It’s Good! A Kicker’s Guide to Success on the Gridiron

Coaches are an integral part of the sporting industry.  Every sport has to have a coach with experience in order to develop quality players.  A coach who has never played the game may not be as beneficial as compared to a coach who has spent years on the field as a player.   As a collegiate football kicker/punter, my career goal is to become a Kicker/ Punter position coach.  I want to create an opportunity for my players to learn everything there is to know about the art of kicking a football. 

            I remember when I was a high school athlete; I had a burning desire to play football at the college level.  Now that I have accomplished that goal, I want to mentor young players who have a raw talent for the kicking game.  I want to develop my own business which will serve as a training camp for Kickers and Punters; the name of my business will be: ‘It’s Good!’ - Coach A’s Kicking.  The phrase “It’s Good” is music to a kicker’s ear after a field goal or extra point is kicked.  On a different note, not everything in life will be perfect, not everything will be “good”.  Adversity will strike and it’s how you handle being down that will determine your accomplishments.  Hard work and dedication will bring forth a positive outlook in the lives of those who chose to keep going even when hard times come.  I want my students to remember that even if a kick doesn’t go as it should have- “It’s all good”.  Erase it and move on to the next.  Kicking is a mental game more than it is ability.  They must have a strong mind and a short term memory in order to become great kickers and punters.  You can have the best ability in the world but if you allow a bad kick or the noises of the outside get in your head, you will never be successful at the position.  The goal of ‘It’s Good’ will be to capture the attention of those kickers/ punters and show them how to succeed.

One-on-one sessions will include drills, charting and filming kicks, studying film and coaching them on and off the field.  At the end of each film session, I will take the athlete back out to the field to practice the new techniques and help them realize that they are getting better after each practice session.  One unique aspect of my business will be a weight lifting program designed just for kickers/ punters.  Being able to kick the ball is more difficult than people think- it requires accuracy, power, height, distance, hang time, placement, and balance.  Weight training with specific workout for kicker and punters will set ‘It’s Good!’ apart from other Sport Specialty, clinic, or camps.  As a player, I have attended many clinics and camps and was never given the opportunity to learn about the importance of strength & conditioning.  I have never had a kicking coach/ instructor that have taken the time to develop a weight lifting program for me.  Adding the weight training programs for each athlete will take more time but will also help my name get out more in the aspect of me caring to go the extra mile for each player.  My athletes will set themselves apart as well because of their production on the field.         

Athletes interested in a football career as a kicker/ punter can visit the ‘It’s Good’ website to find out equipment (ball, tees), It’s Good apparel, instructional DVDs on drills, nutrition, and weight lifting.   The website will also include a ranking of each athlete to help them obtain a college scholarship.  I will send out links to college coaches around the nation and introduce the kicking talent to them.

Do you think you have the leg to make it as kicker/ punter?  Do you possess the mental toughness to survive as a kicker/ punter?  Let me help you develop an ‘It’s Good’ mentality for success on the gridiron.  ‘It’s Good’ will provide athletes with the best training needed to succeed on the field.  It’s time to tee it up!

Building a Winning Program by Building Character

For the sports fanatic, it is a dream for their child to ‘make it big’ the world of sports. For the lucky few it can be a great experience and fame depending on how far they want to take their career. Unfortunately when I say a few, I mean 1% of athletes. So what are some other benefits to participating in sports that can take the average child ‘above and beyond’ in other aspects of the lives? My answer to that is character, I firmly believe sports build character. A good sports program that encourages athletes to be the best they can on and off the court can help build a foundation that the athletes can build upon to become solid individuals. Although wins are great, no one likes to lose if they are a true competitor. Unfortunately, winning does not happen every time you step out onto the field or court. How the athlete handles the loss is where the character is shown, some athletes may act out in anger or completely shut down thinking that the loss makes them less of an athlete. It is the coach’s job to step up and hand out some tough love but also encouragement so that the athlete wants to continue to compete. This can be done in the locker room or on the court. The coach has to be the one to carry the team when the team is feeling run down. The athletes are already beating themselves up about the loss enough that the coach should not dwell too much on it, but that does not mean corrections cannot be made. Lifting the spirits of the athletes before leaving the locker room is important because at the end of the day when that uniform comes off that athlete is still just a kid. A kid that needs guidance on how to become a productive adult that won't shut down or give up when well laid plans fall through. 

