SMS Marketing for Sports Teams

For 2017, there is a huge drive on SMS campaigns as the most effective marketing tool for companies and marketers, and the benefits of integrating an SMS system are well recognised now. Cost effective and easy to implement, SMS marketing allows companies and organisations to expand their marketing database and strengthen existing customer relationships with updates and special offers, promotions and contests. Many forget that SMS can be useful for companies beyond doctors and take away food outlets. In fact, an effective use of SMS campaigns is for support of sports teams and leagues. Using automated messages to communicate with supporters ensures that your teams have the chance to play to full stadiums throughout each and every game. This, in turn, motivates them, providing support. Since SMS marketing allows access to a wide reach, it can be successfully deployed for any level of sports, but its low cost and ease of use make it suitable for smaller teams.

Sports teams can grow their subscriber database throughout any game. This unique opportunity can be adopted by any team of any sport, and at any time. During games, when there will already be thousands of fans in the stands using their phones and taking pictures of the match, a fantastic opportunity to communicate presents itself. By advertising competitions and promotions over the tannoy or through any PA system, you can encourage sign up right there and then. Getting fans to voluntarily send you their number allows opportunities to communicate with them long after the match is over. Try setting a caption competition or asking for the fans to capture goals or points scored, driving your social media marketing whilst also gaining their mobile phone numbers.

One of the greatest returns on investment for sports teams is using the SMS campaign to drive last minute ticket sales for any matches that have not sold out. Send automated same-day promotions to your consenting list and you’ll find yourself filling the empty seats easily. You can also generate revenue by selling sponsorship opportunities in the last minute promotions and if there are in-game marketing opportunities. Season tickets and merchandise are further opportunities for making a return on investment, particularly in the last minutes, when ticket sales may otherwise dwindle.

One of the less commonly used ways SMS marketing can help with team sports is by creating a space for communication and motivation of the actual team. By using a sophisticated system, you can ensure that each message of support is sent to the team members, to motivate and inspire them prior to a game. Rather like the importance of not having empty stands at a game, these messages of support are what keeps players going and can make all the difference both pre-match and even at half time.

SMS campaigns are recognised to have one of the best return on investment rates, as they are easy and cheap to implement. Initially, you can ask fans to fill out paperwork at a game which gives consent to contact them via SMS. This can also be obtained through email. However, these are dated ways of getting data, and a swift and easy way to open the communication channels is by creating an in-game competition, in which fans instantly text you their numbers as part of the process. This can be executed in other public places locally.

Having garnered this all important data, you can use SMS to lead campaigns for almost any other revenue sources. Driving ticket sales, selling merchandise and alerting them to special discounts. Also, you can use them to communicate where and when a game is, who will be playing and any other circumstances about the game.

Although a well-strategised SMS campaign can strengthen a sports team of any level, their easy implication and low cost means they can support small sports teams effectively. With their high ROI rate, SMS marketing campaigns can help increase fans loyalty and therefore support motivation and enthusiasm for players. However, they can also make a big difference to the popularity of entire sports leagues when used as part of an overall strategy.

As well as individual teams, overall league game attendance can also be directly targeted by an effective SMS campaign. Offering the option of SMS tickets and discounted access via SMS could increase ticket sales and open up new ways to communicate. Using automation to create dialogue ensures that fans and even casual fans are up to date with game and league information. In fact, if the tickets were all sold as SMS tickets, then you could even set up automated discount generators linking available tickets to time left until the game (i.e. offering cheap tickets at the last minute). By offering fans this discounted rate, you strengthen loyalty and relations, as well as helping to keep your team motivated and focused by having a full stadium, as they look out and play. With our range of sophisticated, modern SMS messaging services, there are several rules you can put in place to ensure a smooth running of your SMS strategy.

By implementing a well thought out strategy, your SMS campaign for your sports team or league can refine and innovate how you communicate with team members, supporters and fans. Addressing your specific marketing needs, this tool can be used as a part of a campaign to target your requirements. It’s a symbiotic relationship since you get to fill any marketing gaps (for example low ticket sales) whilst offering the fan base what they want (discounts, exclusive offers and connection with the team). SMS marketing is increasingly popular and it allows great and instant communication.

Try implementing an SMS marketing strategy for your sports team today and see how it benefits players, fans and even whole leagues alike.