This is part of a short blog series where we take a look at how social media can be utilized to grow a sports team’s fan base, regardless of whether the team already has a large following or is starting from the grassroots level. You can see the other posts here.

The first three posts of this series have covered listening, content and community. This week I’m going to focus on the importance of taking online connections offline.

Keep It Consistent

Offline conversation about brands is still what prompts us to search for more online. If you want to build awareness and grow your fan base, you need to get out into the community offline as well as online.

Your message should be consistent across all platforms and all types of media, whether it’s online or offline. Make sure that if people see your team online they’ll recognise your brand offline and vice versa. Online and offline marketing should be part of one strategy and both should be kept in mind at all times.

Jay Baer explains the concept of integrated marketing quite nicely in this post.

Taking Your Online Connections Offline

I’m a big believer in the power of social media, and whilst it may seem strange to talk about offline communication and community in a series of posts about using social media to grow your fan base, I feel social media is most powerful when combined with offline communications and promotions.

Taking online connections offline is one of the most powerful things that can be done with online marketing and social media. It’s also key in building long lasting relationships.

We’ve seen some pro teams utilize tweetups as a way to bring people together and there’s no reason this can’t work for teams and organizations of all sizes.

Social media holds a world of opportunity for sports teams to reach new people, but often it’s what happens offline that will turn them into fans – the atmosphere around your team, the experience, the community.

When planning your social media strategy it’s important to think about how you can take your new online connections offline and bring them closer to your team.

How have you or your team connected with your audience offline?

For a full guide on how you can utilize social media check out ‘The Ultimate Guide to Grass Roots Sport and Social Media’

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Image by markhillary

About Ash Read

Ash is the co-founder of FundSport.com a grassroots sports community providing sports clubs and athletes from around the world with professional, easy-to-understand advice and articles on all aspects of grassroots sport including sponsorship, fundraising, the Internet, social media, club management, PR and marketing. As well as being passionate about the development of grassroots sport Ash also has a keen involvement in the sports social media industry. You can follow Ash on Twitter at @ashread14

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Have you ever attended a sports conference?

Most sports professionals who have know how valuable they are.

Things change when you meet people face to face.  I don’t know how the chemicals in our bodies transform when we actually see how someone looks, listen to the sound of their voice, touch their hand when we greet, and observe how they interact with others… but somehow you just know when you meet with someone if it will be a mutually beneficial business relationship.

These new connections can help you get to where you want to be in life, and throughout your sports career.

Wouldn’t you agree?

Attending sports conferences is the best way to connect with many of the top sports executives in the industry.  However, it can be time consuming, and cost a lot of money along the way.

This is just one of the reasons to join the Sports Executives Association.  This will allow you to still meet and stay connected to those top sports professionals, but from the comfort of your home or office and at the time which is most convenient for you.

Watch below to learn more about the pros and cons of attending conferences and write in the comment section below some of the benefits your have seen from attending conferences and meeting sports professionals face to face.

About Lewis Howes

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(This is a guest article by Jason Kobeda)

The ability to network has become an essential skill for those seeking employment in the sports industry. When I began pursuing a career in the NFL, I quickly learned how much competition there was. I traveled to the Senior Bowl week of practices and NFL Combine, where NFL personnel congregate during the off-season to evaluate talent. This presented rare opportunities to meet key people and I returned the following three years while completing my degree.

These are a few methods I used to put myself in the same room with the NFL personnel who had the power to hire me. These tips relate to football events, but are transferable to other sports business conference, MLB Winter Meetings, NBA Combine, etc.

1. Write introductory letters: Anytime you know you’re going to see someone that’s important to your career search, always write them a letter beforehand telling them what you want to do and that you’re hoping to meet them at the event. It is then much easier and more effective to approach that person and say, “Mr./Mrs. —-, my name is Jason Kobeda, it’s nice to meet you. I’m not sure if you got my letter last week, but may I have a minute of your time to discuss potential internships in your department?”