 

            Discipline is learned from not from playing the game, but practicing. Showing up to practice on time and with all the appropriate equipment, of discipline. Being held accountable for your actions is a part of life that is important to learn even at a young age. Learning correct form, drills, plays, teamwork, and respect for the opponent discipline. Not everything about competing in sports is fun. Athletes have to commit serious time to be successful such as getting up early or staying late at practice. Life lessons are learned every day when  an athlete steps out onto the court. How the athlete handles all of these situations discipline. Great coaches believe in the person that their athletes are destined to become once they take off the uniform. The coach stands as an example of someone who teaches a game, is a leader in a fiery battle, the rock to hold an entire team together when it is crumbling, and a disciplinarian when unacceptable behavior takes place. The coach creates a winning program and also builds a solid foundation for the future adult in each and every athlete.

P2P Marketing in Athletics

One of the hottest crazes for new start up businesses, is person-to-person (P2P) marketing. The premise is simply built around a reliance on people marketing for you - word of mouth is your strongest asset. From a century old company such as Northwestern Mutual Financial PLanning, to start up healthcare companies like Advocare; P2P marketing is building a great momentum as a reputable marketing angle.

The biggest focus of P2P marketing strategy is incentive-based persuasion for clients or customers. Example:  “Sign up 10 of your friends and get five free personal training sessions.” For team-based coaching you can put the focus on personal ticket sales for rewards programs. The ability to spin your incentive to cater to your audience makes P2P marketing possibilities seemingly endless and limited only by your imagination.

Northwestern Mutual operated for its first 115 years based solely on referrals. There was no cold calling, rather only introductions by existing clients “You see the value in the services I’ve given you, do you think some of your friends and family members would enjoy these same services? We can help set up their financial future just like we have yours. You think that’s something they might be interested in?” It seems that most people respond positively to P2P marketing techniques as very  few people are going to respond to the concept of ‘introductions’ by saying that ” I have zero desire in helping my cousin, brother, sister, etc. out.”

As the co-director of Dynasty Mechanics, a training camp for elite quarterbacks and wide receivers in the sport of football,, this is the foundation of our marketing strategy. We apply

pressure to our clients and ask them to help in spreading the word. The best way to recruit new athletes to our program is to ask our current clients to target their fellow athletes in their school. With our ability to work parallel elite quarterbacks with elite wide receivers, we can turn one client from one school into four clients over night. To encourage our clients to refer new athletes to our program, we offer incentives, such as, bring a referral to our next camp, get a 50% discount or bring three new athletes to a workout session and receive a free Dynasty Mechanics t-shirt and hat.

The easiest sell for any good or service is the referral. Nike may have an elite marketing department with some of the best ad campaigns in the world, but how many of their products are sold based on the everyday billboard - the customer? How many Crocs commercials have you seen? Yet, a start up company for sandals now is franchised into malls all over America.

P2P, person-to-person marketing is a  booming strategy that is both effective and inexpensive.. The money saved by not buying ad space on TV, radio, magazines etc. can be put back into the company or team itself. For start up gyms, program revitalization or any other position you find yourself in, look to turn clients into salesman with person-to-person (P2P) marketing.

Miles and Miles of Work on the Road to the Top

I have been a part of a Cross Country and Track team for more then ten years and each program is unique in itself in that they can market themselves and spread what the program is and stands for. I’ve learned that running is not the most popular sport in the world of athletics and with the exception of the parents that show up to track meets the fans are few and far between. The teams that I have been with have all driven and marketed very differently. I think I would take the approach of how my high school coach brought awareness to our program. With having a positive attitude and constant drive our team was able to stay motivated at the tasks that needed to be done.

