Communications and Marketing for Clubs: What Actually Works
Table of contents
You Are Not a Marketing Department
You are a volunteer with a phone and 30 minutes between dinner and bedtime. Your club does not need a brand strategy. It needs three things: a regular newsletter, consistent social media, and event promotion that removes friction.
The Monthly Newsletter
One email per month. What happened since the last one. What is coming up. One or two member highlights. One call to action — register for the next event, renew your membership, nominate for the committee.
Send it on the same day each month. First Monday. Second Wednesday. Whatever. Consistency trains members to expect it.
Keep it short. Five minutes to read. If people want more detail, link to the full article, the event page, or the relevant section of your website.
TidyHQ handles the newsletter send. Segment by group if you want — juniors get different content from seniors. Track open rates. If they are below 20%, your subject lines need work.
Social Media Without Losing Your Life
Pick one platform. The one where your members actually are. For most clubs, that is Facebook. For younger demographics, Instagram. For sports teams, possibly Spond or WhatsApp.
Post 2-3 times per week. Match results. Event photos. Member milestones. Behind-the-scenes moments. The canteen special. It does not need to be polished. It needs to be real and consistent.
Do not try to be on every platform. One platform done well beats four platforms done badly.
Event Promotion
The event announcement needs three things: what it is, when it is, and a link to register. That is it. Not a 500-word essay. Not a video trailer. A clear message with a registration link.
Promote in the newsletter. Promote on social media. Send a reminder to members who have not registered. Personal invitation to the people you really want there.
The Channel Strategy
Email for: newsletters, detailed updates, formal notices, invoices. High information density. Low urgency.
SMS for: reminders, urgent notices, last-minute changes. Low information density. High urgency.
Social media for: community building, results, photos, casual engagement. Public-facing. Visual.
Website for: new visitors who Google your club name. How to join. Contact details. Next event.
Each channel has a job. Use them for what they do best.
Measuring What Matters
Track three things quarterly:
- Newsletter open rate (target: 30%+)
- Social media followers and engagement (growing or flat?)
- Event registrations from digital promotion (how many people converted?)
If the numbers are flat or declining, change one thing at a time. Better subject lines. Different posting times. More personal invitations. Test and iterate.
The Reality
Club marketing is not glamorous. It is consistent execution of simple things. The club that sends a monthly newsletter, posts on social media twice a week, and promotes events with frictionless registration will outperform the club with a beautiful website and no communication rhythm.
Consistency beats creativity in volunteer-run organisations.
Don't miss these
Membership Management 101
Break down your organisation into seven distinct components and set yourself up for successfully managing your membership organisation.
Pre-Season Checklist: Everything Your Club Needs Before Round 1
The pre-season scramble is predictable. Use this checklist to get everything done before the first game, not during it.
How to Choose the Right Community Organisation Software
Choosing the right community organisation software is key for managing members, events, and finances efficiently.