Marketing Market Segmentation the Market

Marketing Market Segmentation The market for any product can be defined as a group of people who has sufficient purchasing power, authority, and willingness to buy the product in question. The market segmentation stage will directly determine the following section of market targeting. Market segmentation refers to the specific characteristics of the market that is most likely to buy the product, which is in this case tickets for Dodgers games. The market segmentation stage also considers the specific needs satisfied by the product or service.

Attending a Dodgers game is an activity that provides pleasure and social stimulation. It is therefore a purely emotional need that is satisfied for the consumer. More specifically, the market for the product is therefore consumers who are specifically interested in baseball games and who are supporters of the Dodgers. A further factor to consider in market segmentation is costs. The market can be widened by diversifying costs. Costs for the baseball games will vary according to season and position, as well as individuals or groups buying the tickets.

Other factors in market segmentation include the age and gender of the target market. People who attend baseball games tend to be predominantly males between 20 and 40. In market segmentation, the subtle influences on purchase decision-making should also be considered, particularly for purchases that involve non-necessary products such as baseball game seats. Purchasers may for example have a preference for a certain channel of distribution. Individual tickets for Dodgers games can be purchased via outlets, the telephone, or online.

Season or group seats can be inspected prior to purchase, or also be purchased via remote channels such as phone lines or the Internet. Buyer attitude can also have an influence on ticket sales, which is closely related to the number of games that the Dodgers win. If they have a low-volume win season, it is likely that ticket sales will drop; marketing then has to be adjusted accordingly. The seller also has considerable influence over sales.

The company that sells Dodgers tickets has extensive experience with the particular market segment involved, and is therefore positioned favorably to use a sales strategy that appeals to this segment. The company has also shown itself to be reliable in terms of ticket availability, and special services to high-paying customers. Customers making use of the company have a very favorable experience, and is likely to continue using the company for their ticket purchases.

Specifically, the Dodgers ticket company also uses demographic segmentation according to the specific social groups interested in the Dodgers games. These include the high-end market, such as executives and entertainment firms, and secondly the Hispanic market. Targeting The Dodgers ticket selling company therefore targets two markets: the high-end market and the Hispanic market. The first sector generally purchase tickets in groups and tend towards the season tickets. They enjoy entertaining in style and tend to make their entertainment decisions without considering financial implications.

The Hispanic market on the other hand tends to purchase their tickets more carefully, and tend towards the less expensive seats, but are no less important in terms of their support for the Dodgers. The importance of this market lies in the pitcher Fernando Venizwalwa, recruited for the Dodgers during the 1980s. During this decade, Hispanic marketing was not part of the Dodgers strategy. Fernando came from a poor town in central Mexico.

His talent brought him great prominence in the Dodgers and in baseball generally, making him an overnight attraction for the Hispanic market. This market gave him the nickname "el Toro." It is important in this way to understand the power of ethnic marketing for ticket sales. Indeed, merchandise such as jerseys and other merchandise from his overnight success is a significant supplement to ticket sales. The latter is not insignificant, with Fernando's presence drawing crowds of between 10,000 and 15,000 persons, of which many are of Hispanic origin.

While mass marketing may make sense in terms of Fernando's wide appeal, it is also useful to target the Hispanic market specifically. A combination of differentiated and concentrated marketing can provide significant results. In differentiated marketing, both the high-level and Hispanic segments are targeted via respective marketing strategies for each. In concentrated marketing, the Hispanic market is targeted preferentially, followed by the high-level market, as this also brings in valuable business. The Dodgers situation shows the value in ethnic marketing, which is still somewhat underutilized.

The large amount of Hispanic supporters drawn by Fernando is a very valuable market segment for Dodgers tickets and merchandising. Season ticket sales can be positioned concomitantly with new merchandising in order to draw the Hispanic market. Positioning The Hispanic market can also be used as a target for positioning Dodgers tickets and merchandising. Positioning refers to the image that the company creates for its product in the mind of consumers.

The two target markets are therefore used in creating a favorable image for the Dodgers and their tickets Market positioning is fluid and evolves with the product itself. Fernando's inclusion and subsequent success within the Dodgers is therefore a catalyst for positioning evolution for the ticket selling company. Positioning refers to the position of a product within the marketplace. Dodgers tickets are important to the high-end market and particularly to the Hispanic market. Dodgers tickets should therefore be identified as specifically targeted towards such individuals.

One strategy of positioning is merchandising. T-shirts and caps can for example be used to boost ticket sales on various platforms. Sales marketing can for example be done together with merchandising, offering free merchandise for specific tickets or a determined number of purchases, for example. During the game, merchandise can also be offered for sale or provided as a prize in competitions. For the tickets themselves, strategies that can be followed include pricing, quality, service, distribution, and packaging.

Ticket pricing depends upon the season and the position of the seat within the stadium. Higher priced seats would also include a higher level of service. These are targeted towards the high-end market. Lower-priced seats would be in the majority, catering to the larger Hispanic market. In establishing these prices, the income level of patrons are taken into account, as well as the likelihood of purchasing merchandise. The merchandise itself can also be priced according to the market segments involved.

Lower-priced items can for example be t-shirts and caps with Dodgers emblems, while higher-priced items could be collector's merchandise such as t-shirts, caps and bats used by team members themselves. Quality is consistently applied by providing specific products and services in keeping with the position and price of each seat within the stadium. Elite services and products are offered to high-end patrons, while the lower-paying patrons are provided with products and services estimated to be affordable to them.

Services include services during ticket sales and also that offered during the game itself. Online sales can for example be optimized by immediate response and ticket availability.