or combination of these elements). Brand also personifies company or product philosophy, situating it in relation to its key constituencies – customers, staff, partners, investors and the wider community.

USYS is just one organization that’s recently embraced branding and marketing. President David Messersmith reports it’s been an overwhelmingly positive move, taking the national organization to a higher level of professionalism. “Our core business is and always has been to serve our state associations in the business of administering and developing youth soccer in their respective states,” he said. “This initiative is the end of one era and the beginning of another. Two years ago, we discussed marketing; last year we funded and hired a capable marketing staff; now we have funded a marketing initiative to enhance and promote existing programs while building brand awareness and increasing sponsorship revenue at all levels into the future.”

All clubs want to improve and grow through increased membership, community support and financial resources. A well-crafted brand is a powerful tool that can help accomplish ambitious organizational goals. Goals such as building a new turf field or a concessions stand at your facility. A brand tells the larger community who you are and

Does your soccer club, team or town have a brand?

Chances are, you haven’t given much thought to the concept. Most soccer coaches, team managers and volunteers are overly busy people, juggling numerous tasks and concerns. Strategizing about branding might not exactly top their to-do lists. Out of 55 state-level U.S. Youth Soccer (USYS) organizations nationwide, for instance, only four states have dedicated individuals assigned to marketing.

But this is a missed opportunity. Building a successful and reputable soccer organization is about more than wins and losses on the field. The experts – the coaches and administrators who’ve grown leagues from grassroots community clubs to large regional organizations – know there’s more to it. They know that branding and marketing are key elements in any successful club’s game plan.

So what exactly is a brand?

Interpreting the American Marketing Association’s definition, brand is the personality that identifies a product, service or company and differentiates it from the goods of other sellers (as expressed through a name, term, sign, symbol, design

Why Brand Matters

Brand is the personality that identifies a product, service

or company and differentiates it from the goods of other

sellers (as expressed through a name, term, sign, symbol,

design or combination of these elements). Brand also

personifies company or product philosophy, situating it

in relation to its key constituencies – customers, staff,

partners, investors and the wider community.

helps attract like-minded members and supporters to your organization. Competition amongst youth organizations for in-town field space is a growing concern. Losing members to emerging clubs is another challenge. Branding can be the powerful first step towards securing membership and community visibility.

There are a number of best practices and strategies soccer organizations and clubs can implement to build a winning team off the field, as well as on.

These activities are important for branding the organization and creating awareness. Experience shows a well-built brand can help organizations recruit the best players, coaches and volunteers, lead successful fundraising campaigns, build community and elevate the level of play. In the end, all of those attributes create a richer and more positive experience for our valuable youth players.

the process as if you were developing a product and identifying customers. Start by thinking through your mission and values. Brainstorm on your marketing, communications and financial objectives and suss out what sets you apart from any competitors. Are you a highly competitive club or recreational? Focused on education and skills or committed to winning? Known for your commitment to social service, strong parent involvement, teaching or stellar sportsmanship? What strengths do you want to emphasize?

Identify your top three goals and then relentlessly align your actions with these aims. Every action item or plan should be assessed through this prism: is it on message? On brand? Don’t allow your team to get distracted with efforts and ideas that are not in-line with your core organizational goals.

Once you know who you are, you should create a Brand Guide to get everyone on your team – coaches, managers, parent volunteers, even players – on the same page. Your message must be consistent, from the top down. Everyone must tell the same story.

What’s in your Brand Guide? This is a marketing toolbox that contains – at the basic level – the following: a logo design, design and font choices, your colors, your mission statement and your “Elevator Speech,” the 15-second explanation

Creating a brand for your club, town or team is an exciting, creative proposition. It’s a chance to tell "��������"�������� �������������������"������'��� ���you are and what you believe in and then run with it. Whether you’re a competitive, premier club or a family-oriented recreational club, your organization �������'��������������������������������������trust, it’s a commitment internally and externally to a unique identity and set of principles. And it’s expressed through every facet of your organization – from your logo design to your staff.

