Three Questions to Ask Yourself

We have expectations for our athletes, our volunteers, our employees and our assistants. We give them advice and coax them along. But who is coaching you? Do you have a mentor? I find that by stepping back, if just for a few minutes, and evaluating myself that I can be my own mentor (in addition to my real mentors). This is always the most valuable time that I spend all day. I save myself time and make more money because of it.
This time of year we talk about renewal and see the opportunity in front of us in the year ahead. I urge you to stop and sit for a few moments with a blank sheet of paper in front of you. Ask yourself 3 questions:

1. Where did I succeed in 2010?
2. Where did I miss the mark?
3. How will I implement those lessons in 2011?

Put pen to paper and start writing unedited. You'll see a flow of thoughts, ideas and action-plans begin to unfold in front of you.

Do this for yourself.
Do this for your community.

Good luck!
Let me know how it goes!

Happy New Year!

Jim Harshaw
Riot Marketing
More fans.  More media.  More money.  Less work.
www.riotsportsmarketing.com
(434) 409-0257

Your Own Sportscenter

If Sportscenter were just a listing of dates, times and locations of games, meetings and events, it wouldn't be very exciting or interesting. Teams would suffer because fans would be less educated, informed and engaged. Ticket sales would drop. Sponsors would leave. Licensing deals would lose value.

Instead, Sportscenter (and all of the other sources of news about a team) gives fans an inside look at the team, it's coaches, individuals and events. Fans get excited. They want more. They talk around the water cooler. They come to the game early. Buy gear (and concessions). They become the most important asset you have.

So... how are you educating and involving your fans?

You and Maslow

 

 Ever wonder what makes a fan a fan? I mean, why would someone support a team of people that, often times, does not even know that you the fan are there? Maslow's hierarchy of needs tells us all that we need to know. People need to belong and they need to have love and companionship. "Misery loves company," they say and that's true of happiness and every emotion in between. 

 So think of that when you are wondering how to grow your fan base (yes, businesses have fans too. Think Mac, Greatful Dead and VW), think about how you can serve your fans and give them what they want. No. Think about how you can give them what they need.

Host events. Give them insider information. Give them a "shout out". Show them you care. If you have to, do it one-by-one.

How to Start a Riot

I have been asked "why the hell would you name your company Riot?" Riot has a bad connotation of flipping over cars and burning buildings after your team loses the championship (or wins- never could figure this out). However, to start a riot, someone has to be passionate enough about something to stand up and take action. How do you start a riot through social media marketing? Well, it takes the right mix of quality content and engagement. 
What does your team's community want to read about? What will make them stop in their tracks on this busy day to read what you have written (or watch your video or otherwise pick up what you're puttin' down)? Then, when they react, will you engage with them? Or are you just a one-way pipeline of information like a newspaper (dying) rather than social media (thriving).