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PHOENIX PLAN
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January 6, 2008 ©1998-2003 Canadian Square & Round Dance Society. All rights reserved |
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Webmasters: Marion Knight, Frank McNeil, Glenda Harris |
 The FOUNDATION For the Preservation and Promotion of Square Dancing The Foundation for the Preservation and Promotion of Square Dancing was formed in 1992 and is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation. The
Foundation Mission Statement The
Foundation Vision Statement
The Foundation for the Preservation and Promotion of Square Dancing was formed in 1992 and is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation. It is the legal entity through which money is raised to carry out specified goals and objectives of the organization. What
is The Foundation's purpose? What
can The Foundation do? The
FOUNDATION Foundation Initiatives
The Phoenix Plan (A New Beginning) Vision
Statement Mission
Statement About the Phoenix Plan The Plan is a program to market square dancing. It is a recommended plan of action based on research findings arising from a brief market study. The public image of square dancing has become less attractive. At the same time, competition for the consumer’s leisure and recreation time has noticeably increased. Understanding those factors, the Plan will identify the problem areas and offer solutions that would again present square dancing as an attractive product or service. The Plan consists of three phases and recommends incremental steps to realize its potential. Phase I will provide market research to define who our prospective dancers are, and what it will take to recruit and retain them. It will provide tools and materials to help us understand the problems occurring in the activity and identify the role of the individual dancer and caller in its recovery. The clubs will need to inventory their membership fordemographic data, as well as learn the details of the Plan. CALLERLAB will reorganize its Foundation as a universal clearing house designed for a two way exchange of ideas and distribution of resource information for the square dancing community. It will establish The Foundation as the primary vehicle for implementation of the Plan. Phase II will provide for The Foundation to continue its research work. It will utilize the resulting data to help recruit advertising and public relations assistance. It will provide guidance to improve the activity’s public image. This would allow square dancing to appeal to a broader market. This Phase seeks to establish funding resources from corporate sponsors, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Phase III will continue earlier efforts in order to attract appropriate corporate partners as financial and promotional sponsors. By consolidating market research and the dancer demographics gathered from the clubs, the Plan will guide the leaders of square dancing in making necessary changes to the product. The Plan will present square dancing as a competitive product in the leisure and recreation market. The Plan will unite the various factions of square dancing in a common cause. The resulting consensus will be the critical factor in attracting long-term sponsorship. A new public image of square dancing and better informed square dance leadership will help preserve and promote the square dance activity.
Summary Phase I will provide market research to define who our prospective dancers are, and what it will take to recruit and retain them. It will provide tools and materials to help us understand the problems occurring in the activity and identify the role of the individual dancer and caller in its recovery. The clubs will need to inventory their membership for demographic data, as well as learn the details of the Plan. CALLERLAB will reorganize its Foundation as a universal clearing house designed for a two way exchange of ideas and distribution of resource information for the square dancing community. It will establish The Foundation as the primary vehicle for implementation of the Plan. The Foundation appointed James Hensley, and his marketing company, CMS, to act as Marketing Director for The Foundation. In turn, The Foundation has engaged StarWorks, Inc., a respected market research company, to help in this work. This research data and analysis work, has the potential to impact all dance organizations, and help develop a successful promotional program. As indicated above, much of the Plan’s success depends on ALL members of our fragmented community recognizing their, "commonality of purpose," so that a working consensus can provide the necessary commitment and support, to make the Phoenix Plan a reality. Phase One research seeks to discover the perception and image of square and round dancing, currently held by the 85 to 90% of our population that is not now square or round dancing. The Foundation is conducting two different types of studies to help answer these questions. There are Quantitative Studies, where we look at numbers and try to answer, "how many," and what is the "proportion," type question. And there are also Qualitative Studies, where we gather information about the "what," and "how," and even begin to understand some of the "why" questions. The Phoenix Plan Focus Group Surveys (A Report) see full report in pdf The Foundation for the Preservation and Promotion of Square Dancing conducted a series of Focus Group Surveys in three cities last year. These Focus Groups consisted of non-dancers and former dancers in Charlotte, NC; St. Louis, MO; and Portland, OR. This extensive research work was conducted as part of Phase One of The Foundation’s Phoenix Plan. This work will provide helpful information to dance leadership for developing effective marketing programs to revitalize square, round, and traditional dance activities on a global basis. This is a brief summary of some of the "findings" from Focus Group studies. A more detailed report of these results, as well as a list of their specific goals and objectives will be available to assist any local, regional, national, or international dance group interested in working with The Foundation to improve their dance programs. These organizations are encouraged to participate in on-going research projects designed to gather data for different geographic areas and individual dance forms. Non-Dancer Groups Findings: 1.The Baby Boomers are pressed for time, stressed with work, and already heavily preoccupied with free time activities. With many options from which to choose leisure entertainment, they are reluctant to get involved with any activity that requires a long-term commitment. They prefer activities that flex with THEIR needs, and permit a sense of spontaneity. 