Does your soccer club, team or town have a brand? Chances are, you haven’t given much thought to the concept. Most soccer coaches, team managers and volunteers are overly busy people, juggling numerous tasks and concerns. Strategizing about branding might not exactly top their to-do lists. Luckily, you can read this guide for steps and best practices you can implement for building a brand.

1. Why Brand Matters:
Best Practices from Korrio

2. Why Brand Matters
Does your soccer club, team or town have a or combination of these elements). Brand also
brand? personifies company or product philosophy,
situating it in relation to its key constituencies –
Chances are, you haven’t given much thought to customers, staff, partners, investors and the wider
the concept. Most soccer coaches, team managers community.
and volunteers are overly busy people, juggling
numerous tasks and concerns. Strategizing about USYS is just one organization that’s recently
branding might not exactly top their to-do lists. embraced branding and marketing. President David
Out of 55 state-level U.S. Youth Soccer (USYS) Messersmith reports it’s been an overwhelmingly
organizations nationwide, for instance, only four positive move, taking the national organization
states have dedicated individuals assigned to to a higher level of professionalism. “Our core
marketing. business is and always has been to serve our state
associations in the business of administering and
But this is a missed opportunity. Building a developing youth soccer in their respective states,”
successful and reputable soccer organization is he said. “This initiative is the end of one era and the
about more than wins and losses on the field. The beginning of another. Two years ago, we discussed
experts – the coaches and administrators who’ve marketing; last year we funded and hired a capable
grown leagues from grassroots community clubs to marketing staff; now we have funded a marketing
large regional organizations – know there’s more to initiative to enhance and promote existing programs
it. They know that branding and marketing are key while building brand awareness and increasing
elements in any successful club’s game plan. sponsorship revenue at all levels into the future.”
So what exactly is a brand? All clubs want to improve and grow through
increased membership, community support and
Interpreting the American Marketing Association’s financial resources. A well-crafted brand is a
definition, brand is the personality that identifies powerful tool that can help accomplish ambitious
a product, service or company and differentiates organizational goals. Goals such as building a new
it from the goods of other sellers (as expressed turf field or a concessions stand at your facility. A
through a name, term, sign, symbol, design brand tells the larger community who you are and

3. Brand is the personality that identifies a product, service
or company and differentiates it from the goods of other
sellers (as expressed through a name, term, sign, symbol,
design or combination of these elements). Brand also
personifies company or product philosophy, situating it
in relation to its key constituencies – customers, staff,
partners, investors and the wider community.
helps attract like-minded members and supporters These activities are important for branding the
to your organization. Competition amongst youth organization and creating awareness. Experience
organizations for in-town field space is a growing shows a well-built brand can help organizations
concern. Losing members to emerging clubs is recruit the best players, coaches and volunteers,
another challenge. Branding can be the powerful lead successful fundraising campaigns, build
first step towards securing membership and community and elevate the level of play. In the end,
community visibility. all of those attributes create a richer and more
positive experience for our valuable youth players.
There are a number of best practices and strategies
soccer organizations and clubs can implement to
build a winning team off the field, as well as on.

4. You Represent Your
Community
Creating a brand for your club, town or team is an the process as if you were developing a product
exciting, creative proposition. It’s a chance to tell and identifying customers. Start by thinking
your story to the world. An opportunity to define who through your mission and values. Brainstorm on
you are and what you believe in and then run with your marketing, communications and financial
it. Whether you’re a competitive, premier club or a objectives and suss out what sets you apart from
family-oriented recreational club, your organization any competitors. Are you a highly competitive
can benefit from a strong brand. A brand builds club or recreational? Focused on education and
trust, it’s a commitment internally and externally skills or committed to winning? Known for your
to a unique identity and set of principles. And it’s commitment to social service, strong parent
expressed through every facet of your organization – involvement, teaching or stellar sportsmanship?
from your logo design to your staff. What strengths do you want to emphasize?
As Washington Premier Football Club President Identify your top three goals and then relentlessly
Jeff Harper sees it, “Brand is what conveys your align your actions with these aims. Every action
club identity. Washington Premier teams play at item or plan should be assessed through this prism:
the highest competitive level of soccer. We’re is it on message? On brand? Don’t allow your team
about excellence in everything we do – from player to get distracted with efforts and ideas that are not
development to community service.” in-line with your core organizational goals.
Brand gives your product – in this case, your soccer Once you know who you are, you should create
club or team – “definition and personality,” says a Brand Guide to get everyone on your team
former Microsoft CFO and Nike and Korrio Board – coaches, managers, parent volunteers, even
Member John Connors. “Every aspect of branding players – on the same page. Your message must
is important to telling a concise message to a broad be consistent, from the top down. Everyone must
audience. There is a magic chemistry that occurs tell the same story.
when brand aligns with a superior product.”
What’s in your Brand Guide? This is a marketing
Creating a brand is easier than you think; it simply toolbox that contains – at the basic level – the
requires self-knowledge, thought and some following: a logo design, design and font choices,
strategic work. It is helpful in this regard to think your colors, your mission statement and your
of your organization as a business, and approach “Elevator Speech,” the 15-second explanation

