Market Feasibility Study

There are Master Planning procedures, and although to some extent similar, there are also Market Feasibility Studies. This is a sample outline for a YMCA Market Research Study. This will be used to determine the viability for a new YMCA facility in Flagstaff. 

Scope of the Project

The purpose of the study is to determine the potential in annual membership units and membership revenue for a new full-facility YMCA serving the Flagstaff area.

The study will answer key questions in each of the following general areas.

Demand

   1. How can the YMCA best serve Flagstaff and its surrounding communities?
   2. What is the level of demand for YMCA programs and services in the targeted survey area?

 Location

   3. How do prospective members judge the convenience of the possible locations of the new YMCA?

Programming and Facilities

   4. Which configuration of programming options and major facility features within a new YMCA will attract the highest number of membership units? If the new YMCA is to be built in phases, which configuration of major features needs to be included in Phase 1 to ensure a sufficient membership base for further grow? Features could include, but are not limited to, the following:

Programming and Facilities for Adults

a) a first-class, comprehensive adult fitness center with a wide variety of cardiovascular and muscle-strengthening equipment that can be            segmented according to the specific needs of members
b) segmented aquatics facilities, such as

c) a total health and fitness center for health enhancement for people of all ages and physical conditions
d) first-class aerobics, dance, and gymnastics studios
e) indoor and outdoor walking and running programs and facilities
f) a gymnasium for pick-up games and sports leagues

Programming and Facilities for Children

g) creatively designed spaces for child care programs from infant care to preschool
h) facilities for a variety of after-school sports and recreation programs for children, youth, and teens, from swim lessons to sports leagues to programs in ,art, dance, and music
i) facilities for summer day camps, from traditional camp with crafts and swimming to theme-based camps like sports camp and computer camp
j) creatively used space for activities that promote family recreation
  
5. What are the individual needs of prospective members with different physica1 fitness conditions, from fit to unfit to those with special medical conditions? How can the new YMCA position itself to cater to these needs?

6. How can the YMCA strive to improve members' total health, possibly in conjunction with a local hospital? Programs that could be offered include the following:

Partnerships

7. What public and private partnerships should be explored? Partners the YMCA could work with include, but are not limited to, the following:

        a) parks and recreation of the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County. providing playing fields and extra gymnasiums
        b) school systems, sharing all aquatics center
        c) development authorities. providing land ad parking
        d) colleges

Demographics and Psychographics

8. How will the area surrounding the new YMCA change during the next five to tell years! Will the population Change, and if so, how?

9. How can prospective members be segmented? What are the primary and secondary member groups for the new YMCA?

10. What are the demographics and psychographics of' the primary prospective member groups of the new YMCA ?
   
11. What criteria influence prospective members' decision to participate in and ,join the branch? What promotional strategies will work best to encourage prospective members It) visit and join the YMCA?

12. How can the YMCA market to young adults under age 30 with fitness programs like funk aerobics and body pump. and outdoor adventure activities like rock climbing and SCUBA diving?

Pricing
    
13. What pricing policy will appeal to the largest number of prospective members and offer the highest amount of operating revenue?

The Marketplace
    
14. What role do existing recreation and fitness centers play in the geographic marketplace! What is the new YMCA 's distinctive niche in the area?

With this information, it will be possible to predict the prospective potential membership, the obtainable membership level during the first 15-18 months after the new facility is built, and the projected annual operating revenues.

Methodology

The preceding questions will be answered by qualitative research (exploratory, face-to-face interviews with individuals and/or small focus groups to ascertain trends) and quantitative research (telephone interviews that test the trends identified in the qualitative phase). The methodology will include the following steps.

Qualitative Research

Step I Designate a strategic planning team consisting of three to five members to work with the Consultant.

Step II Conduct secondary research to conceptualize the needs; propose the targeted survey boundaries; analyze population demographics; obtain related information via libraries, online databases, the Internet, and telephone interviews with local planning officials; and audit providers of similar services.

Step III Conduct separate focus groups with:

Step IV Conduct 30 exploratory interviews witl1 current YMCA program participants who live in the targeted survey area.

Quantitative Research
Step V Develop the survey instrument based on focus groups, market audits, exploratory interviews, and national trends identified by the Winfield Consulting Group. Field test the instrument for the appropriateness of the questions, the chronology, and the language. Target the service area to be surveyed.
               
The survey instrument is an intellectual property owned by The WCG and therefore shall not be distributed outside the company under any circumstances. However, the client has full ownership of the study findings in the Final Report and can choose to circulate them at its own discretion.

Step VI Conduct in-depth telephone interviews with 400 randomly selected households who currently do not belong to a YMCA, but live within the targeted geographic area
.
Data Collection, Analysis, Interpretation, and Presentation

Step VII Develop software and tabulate all findings.

Step VIII Deliver the verbal findings and discuss presentation of the final report.

Step IX Present the written final report, providing analysis and making specific recommendations. The report will answer all questions proposed in the Scope of the Project, including

This methodology will provide findings with a 95% confidence level and a statistical error of plus or minus 5%.

Schedule and Cost
The project will take four--five months to complete. The total cost will be $ in professional fees and $ +/- 20% in out-of'-pocket expenses. Professional fees include the cost of conducting all interviews and focus groups, designing and testing the survey instruments, analyzing the data, and writing and presenting the final report. Out-of'-pocket expenses include the cost of secondary research. software design, tabulation, long
distance WATS charges, printing, and travel. these proposed fees are effective for six months.

In accordance with our payment procedure, one-third of the professional tee is due at the inception of the project, along with a 50% advance on out-of'-pocket expenses. One-third of the professional fee is due at the halfway point (when 50% of the interviews are completed). The remaining third is due upon delivery of the verbal findings. The balance of out-of'-pocket expenses is billed in the final invoice.

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