Action Item: Social media isn't for selling
If "I don't do social media" is your mantra, then do your club a favor and let someone who does social media take leadership.
Curling has a massive opportunity in that we are obscure.
People tune into things — they pay attention — to things they see that are novel.
Visuals grab attention. Novel visuals grab interest. This is particularly true in social media and it means we have a huge opportunity!
Over the last few months, I have been chatting with and studying curling clubs. I've also been looking at their communications and social media game. Generally speaking, we can do better! We must do better.
If "I don't do social media" is your mantra, then do your club a favor and let someone who does social media take leadership. If you want to grow your club with folks who are likely to be living for the next 35+ years (and if you want your club to thrive, this is who you should be looking for), you had better be communicating with them via social media… EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Don't like social media? How about a plunger? Both are tools — and your feelings about a tool are irrelevant. Knowing how to use the tool, when to use it and why you are using it is what truly matters.
"I don't like to be sales-y or pushy." PERFECT! Social media is best at creating awareness - which is the first step of the sales cycle.
The crazy thing is, when people find out you curl, you know what happens… you become the coolest person in the room! You don't have to sell them, you have what they want! You are not selling, you are leading.
Building your club starts with building awareness. The fastest (and cheapest) way to do that is via socials. Curling is in huge demand WHERE THERE IS AWARENESS!
If the social efforts for your club are slightly glorified announcement boards — registration opening, standings, volunteer needs, Learn to Curls — you are missing out on a huge group of people that WANT YOU IN THEIR LIFE. They just don't know you exist.
(You know this is true...how many times have you brought up curling and the person you are talking with gives you the "I didn't know we had curling in town!)
Your club — especially if your desire is to move to dedicated ice — is a business.
The sooner we start acting like a business, promoting and marketing, the sooner we can get to the promised land. The most cost-effective awareness building tool is social media...hands down!
If you play it right, you can have a massive curious following awaiting their chance to be invited — not sold — to be part of YOUR COMMUNITY.
Marketing through social media is a learned skill mixed with creativity. We have skilled and creative people in this game… and they're in your club! Let's get to work.
