12A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

The segment I will be targeting is basketball players seeking long-term development. This means players who are looking to play basketball at the next level. For instance, a middle school basketball player who wants to play basketball throughout high school is part of this segment. A middle school basketball player who plays for fun and is unsure if they will play in high school is not a part of this segment. This segment will be the most profitable and as they will most likely be long-term customers.

I interviewed five high school basketball players at Creekside High School because two of them do not want to play at the next level (college). The threes players who have the unmet need realized they had this need during their first season of varsity basketball. They had some success at this level but did not dominate the way they wanted to and will eventually need to in order to play in college. After the season, two of these players asked their coach where and how they should be trained while the other player just began working out on his own. The coach's opinion holds a lot of weight for these players so whatever the coach says the players will most likely try. The third player, who did not seek his coach's advice, was unaware of how many players around the country train with basketball trainers to develop their game. 

I then asked each player what they would look for when finding a trainer. Each player first said the most important thing about a trainer is knowing that they played basketball at a high level. This appeared to give them the most confidence that the training is worth partaking in. The next most important thing for two of the players was who the trainer currently trains. It mattered to them if they usually train players around their skill level or even higher. If they usually train players at a lower level, they are hesitant to begin working with them. The one player who did not say this said the next most important thing for him was proven results. He wanted to see proof that a player has taken his game to the next level because of the trainer's workouts. 

Overall, I learned that many players understand they have this need, but do not know what an adequate solution for it would be. Instead of using Google or the internet, they tend to ask people they trust such as coaches, family, and friends. This is somewhat concerning because if word of mouth is their number one source of information for this need, it is difficult to find a consistent marketing approach. Developing relationships with coaches around the country, specifically those where training is scarce, seems to be the best way to reach the players with this unmet need.