Good food, the thrill of competition, and an evening with friends – who doesn’t love a game on the ice? Hockey season is arguably one of the biggest of the year, and one of the markers to a successful game before it even starts is a full house – after all, there’s nothing that gets a team going quite like a stadium full of their fans!
But with hockey game after hockey game happening, how are you going to get people to come to yours? That’s where the magic of sports marketing comes in! All it takes is some dedicated promotion, and your hockey game will be on its way to becoming the hottest – or coldest (yes, pun intended) – of the year.
So, here’s how you can market your 2023 hockey game in 4 easy steps:
Invest in some Posters
If the town’s who you want at your hockey game, then a poster – or two – is what you have to give them! The complete marketing tool, posters are known for their ability to command attention while effectively communicating a message, and they’re the perfect choice for advertising your hockey game.
Not only are posters easy to carry and keep, but their mix of visuals and text makes them appealing to varied audiences, helping drive up your marketing efforts. And as for the actual design, there’s only one place to turn to – PosterMyWall, of course, and their range of sports poster templates.
Simply select a design that stands out, edit it to match your requirements, and voila! There’s your poster ready. All that’s left to do now is to distribute both physical and digital copies and sit back as the audience fills in on game day!
Get Featured on Sporting Blogs
Blogs might be old, but they’re certainly still an integral part of marketing. In fact, you’d be surprised at how many people check in on their favorite blogs weekly, staying up to date with their latest posts and taking the platform as an official source for information on the subject.
Sports blogs, for instance, are known for their dedicated followings – and getting your upcoming hockey game featured on such sites will do wonders for your attendance numbers. Not only will it add authenticity and official backing to your big game, but it will also open up your blog to a much wider audience.
Simply shortlist some potential blogs, reach out to their representatives to secure a feature, and get started on preparing your content – and your extra game day seats!
Dive into Influencing
While a relatively new addition to the marketing mix, influencers are not to be taken lightly. In the short time that they’ve been around, influencers have shown time and time again the power that they hold in determining consumer decisions and setting trends across regions, which is why they’re the perfect choice for promoting your hockey game.
Start by shortlisting some profiles that both have a local following and are relevant to your game – after all, there are slim chances of finding potential hockey game audience members via the followers of a beauty influencer based five states over. The best way to find sports influencers is to head onto your favorite hockey teams’ pages and take a look at their paid collaborations – you’ll find the best influencers there and as a bonus, you’ll also be able to see how well their content is performing! You can also replicate the same practice with sporting equipment stores, gyms, and even community centers.
With your choices made, it’s now time for you to negotiate a partnership. Make sure that the terms decided are mutually beneficial – you can agree on feed posts, stories, and even live sessions in exchange for monetary compensation, free game tickets, and a commission percentage on all sales made through their platform. Once the wheels are turning, your audience numbers will keep growing!
Partner with a Charity
While the choice may seem unlikely, charity organizations are actually a great pick when it comes to promoting your hockey game. Simply pick a charity, announce them as your official partner, advertise that a portion of ticket sales will be donated to said organization, ask the charity to advertise the same on their platforms and to their audiences, and there you have it – a successfully promoted hockey game that just secured itself a ton of more ticket sales!
Well, almost – charity partnerships are a bit different from regular partnerships. Since charities have a welfare image to maintain, they’re more concerned about the values and practices of the companies that they’re collaborating with. For instance, your chosen charity may require you to act in an environmentally friendly way while also providing volunteer opportunities for its members. So, whichever charity organization you choose to partner with, you’ll have to ensure you meet their standards!
Yes, it really is that simple. And the best part is that it doesn’t require you to expand on your resources since the standing of the charity will act as a pull factor in and of itself.
So, if you’re looking to promote your hockey game in 2023 then these experienced tips and tricks are just what you need. Be sure to make some adjustments according to your game, and you’ll be good to go!
