How C. Grant & Company supports camps through camper and constituent research.

1. CAMP What would happen
to the ministry
and effectiveness
of your camp if
there was a
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
consistent program
for gaining
actionable
operational and
constituent
insights?
OVERVIEW
C.Grant and Company has been conducting research on behalf of leading camps for a few years now. We
have studied and made actionable recommendations on issues as diverse as camper online activity, male
counselor recruitment, the camp decision-making process, ministry outcomes, camper satisfaction, and
values.
Our experience with large Christian camps and our affinity with the world-changing ministry of Christian
camps has made our work with camps both personally and professionally rewarding.
It’s bigger than “another job” to us: Our kids are campers and counselors. We’re donors. In short, we’re
believers.
As leading camps already know, real research done by real researchers
represents a real commitment in terms of time and financial resources. They also
know the dramatic impact insights can have and the benefits that come from Research is a key
an outside look at the issues that face their leadership teams. area where leading
Following are some ideas on how a formalized research program can camps gain new insights
generate game-changing insights for your camp. Thanks for your to better program and
consideration. market their ministry
Camp Activity
MSN
Camp My Space Xanga Facebook Spaces
Groups Members Blogrings Members Groups Members Spaces
Eagle Lake 10 177 1 26 4 91 0
Kanakuk 21 845 26 705 74 5774 14
Muskoka
Woods 3 130 0 0 11 596 5
Pine Cove 8 371 9 222 29 1416 0
Sky Ranch 10 382 11 246 11 577 0
SpringHill 5 67 7 388 22 1468 7
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2. Who makes the camp buying decision: Parents or
BETTER kids? Does Dad play a role? What
does the process look like?
RESULTS How can you recruit male
counselors? How does the task Wouldn’t you
change as they get further into like to know?
FROM NEW college?
How are campers using social
INSIGHTS networking sites? Is text messaging on the rise?
What’s more important to reaching kids today:
Facebook or MySpace?
What new programs are campers interested in?
Would they like circus-related activities or
lacrosse? A spa or video production?
What camp attributes are most important to
campers and their parents? Which are they most
satisfied with? Where are the biggest gaps
between importance and satisfaction?
What is the relative importance of pricing, ability to
register with friends, and camp week preferences?
What do donors value about the camp
experience? Why do they contribute? What
would cause them to prioritize camp giving?
What’s a reasonable marketing cost per camper?
What’s a best practice for personnel costs as a
percent of revenue?
What’s a good target for revenue per camper when
including retail and other sales?
How has the camp experience changed campers
and staff over time? What are the outcomes
socially, physically, mentally, and
Research Best Practices
spiritually?
CGC does lots of How do you attract male teens as
research outside the
camping industry, campers? What’s a reasonable
allowing us to apply male/female ratio for teen camp?
best practices and When do parents want to register?
customer insights from
other areas to our camp Are they interested in payment
work. Recent projects plans? Pre-registration?
include higher What is the role of grandparents in
education, primary
schools, publishers, funding camp? How do you reach them?
and Christian
ministries.
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3. 25 Questions RESEARCH PROCESS
Most surveys contain approximately 25 questions
customized to the needs of each camp and the Determine
topic under consideration. Topic
Sample Size
Because this will be an internet-based survey
program, we can go to large sample sizes without Create Base
increasing costs. The list strategy can be different Survey
for each camp. Some want to survey entire lists for
each survey; some want to split the list in half or
quarters.
Create
Each survey can sample up to three different Custom
audiences (campers, parents and staff, for Questions Pull Lists
example) and will break results down by
appropriate age categories.
Conduct
Insight Presentations Survey
For each study, a customized written report with
recommendations will be sent with a follow up
review phone call from CGC. These presentations
may also be made on-site. Analyze
Results
Produce
Suggested Report
Core Topics
(though others
Base Plus
Custom
Questions
may be chosen)
STRATEGIC PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT MARKETING
A gap analysis of the key An analysis of A values study of the Analysis of best
attributes of each camp new program and donor base to determine messages and
(importance vs. satisfaction) activity the areas that would tactics to reach
as well as areas for concepts. By most likely increase key segments
operational improvement. This pooling new ideas support. The key: what (males,
is based on the surprising across camps and will move camps up in grandparents,
business-world insight that evaluating group the giving priority minority, home
satisfaction and loyalty are and individual list? This will be done school, etc).
not related. The result is data results camps in conjunction with our Electronic
pinpointing where you and your maximize future partners at the activity; media
constituents are not aligned. program and Institute for the Study use. Comparison
Donors love this stuff. facility of Religion at Baylor of cost ratios
investments. University. across camps.
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4. STEPS
NEXT
EVALUATE FUNDING donors--a good way to range of camp studies to
engage key givers and help you develop a survey
REQUIREMENTS
provide benefit to the that will effectively
Typical camp research camp. address the problems and
projects can cost up to opportunities your team
$20,000 per survey, faces.
DETERMINE RESEARCH TOPICS
including all expenses
The best projects have
from concept through final
buy-in from the leadership CALL US. WE CAN HELP.
written report. Travel
team and are actionable at
expenses if required are
many levels of camp
not included and billed at
operations. We use our
cost. Many camps have
experience doing a wide
research underwritten by
About:
C. Grant and Company is a full-service marketing firm with experience in managing complex branding, research, and
communication programs for Fortune 500 companies along with creating and executing strategic marketing programs
for small to mid-sized organizations. We serve a select number of church, business, and non-profit leaders through
qualitative and quantitative research programs, marketing and communication programs, content development, and
editorial and design services.
www.cgrantandcompany.com
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