5. everyone in your club will give when asked what The pride and self-respect that players – and by
your organization is about. Your guide should also extension, their families – draw from being part of
contain your “Boilerplate,” a few paragraphs of a tight, well-branded organization is immeasurable;
official language that explain your organization it elevates the whole game. Everyone’s mindsets
succinctly. This statement may appear in the About expand from the play on the field, to the strategy
Us section of your website and should be included off the field. Everyone feels part of something larger
at the bottom of all public documents, such as and that feeling of belonging encourages stronger
press releases and partnership proposals. commitment. Player, family and staff relationships
grow through dedication to shared ideals and goals,
Creating a Brand Guide is a process that your and the experience becomes more rewarding for
entire leadership team should participate in; everyone involved.
there should be consensus, so everyone delivers
the agreed-upon message with passion and
commitment. Everyone on your team should
champion your brand.
What’s in Your Brand Guide?
Your brand is also expressed through your team’s Logo design
appearance, from the coaches to the players.
Assess your uniforms, bags, coach jerseys and even
Colors
balls to present a cohesive, neat and professional Font choices
look. Premier teams plan every detail, down to their
socks. The more thought you give to every element
Tagline
of your presentation, the more effectively you’ll Mission statement
communicate your brand. Ideally, if you’re successful
Elevator speech
in your branding campaign, your colors and logo will
become widely recognized in your community. In this Boilerplate
arena, a little bit of branding goes a long way. You
Website
can look like a million dollars for a small cash outlay.
It’s more about thought, planning, organization and Communication outline
consistency than the size of your budget.

6. Your Reputation Matters
Once you identify who you are and plan how at every level. Does your current reputation help
you’re going to communicate your message, you draw coaches, players and volunteers?
take a step back and assess your reputation in
the community. Reputations can be intangible, in People talk, especially in smaller communities.
terms of how they are formed, but they are very Teams with reputations for dirty tactics and poor
real and they shape who your organization attracts sportsmanship will not attract upstanding players,
and the expectations of your players and their families and staff.
parents. Building strong characteristics on and off
the field is also key to developing young soccer Think about your reputation and whether it
players into good citizens. accurately reflects your brand. If you’re not sure
how you’re perceived, ask your players’ parents or
Take another run through your self-assessment; other knowledgeable people in your community for
how are you perceived by your community and an honest assessment. Your reputation is crucial
target members? Is your club fun or competitive? for developing and maintaining the integrity of your
Perceived as affordable or expensive? Well- brand. Is your reputation where it needs to be? Or
organized or low-tech? Characterized by good does it need some work?
sportsmanship? Are you known for sending players
on to higher levels of play? How are your coaches
perceived? They are key to your brand. Your
referees are also crucial. Are they reputed to be fair,
knowledgeable and professional?
Have you had any negative incidents, and if so
– how did you handle them? Are you trying to
rebuild your reputation or improve a reputation
that has been damaged? If so, you need to think
strategically about how the message you’ve
created – through your Brand Guide – can help
you re-establish a positive reputation in your
community. The quality of your reputation is crucial,
because it will shape who your organization attracts

