How do you segment and target your sport customers based on their needs, preferences, and behaviors?

Demographic segmentation: Customers are divided into groups based on variables such as age, gender, income, occupation, etc. Geographic segmentation: Segmenting customers based on their location. Psychographic segmentation: Dividing a market into segments based on different personality traits, values, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles of consumers. Behavioral segmentation: Dividing a market into groups based on consumers' knowledge, attitudes, usage, or responses to a product. Needs & Preferences: Segmentation based on customers needs and preferences, for example athletic apparel for professional sports, casual athletic apparel for everyday use etc.

There are so many ways to segment - determine what will be most helpful for your brand. What do you want to know by segmentation? Once you know that, you can determine how you want to group your audience.

Market segmentation involves dividing the overall market into smaller, more manageable groups that share common characteristics. Targeting, then, involves choosing the specific segment(s) on which you will focus your marketing efforts. This approach allows you to customize your strategies to meet the unique needs of each group. Nike, as an example, uses segmentation by creating separate product lines for different types of athletes: runners, basketball players, football players, etc. Targeting is visible when Nike focuses its marketing campaigns on these specific segments, such as the Nike Running line aimed at runners.

Segmenting in sports marketing demands precision, focusing on highly specific cohorts with distinct needs, preferences, and behaviors. Rather than broad categories, it involves pinpointing groups like "weekend league players aged 18-24 seeking affordable gear" or "mid-30s marathoners prioritizing injury prevention." Analyzing behaviors such as content preferences, seasonal buying patterns, and social interactions reveals deeper motivations. For example, a running brand might target "first-time marathon trainees seeking entry-level gear" versus "mountain trail runners needing durable equipment." This sharp focus anticipates evolving needs, positioning the brand as essential to the sporting experience.

The world of sport is vast and diverse. A professional athlete has very different needs than a casual Sunday runner. Segmentation and targeting helps recognize and respond to this diversity, ensuring that marketing resources are used effectively and messages are relevant to each audience. Let's take the example of how Adidas segmented its market to target female athletes with its "Here to Create" campaign, recognizing that women's motivations and interests in sports and fitness differ from those of men. This approach allowed Adidas to strengthen its engagement with this audience and increase its sales in this segment.

Some behaviors overlap, and you want your marketing dollars to have the greatest possible value. If there is a group of people who are likely going to behave in a similar way if given the same input, you want to know where, when, and how to reach them for a positive reaction. Similarly, it can help you avoid spending dollars where you won't see a strong return, whether because an outlet doesn't reach the segment, or because that segment isn't likely to be a purchaser themselves, but will attend a game if given a ticket.

Because if you don't segment and target, your customers/fans will get the kind of generic and irrelevant emails (and other ads) that you probably have in your inbox right now, like I do. How do those messages change your perception of the team/athlete who sent them?

Imagine you run a sportswear company. You could segment your market based on sporting activity (runners, swimmers, cyclists), skill level, age, gender or even motivation (fitness, competition, leisure). ). Each segment will have distinct product and communication preferences and needs. Decathlon segments its customers not only by sport (cycling, hiking, swimming) but also by skill level (beginner, intermediate, expert). This segmentation helps Decathlon offer products and advice tailored to each group, improving customer experience and loyalty.

Assume that the best segmentations are based on behavior and not characteristics. Buying behavior tells you more than "psychographics" by far. Psychographics is borderline horoscopes for marketers. What people do tells you more than who they are. Marketers like to think that's not true because it's easier to market that way, but it's not true. Stay grounded in behavior.

After defining your segments, you must choose on which you will focus your efforts. For example, if your sportswear brand is high-end and technical, you might target intermediate to expert athletes who value performance and quality. Your advertising campaigns, your content and even the design of your products must be designed to meet their specific expectations. Under Armor, for example, targeted committed young athletes with its “I Will What I Want” campaign, which highlights determination and perseverance. By focusing on this segment, Under Armor has reinforced its brand as inspiring and motivating for young athletes.

Evaluation can be done through sales monitoring, online engagement, or customer satisfaction surveys. If a particular segment responds well to a campaign, it indicates a good match between the targeted segment and the message. If the response is lukewarm, it may be necessary to re-examine either the segment or the way you approach it. GoPro measures the effectiveness of its segmentation and targeting by analyzing sales and social media interactions across different segments, such as extreme sports enthusiasts versus mainstream users. This analysis helps GoPro adjust its strategies to better meet the needs of each segment.

Gathering data from all fan touch points is extremely crucial. Moreover, creating a single fan view is most important as it shows fan journey very clearly. Once this is done, identify common patterns between fans - demography - past interaction history - fan stage Once done group all the fans who share similar interest in one segment

Continuous improvement is essential. Use data and customer feedback to refine your segments. Test different approaches in the same segment to identify what works best. Be prepared to adjust or redefine your segments if market trends or behaviors change. The European Super League in 2021 illustrates a glaring example of poor segmentation and targeting in sport. The league's founders tried to bring together Europe's richest clubs, thinking fans would automatically follow, but they underestimated supporters' attachment to the traditions and history of European football. The massive negative reaction from fans, institutions, and players led to the abandonment of the idea, showing the crucial importance of understanding your target audience.

Don't forget to update this information! People change and move in and out of different groups. Once every 6 months is probably enough on a large scale to make this work.

To effectively segment and target sports customers, dig into the data. Age, location, lifestyle, and buying habits all offer clues on how to group them. It's not a one-size-fits-all game; you gotta mix and match strategies to find what clicks with different crowds. Keep an eye on the results and pivot when needed. Use tech like CRM to stay sharp and relevant. The goal is knowing your audience so well, you can almost predict their next move. It's about serving up what they want before they even ask for it.