Social Media 101 for the Sports Front Office

Social Media 101

Leveraging Social Media for the Front Office

An Introduction

Prepared for Northwoods League

by Michael Ames, Pursuant Group

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hectoralejandro/3499429624http://www.flickr.com/photos/jancyclops/4302613514 http://www.flickr.com/photos/localandbitter/sets/72157601501234353/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/zacheverson/2259577982/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/24704473@N07

Social Media is…

But…

not really.

You Can’t Leverage Social Media!

Until “Fan Loyalty” is defined as you being loyal to your fans – your organization will not use social media in it’s most impactful way.

Social Media really is a large, emerging conversation that is…

powered by…

“Your fans are the message”-

Marshall McLuhan(sort of)

“The medium is the message” guy

• Conversations among human beings

sound human. They are conducted in a

human voice.

• The Internet is enabling conversations

among human beings that were simply

not possible in the era of mass media.

• These networked conversations are

enabling powerful new forms of social

organization and knowledge exchange to

emerge.

Building Fan LoyaltyFront offices being loyal to their fans!

The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual: Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, David Weinberger; Perseus Books ©2000

http://images12.fotki.com/v212/photos/1/134799/3424959/superfan-vi.jpg?1173438754

• The front office must talk to the people

with whom they hope to create

relationships.

• To speak with a human voice, front

offices must share the concerns of

their communities.

• “If you want us to talk to you, tell us

something. Make it something

interesting for a change.”

• “We have better tools, more new

ideas, no rules to slow us down. We

are waking up and linking to each

other.”

Building Fan LoyaltyFront offices being loyal to their fans!

http://img.stern.de/_content/52/90/529061/Fan_Eisschnellauf400_400.jpg

People have had a taste of two-way conversations around your brand. They won’t wait for you.

Broadcast Media

Social Media

creatives

criticsjoiners

spectators

one-way

http://www.swimwatch.net/uploaded_images/coach-yelling-at-athlete-716268.jpg

http://www.fitzroyjuniorfc.com.au/2008/Images/Week%206%20-%20U10%20Green/GroupHuddle_Coach.jpg

In social media, you might be the topic of conversation without being the center of it

You will have to give up some control of your message in order to gain more influence.

BROADCASTMEDIA

SOCIALMEDIA

Differences in Tactics

BROADCASTFront Office in Control

One Way / Delivering a Message

Repeating the Message

Focused on the Brand

Educating

Front Office Creates Content

SOCIAL MEDIAFans in Control

Two way / Being Part of a Conversation

Adapting the Message

Focused on the Fans / Adding Value

Influencing, Involving

User Created Content / Co-creation

Source: Slide 10 from "What's Next In Media?" by Neil Perkin

A few quick stats…

• 79% of English speaking adults use the internet • 60% of U.S. adults use home broadband connections• 39% of internet users subscribe to an RSS feed • 57% of internet users have joined a social network • 55% have uploaded photos • 83% have watched video clips

The conversation is happening with or without you.

Sources: Universal McCann’s Comparative Study on Social Media Trends, April 2008, Pew Internet, January ,2010

A Helpful Metaphor

The world’s largest outdoor cocktail party

Approach #1

Approach #2

annoying, impersonal,forces permission

natural, human, authentic, requests permission

http://images.dailyradar.com/media/uploads/ballhype/story_large/2009/03/12/nfl_logo.jpg

Resist AutomationOnce a communication system

becomes automated…

- efficiency is built into delivery

- more communication can be done for less

- messages are crafted for demographic groups

- the communications sounds less human

- the communication channel becomes less effective and more ignored

Yeah!

Yipee!

Good.

Oops!

Uh-oh!

Consider What is Happening to Email

• How many email addresses have you had?• Why do you have multiple, how is each used?• If your organization asked you for your email address,

which one would you give them?

Thinking Things Through

Objectives

Audience Constraints

Strategy

Tactics

Audience

Source: Beth Kanter, from 10/08 Share Our Strength presentation

Who are they?Where will I find them online?How do they use the social web?What are they talking about?What are they wanting?

Image: http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/sports-fans.jpg

Who is your audience?

Source: Forrester, Groundswell

Who is your audience?

Source: Forrester, Groundswell

Who is your audience?

Source: Forrester, Groundswellhttp://www.forrester.com/Groundswell/profile_tool.html

Objectives• Ticket Sales?• Brand Equity?• Fan Experience?• Customer Service?• Other?

PICK ONE OBJECTIVE TO START WITHNotice that “press release outlet” is not on the list

Constraints

• Budget?• Communication policies?• What is non-negotiable?

• Personnel?• Personnel experience?• Personnel time capacity?

StrategyRemember this is all based on building loyalty and trust!

• Listening strategies?• Engagement strategies?• Motivation strategies?

Questions in preparing your organization to listenWho will do the listening and responding?

What is your response policy to criticism/praise/questions?

How much time is allocated?How will you analyze and share results?

What are the benchmarks to measure usefulness?

Beth Kanter, Listening Literacy

Online Listening

Online ListeningKeyword Search Suggestions

• Organizational Name• Peer names in your space

• Other peers with similar sounding names• Program/Services/Event Names

• Owner, GM or well known associated personalities• Brand or tagline

• URLs of your online properties• Industry terms or phrases related to your mission

• Your known strengths and weaknesses

Beth Kanter, Listening Literacy

Social Media Listening

RSS Readers(Choose)

Blog Searches-Technorati.com-Icerocket.com-Alltop.com

Keyword Search Feeds-RSS search.twitter.com-RSS Google Alerts

Detail Searches-Summize.com-Socialmention.com-Del.icio.us-Boardreader.com

Participate• Ask questions• Comment on others blogs posts• Compliment others content• Forward and link to others content

Generate Buzz• Open profiles on social bookmarking

and crowd-sourcing sites like digg and stumbleupon

• Bookmark content you like and share your profile

• Promote others content through services like digg, mixx and newsvine

Share Content• Take time to create content that

address any recurring questions your fan base is asking.

• Listen for where and when your content can be used to help a conversation or answer a question.

• Answer the questions by directing people to the content you have created.

• Host contests, quizzes and giveaways directly in these spaces. Draw in non-baseball fans because of your respected use of the tool.

• Develop strategy and tactics for mascots, play-by-play, concessions, players, coaches

TacticsFinally, consider the tools for• Listening• Participating• Sharing Your Story

• Spreading Awareness • Generating Buzz• Social Networking For

Motivation and Action

Tactics and Tools over Time

Listen Participate

Community Building &

Social Networking

Generate Buzz

Less Time More Time

5hr 10hr 15hr 20hr

ShareContent

Adapted from Beth Kanter

Giving Up Control• Not all content is precisely

right, but the majority is generally right.

• Not all of your interaction will be positive or favorable.

Source:firstgiving presentation, Using social media to expand your fundraising horizonsImage: http://paultan.org/photo/albums/2009-honda-city-malaysia/Steering%20Wheel.jpg

• How you respond to criticism will say a lot about you and your organization.

• Pick your battles and be willing to apologize when necessary.

Suggested Online Bibliography

• SportsNetworker - http://www.sportsnetworker.com• Take A Peck- • http://www.jasonfpeck.com/• The Business of Sports -

http://www.thebusinessofsports.com/• Sports Marketing 2.0 -

an open online community moderated by Pat Coyle of http://www.patcoyle.net

http://www.sportsmarketing20.com/