Although, I would agree athletes need to be challenged in the competition that they compete against, I think going to meets where they are low key and the competition is minimal will also help with team morale and it would look great in the publics eyes. It’s important though that your athletes understand the morals that you their coach leads and stands by, for me I would rather have athletes on my team that aren’t troublemakers then win a few championships. I truly respect the kind of coach Charlie Strong is because although tons of coaches preach about having a team with great morals, he is one of the few that has followed through with kicking the athletes off the team that aren’t willing to be the exceptional young men he expects. Lastly, I would help build the community around me to be more running friendly, so that both my athletes and the community can benefit off the success that my team will be producing. There are runners everywhere but no everywhere is running friendly and a lot of the time the runners are hard to find.

   Cross Country and Track and Field are overall overlooked until the program is very well established and continues to have decades of success. Building a program is not an overnight fix when it comes to track and cross country but I have seen first hand where these programs can be a huge part of the school. Having athletes that love your program as much as the coach does and are willing to buy in is going to be the key component to the success of raising awareness about the cross country and track program. Your athletes will be your best marketers if other people can see the excitement and the success that you are bringing to the school other students will want to be apart of what your program represents. Lots of coaches all around don’t really understand how effective parents and other students can be at marketing your team especially if the moral and the success of the team is on the ups. It all starts with the positive attitude of the coach though and how bad that individual is willing to spread the word on his or her program. 

Coaching the Next Generation

In the field of coaching I think the two most overlooked niches that can help a coach market his/her program is their ability to change and to connect to their players. First off, the game of football is always evolving and changing. The most successful coaches, no matter what level or sport, are the ones that stay ahead of the game. These coaches see the changes beginning to happen and get a foot in the door before everyone else. Specifically, in football you have to change with the game or you will become a dinosaur. In my mind, the best way to adapt is to go to coaching clinics and listen to lectures from successful coaches on their philosophies and coaching styles.

Currently, I am a member of the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), both of which I have attended the THSCA and AFCA conferences and listened to coaches such as Mack Brown, David Cuttcliff and Nick Saban speak about their time as a coach. These high profile coaches spoke on their coaching philosophy rather than the X’s and O’s of the game. These influential coaches were extremely passionate in the way they spoke on how they treat their players, fellow coaches and how to handle wins and losses. Embracing the aspects these successful coaches and adapting them to fit your coaching style is one of the most important things that a coach can do.

Another niche that is overlooked is the ability to connect with players. All players respond to specific coaching differently. If a coach can’t connect and get to know his/her players they will never fully understand how to coach them correctly. Sometimes it can be difficult to connect with your students/players. You have to make yourself open to the players in order for this to happen. You can’t expect a player to open up to you and discuss their life outside of football and school if you don’t come off as a relatable and non-judgmental person.

If my players come out every game and execute and dominate the other teams defensive line, that is great marketing of my coaching ability. It shows that I have taught the players the game of football and coached them with a fiery attitude. In order to do this I first have to sell my knowledge, passion and love for the game to my players. I have to get my players to buy into my philosophies and mentality and play the game with a certain characteristics that I instill in them. I want my players to play the game with class, discipline, effort and a certain swagger and tenacity that puts them into a league of their own. The only way that my players will demonstrate these qualities on the field is if I possess them every day I step onto the field whether it be practice or a game. 

In order for a program to come together and play great like a family, it requires them to buy into the philosophies and attitude of the program truly play the game for one another instead of themselves.

The only way to redefine the standards in order to transform the game is to become the coach with the most dominating players year in and year out. I strive to come to practice every single day with a level of preparedness and enthusiasm that is unmatched and hopefully these qualities will rub off on my players to prove that we are the best in the game.

In my field of interest, the product that I need to market is my coaching ability. Selling your coaching ability can be a difficult thing to do because it’s not a tangible good. The only way to market and try to sell my ‘product’ is by the way my players carry themselves on the field and how they play the game.

Lift-A-Thon & Meet Your Team

As a head coach for a six-man football team, one of my many jobs is to generate a sense of excitement not only for the players but for the immediate community and also to reach out to others so they too can be excited about the team and the upcoming season. Six-man football in Texas involves high scoring, fast pace, and high intensity games. To get the games to these levels the players not only run off their will power they run off the energy created in the stands. So getting the surrounding communities excited about the team will aid in player enthusiasm, player recruitment, and build the school pride.

