Public Relations Writing Final Project

Chris Haddeland
May 28, 2014

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Situation Analysis
Mission and Goals
Mac Sports is located on Third Street in down town McMinnville. Mac Sports is a
sports retail store serving the needs of Yamhill County. With one single location, Mac
Sports provides sports apparel as well as sporting equipment. The mission of Mac Sports
is Mac Sports strives to provide quality athletic apparel and printing services to the
greater Yamhill County community while maintaining everyday low and affordable
prices. In addition we strive to be an integral and reliable part of the community and help
serve the local athletic community in whichever ways possible. (Tarhuni, 2014)
The goals of Mac Sports are:
1. Provide quality athletic apparel at low cost.
2. Engage in community activities in order to increase visibility and community presence
3. Provide timely and affordable printing services to all local athletic teams, local
business or various local groups. (Tarhuni, 2014)

External Environment
Industry
As a sporting retailer, Mac Sports is in a very competitive business with a large
range of companies all varying in size. In the city of McMinnville, they are one of two
retailers, the other being Big 5, specializing in sporting goods. Along with Big 5, larger
sport retail companies provide websites from which customers can purchase sporting
goods. As a small company, Mac Sports has had to find its niche; it has done this by
providing sporting goods to the people of Yamhill County who do not want to shop online
or leave the area to find goods and by providing area specific attire, such as local high

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school team apparel. This is one of Mac Sports greatest competitive advantages, since
the only other place where such specific apparel is sold is at the schools during games or
in a campus store.
Conditions
One social condition that presents an opportunity for Mac Sports is the high level
of interest in sports. Sports are very popular, and with a wide range of schools in the area
there are many athletes who are in need of goods and apparel. Along with the high school
athletes, many younger children are playing sports, and Mac Sports provides sporting
goods required for participation.
Yamhill County is an average economic county; the median household income is
almost 54 thousand dollars, slightly above the Oregon median (United States Census
Bureau). This means that although most of the families in Yamhill County may not be
affluent, but do have some money to spend on recreational activities such as sports.
Trends
Currently, there is a trend to get younger people more active. As the obesity rate
climbs in the United States, people are looking to combat it by providing their children
activities that involve exercise. Sports are a fun and easy way to get kids exercise. In
order to play sports, the athletes need sporting equipment, which they can get from Mac
Sports.
One trend that is a major threat to Mac Sports is the use of the Internet. Mac
Sports does not have a presence on the Internet and is potentially losing customers who
want to know more about the business but are unable to find the information. Larger
companies have extravagant websites providing information about the company, where

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stores are located and, usually, online shopping capabilities. Mac Sports may not need an
online retailer, but should provide a place for potential customers to find more
information about the store.
Product Analysis
Mac Sports main competition in McMinnville is Big 5 Sporting Goods. Along
with Big 5, Mac Sports also competes with retailers such as Wal-Mart and Bi-Mart that
supply some sporting equipment. The products that Mac Sports provides are different
from these companies in two ways: quality and local specificity.
Mac Sports has the highest quality sporting goods in McMinnville by providing
brands that customers can trust. The big retail stores provide basic, generic equipment for
beginner or casual users. Big 5 does provide some high quality equipment, but the
majority of their sporting goods are middle of the road products used by slightly more
experienced athletes. Mac Sports has the best shoes, cleats, and sport specific equipment
in the city of McMinnville.
Another reason Mac Sports products differentiate from the other competitors is
the local specificity. Mac Sports provides apparel for high school teams, including
sweatshirts, t-shirts, socks, shorts and even letterman jackets. It is the only retailer in
McMinnville where all these products are located.
The main weakness that Mac Sportss products have is the selection size. As
small, downtown shop, Mac Sports does not have the size to provide its customers with a
large amount of selection, such as Big 5 or the other stores. Since the company is small,
there is not a lot that can be done about this problem, other than ordering in equipment on
a person-by-person basis.

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Target Audience
The target audience that I would like to reach with this plan is potential
customers. Customers who have already shopped at Mac Sports know what the store
offers and can make up their mind as to their next sporting purchase. The specific
potential customers that I would like to reach are younger athletes. Almost 25 percent of
the population is under 18 years of age (Census Bureau, 2013). To do this, I must reach
their parents, who have the money to buy products at Mac Sports. Parents in Yamhill
County value their children, and want to help their children be successful, including
athletics. Depending on their income, parents want to provide quality equipment for their
children at a reasonable price. Parents generally fit into the achievers segment of the
VALS chart (Vaidyanathan, 2008). They are family oriented and can be reached through a
variety of channels including television and newspapers.
The target audience is located in Yamhill County. Yamhill County is not very
large, with every town being within at least a half -hour drive of McMinnville (most
closer). This means that families are able to travel to Mac Sports with ease to get the
products they desire.