7. Families Are Your
Customers
Next, look at your membership numbers. Are you an unwieldy process that requires parents to sign
growing? Do you have to spend aggressively to up in-person or mail forms, you could be driving
market your club through advertising or does your less-committed parents and players away. This is
brand naturally draw people to you? Obviously, the where automation can be extremely useful. Most
latter is preferable. A good brand sells itself and people are now accustomed to doing business
savvy marketers know that word-of-mouth is more online; many even expect that option and are
powerful than any paid advertising. frustrated and suspicious when they can’t. Online
sports automation platforms, such as Korrio, can
Now that you’ve really thought through your brand provide a user-friendly one-stop home for all club
– your message, goals and reputation – you can business, including registration and payments. And
assess whether you’re attracting members. And are we all know busy parents love anything that makes
they “your kind of people?” When you know who their lives easier and allows them to complete
you are, you know what kind of players you’d ideally cumbersome tasks more quickly. So take a look at
like to attract. Broadcasting your message to the your system. Do you need an upgrade?
community will ensure that you reach and attract
your preferred player demographic – whether it’s Remember, too, that retaining loyal members is
highly-competitive or fun-loving. as important as bringing in new ones. It does no
good to bring new members into your organization
Again, make sure people can find you easily online, if current members are leaving in equal measure.
with a well-designed and current website. Anyone Look at your numbers. What’s the big picture? A lot
who hears good things about your club should of effort is spent on building young athletes, but the
be able to Google you and have your site up in reality is that by the U-10 or U-11 level, kids start to
a few easy clicks. A solid website makes your drop out. As the play becomes more competitive,
organization look professional, something people less skilled or committed players might leave. What
want to be part of. can your club offer players and families who are on-
the-fence? A strong, community-building brand can
At this point, you should also consider your be a powerful motivator to stay involved.
registration process and whether it discourages or
encourages new members. If you’re hanging on to

8. Brand is what conveys your club identity.
Washington Premier teams play at the highest
competitive level of soccer. We’re about excellence
in everything we do – from player development to
community service.
Washington Premier Football Club President Jeff Harper
It doesn’t take much to make families feel valued, Your club should look for ways to support the entire
it’s the little things. Coaches and managers should child, recognizing their lives outside soccer. There’s an
communicate with parents, drawing them into opportunity here to influence the entire family and parents
the organization. Updates, notes and even little are swayed positively by organizations that support their
gestures like recognizing players’ birthdays or children and promote their overall well-being. And loyal,
reaching out to siblings can make families feel supportive parents can make or break your organization.
plugged in and cared for. With the technology we
all have readily available these days – texts, emails,
cell phones and team websites – it’s easier than
ever to stay connected and communicate with
players and parents.

9. More Money, More
Resources
A solid brand also helps you raise more money on How to do Basic Media Relations
a number of levels, as everyone is more excited to Assign a staffer or volunteer to media outreach
support an organization that appears professional, Obtain parents’ permission to use players’
tight and goal-oriented. Parents are more likely to sign photos (all players should have a signed photo
their kids up for – and pay the necessary fees to –
release form on file)
teams and clubs that offer the most value.
Make a list of local newspapers and websites
that publish community photos and news
Likewise, local businesses are eager to support
Call the news organizations to find out who
clubs and teams with solid reputations. A well-
designed website with room to plug your sponsors handles photo submissions, calendar and
is a big plus, as is finding ways to include your event listings and news items (these may be
sponsors in branding or media opportunities. Think different people)
about the value proposition you present to local Assign a parent or volunteer to shoot high-
businesses that support your club and make sure resolution photos at games and events
you are communicating your message to potential Email photos to identified news contacts, along
supporters. If you are a nonprofit, make sure your with captions that include full player names,
community knows about your status. This will help ages, hometowns and event details (date,
you elicit donations from fans, parents and even place, name of the event, etc.)
charitable organizations; remind all donors that Follow-up to make sure photos are received
you’re a tax write-off. Assign staffers or parent volunteers the task
of writing press releases, calendar listings,
Creating and conveying a strong brand has served
event and registration announcements and
Washington Premier Football Club in very tangible
news items
ways, reports President Jeff Harper. “WPFC had
Email written releases and announcements
been able to attract sponsors because our brand
attributes of excellence, fun and service align with to identified contacts at local newspapers
our sponsor aspirations,” he said. “We’re passionate and websites
about what we do and put a lot of energy into If you have a larger story – a player feature
marketing our program.” or extraordinary news – propose it to local
newspaper and web reporters via short,
concise email “pitch” letters

10. Every aspect of branding is important to telling a concise
message to a broad audience. There is a magic chemistry that
occurs when brand aligns with a superior product.
Nike and Korrio Board Member John Connors
Recruiting the Best
A strong brand is a powerful recruitment tool, generously-donated time. They often work 25-plus
helping you attract the best players and coaches. hours per week in community soccer organizations,
Again, if you’re known for highly-skilled, competitive so honor their time and make that commitment
play, those players will be drawn to your club. count. These are influential individuals – volunteer
Likewise, quality coaches will gravitate towards coaches, for instance – who wield vast power on the
clubs and teams they know will support their field. The quality of your coaching will literally dictate
philosophies and strategies. whether your young players enjoy the sport. And
the lessons they learn in youth soccer – positive or
Whether working to attract the best paid coaches negative – can last a lifetime.
for your premier-level club or recruiting the
most committed and caring volunteers for your From a pragmatic standpoint, again, a strong brand
recreational club, your brand should bring “your will also help you raise more money. So if you’re
people” to you. If you’re having trouble recruiting looking to recruit sought-after paid coaches, you’ll
the staff you want – paid or volunteer – ask have additional resources to do so.
yourself why such people would want to join your
organization. Then make sure you’re telling that
story to your community and professional and
personal networks.
Excited, inspired leaders attract people who want
to work together on shared goals – enthusiastic,
hard-working people who want to join quality teams
with excellent reputations and efficient organization.
They want to be part of something reputable, strong
and growing. You can attract the right staff and
volunteers by creating buzz and convincing them
you have a solid game plan. Organize and mobilize
them according to their interests and expertise.
Volunteers are looking for fulfilling experiences with
well-run organizations that make good use of their