As Washington Premier Football Club President Jeff Harper sees it, “Brand is what conveys your club identity. Washington Premier teams play at the highest competitive level of soccer. We’re about excellence in everything we do – from player development to community service.”

Brand gives your product – in this case, your soccer ������������$�%��'���������������������"�&���"��former Microsoft CFO and Nike and Korrio Board Member John Connors. “Every aspect of branding is important to telling a concise message to a broad audience. There is a magic chemistry that occurs when brand aligns with a superior product.”

Creating a brand is easier than you think; it simply requires self-knowledge, thought and some strategic work. It is helpful in this regard to think of your organization as a business, and approach

You Represent Your Community

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Logo design

Colors

Font choices

Tagline

Mission statement

Elevator speech

Boilerplate

Website

Communication outline

The pride and self-respect that players – and by extension, their families – draw from being part of a tight, well-branded organization is immeasurable; it elevates the whole game. Everyone’s mindsets expand from the play on the field, to the strategy off the field. Everyone feels part of something larger and that feeling of belonging encourages stronger commitment. Player, family and staff relationships grow through dedication to shared ideals and goals, and the experience becomes more rewarding for everyone involved.

everyone in your club will give when asked what your organization is about. Your guide should also contain your “Boilerplate,” a few paragraphs of official language that explain your organization succinctly. This statement may appear in the About Us section of your website and should be included at the bottom of all public documents, such as press releases and partnership proposals.

Creating a Brand Guide is a process that your entire leadership team should participate in; there should be consensus, so everyone delivers the agreed-upon message with passion and commitment. Everyone on your team should champion your brand.

Your brand is also expressed through your team’s appearance, from the coaches to the players. Assess your uniforms, bags, coach jerseys and even balls to present a cohesive, neat and professional look. Premier teams plan every detail, down to their socks. The more thought you give to every element of your presentation, the more effectively you’ll communicate your brand. Ideally, if you’re successful in your branding campaign, your colors and logo will become widely recognized in your community. In this arena, a little bit of branding goes a long way. You can look like a million dollars for a small cash outlay. It’s more about thought, planning, organization and consistency than the size of your budget.

at every level. Does your current reputation help you draw coaches, players and volunteers?

People talk, especially in smaller communities. Teams with reputations for dirty tactics and poor sportsmanship will not attract upstanding players, families and staff.

Think about your reputation and whether it accurately reflects your brand. If you’re not sure how you’re perceived, ask your players’ parents or other knowledgeable people in your community for an honest assessment. Your reputation is crucial for developing and maintaining the integrity of your brand. Is your reputation where it needs to be? Or does it need some work?

Once you identify who you are and plan how you’re going to communicate your message, take a step back and assess your reputation in the community. Reputations can be intangible, in terms of how they are formed, but they are very real and they shape who your organization attracts and the expectations of your players and their parents. Building strong characteristics on and off the field is also key to developing young soccer players into good citizens.

Take another run through your self-assessment; how are you perceived by your community and target members? Is your club fun or competitive? Perceived as affordable or expensive? Well-organized or low-tech? Characterized by good sportsmanship? Are you known for sending players on to higher levels of play? How are your coaches perceived? They are key to your brand. Your referees are also crucial. Are they reputed to be fair, knowledgeable and professional?

Have you had any negative incidents, and if so – how did you handle them? Are you trying to rebuild your reputation or improve a reputation that has been damaged? If so, you need to think strategically about how the message you’ve created – through your Brand Guide – can help you re-establish a positive reputation in your community. The quality of your reputation is crucial, because it will shape who your organization attracts

Your Reputation Matters

Families Are Your Customers

an unwieldy process that requires parents to sign up in-person or mail forms, you could be driving less-committed parents and players away. This is where automation can be extremely useful. Most people are now accustomed to doing business online; many even expect that option and are frustrated and suspicious when they can’t. Online sports automation platforms, such as Korrio, can provide a user-friendly one-stop home for all club business, including registration and payments. And we all know busy parents love anything that makes their lives easier and allows them to complete cumbersome tasks more quickly. So take a look at your system. Do you need an upgrade?

