#128 How to convert social media followers into known contacts

Hello and welcome to yet another exciting episode of the “Sports CDP Crash Course”, I’m your host, Lorraine Moalosi, thank you for joining me. Whenever I interview people I usually start off with an ice-breaker so I thought that this time I would start with a joke since I am riding solo. Here goes nothing and everything, Did you hear about the football team that couldn't get a stadium Wi-Fi signal? Turns out, they needed better "reception"!

Speaking of better reception - today we are discussing how to convert social media followers into known contacts. This is the most effective way of making sure that stadiums are always filled out at every game so that the team playing on the field can have the best reception ever while the team off the pitch continues to create sustainable revenue for the sports organisation in question. Whether you're part of a league, club, or federation, turning those likes and follows into tangible data can significantly enhance your marketing efforts and fan engagement. So, let's get started.

Our first strategy is to offer exclusive content. Fans crave unique, behind-the-scenes access to their favourite teams and athletes. By providing exclusive content like training sessions, player interviews, or early announcements, you can encourage fans to register with their email addresses to gain access. Promote these offers across your social media channels to capture the interest of your followers. One of our customers has been capitalising on their OTT platform to ensure that fans who cannot attend games for any reason can still be part of the action by purchasing a season pass or a single match ticket.

Next, consider running contests and giveaways. These are incredibly effective at drawing in fans who love the thrill of potentially winning something. You might offer signed merchandise, free match tickets, or VIP experiences. To enter, fans simply need to sign up with their contact details. Promoting these contests on social media ensures you reach a broad audience and turn that excitement into valuable data. Another one of our customers used an advent calendar to introduce its fans to club sponsors and allow fans to win something or receive something at a very exciting and crucial time - Christmas.

Now, let’s talk about gamification, one of the most engaging methods to convert followers. By incorporating game-like elements into fan interactions, you can significantly boost engagement. For example, you might create a fantasy league where fans can build their own teams, predict match outcomes, or participate in weekly challenges. To join, fans need to register with their contact details. This approach not only gathers data but also keeps fans deeply engaged and coming back for more. It’s very important to highlight the fact that converting social media followers into known contacts is not something to be done as a one-off thing but rather this should be done continuously. Gamification is one of the most exciting ways to do this without exhausting your supporters. We talk about this in-depth in our course for C-level executives, “The 4  Fundamentals of Selling Tickets and Merchandise”. Make sure to enroll to learn more. In the course, we give an example of a club who managed to get just under 12 000 followers to convert to known contacts through gamification in one single campaign. This is not something to miss so make sure you enroll.

Similarly, you can use quizzes and polls. These are great for sparking interaction while collecting contact information. Create quizzes on sports trivia, player stats, or upcoming fixtures, and require fans to submit their answers via a form. Polls on social media about favourite players, match predictions, or fan experiences can also help in gathering valuable insights and contact details. Another effective strategy is offering personalised experiences. Fans love to feel special, and providing opportunities for personalised interactions can be a strong motivator. This might include personalised video messages from players, customisable merchandise, or virtual meet-and-greet sessions. To access these experiences, fans would need to sign up with their details.

Lastly, don’t overlook the power of loyalty programmes. By creating a loyalty programme where fans earn points for attending games, purchasing merchandise, or engaging on social media, you can encourage them to register their details. These points can be redeemed for rewards, fostering a deeper connection with your organisation and continuously adding contacts to your database.

In conclusion, converting social media followers into known contacts isn’t just about having the right strategies; it’s about offering real value to your fans. Whether it’s through exclusive content, engaging contests, innovative gamification, personalised experiences, or rewarding loyalty programmes, these methods can help sports organisations grow their databases and enhance fan engagement.

That’s all for today’s episode of “Sports CDP Crash Course.” I hope you found these strategies insightful and are ready to put them into action. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favourite podcast platform. And if you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, feel free to reach out on our social media channels. Until next time, I’m Lorraine Moalosi, and this has been “Sports CDP Crash Course.” Thanks for listening!