Club Management Course part 2 - Module Marketing and Event Management

Additions to Part 1

I want to begin with some additions to the Communication and Leadership section. I held my first general meeting as head of the table tennis department just yesterday. During the preparation, I took many tips from the instructor and the participants to heart, which led to a surprisingly relaxed meeting.

I would like to address two aspects. First, I spoke with potential candidates for the positions for election in advance and obtained their confirmation that they would accept the vote. This allowed me to avoid the awkward silence during the meeting when asked, "Who is taking responsibility for position X?" And the votes were taken quickly. This left more time for reports and mutual exchange. Second, I arranged a small token of appreciation for the remarkable achievements of the volunteers and presented it with a fitting address. Even though I was repeatedly assured afterwards that this wasn't necessary, I believe such appreciation is essential and that such a warm shower is good for them.

The training and the exchange with the other course participants prepared me excellently, which allowed me to remain calm in this new position. This way I could focus on how to do even better in the coming year and not have to worry about something going wrong or being uncomfortable.

It will be similar at the next event or marketing campaign with the knowledge gained in the modules I present now.

Insights on Marketing

• A long-term strategy also plays a central role in clubs. Operational measures or results cannot be derived or assessed without this strategy.
• Especially in a club environment, the following applies: "Today's behaviour is tomorrow's standard." If I want to interact with others in a certain way, I must model this in my communication. And if there are deviations, as a leader, I must seek dialogue.
• Special care and caution are required when using images. On the one hand, data protection plays a role → Am I allowed to publish the photo for the club on social media? On the other hand, as a photographer, I have to pay attention to the sponsors. → Are the brands on the banners visible and not obscured by participants?

Furthermore, it is relevant for images that the content conveyed supports the message and, for example, shows what sport it is, which club is involved, and whether the sponsor is visible.

Ultimately, it has become clear that what applies to the private sector also applies to clubs. Marketing doesn't just happen, by the way. It is a structured strategic process that requires monitoring its effectiveness at the end and must be carried out conscientiously.

Insights on Event Management

• When managing events in a club, we have the enormous advantage of relying on volunteers. The associated savings are huge. Organizers must be aware of this and appreciate it!
• When a sponsor is sought and found for an event, they don't necessarily realize that, on average, their investment will incur 1.5 times the additional costs during the preparation phase. This means that a sponsorship of €10,000 results in €15,000 in preparation costs for the sponsor. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, this must be clarified in advance.
• Regardless of the event's design, special attention must be paid to the awards ceremony. Ultimately, it is a sporting event with some form of competition, and the awards ceremony is the central part. A plan is needed for this (music, photos, schedule, etc.).
• If food or drinks are offered during the event, it is advisable to establish a donation instead of a sale. For one thing, there's no sales tax. And in general, the donation leads to increased revenue.

We also did group work on various topics, such as security concepts or noise protection, so we gained a comprehensive understanding. It became clear that larger events (more than 100 participants) aren't something you can manage casually. Even for smaller events, putting together a good team is essential to creating a successful event.

Conclusion

In this module, the fundamentals were taught by the excellent instructor Thore Hansen (LinkedIn). Thanks to his extensive experience in the field, he enriched the training with many personal accounts. This makes the content extremely tangible, and its relevance to my club's work is evident. I'm already looking forward to applying the knowledge I've gained to the next event—the club's internal club championship. And last time, I ignored the awards ceremony. That won't happen again.

Next up is the law module, which is split between two instructors and two separate weekends. It won't resume until June. I'll report on what I can learn from this dry subject.