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Plan
Goal:
Attract 250 New Customers. By attracting 250 new customers, Mac Sports will
potentially gain more sales and more buzz about their business.
Objective 1:
Inform 10,000 Yamhill County residents of Mac Sports and its new online presence (the
second objective).
Strategy 1:
Employ the uses and gratification theory by using specific news media to inform
potential customers.
Tactic 1:
Send a press release to the News Register and Newberg Graphic informing the readers of
Mac Sports new online presence.
Tactic 2:
Send a pitch letter to the Oregonian business editor about shopping local and what
smaller cities (towns not Portland) stores are doing to keep local customers.
Tactic 3:
Partner with the See Ya Later Foundation to create a public service announcement to
remind people of Dantes Inferno Football Camp (See Ya Later Foundation, 2014). Air on
1080 The Fan, 750 The Game, Fox Sports Radio Am 620 and KLYC.
Strategy 2:
Use controlled print media to inform potential customers of Mac Sports.
Tactic 1:

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Create and place brochures in McMinnville Chamber of Commerce and out in front of
store during Turkey Rama, providing more detailed information about Mac Sports and its
products.
Objective 2:
Use the Internet to inform customers of Mac Sports products and activities and reduce
risk (being able to show what types of products are available, pricing, etc.) of shopping at
the store.
Strategy 1:
Employ diffusion of innovation theory by using social media (and a website) to attract
and inform new customers.
Tactic 1:
Create Facebook and Twitter accounts to inform potential customers of new products and
other activities that Mac Sports is doing.
Tactic 2:
Create a website for Mac Sports. This website will allow for online shopping, more
information on the store and what is available at the store. The social media accounts will
feed users into this website when they look for more information.

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Resources:
Fryes Actoin Athletics (2014). Fryes action athletics. Retrieved from:
http://www.fryesactionathletics.com/home.html
N. Tarhuni, personal communication, April 23, 2014.
See Ya Later Foundation (2014). See Ya Later Dantes Inferno Camp. Retrieved from:
http://new.seeyalater.org/youth-camps/football/
United States Census Bureau. (2013). State and county quick facts: Yamhill County,
Oregon. [Data File]. Retrieved from:
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/41/41071.html
Vaidyanathan, R. (2008). Vals 2 segment characteristics. Retrieved from:
http://www.d.umn.edu/~rvaidyan/mktg4731/vals2tbl.htm

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Press Release
Mac Sports making the transition to online
Shopping local can be as easy as logging on to your computer
With summer break quickly approaching, kids will soon be out of school and into
various summer activities, including sports. With this in mind, Mac Sports has released
an online store that will allow customers to order products online or just see what the
shop has in stock at their Third Street location.
An online presence will be one of the largest changes to our store we have had
since we moved, said manager Mike Jacoby.
Mac Sports is a local sporting apparel store that focuses on local sports. The store
also supplies sporting goods, apparel and even has a clothing printer to allow for jerseys
and custom made shirts and other clothing.
The store is located in Downtown McMinnville, sitting beside many locally
owned businesses. This change will allow customers to shop local with the convenience
of staying at home.
Many of our customers have a general idea of what products we provide at Mac
Sports, said Jacoby. One issue that restrains them from coming in is that they are
unsure if we will have the specific product they are looking for. With this website they
can see what we have at the store and can purchase it if they do not have time to come
in.
Large franchises, such as Dicks Sporting Goods and Sports Authority, dominate
online sporting goods sales. Mac Sports is bringing back local customers with their online

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release. The convenience of online shopping will be available, but customers can feel
better by supporting a locally owned business.
Along with browsing and buying sporting goods online, Mac Sports is allowing
for their printing service to be available online as well.
People love our ability to make custom clothing, such as T-shirts and jerseys,
said Jacoby. With the online tool customers will be able to upload designs quickly and
efficiently in order to get their gear.
When you are looking for the upcoming seasons gear, or want to design your
softball teams jersey, take a look at www.macsportsmcminnville.com for a locally
owned, quality shopping experience.
For more information contact Chris Haddeland at chaddela@linfield.edu or call (971)
237-7388.
###
Mac Sports is a sporting goods and apparel store located at 438 NE 3rd St. in
McMinnville, Ore. Mac Sports strives to provide quality athletic apparel at a low cost,
engage in community activities and provide timely and affordable printing services to all
local athletic teams, businesses and various local groups. Mac Sports is a significant
figure in McMinnvilles historic downtown. For more information please call (503) 4724453 or visit www.macsportsmcminnville.com.