2. Offer to volunteer: If you’re attending an event that lasts several days, offer to volunteer for a team. Many of these teams don’t bring a full staff in order to cut down on their travel and overhead expenses. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t receive responses to most of your letters, you always have to be willing to take a shot.

3. Try to get credentialed: If the teams are not receptive to your offers to volunteer for them, do what you can to get credentialed for the events. The Senior Bowl and NFL Combine will give you credentials if you can provide proof that you’re a journalist or if a team will vouch for you. This is another area where you may need to get creative, but if you can get credentialed, it will give you more privileges and make the networking process much more effective.

4. Stick to the beaten path: The official hotels for these events are often luxurious and pricey, but staying in the same hotel as your networking targets is important. The opportunity to meet an executive in the elevator or the lobby can mean all the difference. If there’s a coffee shop in your hotel, get there very early, buy a newspaper and wait. I’m willing to bet the majority of people you want meet will pass through that coffee shop in the morning. The same goes for the hotel bar at night. I’ve met several front office personnel by bouncing around different hotel bars once the work day was over.

5. Provide a service: Being able to provide a prospective employer with services they need is a great way to show your worth and increase your chances of getting hired. At the Senior Bowl, I noticed that several coaches and scouts would arrive at the stadium after the kickers and punters had already practiced, so I got there early and started to record the lengths and hang-times of individual players’ kicks and provided those stats to whoever wanted it. Many of them were very happy to have the information.

6. Do your homework: Know what your networking subjects look like and what personnel changes have recently occurred in their organization. Before I had the convenience of an iPhone, I would type notes with pictures of new coaches or GM’s that I wasn’t familiar with.

7. Bring personal business cards: The small cost you will pay for business cards is worth the message they send when you hand them out. A simple, professional looking business card with your name and contact information is a quick way to show that you’re on top of your game.

8. Be prepared to interview: I was interviewed on the spot in the bleachers of a football stadium. Be sure to bring any resumes, portfolios or sample work you would need in the event you’re granted an interview. Also, always dress like you’re looking for a job (keep a suit nearby). Never wear team colors or logos to these functions as you’ll need to be prepared to interview with anyone, even your favorite team’s rival.

9. Don’t be shy: When you approach an executive, keep in mind that you may never see this person again. It’s easy to get shy or intimidated when Bill Parcells sits down next to you in a coffee shop, but put yourself in his shoes. If you want to work for him you have to show that you’re confident and professional enough to handle anything. Rejection is part of the networking game, so you shouldn’t fear it.

10. Follow up: Each time you meet someone and have a conversation with them, make a note about the person and the conversation and reference it in your follow up letter to them. Be sure to write the follow-up as soon as possible so that the encounter is fresh in your mind and, more importantly, their mind.

Over the four years that I made these travels, I met only a handful of other young people in my position. Executives are much more engaging and helpful when separate you yourself from the crowd. These are certainly not the only ways to make an impression, but I hope they’ll help you to think creatively when pursuing your career in sports.

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Jason Kobeda is Business Specialist at the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh. His previous experiences include operations positions with the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers and Football Scout at Joe Butler’s Metro Index Scouting Service. To learn more about Jason connect with him on LinkedIn.

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Images by SportsBusiness

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Sports Networker Summit NYC

Sports Networker is taking their next networking event to the international level. Sports Networker and iStadia are co-hosting a sports networking event Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at the Eight Club in London. This event is not only open to sports professionals but it is free to attend.

iStadia is the global community for those in professional sport and exercise to network, promote themselves and develop business. Organized locally on a global basis, iStadia brings together athletes (beginners to elite), coaches, sport scientists, academics and businesses involved in sport and exercise. Also creating new opportunities for referrals, jobs, projects, business development, access to expert support or advice, research and shared learning.

This event will be a great opportunity to meet new people in the sports industry face to face. The evening will be mainly informal with one or two assisted networking activities.