Remember, too, that retaining loyal members is as important as bringing in new ones. It does no good to bring new members into your organization if current members are leaving in equal measure. Look at your numbers. What’s the big picture? A lot of effort is spent on building young athletes, but the reality is that by the U-10 or U-11 level, kids start to drop out. As the play becomes more competitive, less skilled or committed players might leave. What can your club offer players and families who are on-the-fence? A strong, community-building brand can be a powerful motivator to stay involved.

Next, look at your membership numbers. Are you growing? Do you have to spend aggressively to market your club through advertising or does your brand naturally draw people to you? Obviously, the latter is preferable. A good brand sells itself and savvy marketers know that word-of-mouth is more powerful than any paid advertising.

Now that you’ve really thought through your brand – your message, goals and reputation – you can assess whether you’re attracting members. And are they “your kind of people?” When you know who you are, you know what kind of players you’d ideally like to attract. Broadcasting your message to the community will ensure that you reach and attract your preferred player demographic – whether it’s highly-competitive or fun-loving.

Again, make sure people can find you easily online, with a well-designed and current website. Anyone who hears good things about your club should be able to Google you and have your site up in a few easy clicks. A solid website makes your organization look professional, something people want to be part of.

At this point, you should also consider your registration process and whether it discourages or encourages new members. If you’re hanging on to

It doesn’t take much to make families feel valued, it’s the little things. Coaches and managers should communicate with parents, drawing them into the organization. Updates, notes and even little gestures like recognizing players’ birthdays or reaching out to siblings can make families feel plugged in and cared for. With the technology we all have readily available these days – texts, emails, cell phones and team websites – it’s easier than ever to stay connected and communicate with players and parents.

Brand is what conveys your club identity.

Washington Premier teams play at the highest

competitive level of soccer. We’re about excellence

in everything we do – from player development to

community service.

Washington Premier Football Club President Jeff Harper

Your club should look for ways to support the entire child, recognizing their lives outside soccer. There’s an ����������"�����������(��� ������������������"�������������are swayed positively by organizations that support their children and promote their overall well-being. And loyal, supportive parents can make or break your organization.

A solid brand also helps you raise more money on a number of levels, as everyone is more excited to support an organization that appears professional, tight and goal-oriented. Parents are more likely to sign their kids up for – and pay the necessary fees to – teams and clubs that offer the most value.

Likewise, local businesses are eager to support clubs and teams with solid reputations. A well-designed website with room to plug your sponsors ���������������������'������ �"������� �����"����sponsors in branding or media opportunities. Think about the value proposition you present to local businesses that support your club and make sure you are communicating your message to potential ���������������"���������������'�������������"����community knows about your status. This will help you elicit donations from fans, parents and even charitable organizations; remind all donors that you’re a tax write-off.

Creating and conveying a strong brand has served Washington Premier Football Club in very tangible ways, reports President Jeff Harper. “WPFC had been able to attract sponsors because our brand attributes of excellence, fun and service align with our sponsor aspirations,” he said. “We’re passionate about what we do and put a lot of energy into marketing our program.”