One way to get the community excited about my team is by having a “Meet the Team” event, for example if our mascot was a Longhorn, the name of the event would be “Meet the Longhorns” before the season begins. A week or so before the first game, gather the whole community together at the football field so they can meet all of the players that are going to represent our town. At the event we will have a cookout, go through some quick drills, and also play games that will get everyone, not just the players but also the people of the town involved. The cookout will feature foods like, hamburgers and hot dogs. A few of the drills we will go through will be having the players run routes and the quarterbacks passing them the ball, and a walk through of some simple plays we will be running throughout the season. The games that will be played are, we will get town’s people and mix them with some of the players and play a game of touch or flag football. Also we will have different gender and age category’s to compete in a Kick, Punt, Pass competitions with the winners receiving a free T-shirt, gift card, or free admission to the home games for the season. At the event people will have the opportunity to donate money to the school for the program, so we can buy better equipment, this being weight machines, jerseys, pads, helmets, and cleats. This will help get people excited about the upcoming season, and help inspire the players to do their very best to present out town to be the very best!

Another way I believe to get my team out there to the community is to have a “Lift-A-Thon” to help raise money for our program and also to show the people how strong their players are. The money will help raise money to get more and better equipment for us. In the Lift-A-Thon, the athletes will first go around the community and ask the people for donations, they can either donate a certain amount or donate however much the athlete lifts. They will be lifting the bench press station out in public for all to see, so everyone can come out and watch to see their accomplishment. For example, an athlete gets a person to donate $1 per pound they lift, and on the date already predetermined, they lift 100lbs the person will donate $100. They don’t have to donate $1 per pound, they can do it however they want, but it is up to the athlete to go out and get as many people involved as possible. This will not only help raise money for the program, but it will also help get the whole community involved and for them to see how well the athletes are doing health wise. By seeing how much the athlete’s care about the program is will also just like the “Meet the Team” hopefully generate excitement around the town and get more athletes to come join the program.

These two ideas are based on getting not only the players excited about the program and the upcoming season but also the community, not just the parents of the players but everyone else who lives around the area, also it helps build school pride and will make the players want to give their best for the town and school. These also don’t only generate that excitement going into the season but also it helps build the community as a whole and shows how much every person in that town cares about their team representing them.

Team—Family—Believe: How to Recruit Basketball Athletes to a Winning Program

 

Recruiting is probably the most important piece to creating a successful collegiate basketball program.  Coaches have to go out and scout talent that fits into the system of the program.  The recruiting process is important because it is how your team stays relevant, it is what gives your team the chance to compete at a high level, and above all it sets the ground work for your program.  As a coach, I believe that when recruits come to visit campus it is important to let them know the code that the team lives by; for my team that code is – Team.Family.Believe.  This code is what draws our recruits in and seals the deal.

 

Team. The first part of the code is team which explains that we are one.  We play together on the court and we help each other off the floor.  It means that we hold each other accountable for our mistakes and we don’t point the finger at one another when someone messes up.  It means we practice and play in the same uniform, socks, and shoes.  We travel to games in the same travel suit and sit with each other during games.  It means we eat our pregame meal together.  We truly believe in the team concept!

 

Family.  We have your back!    If a teammate is down we support them and try and lift them up.  If one of them is struggling in a class we go out of our way to help them succeed.  If one of us needs someone to talk to then we are there for them and we listen.  If someone is needs groceries or a ride to the grocery store then we lend them a hand.  Above all, whatever happens in the locker room stays in the locker room.  We don’t let people outside this family know about our problems. We protect each other; we protect the family!

 

Believe. There is power in believing in a teammate and in the family.  We believe that if we work together we can conquer any task.  We believe that if we work hard and dedicate ourselves to practice and getting better then we can’t be stopped. It is our belief that if we take it ‘one game at a time’ and win then we can ultimately hold up the NCAA Tournament trophy at the end of the season.

 

When we break the huddle, we always say: “123, Team.Family.Believe! We remind ourselves every day that we work as a team, play for one another as a family, and believe that we can conquer all.  The passion behind this code is what attracts top notch players to come and be a part of a winning program. 

