How to Promote Your Sports Club:
Tips for an Effective Sports Team Marketing Strategy
We all know that sports clubs provide significant benefits for the local community, and we know this because of great sports team marketing. Well-established sports clubs with excellent sports marketers have been spreading this message for years. If you’re looking to grow your club, you need to establish an excellent marketing strategy to reach a wider audience!
If people aren’t aware of your sports club, how can you show off how great your club is? If you’re looking for promotional ideas for sporting events or want to raise awareness of your sports club, we have you covered.
Marketing for sports teams doesn’t have to be expensive either. There are many ways to promote your sports club. Continue reading to learn how you can promote your sports club!
What Is a Sports Team Marketing Strategy?
A sports club marketing strategy can help keep your marketing activities targeted and on track. If done correctly, it can help you get your message across to a wide audience and attract new members to your club.
A marketing strategy is the roadmap that underpins all your marketing activities. It drives and keeps on track all your marketing initiatives.
Your marketing strategy should include membership goals, potential sponsorship opportunities and increasing game and event supporters.
If you want your sports club to be known as the place to be before and after work or school – and even on weekends – make sure you have a strong marketing strategy.
The Importance of Sports Marketing Strategy
Sports club management and marketing are essential to growing and developing your club.
A great marketing strategy will help you showcase the value of joining your club and demonstrate the benefits to your members.
With targeted marketing activities that are driven by a well-thought-out marketing strategy, your sports club has the potential to:
- Reach your target audience
- Grow your membership numbers
- Increase sports participation
- Attract more customers
- Boost ticket sales
- Create an online presence for your club
- Increase your club’s brand awareness
- Gain more club sponsorships
Top Tips on How to Promote Your Sports Club That Should Be In Your Marketing Strategy
Now that we’ve established why your sports club needs an effective marketing strategy, read on to learn about the marketing activities you should include in your strategy.
Sports Sponsorship
Sports sponsorship is a two-way street. You are either the sponsor or the sponsee.
As a sponsor, you sponsor community-related events and programs with part of your member’s membership fee.
As a sponsee, you seek sports sponsorships from local businesses or companies that your members work with.
Sports sponsorship is the bread and butter of local sports marketing. It should definitely be part of your marketing strategy. There are likely activities that your club can benefit from as both the sponsor and the sponsee.
If you need to learn how to get sports sponsorships, start by reaching out to members and local businesses to see if there’s any interest in the area.
Sports Youth Programs
Participating in sports is an excellent way for children to learn essential social and communication skills. According to Health Direct, “Playing sport helps children learn to control their emotions and positively channel negative feelings”. Many parents in your area might be looking for ways to help educate their children. Developing a youth sports program targeting this group is a great way to build membership.
Designing Sports Uniforms
Make sure your sports team has a sports uniform that players can be proud to wear when they join the club. Sports uniforms provide a sense of team unity and solidarity among players. Great sports uniforms are like moving advertising boards. They allow others, fans and players alike, to easily recognize their club members and the club’s brand.
Make Your Social Media Attractive for Sports Fans
Having a social media page for your sports club is one thing. It’s an entirely different story when you have a social media page that looks fun, inviting, intergenerational, and inclusive.
Whatever your target audience, make your social media page attractive to that audience by creating engaging content. Consider using specific team photos, educational posts, and testimonials from members.
Influencer Marketing and Club Ambassadorship
Another way to make your social media and website attractive is to use influencer marketing and member ambassadorship. Leverage the reach of sports stars from professional sports teams.
If your sports club is a football club, see if you can get an up-and-coming AFL football player to show up at major sporting events or even for an hour of coaching once a month.
You can also ask club members to be “brand ambassadors” by promoting the club on their social media from time to time.
Develop Relationships With Local Businesses
Local and small businesses are the backbone of many communities. Develop strong and loyal relationships with business owners in the area. They’ll provide great word-of-mouth advertising for your club.
Some local businesses may even help at sports events, volunteer their time in the canteen, put up flyers in the shop and sponsor your club to help spread the word!
Are You Ready to Promote Your Sports Team?
Sports club marketing will help you reach your target market and increase your clubs’ brand awareness.
At a minimum, promoting your sports club should increase memberships and sponsorships. Using the above tips and promotional ideas for effective sports team marketing is a great place to start.