There will be more announcements to come regarding the program, so check back for updates. It is free to attend this networking event, but you must pre register on the LinkedIn event link here to attend. We look forward to seeing you January 19th at the Eight Club!

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If you are looking to take your career in sports to the next level, then look no further than the Sports Careers Conference on June 28-30 in Dallas, Texas.  Instead of talking about all of the great things that will go on during the conference, I was able to speak with Mark Tudi, the founder of SportsCareers.com who is organizing the this great event.  Check out the video below to see why you should attend, and I look forward to seeing you there!

About Lewis Howes

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Are you looking to find a job into the sports industry but not sure how to get a break? In my mind, there is no better way to get connected with the decision makers then by attending a sports industry conference.  Luckily for us, Princeton University has created a premier event with some of the biggest players in the industry.

The 2008 Princeton Sports Symposium presented by Leverage Agency will be held on the Princeton University Campus on Friday, December 5 from 12:00pm to 6:00pm in the Friend Center.

The third annual Princeton Sports Symposium will bring together the most knowledgeable and successful professionals in the sports industry from around the country (and actually the world) to discuss various aspects and trends of the business. The event will give students and sports professionals an opportunity to learn from and network with the most accomplished individuals in the sports industry, many of whom Princeton University alumni.

This half-day event will feature a keynote conversation with Mark Shapiro ‘89, executive vice president and general manager of the Cleveland Indians and his father Ronald M. Shapiro, co-founder and chairman of the Shapiro Negotiations Institute. Mark played four years of football for Princeton University and graduated with a degree in history. He was named to the elite Forty Under 40 by the SportsBusiness Journal recognizing the top 40 sports executives under the age of 40, and he was named twice General Manager of the Year by The Sporting News.  Ron is considered one of baseball’s most respected agent-attorneys representing more Hall of Famers than any other agent, and The Sporting News named him as one of the 100 most powerful people in sports. He is also a bestselling author and civic leader.

The keynote conversation is followed by seven panel discussions. Panel topics include: The Olympic Games, Sports Marketing and Sponsorships, Sports Media and Technology, Athlete Marketing and Representation as well as Professional Sports and College Sports.

The numbers:
•    46 speakers and moderators
•    24 Chairmen, Chief Executive Officers, Managing Directors, and Presidents
•    12 SportsBusiness Journal Forty Under 40 Award Winners
•    9 Senior Vice Presidents and Executive Vice Presidents
•    8 Princeton University alumni
•    2 Chief Marketing Officers
•    2 Olympic Gold Medalists
•    1 Commissioner
•    1 Current Princeton University student
•    Professionals from the Breeders’ Cup Limited, Canadian Football League, Cleveland Indians, Comcast SportsNet, CNBC, ESPN, IMG, Ladies Professional Golf Association, National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Proskauer Rose, Sports Illustrated, USA Boxing and many other organizations

Speakers include:
•    Greg Avioli, President and Chief Executive Officer, Breeders’ Cup Ltd.
•    Bob Basche, Chairman, Millsport
•    Jordan Bazant, Founder and Principal, The Agency
•    David Birnbaum, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, TAKKLE
•    Ken Brenner ‘89, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Legacy Direct Inc.
•    Susan Briglia, Vice President, Branded Content, Collegiate Images LLC
•    Zak Brown, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Just Marketing Intl.
•    Kathryn Carter, Executive Vice President, Soccer United Marketing
•    Mark Cohon, Commissioner, Canadian Football League
•    Pat Coyle, President, Coyle Media Inc.
•    Joey Cheek ‘11, U.S. Speed Skater and Olympic Gold Medalist
•    David L. Dunn, Chief Executive Officer, Athletes First

And many, many more!

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This event is primarily for sports business students, but if you are in the Princeton area and are looking to find a break into the industry, this may just be the event for you.  For more information, please contact Jonathan Lea ’08 at jlea@Princeton.edu or Anthony Soroka ’09 at astoroka@Princeton.edu.

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