Communication is one of the key processes in sports clubs and having tools to improve it and make it effective is vital. But no tool works by itself. It is important that the communication is procedural.
It may seem that “that only applies to professional clubs” or that “we are too small and we manage well”. Nothing is further from reality. Many hours are lost in communication; more specifically, in communication management.
Sending messages to each team, answering the questions of parents, insisting that people respond to a query or verifying that everyone has read a notice are the daily bread in each club.
For this, an effective solution is the writing of a communication manual . Something as simple as a document that explains how each communication is carried out, which channel is used and who is responsible.
For example: Every Monday morning, the coach will remember the training and competition schedules in the WhatsApp group. Every time a query is made, a thread will be opened on Facebook for people to answer and athletes, parents, etc. will be communicated in the WhatsApp group.
2- WORK THE DIGITAL CHANNELS
It is clear that the digital world will never be able to supply everything that communication in person brings and even more so in the sports world. However, it would be unconscious to ignore the benefits it provides such as flexibility, immediacy and comfort.
Face-to-face and digital channels are not exclusive and both must be worked on. More than 90% of the Spanish population uses WhatsApp daily . On the other hand, social networks such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter continue to increase their popularity and use in all age groups.
For certain issues, it is convenient to replace phone calls and meetings with these solutions, as they save time and leave a record of what has been said.
In order to reach the very young as well as parents, digital channels are very important. Every sports club should work on them in order to achieve an improvement in the service offered to all members.
3- TAKE ACTION AGAINST PEOPLE WHO BREACH THE RULES
In the first point we commented on the importance of a communication manual. It explains how communication should be done. However, we must also talk about how to manage situations where the rules are not met .
Communication is not unilateral, but rather the process involves clubs, directors, coaches, athletes, fathers, mothers, partners … And each of them must comply with a series of rules.
WhatsApp, for example, is a double-edged sword. It allows you to send messages quickly and speed up communication. In contrast, people are used to using it in their day-to-day lives and have a series of habits that are difficult to change. No matter how clear the rules are, it is likely that there are people who do not finish assimilating them and “skip them” from time to time. No one said running a club was easy.
The process should be as follows: First, the rules are explained to members or their parents and they are educated to follow them. When someone does not comply with them, you must always notify them first, but when someone continues to violate them repeatedly, action must be taken . Remove him from the group, block contact … or any other type of measure that is deemed convenient.
4- MEASURE AND IMPROVE
As with everything, what is not measured cannot be improved. Measure the time it takes you to communicate something. Measure how many people respond. It measures how many messages must be answered privately. It measures how many people do not find out about a message. Measure, measure, measure.
Maybe you are investing many hours and effort in making something that has an easy and cheap solution. What happens is that you are not always fully aware. The data is a stark reflection of reality. Partner with them, analyze them and optimize your club’s communication.
5- USE SPECIFIC TOOLS FOR YOUR CLUB COMMUNICATION
Use specific tools to improve communication with your club members. Communication in clubs is effective, but it is not effective. A lot of time is wasted in management and there are several processes that can be optimized. Try Esportter and you will see how all those tasks that you do not average until today can be measured and streamlined to achieve spectacular time savings!