11. Visibility Breeds
Respect
Does your community know you exist? Do you be reckoned with and that affiliating with you
enjoy the support you need to thrive and build? could bring them positive recognition. It creates
Make sure you’re using the local media to help team and community pride, showing local youth
communicate your message to people outside doing something positive and fun. (A major
your direct circle of players and families. While the complaint often voiced about the media is that not
words “media plan” might sound intimidating, it’s enough good news is featured.) And it provides
not hard to fire up an ongoing media effort. It’s just your players and their families with invaluable
a matter of finding out who at your local daily or recognition – newspaper clippings they’ll keep for
weekly newspapers and websites handle photos a lifetime. These are all outcomes worth investing
and news items, and then submitting material to a little extra staff or volunteer time in.
them on a regular basis.
Your website is also an invaluable tool for
This is an excellent task for an ambitious parent spreading your message – it can’t be stressed
volunteer. To get started, all that’s needed is enough. It is your face to the world. If you don’t
someone to take high-resolution photos at games have a website already, create one. A strong online
and events and then email them to local papers presence is imperative for brand identity in this
with “caption” information, which includes the day and age. Your “customers” – players and their
full names and ages of all players – along with families – will expect this of you. And if you don’t
the town they live in – and details about the deliver, they might conclude your organization is
game (the who, what, when and where factoids not professional, up-to-date and together. Your
that all news items must include). You can also website is where your players and parents will look
send press releases with news about your team, for real-time information and updates on a number
calendar listings and announcements regarding of topics, so it must be easy to administer and
registration and events to your local newspapers update. You don’t want maintaining your site to be
and news websites. an unwieldy chore. Look for current web hosting
technology with user-friendly and intuitive tools for
This might seem like extra work, but it easy editing and updating.
accomplishes important goals. It raises your
profile in the community, showing donors and Last, but not least – communicate, communicate,
local businesses that you’re an organization to communicate. Make sure everyone is aware of

12. The most important component of brand is the Customer Experience.
Working hand in glove with your customers will create a truly
differentiated and remarkable experience for coaches, players and fans
to build your unique brand.
Former Nike, Reebok, Starbucks leader and Korrio Advisor, Martin Coles
your success and progress. Strive to make your What’s on a Well-Branded Website?
entire organization feel connected and part of a
larger soccer community, geared towards making Your logo and colors
children successful on the field and at home. Events calendar
“The most important component of brand is the Contact information
Customer Experience. Working hand in glove with Registration and season timeframes
your customers will create a truly differentiated
and remarkable experience for coaches, players
Information on how to register
and fans to build your unique brand,” says former Photo gallery
Nike, Reebok, Starbucks leader and Korrio
Information on volunteer and sponsorship
Advisor, Martin Coles.
opportunities
Remember, building, maintaining and growing
News updates
a successful soccer organization or club is a
perpetual effort. Establishing a strong brand can Boilerplate (About Us)
help ease some of these challenges. Know too,
Mission statement
that you don’t need to take all of these steps at
once. Pick a few ideas to strengthen your brand – Coaching staff bios
say, writing a mission statement, designing a logo Sponsor recognition
or improving your website – and start there. You
can continue to build on your brand as you have Coaching tips
the time and resources. Policies
And don’t fear failure. If something doesn’t work,
move on and try something else. Turn it around
BRAND WORKSHOPS
quickly and recover, just like you’d coach your
Yet another way we are redefining youth sports automation.
players to do on the field. Korrio members have access to free brand workshops.
Contact Kristina today to learn more -- kristina@korrio.com
Kristina O’Connell, Korrio VP of Marketing
Kristina has 20+ years driving global brand
recognition & marketing strategy.
more sport | less hassle 1943 1st Avenue, South Seattle, WA 98134 www.korrio.com
info@korrio.com