Low marketing budget? No problem! There are a number of strategies and applications you can use to promote your school that are both effective and low budget. Here are some tips to help you reach your marketing goals without breaking the bank.
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1. Download ALL Social Applications
This may seem silly and redundant if you already have these accounts, but make sure you have a presence on most or all of these applications: Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, and Linkedin.
Different audiences are present on these social platforms so it’s important you provide content to these various groups and insure there are a multitude of ways your content can be shared.
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your social media accounts:
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2. Produce Great Content
It’s a common phrase in the marketing world, “content is king.” Pictures and videos dominate our social feeds and grab our attention much more than simple text, so creating great photo/video content will enhance your brand and attract more followers.
If it is uneconomical to buy or hire someone to create content for you, go out and create your own! Take photos or videos of games, practices, and interviews with players. Any graphics to illustrate the history of your school, what makes your sports teams special, or insights into what your student-athletes are like are always great pieces of content to include or highlight.
Animated GIFs are another great piece of eye-catching content that are easy to make and cost effective. If you don’t know how, here’s an easy guide to show you How to Make an Animated GIF!
Here are some other resources to help you produce great content:
- How To Take Great Sports Photos With Your Phone
- Best Sports Photo Editing Apps
- Gameday Social Media
- How to take High Quality Videos from your Smartphone
- How to Create A Podcast to Showcase Your School's Teams
- Livestreaming for Dummies
Here are a few places to help you get some inspiration and ideas for what content to produce:
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3. Edit or Recycle Existing Content
Instead of spending money cureating new content, refresh or edit content you’ve already created. You can also use facts and data that are already available to showcase the history of your school and the success or your school’s athletic programs.
Another tip to repurpose content is to retweet or share photos, videos, and stories on Twitter and Facebook that aligns with your brand image or promotes an upcoming event. This is a beneficial strategy that will keep you active on your social channels and reach fans with minimal effort and zero cost.
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4. Run a Contest
Even if you have a limited budget, there are a number of prizes and contests you can run to increase brand awareness and fan engagement with your school. Run a photo contest, create a scavenger hunt, reward students or fans with the most spirit, students/fans who attend the most athletic events at your school.
You can also do something more simple and run a contest on Facebook or Twitter that solicits likes, retweets, and shares of the great content you are producing!
The prize can be anything from a free t-shirt from your school, free entrance to a sporting event, or even a $20 gift card to Starbucks! Be creative and have some fun with the competitions and prizes.
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5. Send a Newsletter
Gather fan, alumni, and student emails for a weekly, monthly, or yearly newsletter. This is a great way to engage and inform fans about what’s happening at your school, upcoming events, ways to support or donate to your athletic programs, connect with alumni, etc. Mailchimp is a great resource you can use to send mass emails and promote your school.
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6. Develop Relationships with Local Media
Gaining these relationships will help you disperse content to the people who who often care the most about your school’s sports teams. Send story ideas about players, upcoming events, or anything you think is newsworthy to your local news outlets who already have a large network to market for your school. You can also send story ideas to us at HERO Sports for us to highlight on our national platform!
