This is a great year for sports! While there’s plenty of entertainment in watching some of the best athletes on the planet, it also offers some lessons in marketing that apply beyond the sports world.
Target your audience
A massive amount of research and budget goes into the creation of these ads specifically to speak to sports fans. While you likely won’t spend that amount of time or money, it is essential to keep your target market in mind. Choose your tactics, place your buys, and craft your message to reach precisely that demographic.
Expand your customer base
A significant percentage of sports fans are women, and sports marketing is no longer only directed at the male audience. As critical as it is to hone in on your ideal target market, it’s valuable to consider whether there’s a segment you’ve been missing.
Connect through storytelling
Commitment, conflict, heartbreak, jubilance… With low lows and high highs, sports are full of drama. Some of the most powerful campaigns have been brands using storytelling to connect with sports fans. Good stories have emotion, and emotion makes for powerful marketing.
Endorsements
Some of the most lucrative and long-standing endorsement deals have been with celebrity athletes, with massive campaigns and collaborations that have far-reaching impact around the world.
On a local level, the effectiveness of endorsements is about more than sheer star power. On-air radio hosts are often trusted like friends by their core audience, and a sincere and well-placed endorsement is a chance to leverage this trust and credibility within your local market.
Claim your space
Sports marketing has some of the best examples that branding is a marathon not a sprint. Some campaign concepts have spanned decades, with brands cultivating unparalleled loyalty with fans and even becoming synonymous with their industry.
Investing time and budget to consistently market your message and sustain top-of-mind awareness is key to building the familiarity and trust that can help your business thrive.
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