It is the time of year most Club Directors dislike. You must position your club against other clubs and make a case for why an athlete should choose your club over all the others that are in your area. You may not have a degree in sales, but you're now competing with other clubs in the junior volleyball industry, and therefore you need to speak the sales language.
Not only are you competing with the other volleyball clubs, but other sports and activities that are also attracting your target market.
Have you identified your Target Market? Don't say "everyone" because that is not a target.
You need to determine specific Segments and Sub-Segments of the Population. Depending on the size of your Potential Market, it is usually important to determine what Subsegment of the market you want to appeal to.
These factors can help you determine your Subsegment of the Market:
Notice I did not use the word "Sell" once. But make no mistake, with each you take or don't take, you are selling or not selling. If you just say: "We are great, come join us," you are likely going to be very unhappy with the results.
Retaining players from last year requires a different approach than selling to the new players. Your club's retention rate should be about 80%. You will never make everyone happy. Some just assume the grass is greener, and will try another club and return to yours the following season. It's important that your club tackle "the issues" that may cause players/parents to consider other clubs to try to avoid this from happening too often.
Retention rates are going to vary by location and density of the volleyball market. Engaging players from last season through off season youth coaching opportunities, in-house fitness/strength training classes, and honoring their high school achievements on social media or in newsletters will increase the sense of communtiy and connection the players have towards your club.
Make the dialog interactive with parents. Take questions as you go. Have visual aids to support your story and your sell. You've got this.
The JVA is an association of Junior Club Directors and Coaches who are dedicated to all facets of junior volleyball and have a desire to offer the best programming possible to their members. We are the leaders and forward thinkers in Junior Volleyball Programs and we are a voice for junior clubs. Our number one goal is to help club programs and events thrive.