Is Sports Marketing Actually Unique? We Think Not…
With the exception of Big Shaq O’Neil, Marky Mark Wahlberg, and the oversized gambling companies they now represent, it’s been a tough slog for the Australian sports industry over the 18 months or so.
We’ve watched clubs experience these challenges first hand and have been playing a part in building the solutions. Let’s check in:
Do any of these challenges sound familiar?
- Decline in membership attendance during game days.
- Increased membership churn with fewer renewals than previous years.
- Decreased rate of new member acquisition.
- Reduction in average ticket sales per match.
- An increase in last minute ticket buying behaviours’.
- Fans becoming disenfranchised with the club.
- Member base is overweight with rusted on old fans.
- New, young, 15-24 year olds not engaging with membership.
Yes? No? It doesn’t matter!
The point is more or less the same.
Nothing lasts forever and sooner or later, the things that make clubs unique disappear. Star players move on, performance wanes, foundation members get old, venues shift; the list goes on. Clubs have to position themselves on a higher level.
See, if you think sports marketing is unique, think again. Clubs are brands, nothing more and the players/staff are actors with a temporary job to do.
It’s actually more akin to a good TV series; just make sure you’re Home & Away and not Two & A Half Men….
So, how can you set up for long-term success and safeguard against a Charlie Sheen meltdown or Sheldon Cooper early retirement?
Keep the stands full and the merch sales high in 9 steps.
- Diagnose your brand annually (heritage, founders, assets, codes),
- Conduct research (qual & quant, owned data),
- Segment the market & be choiceful in your targeting,
- Select your brand’s positioning (differentiate & articulate),
- Set business objectives (make them smart & profitable),
- Decide on tactical executions (creative & media),
- Set Budgets (preferable zero-based),
- Conduct brand tracking (quant research & owned data analysis) and,
- Review performance based on objectives.
It’s linear, strategic & repeatable. It’s scientific and it DOESN’T involve the word “digital”. It’s what well-trained marketers do!
Good brands evolve; great brands understand why, how, and for who.
Australian sporting clubs can, and should do better and with the tough time you’ve all been facing, Murmur wants to be a part of that change. Talk to a well-trained marketer today by reaching out to our qualified, highly experienced and friendly team by clicking the link below and starting that change today!
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