Reference no: EM132228327

Case: Mike Boyle Wants Customers who Want to Train Everyone wants to be strong, healthy, and fit. But not everyone is the target market for Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning (MBSC). With three Massachusetts locations, MBSC offers a variety of programs to help athletes at all levels build strength, improve endurance, and enhance performance. Cofounder Mike Boyle developed his approach to athletic training as a result of his experience working as a trainer for various sports teams and with Boston University. He’s also trained professional athletes (such as soccer player Kristine Lilly) and celebrities (such as actress Jennifer Garner). Over the years, Boyle noticed how many people join a gym with good intentions but then lose their motivation and rarely use the facilities. So when Boyle opened his first gym, he decided to go down a different marketing path. He wants to attract customers who expect to actively train, customers who will set personal goals and then come to the gym regularly to work with trainers, either one-on-one or in a small group. Boyle recognizes that his business doesn’t just provide equipment and space for workouts—it also offers social support and professional advice, encouraging customers to keep progressing toward their fitness and performance goals. Some of MBSC’s customers are school athletes in their teens or twenties. For these customers, MBSC offers age-appropriate programs such as middle-school athletic training, high-school performance training, and college break workout sessions. For adults, MBSC offers small-group strength and conditioning programs and private or semi-private personal training programs geared to customers’ individual needs, including weight loss and better mobility. In addition, MBSC targets adults who are active in specific sports, such as golf, with programs to assess capabilities and provide training to improve performance. As they age, professional athletes who want to continue their high-performance careers see MBSC’s training regimen as a way to keep up their strength, speed, and endurance. Even men and women who aren’t athletes see MBSC as a resource for taking their fitness to the next level, learning to prevent injuries, and getting in shape to look their best. MBSC also offers customers the option of adding massage therapy and physical therapy sessions when needed. Boyle reaches out to a wider audience with “how to” videos designed to educate and encourage people who want to know about his training methods. His YouTube channel has 7,000 subscribers, his Twitter account has 20,000 followers, and his Facebook page has 20,000 likes. Boyle keeps up a dialogue with customers and prospects by posting notes on his blog about athletic performance, nutrition, school athletics, and other topics. Today, MBSC serves customers as young as 11 years old, and at the other end of the spectrum, it has a number of members in their 80s. A small percentage of customers are professional athletes, with many more signing up for training to supplement their school sports activities. Because he was known for his work with the Boston Bruins hockey team and with Boston University’s hockey team, Boyle attracts many varsity hockey players from the Boston area. Boyle has little time these days for the kind of extended workouts he once enjoyed—but he does train every day in brief, intensive stints at his own gyms, serving as a role model for the ongoing benefits of maintaining strength and conditioning throughout life. Questions 1. Which demographic variables does MBSC use in segmenting the market for its services? Explain your answer. 2. Which psychographic and behavioristic variables does MBSC use, and why? Explain your answer. 3. Would you recommend that MBSC use an undifferentiated targeting strategy, a concentrated targeting strategy, or a differentiated targeting strategy to market its services? Explain your answer.