Who is following your program? And just as important, where & when do they view your program? In today’s world of talk radio, blogging and instant analysis, your brand can be interpreted in many ways by many people. Effectively building brand awareness has never been more vital to the success of a collegiate athletic program.
One of the most important media to build your brand is the Internet. As a recent study from the L.A. Times shows, computer time has tripled in the last 10 years amongst teenagers. How is your program positioned to capitalize on this trend?
Every school provides its programs with a website to display game stories, statistics, etc., so what makes you different from your competitor? What are you doing online to generate that “it” factor? Creating a recruiting website geared specifically for prospective-student athletes is a cost-effective and responsive way to connect with your target audience. The following features are just some of the possibilities you will have outside the boundaries of your school’s templated website, staffing issues & other limiting factors:
- Video Highlights/Recruiting Tape
- Audio Highlights/Music
- Virtual Tours of your stadium & facilities
- Downloadable desktop wallpaper, screen savers, etc.
- Build an alumni contact database to help enhance fundraising
Any coach looking for the newest way to gain an edge in recruiting talented teenagers can find it in the online realm. Creating a multimedia presence with music, animated graphics, video and other effects can instantly “connect” you with the newest generation of high school student-athletes.
Having your own website can offer an additional distribution channel for camp information, team updates, etc., but it can have the biggest impact on recruiting.
To get a feel for how Early Commit has benefited a number of programs, please read the testimonials from our clients or read this letter from one recruit’s parents on how a Facilities Showcase Virtual Tour produced by Early Commit helped the family make their college decision.
