It is fall, and besides cooling temperatures and pumpkin spice, this time of year is when the major American sports leagues are all in session. The NBA and NHL are just starting, the NFL is in midseason form, and the MLB and MLS are winding down their postseasons. Whether you are a casual fan, a fanatical follower or know nothing about sports, the authenticity and passion inspired by sports presents a great opportunity to expand your brand and reach new potential clients. Though there are certainly pitfalls to avoid as well—no one wants to drive leads away by backing the wrong team at the wrong time—the world of sports is certainly fertile ground for a lot of great interactions.
Here are three ways to leverage sports for your business:
Join or Start a Fantasy Sports League
Though this might be intimidating for some of the less sports-oriented folks out there, given all the stats that power fantasy games, but depending on the league, even the most casual fan can blend in and enjoy being involved. As many states consider legalizing certain kinds of sports betting, fantasy is likely to grow in the near future. Many leagues are organized locally and hold regular viewing parties at local bars or restaurants, and participants interact broadly through message boards or social media groups leaving plenty of time to make connections.
Research Local Sports ‘Heroes’
Most communities have a baseball player that made it to the big leagues, a soccer player who joined a major club, a record-holding state champion or a trail-blazing coach. Finding out who these folks are can open up myriad opportunities for a real estate business. Perhaps that person would be willing to offer an endorsement or participate in some other kind of marketing. At the very least, you can use social media or other means to highlight that person’s accomplishments, history or ongoing career to add local authenticity to your brand.
Create a Survey, Challenge or Prediction Around Sports
Besides ever-popular Super Bowl celebrations, there are almost always exciting sporting events or trends that will get the attention of people in your community. If a local team has a big game, you can use social media to ask followers to show support through selfies, lawn decorations or other means. Kick off a season by starting a small giveaway for a correct prediction for games or leagues—something that can be maintained for months. A challenge—maybe involving two rival leagues, schools or teams—could also generate plenty of attention. This challenge could range from raising money for a charity to trickshots or dances posted to social media.
Jesse Williams is RISMedia’s associate online editor. Email him your real estate news ideas to jwilliams@rismedia.com.