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Pitch Letter
Dear Susan Gage (Director of Local Content: The Oregonian),
As larger companies are taken over the landscape of product sales, smaller local
companies must make changes to stay competitive. In Portland, these companies have the
entire metropolitan population to reach out to in order to generate business, but
companies in smaller communities have a smaller customer base to support their
business.
Mac Sports, a sporting goods and apparel retailer in McMinnville, Ore has
developed a website in order to reduce risk for potential customers, thus generating more
business.
With the supporting local business trend still active, now would be a perfect time
to write a story on how local businesses in smaller communities have made adjustments
to stay in operation.
Fryes athletics, located in Forest Grove, Ore, has taken a similar idea to Mac
Sports. Fryes has built a website to inform customers what products they have in the
store and the prices for those products.
With more small businesses making such changes, this would be a perfect
opportunity to run a story like this in your section.
If you are interested please let me know so I can provide more details and any
other information you need. I can send you photos or set up a time for a photo shoot.
Thank you for considering the idea,
Chris Haddeland
(971) 237-7388
chaddela@linfield.edu

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Public Service Announcement
[Whistle blowing, children playing] WITH SUMMER APPROACHING WHAT
WOULD BE A MORE ENJOYABLE WAY FOR YOUR CHILD TO SPEND A
WEEKEND THAN PLAYING AND LEARNING THE GAME OF FOOTBALL.
THE SEE YA LATER FOUNDATION ALONG WITH MAC SPORTS ARE
PROUD TO PRESENT DANTES INFERNO FOOTBALL CAMP.
HELD AT LINFIELD COLLEGES MAXWELL FIELD, DANTES INFERNO
FOOTBALL CAMP IS LEAD BY DAYTON HIGH SCHOOL AND NFL TIGHT END
DANTE ROSARIO.
THIS TWO-DAY CAMP IS HELD FOR CHILDREN GRADES FOURTH
THROUGH NINTH AND TAKES PLACE ON JUNE TWENTY-SEVENTH AND
TWENTY-EIGHTH. SNACKS, T-SHIRTS, TEACHING AND FUN WILL BE
PROVIDED.
SPACE IS LIMITED, SO IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOU SIGN UP AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. TO REGISTER GO TO SEE YA LATER DOT ORG OR STOP BY MAC
SPORTS TO FILL OUT A REGISTRATION FORM.
THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO SPEND A WEEKEND THAN LEARNING
THE GAME OF FOOTBALL FROM A LOCAL NFL STAR. FOR MORE
INFORMATION VISIT THE SEE YA LATER WEBSITE AT SEE YA LATER DOT
ORG.
WE CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU THERE.

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Brochure Copy
1.
Mac Sports
Athletic Shoes, Equipment, Clothing & Team Uniforms, Custom Screen Printing and
Embroidery
2.
Yamhill Countys number one stop for sports equipment and apparel
About Mac Sports
Mac Sports is located in McMinnville and is dedicated to providing quality
athletic apparel at low cost. Mac Sports provides printing for local teams, businesses and
other local groups. Featuring local team apparel and other quality athletic equipment,
Mac Sports is the top local stop for anything sports.
3 & 4.
Stop by our shop in historic Downtown McMinnville
Whether you need shoes, a lettermans jacket, sports equipment or just want to
look around, stop in at our store in Downtown McMinnville on Third Street.
At Mac Sports we have the sporting goods you need without driving to Portland.
With a variety of goods ranging from specific sporting equipment to general sports
apparel, Mac Sports can help you get what you need.
With our small shop and dedicated employees we provide a knowledgeable and
dedicated staff that is able to help each customer with one-on-one assistance.

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If you are unsure if we carry the product you desire check out our online store at
www.macsportsmcminnville.com. If we do not have the product you are seeking stop by
or call in and we can help get you what you are in search of.
Mac Sports is located at 438 NE 3rd Street, next to Timmreck and McNicol
Jewelers.
5.
Printing Service
With a custom printer, here at Mac Sports we are able to make your custom design for
any occasion:

Team uniforms for youth and adult sports

Custom T-shirts and sweatshirts featuring any design, including local school fan
wear

Not only is our printing service perfect for sportswear, but also is great for family
reunions or company retreats.
6.
Mac Sports in now online
As of June 1st we have gone online. Check out our online store at
www.macsportsmcminnville.com , follow us on Twitter @Macsportsmcm or like our
Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MacSportsMcMinnville to hear about our newest
products and exclusive offers.