment criteria, can also create problems, give rise to unintended consequences.
•T hat said, there is a need to identify what motivates children to want to continue, learn more. (viz; excitement at responding to, meeting and overcoming a challenge; the sense of satisfaction, achievement, accomplishment). In other words, do we properly cater for children and teenagers?
Some proposed events (viz. IOF MICRO-O; AO Sept 2005, p7), and current events (Uni-based Sprint-O) bring to mind the fridge magnet:
• I dentifying ways of getting children and teenagers to bush events. (When and where parents are not interested in supporting their children).
•A lert but not aspiring
And yet there is one over-arching condition: neither losing nor compromising the sheer essence and real spirit of (bush) Orienteering.
•A mused but not amoured. In common with other associations and countries (eg. NZ-AO March 2005, p3 & 7; Sept p22-23) the OAWA appears to be
continued next page MARCH 2006 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER 17