Dance Your Way to the Top: The Importance of Promoting a Successful Dance Program

 Dance is often overlooked in the rough and tumble world of athletics.  Yet, a dance team, just like the cheerleading team, is an integral part of a successful athletic program.  As a dance coach, I must find a way to enhance the marketability of the dance program so that the general public will understand our role in the athletic program.  If you want to promote your dance team, consider these three marketing ideas to ensure that your team is unique and memorable.

1.       Display Your Trophies!   Every gymnasium or field house has a trophy case full of championship trophies, awards, banners.   It is a basic athletic mentality to tout the ‘Ws’ or wins!   Therefore, as a dance coach, I must let the public know about the accomplishments of the dance team.  For example:   It is important to display accomplishments that previous dance team members have made that have moved on to bigger teams.  Letting the public know about former dancers who have received college scholarships or have joined dance teams for professional sports will draw attraction to my future team. Showing that students from my team have moved up and accomplished many of their dreams will highlight the strength of our program. New dancers will be drawn to the team if they know that the team can generate dancers beyond the collegiate level. Whether it was dance or how they interact with others, my dance team made an impact on these students and allowed them to move forward with their passion for dance. Young dancers will want to be a part of something if it is proven to be successful. I can use these individuals that moved up to professional teams as a marketing tool. Bring these students back to do clinics with young dancers, sign autographs at one of our events, or have the individual or their new professional team come perform. Creating a place on my teams’ webpage where I can show the accomplishments of alumni with pictures of them will draw attention to the program. I want to use alumni to help attract new individuals to the team.

2.       Choreography is Key!  To market the dance team, the coach must pick out a style that will attract the audience and catch people’s attention. This goes along with picking out the music. When trying to attract students to your dance team, the music should have popular songs that people are interested in. Once the style and song are chosen, a choreographer comes into the picture. The choreographer needs to make the entire routine interesting, enjoyable, and fun not only for the audience but for the dancers as well. Choosing a choreographer who is well-known in the industry will bring interest to the team and is a good way to get new dancers to join. Performing well and entertaining audiences will draw attention to your program and attract individuals who want to pursue dance.

3.        Academic Awards. At competitions winning first isn’t the only award we like to receive. Other awards that are handed out are best choreography, highest GPA, most collegiate, and most admired team. Even if the team doesn’t win first place, getting one of the other awards markets the team in other areas. Dancing is the team’s main focus but we want to excel in all areas. Having a team that can not only win but be the best academically and socially is a goal that I have for my future dance team. This will attract prospective dancers and their parents. Attracting parents is a huge marketing technique. The parents are the ones who are going to help influence the dancer’s choice and more than likely help pay for it. If you draw the parents in, they will want their child to be a part of your program.

I love seeing teams that work as a family. I want my team to be recognized in all areas and be the team that is talked about in a positive way. Creating a fun environment and making sure that everyone follows the three words that I want to build my team on; discipline, dedication, and determination will help reach these goals I have and set my team aside from the others.

Claws and Antlers: A Unique Marketing Strategy for Baseball

In terms of marketing a team to the fans I think it is important to develop a quirky team identity. You must develop something that is unique to your team so that the fan base can participate in; create something that shows off the personality of the team and affords the fans a chance to feel like they are contributing to the team’s success. Developing a quirky identity that comes from the grassroots level (players) can allow the fans to become a part of the team as they cheer their favorite player to victory. A great example of a player developed initiative can be found in the sport of baseball.

In 2010, the Texas Rangers began the first of what would be two postseason runs that culminated in World Series appearances. During the regular season, fans began to notice something the players were doing as part of a celebration of good plays, either by themselves or their teammates. That something they noticed was the “Claw and Antler” hand signals that would later, thanks to their deep playoff run, become nationally known.

