January. New year, new beginnings, new goals. Most of those goals will shed their urgency quickly, abandoned and jilted like shoes along the interstate. One goal many will be endeavoring upon in 2012 will be the oft-trodden road to better health and ideal weight. So what should women’s football teams resolutions be this preseason? I suggest just those.
Part of being a healthy team is being a financially sound one. In my conversations and observation of women’s football, I notice a good deal of people who complain about their team’s finances (or their own) and very few who act in response to those mired accounts. It’s really a simple plan–the first step towards being healthy involves following a steady diet, and in our case, that means regular and varied fundraisers, and individual sponsorship solicitation.
Fundraising is like cardio: if you don’t do it, your heart and lungs won’t be at their best. The most vital of processes a team can perform is fundraising. And like cardio, the more the better. Running one time won’t intercede for one’s health or weight. It has to be a regular activity. During the season, fundraising will be hard to fit in, so restrict such to pre and post-game style events like autograph signings (with merchandise for sale), bar appearances, and the like. Two fundraisers a month during the preseason is bare minimum to operation. The off-season should be far more hefty an event schedule. Try mixing up your workouts, with endurance and sprint work–longer-running fundraising like selling a product and selling raffle tickets should be used in concert with events like celebrity bartending, date auctions, golf tournaments, or car washes.
Sponsorship-seeking might be the most underachieved action in all of women’s sports. I can already hear your spines prickling up. “Are you saying I’m not trying?” Yes I am. If you, as an individual player, haven’t donned your nicest, most business-like attire, and personally set foot in four different businesses this season (full color sponsorship packet in hand), you haven’t tried. Even in this economy, advertising and a unique affiliation is a tempting offer for businesses, especially small businesses in earshot of your home stadium. Look for companies that are busy, and companies offering coupons. Coupon advertising is quite expensive, and the companies that utilize it are often interested in bringing in a high volume and are aware of the cost/discount relationship. They will be most open-minded about website advertising and game-day announcements (think: spend money to make money, the foundation of advertising). Furthermore, having an autographed picture of a women’s football player in their store will generate a lot of interest. “Wow, did you sponsor this team/player?” “Why yes, I helped that woman change history.” Maybe an exaggeration of what that owner will say, but the point is, it’s a conversation starter, and conversation is a client bond-building tactic like no other.
Line up your best reps for high-dollar sponsors.
“What else can I do?” Good, I see you’ve sheathed your defensive weaponry. Smile, shake their hand, speak the King’s English. Slang is not the way to an entrepreneur’s checkbook. Avoid any type of swearing, even in a joke. Remember: when seeking sponsors, it’s not your job to promote any particular cause or group aside from your team and the league (if you don’t play for the Yankees don’t wear your hat at the business). Maintain eye contact, and show gratitude even if you don’t get the sponsorship. If you’re prepared with a business card, no matter how simple that card is, you could get a call or email back in a few days with a renewed interest. This happens often, as businesses unfamiliar with women’s football do a little research about the sport and league and suddenly feel better about investing in our future. Regarding that card, a stack of 300 can cost you as little as $5 on a website. Include the team’s name and website, the league’s name and website, and of course, your contact information. Adding your position and a picture is always a nice touch. At the end of the day, you have to take ownership of the financial well-being of your team. There’s no reason a player can’t offer something in addition to the teams’ standard sponsor reward packages. Just make sure you can effectuate those promises. I like to add on an autographed copy of a picture of me, or ad space on my blog. Even if it ends up costing you a few dollars, hundreds in sponsorship capital and the appreciation of your team makes it well worth it.
That’s a lot of work for the individual players…what should team owners and boards be doing to assist in our diet and fitness goals? How about offering some healthy options on your menu? Make sure your sponsorship packages are diverse. If the only difference between a $500 sponsor and a $1000 sponsor is a t-shirt, you probably won’t make the sale. Think about incentives for higher dollar sponsors by using what you have control over: your social media and gameday. Product costs money, but Facebook posts, tweets, and gameday activites can be shifted to feature their business with little to no cost at all. Often them a larger or more frequently appearing web ad, or tweet in higher volume for bigger sponsors. Offer a halftime or pregame event featuring their product or owners (think of a funny game or a throwing contest their staff could participate in). Gameday is all about entertaining your audience, so why not entertain your sponsors at the same time? Custom jerseys, season tickets, logoed t-shirts and plaques should be reserved for your highest dollar sponsors, as their cost can jump quickly.
Another way owners can aid their players is by setting up or accompanying sponsor meetings. Two well-dressed team representatives is always better than one. This is a task suited best for teams with boards and larger front offices, as it can be arduous to make calls and do research on your players’ behalf.
Fundraising should be both frequent and diverse to increase player and fan attendance, like our Halloween Bowling Event this year.
We’re eating better, but we still need to do something to get into peak shape, so what’s next? How about some strength training? Revamp your team’s website. If you’re carrying a 20-person plus roster (and my God I hope you are), you probably have someone competent in web design on your team. Offer them a reduced sponsorship to do a little site maintenance. Showing a professional and aesthetic website to a sponsor greatly increases your chances of landing their business. I just spent the better part of three months creating a flash website (and an accompanying Apple-friendly mobile site) with custom graphics and user-friendly layouts. You don’t have to go that far, but make sure it’s easy to read and has some fun features for fans and sponsors to utilize. Consider featuring individual player bios each week to generate a personal connection for those viewers (think: putting a face to a name). If you market to the fans, you are also marketing to businesses, because they’re also potential fans! Please don’t forget to spell check, and get the opinions of several players to make sure you haven’t crossed into the lines of cheesy or strange (“Girl Power” went out of style with the Spice Girls). Promote the product over the particulars: professional tackle football during the NFL/NCAA drought…which just so happens to be played by women. Lastly, if you don’t have a Facebook, Twitter or Youtube, set it up now. It doesn’t matter where you’re located or how long you’ve been around, social media reaches more people than any other form of promotion.
Now we’re really getting into shape, and we’re the envy of the neighborhood. Maybe that resolution was too easy! If you want to be the fittest team in the conference, opt for non-profit status. Being a 501(c) non-profit is easier than you think, and can have huge benefits. As an owner, you have to be prepared to walk away from the Kraft mentality that your women’s team can be a Fortune 500 company. We’re not there yet as a sport. For now, making sure we’re covering our costs and improving our product is paramount. Non-profit paperwork can be filed by any legal representative, and will allow people to donate to your team as a tax write-off. If you live in the city or a wealthy suburb, you will appeal to high-dollar private individuals easily. After many years in Palm Beach, one of the wealthiest zip codes on earth, and several years working with the ultra-wealthy at an elite private country club, I can say first hand that the affluent in our midst are always looking for a new cause. I don’t much worry about their reasons, the item of importance is that they are always reaching in their pockets for charity and interest groups. We are both: women supporting women, athletes supporting athletes. Consider launching your new non-profit status at a local charity event or the opening of a hospital, etc. This will expose your cause as well as show your interest in your community.
It will be tiring, it will be difficult. But once you’re healthy and fit, everything works and feels better. A healthy body will make you more confidant, more able, and more popular. No one ever said your efforts will produce the Situation’s abs (or a championship for that matter), but you’ll definitely get the attention you deserve, and live a hell of a lot longer.
