Swimming Along
10/ 25/2018
Ziyu Nan
Introduction
Aquaphobia, the fear of water, is the most common special phobia among American
adults. There are about 50% of American adults have aquaphobia (Bailey, 2009). When they
see the water, they will be anxious, nervous, and even avoiding. Also, they will be afraid to
swim or avoid all activities in the water. According to the National Institute of Mental
Health, specific phobias normally develop in childhood (Bailey, 2009). The common factors
that cause people to fear of water are drowning, parental influences, and water-related
unfortunate experiences, etc. For these water-scarred adults, the way to help them
overcome the fear of water is different from children.
Re-swim is an organization to help adults overcome their fear and re-adapt water
environment by using miracle swimming system. Miracle swimming system has been
developing for over 35 years, which is a new swimming system. Thousands of people have
re-adapted to the water environment through this learning system. Because there are
more half people in the United States who are afraid of water, it will be a big market for reswim.
Background Research
Key Audiences
●
The basic situations of key audiences
According to the survey data, fear of drowning, do not know how to swim, and parental
inheritance are the three main causes of fear of water. In terms of drowning, people are
not only afraid of drowning but also afraid to see others drowning. In addition to these
factors, tsunami or flood and claustrophobia are another reasons for fear of water. Also,
there are more than 70% of African Americans have the fear of water because of parental
inheritance. The most common symptoms when they see water are intense fear, anxiety,
and panic, sweating, tight chest and difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, avoiding water,
and dizziness or fainting.
Through cross-analysis,people who do not have the desire to overcome this problem mainly
comes from people who think their fear moderately impact their life. However, people who are
willing to change this situation still occupy more than 62% of all respondents.
Among all reasons that why people want to overcome their fear, the desire to learn to
swim and personal growth are the primary reasons. According to the survey, more than
40% of people prefer to find a professional coach who specializes in healing fear and more
than 39% of people would seek a personal swim coach to teach them techniques.
Feedback from customers for re-swim
In the results of the survey, most people’s reflection of Re-swim’s program is positive.
People think the class is useful and unique, which is conducive to building their confidence
and helping them overcome their fear. Among all responses, just a small number of people
think this course is expensive. For people, location, cost, and time are the most important
factors impact their consideration of Re-swim’s program. The format of the class is another
concern about this program.
Market research--SWOT Analysis
●
Strengthens
Complete training system
Re-swim has a complete training system, Miracle Swimming, which created by M Ellen
Dash, an American competitive swimmer (Derry, 2013). This system has been developing
for 35 years since the 1970s. Also, Miracle Swimming is the most common training system
used by many of the same institutions that help people overcome the fear of water. Since
1983, this system has already helped over thousands of people overcome their fear. A welltrained training system is more likely to attract customers and more easily gain their trust.
Positive reviews from key audiences
There are lots of positive feedbacks of Re-swim program and Miracle Swimming. Positive
comments are critical to an organization. For Re-swim program, after investigation, it was
found that most of the feedback to it was positive. Most people think it is helpful and they
are willing to try it to overcome their problem. Also, more than 82% of people would like to
participate in this class. (Among people who have already joined in this program, ….. ).
Also, from the feedbacks of Miracle Swimming, most people praise this swimming system
on Facebook. So, these positive feedbacks are conducive to promotion.
●
Weakness
Lack of promotion channel with potential customers. No contact information for social
media was found on Re-swim's offical website. Social media is an important channel for
promotion and communication with customers. Firstly, social media is a platform for
people who trauma to discuss and find someone just like themselves. For example, some
people who have trauma establish different groups on Facebook and share some valuable
information with each other. Secondly, viral spread of social media can promote the
program widely. However, there is no social media account showed on the website.
Also, lacking communication channel with customers is another weakness. There is only
email and phone number on Re-swim’s website. Social media is an essential method to
communicate with audiences. Instead of just using social media as a way to promote, using
social media to communication can help existing customers and potential customers build
a community. It is a win-win way for the organization to use it. For customers, they can get
more information from the people’s sharing, repost it and ask some questions about the
program. For Re-swim, they can acquire more people’s comments. Moreover, once a
community is established, information is more easily disseminated to the same customers
because people prefer to consult people who have similar problems with them.
●
Opportunity
There is a large market for re-swim to develop their program. Among all respondents,
there are more than 62% of people want to overcome their fear of water and 28% of
people are uncertain about this problem. Moreover, finding personal swim coach, a
professional coach who specializes in healing fear, and someone they trust is the most
common choices for people who want to overcome their fear. According to the result,
organizations like re-swim which have the professional coach who can both heal fear and
teach swim are popular choices. So, re-swim has a big potential market for promotion.
●
Threats:
People’s other preferences
When people have trauma, they also would like to choose to seek psychology for help.
These people think psychologists are best choice because it is psychologic problem and
they are professional to deal with the mental problem. Also, finding someone they trust is
also a popular choice. When people cannot trust instructors, it’s hard for them to choice
Re-swim. People’s other prefernces of healing fear of water may reduce some customers.
So, Re-swim should find some way to attract them and meet their mental needs.
Competitors
Competitors come from two sources, one is to teach swimming organizations, and the
other is to have the same project as re-swim. According to the survey, some people would
like to choose a swimming coach to teach them techniques, and some of them cannot
distinguish the differences between swimming coach and professionals who healing water
trauma in swimming pool. So, if the key audiences cannot differentiate these two
organizations, they may choose a swimming coach. Also, do not know how to swim is one
of the common reasons for people’s fear, so for these people, seeking a swimming coach
snatches a large proportion of potential customers. The organizations which have the same
program also occupy a part of the market share. Although some organizations have the
same program, they do not in the New England Area. So, they don't have the too much
competitive advantage because people pay great attention to location and how much time
they take part in the program. So, the focus is on similar organizations in New England.
S:
complete training
system
W:
Lack promotion
channel
Positive reviews
O:
Have a big market
T:
Competitiors
People have other
preferences of healing
fear of problem
Problem
Lack effective communication channels to let target audiences understand Re-swim and
participate in the program.
Goal
Objectives
Strategies
Tactics
References:
Bailey, E. (2009). Aquaphobia: The Fear of Water - Phobias - Anxiety | HealthCentral. Retrieved from
https://www.healthcentral.com/article/aquaphobia-the-fear-of-water
Derry, J. (2013). Swimming lessons: the Miracle Swimming method. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/the-swimming-blog/2013/dec/02/swimming-lessonsmiracle-method
We’ve Helped Thousands. Retrieved from https://www.miracleswimming.org/
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