 

The signals actually began at the AAA level with Estaban German while he was with the Oklahoma City Redhawks, the Rangers AAA affiliate at the time. The “claw” was made by to look like an “air” high five that could be given to a teammate from a distance. It was supposedly brought to the major league level by Nelson Cruz, a close friend of German. When a Texas hitter did something at the plate, such as get a hit, he would then give a “claw” hand signal to the other Texas players in the dugout. The “Antlers” were inspired by a trophy buck that hung above the locker of star outfielder Josh Hamilton. This signal was sent out when a nice play involving speed was performed, such as running down a long flyball or stealing a base. It was a way of congratulating teammates from a long distance.

 

The fans took notice. They began emulating these hand signals with the team and it continued to grow. Initially, the shirts were strictly for the players and team personnel, but Richard “Hoggy” Price, the Rangers equipment and home clubhouse manager convinced them to create a shirt to sell to the public. Foam “claw” fingers and foam “antler” hats were created for fans. This not only helped create tens of thousands of extra money in revenue, but it also allowed fans to identify with each other and the players. The team even used a “claw and antler” cam used to showcase fans on the video board doing their best “claw and antler” impressions in between innings.  It helped create a great atmosphere at their home park, unlike anywhere else. Songs and video were also made about it, including one by Randy Phillips and Canton Jones. Soon other teams were creating their own signals and motions including one called “Beastmode” used by the Milwaukee Brewers. It was created by Prince Fielder after seeing his kids mimic some of the characters off of the Monsters, Inc movie.

 

According to the Ft. Worth Star Telegram, the Rangers had sold over 360,000 units by the end of the season, making it the highest-selling specialty t-shirt in all of 2010. Howard Smith, MLB Senior VP/Licensing said that “No single item approached the ‘Claw and Antler’ shirt” and that “Rangers merchandise sales were extraordinary.” Claw and Antler merchandise continued to sell even after the Rangers lost in 5 games in the World Series as lines were reported 20 to 30 people deep the days following their elimination.

 

Yes, it is true that most of these movements begin as a “grassroots” movement pushed mostly by the fans, but it is critical for the program or team do everything it can to help it grow. The advantages that can be gained from embracing such movements can be see not only in performance, but can also have financial benefits to the program as it can boost attendance, extend the fan base, and provide additional opportunities for merchandise that can be purchased.

A Quest for Greatness

In today’s coaching world, there are a million different ways to put your team or program into a class by itself. Every coach has their own idea that they think will bring their team together and help them gain that extra edge to win a conference, or maybe even a national championship. As a former college baseball player and coach of various select youth leagues, I have a little insight on what coaches can do to create a team/program that is in a class by itself.

One Team-One Goal. The best way that a coach can create a championship mentality for the team is to get all of the players on board and chasing the same goal. This can be a difficult task for those teams that have a few individuals with egos; those athletes with big egos tend to worry about themselves rather than focus on what is best for the team. The coaches can only do so much in trying to guide that player in the direction that best suites the team. When this ‘ego’ situation arises the coach’s ace-in-the-hole is the core group of returning players who have been on the team for a couple of years. These returners need to take the new ‘ego’ athletes, those who see themselves as individuals, under their wing and show them the ropes. This will take a couple of weeks to accomplish because the initial thought of the incoming player is going to be, “I have done this my whole career and it has served me well”. However, once the ‘ego-driven’ individuals buy-in to the team goal your athletes will form a brotherhood. Everyone will be focused on winning the championship and will do anything to get there.

Building Men of Character. Another way that a coach can create a strong team product that is in a class by itself is to shape the young boys that come into the program and turn them into men. From the very beginning, the head coach and his assistants have to make it known that it is a privilege to play sports. As an athlete you are not entitled to anything. The coach then needs to put in perspective that the player is a student-athlete --- student first and athlete second. Most athletes come into college with the ultimate goal of making it to the professional level of their sport, but if you look at the statistics only about 2-3% make it to the pros.  Although a lot of coaches only care about the on-field performances of the athletes, a successful coach will stress the importance of getting an education.  He needs to make sure that the athletes obtain their education so that they have something to fall back on if they do not make it to the next level.

