THE CALLERLAB FOUNDATION

For The Preservation And Promotion Of Square Dancing

The Phoenix Plan

(A new Beginning)

The Plan is a program to market square dancing. it is a recommended plan of action based on research findings arising from a brief market study. The public image of square dancing has become less attractive. At the same time, competition for the consumers leisure and recreation time has noticeably increased. Understanding those factors, the Plan will identify the problem areas and offer solutions that would again present square dancing as an attractive product or service. The Plan consists of three phases and recommends incremental steps to realize its potential.

Phase I will provide market research to define who our prospective dancers are, and what it will take to recruit and retain them. It will provide tools and materials to help us understand the problems occurring in the activity and identify the role of the individual dancer and caller in its recovery. The clubs will need to inventory their membership for demographic data, as well as learn the details of the Plan. CALLERLAB will reorganize its Foundation as a universal clearing house designed for a two way exchange of ideas and distribution of resource information for the square dancing community. It will establish the Foundation as the primary vehicle for implementation of the Plan.

Phase II will provide for the Foundation to continue its research work. It will utilize the resulting data to help recruit advertising and public relations assistance. It will provide guidance to improve the activitys public image. This would allow square dancing to appeal to a broader market. This Phase seeks to establish funding resources from corporate sponsors, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.

Phase III will continue earlier efforts in order to attract appropriate corporate partners as financial and promotional sponsors. By consolidating market research and the dancer demographics gathered from the clubs, the Plan will guide the leaders of square dancing in making necessary changes to the product. The Plan will present square dancing as a competitive product in the leisure and recreation market.

The Plan will unite the various factions of square dancing in a common cause. The resulting consensus will be the critical factor in attracting long term sponsorship. A new public image of square dancing and better informed square dance leadership will help preserve and promote the square dance activity.

April 2000