Coaches often wonder what they can do to marketing their team or program. How can a coach reach their fan-base and get them to support the team or program? One of the best ways to build a winning program is to boost the time spent with the fan-base in meaningful, well-planned interactions. Coaches can get their team or program to the top through social media, professional development clinics, and fundraisers.
Social Media. Social media has become a modern day newspaper. People wake up, grab a cup of coffee, and read their “newsfeed” from their smartphone to learn about what is going on in the world. Social media sites such as Twitter allow people to follow the teams and programs that they are interested in. As a coach, you can create a Twitter account so that your fan-base can ‘follow’ your team through your daily tweets; it’s a great way to keep your fans informed and excited. Fans can stay updated on events, program highlights, and team/individual stats. Twitter is a great way to market your program to a wide variety of people and can help your program to grow. Social media may not reach all of your fan-base; however, it does generate word-of-mouth interest which is the best way to advertise. If people get excited about your program and re-tweet a post that message then has the power to expand to a larger social network and in turn grow your fan-base.
Professional Development Clinics. As a professional in a program, your knowledge and experience is envied by others. The general public in your fan-base as well as other professions who watch your team/program want to learn more from you. Hosting clinics and seminars is a great way to promote your program. If you are a strength coach, consider hosting a clinic that focuses on a new training techniques such as ‘Implementing Kettlebells in a Strength Program’ or ‘The Benefit of Foam Rollers’. Attendees will learn new knowledge and skills and will leave with a renewed respect for your program; they will spread the word about your program and tell others about what they learned from you and your staff. This becomes a way for your program to gain attention from circles outside of your town or state. Everyone’s goal should be to have national attention and recognition. Professional development clinics will help gain positive recognition for your program and hopefully inspire and build your fan-base.
Fundraisers. Hosting a fundraiser to obtain extra money for supplies, gear, or other equipment is important for any program. Most programs have limited budgets so fundraisers such as T-shirt sales, cookoffs, raffles, and hosting clinics can raise money to put towards buying things to help get a program to a top level. Being able to represent your brand anywhere you go is a must for building a fanbase. By getting clothing and other gear with your logo on it is just like having a billboard on the side of an interstate. The branded gear you sell also kicks back to the program as a fundraiser.
Marketing a team, or program,comes down to boosting awareness and meaningful interactions so that those in your fan-base can hear or see about your successes. Getting your brand or team name out to the masses,as a powerhouse in your particular field,is a lot easier now than it would have been 30 years ago.
This article gives great ideas and points for coaches out their trying to reach higher fan base and attract more people. I think social medias and stuff like that are great but I feel that getting together for a fundraiser of games are the best way to get attraction and acquire more fans.
ReplyDeleteWow this is so true on how to market your program. First of all fundraisers are a necessity because all successful programs have money. Second having youth development programs also is a way to develop young athletes who are most likey going to go to your program,.
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