How to Market Pro Sports

To become the "water cooler" conversation of choice is the main objective of marketing. No matter what sports are in season, the buzz can be kept current with solid marketing. It takes a keen sense of knowing what is on the lips of prospective customers and fans to get them talking and buying tickets. And talk they will if the advertising and public relations efforts hit their target. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

1. Know your target audience. Current fans are your best allies.

2. Create campaigns that include season ticket holders, paying them with both recognition and tangible rewards for talking about the sports team and bringing more fans to the games.

3. Choose a charity to support that gives high recognition to donors. Community involvement ensures good feelings about the franchise as well as providing opportunities for exposure. Offer to send sports figures to charity events.

4. Utilize your company's techies to create best practice marketing schemes based on search engine marketing methods.

5. Provide community and fan blogs. The personal computer replaces the water cooler in many peoples' lives today. Fans love to vent and share ideas.

6. Place advertising where sports fans are most likely to see it. Tie-ins with Internet sites that are sports related can draw fans to your own website and sell more tickets.

7. Build relationships with news reporters, the local Chamber of Commerce and other groups that have the means to include you in their daily work.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't engage in email spam.

• Don't forget about the women in the family. Even if your sport is primarily male-oriented, women still make most of the buying decisions in the family. They also can add to the fan base.

• Don't tell a reporter how to write a story. Give them all the facts and make yourself available for questions.

• Don't send sports figures out to events who are not prepared for the public exposure.