More Money, More Resources

'''3+4'$+'/+'.#&(5'61/(#'718#$(+)& Assign a staffer or volunteer to media outreach Obtain parents’ permission to use players’ photos (all players should have a signed photo �������������������'��� Make a list of local newspapers and websites that publish community photos and news�������������� ��������#����������'������� ��� handles photo submissions, calendar and event listings and news items (these may be different people) Assign a parent or volunteer to shoot high- resolution photos at games and events�������������������������'����� �� ���� ���������� with captions that include full player names, ages, hometowns and event details (date, place, name of the event, etc.) Follow-up to make sure photos are received Assign staffers or parent volunteers the task of writing press releases, calendar listings, event and registration announcements and news items Email written releases and announcements to identified contacts at local newspapers and websites If you have a larger story – a player feature or extraordinary news – propose it to local newspaper and web reporters via short, concise email “pitch” letters

A strong brand is a powerful recruitment tool, helping you attract the best players and coaches. Again, if you’re known for highly-skilled, competitive play, those players will be drawn to your club. Likewise, quality coaches will gravitate towards clubs and teams they know will support their philosophies and strategies.

Whether working to attract the best paid coaches for your premier-level club or recruiting the most committed and caring volunteers for your recreational club, your brand should bring “your people” to you. If you’re having trouble recruiting the staff you want – paid or volunteer – ask yourself why such people would want to join your organization. Then make sure you’re telling that story to your community and professional and personal networks.

Excited, inspired leaders attract people who want to work together on shared goals – enthusiastic, hard-working people who want to join quality teams �����! �������������������������' �����������#�������They want to be part of something reputable, strong and growing. You can attract the right staff and volunteers by creating buzz and convincing them you have a solid game plan. Organize and mobilize them according to their interests and expertise. �����������������������������'�������!������ ��� ����well-run organizations that make good use of their

Recruiting the Best

generously-donated time. They often work 25-plus hours per week in community soccer organizations, so honor their time and make that commitment �����������������(��������������������$�����������coaches, for instance – who wield vast power on the '��������������"����"���� �� ����� ������������"��� �����whether your young players enjoy the sport. And the lessons they learn in youth soccer – positive or negative – can last a lifetime.

From a pragmatic standpoint, again, a strong brand will also help you raise more money. So if you’re looking to recruit sought-after paid coaches, you’ll have additional resources to do so.

Every aspect of branding is important to telling a concise

message to a broad audience. There is a magic chemistry that

occurs when brand aligns with a superior product.

Nike and Korrio Board Member John Connors

Does your community know you exist? Do you enjoy the support you need to thrive and build? Make sure you’re using the local media to help communicate your message to people outside your direct circle of players and families. While the words “media plan” might sound intimidating, it’s not hard to fire up an ongoing media effort. It’s just a matter of finding out who at your local daily or weekly newspapers and websites handle photos and news items, and then submitting material to them on a regular basis.

This is an excellent task for an ambitious parent volunteer. To get started, all that’s needed is someone to take high-resolution photos at games and events and then email them to local papers with “caption” information, which includes the full names and ages of all players – along with the town they live in – and details about the game (the who, what, when and where factoids that all news items must include). You can also send press releases with news about your team, calendar listings and announcements regarding registration and events to your local newspapers and news websites.

This might seem like extra work, but it accomplishes important goals. It raises your profile in the community, showing donors and local businesses that you’re an organization to

be reckoned with and that affiliating with you could bring them positive recognition. It creates team and community pride, showing local youth doing something positive and fun. (A major complaint often voiced about the media is that not enough good news is featured.) And it provides your players and their families with invaluable recognition – newspaper clippings they’ll keep for a lifetime. These are all outcomes worth investing a little extra staff or volunteer time in.

Your website is also an invaluable tool for spreading your message – it can’t be stressed enough. It is your face to the world. If you don’t have a website already, create one. A strong online presence is imperative for brand identity in this day and age. Your “customers” – players and their families – will expect this of you. And if you don’t deliver, they might conclude your organization is not professional, up-to-date and together. Your website is where your players and parents will look for real-time information and updates on a number of topics, so it must be easy to administer and update. You don’t want maintaining your site to be an unwieldy chore. Look for current web hosting technology with user-friendly and intuitive tools for easy editing and updating.

Last, but not least – communicate, communicate, communicate. Make sure everyone is aware of

Visibility Breeds Respect