2.Square dancing makes high demands of its recruits with respect to time, commitment, clothing, and general format. The public sees a relatively monolithic program, which asks them to conform to what it offers, rather than develop programs that flex to their various interests and needs. 3.Square Dancing has a serious image problem within the general public, and especially among those in the targeted Boomer generation. Most people are familiar with SD, but not Modern Western Square Dance (MWSD). Consequently, their image is based on out-of-date concepts not reflecting today's dance experience. Former Dancer Groups Findings: 1.MWSD has a very low profile, even in those cities where there is an active dance community. As a result, people who might be enticed into the activity have no idea how to get involved. 2.Among those who have participated in SD and subsequently left SD, enjoys a very positive image, despite the negative experiences. These people loved the activity and most would return, if the circumstances leading to their departure were corrected. They think the activity is wonderful and definitely worth promoting. But without changes, they don't think a promotional program will succeed. This group represents a significant target for recruiting new membership. 3.The SD club culture appears to have two faces. On the one hand, it is friendly and welcoming—like a second family. However, some ex-dancers experienced the club culture as inflexible, cliquish, and exclusive. 4.Clubs appear to be particularly unable to work with single members, whether they start out as singles or become singles after joining the club. And with the emerging Boomer group showing a near 60% single factor, this limitation could add significantly to recruitment problems. 5.The unavailability of dance programs at different levels of expertise is a key reason for dropping out of the dance program. The ability for new dancers to have the option to remain at the Mainstream level seems critical to retention. Many of these ex-dancers liked the activity, but would like a place to dance at the level they learned during the first class cycle. They seem to want to consolidate skills, and just have fun. 6.The current club organizational structure is not oriented to marketing the SD activity. There is a need for collaboration on important advertising and public relations programs, as well as on issues of scheduling, and program changes. Foundation News Releases:
The Canadian Square & Round Dance Society wrote to Callerlab in February, 2001 and indicated that Tim Crawford had outlined the Phoenix Plan to the Board at its July 2000 meeting. Mr Crawford mentioned that the Canadian Square & Round Dance Society may be able to play a part in the project. The exact nature of the of such participation was not delineated, but it was felt that some of the focus groups format might apply to Canada. As an integral partner in Square Dancing in North Ameria, we would like to offer our assistane in this venture. We would be honoured to share our personnel resources with you. The movement has to position itself for the future while not necessaruly discarding the past. It is our assumption that the Phoenix Plan holds the key to our future as a recreational and social venue for friendship. We must sieze the opportunity. It
is
our intention to assist in whatever way we can for the betterment of
our
movement. We look forward to your suggestions and potential taks that
we
might do.
 August 2000 Phoenix Plan Research Results Are A Surprise! CALLERLAB, through its Foundation, has completed the analysis of its initial research study. It was conducted as a 'first step' at The Phoenix Plan, a new marketing program. And the ‘findings’ were surprisingly pleasant! The survey, conducted by StarWorks Inc. a Michigan based Research firm under the direction of Jim Hensely, the Foundation's Marketing Director, was a preliminary study of general public opinion with the following objectives:
The findings were surprisingly positive in many areas. Square dance activity is a wide open market, with less than 15% of our population ever having experienced it as an adult. The image issue was decidedly stronger than anticipated. In this study, it proved to be moderately POSITIVE, with only a small minority (12%), having a negative opinion. Most people were neutral, but a THIRD were positive. People who had contact with square dancing as an adult, were twice as likely to be positive. Experiencing the activity apparently breeds goodwill. Almost all income levels reacted the same way, with lower level incomes being twice as positive. Positioning square dancing as a ‘Fun-Social and Healthy' activity would draw one in six, to consider joining a class, with another 40% maybes. Additional work will be needed to validate results, but this preliminary study showed the general context for square dancing as relatively favourable. There is considerable potential for expanding interest in this activity. The ‘Baby Boomers' are a viable target market for square dancing. Other marketing targets should include singles, who have been married and people with lower incomes. In August, 2000 the Foundation will begin a series of Focus Group Research Studies in three cities: Charlotte, NC, St Louis MO, and Portland, OR. These will be in depth face-to-face sessions, with a professional moderator questioning a small, representative group of carefully chosen people, in detail about their opinion and feelings. In each city we will visit with three separate groups, two who have never square danced and one group who dropped out of square dancing, after only a few lessons. Names of discontinued dancers will be obtained through local callers and club leaders. If you know of people who have dropped out of a square dance class, please send that information (name, address and telephone number) along with your name and telephone number to the CALLERLAB Office. These sessions, which are video taped and reviewed, will give everyone better insight into our problem areas. Hopefully, other square dance organizations will want to participate in similar research studies to learn more about their individual market area. The results of our final report will be made available through the Foundation at a later date this fall. The
FOUNDATION
The
Phoenix Plan
The Plan is a program to market square dancing. it is a recommended
plan
of action based on research findings arising from a brief market study.
The
public image of square dancing has become less attractive. At the same
time,
competition for the consumers leisure and recreation time has
noticeably
increased. Understanding those factors, the Plan will identify the
problem
areas and offer solutions that would again present square dancing as an
attractive
product or service. The Plan consists of three phases and recommends
incremental
steps to realize its potential.
PRESS RELEASE SQUARE
DANCING FOUNDATION INITIATES NEW MARKETING PLAN
CALLERLAB, under the auspices of its FOUNDATION (For the Preservation
and
Promotion of Square Dancing), ********** END ********** |