Life Lessons from the Dugout.  A collegiate athlete’s career only last four years. You may think that four years is a long time, but from personal experience it flies by. During that time an athlete is around his coach almost every day. As a coach you should get excited because you have the opportunity to teach your players life lessons that they will be able to use their entire life. When most people hear about life lessons, they probably think something like sportsmanship and how to be a good sport. However, I am referring to a much bigger picture when I talk about life lessons - I am referring to relationship advice, financial advice, basically anything that will help athletes whenever they have hung up their cleats. A lesson that my coach gave me when I played college baseball was that communication is the key to any good relationship. During my career, I played in the outfield where catching a fly ball often involves two other guys sprinting directly towards each other at full speed to catch the same ball. In order to avoid collisions, you have to communicate with each other so that you can catch the ball and get an out without hurting anyone. Communication is key to success on the field and success in a relationship – this is a life lesson that has stuck with me for three years and I will remember for the rest of my life.

Every coach has their own coaching style and different ways that they can put their team into a class by itself. Now it’s your job to go out and find your own coaching philosophy and create your own legacy.  

Marketing Physical Therapy

Marketing any sort of company in the medical field is no easy task especially in a rural community.  With the right marketing campaign anyone can boost his or her patient retention and attention on their own personal physical therapy clinic. Great marketing is the key to success; you must reset the rules of marketing to ensure a successful business plan. To market a rural physical therapy clinic, try this 3-step plan.   

 

1). Invest in the Community

To invest in the community, consider investing in the rural community by supplying t-shirts to the little league teams. Be sure to put to put your logo on the back of the shirts. Offer training camps for athletes of all levels, coaches, and trainers alike to learn correct training techniques to help prevent injuries.  At my physical therapy clinics, I want to focus on keeping people safe by focusing on injury prevention as well.  This idea will set me apart from the rest of the rural physical therapy clinics and boom my business from start to finish.

2). Massage therapy

To put my clinic on the map I plan to offer a new service to the public, message therapy. Message therapy will be a way to attract more patients.  Many patients have the need for message therapy on top of a physical therapy care plan; by offering the service in house (especially in rural communities) it will save the patients time and money.

3). Alternative Home-Health Physical Therapy

Offer an alternative method to home health physical therapy.  I know from personal experience that when working with the geriatric community, they don’t always want you in their homes.  I believe that offering a neutral meeting place would encourage many geriatric patients to finish their care plans and ultimately return to physical activity.  Most rural communities have a community center or a church; these are some of the locations I would seek out first as an alternative therapy location.

In summary, the three best ways to get the word out about any rural physical therapy clinic consists of preventative clinics to educate the public about injury prevention, in house services apart from standard physical therapy, such as, message therapy and an alternative locations to complete their care plans.

I think this plan will be an aspect of my marketing plan that will set me apart from the competition and get patients talking about how great their experience was at my clinic.

Reaching Your Fan Base With Modern Sports Marketing

 

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.

Client Retention: Tips to Reward Clients for Loyalty to Further Business Stability and Growth

Personal training is a lucrative business; however, you can’t make money if you can’t retain your clients! Making your clients feel like they are #1 is the key to retention efforts in the world of personal training and private training studios. As a professional personal trainer, here are a few strategies that use to make my business both profitable and successful.

Strategy #1 - Reward Client Referrals

Often business owners associate the size of a reward with the satisfaction of the client getting the reward.  That is, a big reward is needed to satisfy the client. But the  truth is more basic than that - most people simply want to be acknowledged and thanked for their loyalty.

As a personal trainer,  the first thing that you can implement immediately is create an acknowledgement system such as a referral rewards system for current clients who refer potential new clients . Adding in a small reward of $10-50 for each referral that signs up is a great incentive.  Although the money is nice, the current clients will appreciate the acknowledgement more than the reward.

A client that refers is a loyal client. If they are willing to vouch for your business and recommend it to a friend or family then they should be considered a loyal fan.

Set up a system where you consistently reward and acknowledge those that refer during your sessions, in your newsletters and on your blog. You can even thank them and tag them in pictures using social media.

Not only does this make the referring client feel good about referring a friend but it builds a culture of referrals in your program.

Strategy #2 - Small Gifts Reap Big Rewards

Along the same lines of acknowledgement and appreciation, you can create special offers or programs for your most loyal clients. If you know your clients well you know who spends the most money with you or who has been with you the longest. Using a client management system is an easy way to find your “big spenders” and reward them for their loyalty.

