Every man and his dog have started a soccer school. Everybody, from the neighbor next door to ex-football players and everyone in between.
Once a lucrative and booming market, the soccer school market is now saturated.
This is a natural progression, however, when there’s such a high-profile game that the children can’t play.
For footy crazy parents and kids, the solution is to receive professional and structured tuition from soccer schools like yours.
Many parents view soccer schools as a SPBO quick fix to help their child get into the Academy, ‘live their dream’, or be recommended by one of their coaches.
Some soccer schools fall for this trick and make it seem like they are the only way to ensure that their children’s success.
This tactic is dangerous and not satisfying and has caused a lot of problems for parents and coaches. These promises were not kept and there have been court cases.
Soccer camps and schools face more than just good business sense.
Falling birth rates will soon catch up, which means that there will be fewer clients and less competition for the same customers.
Is there another way?
There is a better way to provide a great learning experience to your clients than to make improbable promises about ‘we will make you the best’ or ‘we’ll get you into that’s academy’.
It is, and it has been a huge success for those soccer schools and academies who use this approach. It’s not hard to see why some of these soccer schools have been around for over 30 years and established a global presence. They also grow a sustainable business year after year.
These smart organisations understand that the easiest way to increase revenue is to capture the imagination and excitement their customers, and to provide an extraordinary learning experience.
Who will your customers choose next year for their soccer and holiday camps?
They’ll pick the organization that offered the most memorable, innovative, exciting, and fun soccer sessions.
Repeat custom is the best marketing spend per pound, and it will give you the highest return on your investment.
It’s expensive to chase new clients. This is because of the marketing efforts and resources needed to convince them to join your organization.
It is more economical, cost-effective and profitable to harness the loyalty of loyal customers. This is a simple concept that works in every industry.
How can you harness the power of repeat custom?
Captivating the imagination of your target audience is key. You can do this by using innovative training tools that add a dynamic and flexible edge to your activities. This is how the ‘BIG” soccer schools do it.
Your future revenue is lost if your child becomes disinterested or bored during your sessions. To ensure the highest ROI (return on investment), any training tool should be adaptable to different age groups, abilities, and skill levels.
It is important to make training tools fun and innovative, and not alienate anyone. You should include inclusion in your strategy, using something like Every Child Matters.
Without extensive training, coaches should be able and willing to use any new equipment.
Equipment should be accompanied by session plans, learning outcomes, and coaching ideas. This will allow coaches to instantly see their creativity and be able to apply it immediately.
This will not only reduce start-up times and increase the fun factor but it will also ensure that you get the most out of any equipment, thereby providing your clients with the unique learning experience they desire.
Because they offer a positive and memorable experience for customers, innovative training tools can be a great way to increase repeat business.
You can also offer your clients the training tools that you used in your training. This not only increases the cost of your clients’ training, but also increases the value of the learning experience they have with your company.
Loyalty and value perception in your brand will increase if the tools you offer are also authentic learning experiences for your customers at home.
This will not only result in repeat business but also open up the possibility of referrals and recommendations. These opportunities are untapped and can provide the best ROI. Your marketing spend per customer is significantly reduced, which will result in higher profits.
Get More from Your Suppliers
Ask suppliers of innovative equipment if they have an affiliate program.
This allows you to buy stock to fulfill your clients’ orders immediately. I believe this is the best option, as you can strike while the iron is hot.
You can also offer drop shipping services where customers place orders through you and your supplier fulfills the order.
It is essential to be able to directly deal with the manufacturer. This cuts out the middleman, allowing you to increase your profit margin.
Where can you find innovative training tools and more information?
This is becoming increasingly difficult each year. Large corporate manufacturers are primarily focused on fashion and style, with little to no innovation or substance.
A few small companies are able to create and improve the performance of their users’ soccer skills, which is driving innovation in the industry.
Positioning
Your success and longevity will depend on how well you present yourself. Your clients will be able to count on you to provide them with creative, inclusive and fun learning experiences that are both engaging and informative.
Focusing on your customers’ needs now will give you a strong platform to build on year after year. This will allow your business to leave a lasting legacy that lasts beyond 30 years.
Because you provide what your customers want, repeat business will help you survive in this highly competitive market. It is an exciting and fun learning experience that leaves lasting positive memories.
This is the type of business sense that will get you through the tough times and set you apart from the rest.
These strategies and tactics are secretly kept by the “BIG” soccer schools, up until now.
Do not wait for your competition to grab advantage. Be the leader of your field, not the follower. We both know that leaders get the lion’s share.
Since 1995, Imtiaz Jamil is involved in soccer youth development. The Targetizer, which offers free coaching advice for parents, coaches and players is a very successful business.
The Targetizer also created the 3-in-1 dynamic training system for target shooting for players. This helps increase shooting accuracy and gives you more goals!