Sending these clients a free gift or getting a joint venture partner to donate a special offer to only these clients is a great way to show your appreciation. Very few businesses go out of their way to reward and show their appreciation for their loyal customers.Investing a few hundred dollars on gifts for your best clients and most loyal fans will pay off big dividends in the long run. For example, a personal training client who shows 6 months of consistent loyalty should be entitled to a month’s worth of free sessions

Strategy #3 - Build a Sense of Community

Holding a few events throughout the year for your clients is a great way to build and reward loyalty. These can be as simple as a barbeque in the park or a potluck Christmas party at the gym.  These events can range from laid back to a red carpet extravaganza. Make the event fit your personality and the personality and tastes of your clients.  Make sure that it  fits in your budget thereby allowing you to host a few events per year. The magic isn’t in ‘what’ the event is but more in the  ‘experience’ that  you provide. Building a community will help you build a loyal and larger fan base.

If you need to find a way to reward loyalty and build client retention, then try these 3 strategies.  Building your fitness community by keeping your clients satisfied and in the gym!

Functional Movement Screens: A Preworkout Program Must!

Have you ever noticed that you cannot quite get to parallel on squats, or that knees cave too far forward? These are just a few of the cues that strength coaches look for when evaluating the movement of the squat, and they represent problems. However, what do these cues mean? Knees caving forward during a squat could represent poor ankle mobility or strength, and/or weak hips, or none of the above. Is this confusing? It could be confusing for a strength coach who wants to find out where these problems stem from, so they can better program corrective exercises to strengthen those problem orientations. Luckily the functional movement screen (FMS) developed by internationally known strength coaches, Gray Cook and Lee Burton, can be used to help find those problem areas.

Gray Cook, one the of the creators of the FMS.

Put simply, the FMS is a ranking and grading system that documents movement patterns that are key to normal function. By screening these patterns, the FMS readily identifies functional limitations and asymmetries. These are issues that can reduce the effects of functional training and physical conditioning and distort body awareness. What the grade of the FMS is designed to do is create a functional baseline to mark progress and provide a means to measure performance, or standardize the process. The ability to execute these screens properly can be taught through actual certifications which helps the reliability of the system. The interrater reliability of the FMS is sound. “A study compared novice raters and expert raters after rating the battery of 17 tests of the FMS.  The novice raters demonstrated excellent or substantial agreement on 14 of the 17 tests, whereas the expert raters did the same on 13 of the 17 tests. When the novice raters were paired with the expert raters, all 17 components demonstrated excellent or substantial agreement. These data indicate that the FMS can confidently be applied by trained individuals.” 2)

As a strength coach programming workout plans for athletes, a FMS is one of the most important step one take when starting out. Identifying a problem of mobility or flexibility can better allow the coach to prescribe exercises which will correct the problem. For instance, if the FMS identifies a thoracic spine mobility problem, a coach will realize that this could adversely affect the athlete’s ability to remain upright during a back squat. The coach could then prescribe exercises such as thoracic spine rotations and barbell goodmornings to increase mobility and strength in that area. For if one does not properly address this problem and eventually tries to fight through the mobility issue, this could lead to future injury. A study concluded that if a football player’s score on the FMS was 14 or less (21 is perfect mobility and flexibility), their probability of suffering a serious injury increased from 15% to 51% (p = .15 and .51, respectively). 1)

The functional movement screen is a useful tool that every trainer and coach should at least have a familiarity with, or preferably have a certification involving FMS. This would greatly improve the athlete’s ability to stay healthy and keep gaining strength to be competitive in the sport they are involved in.

1. Kiesel, K., Plisky, P., & Voight, M. (2007). Can serious injury in professional football be

predicited by a preseason functional movement screen? North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 2(3), 147-158.

2. Minick, K., Kiesel, K., Burton, L., Taylor, A., Plisky, P., & Butler, R. (2010). Interrater

Reliability of the Functional Movement Screen. Journal of Strength & Conditioning  
Research, 24(2), 479-486.