(Tip 7) Ambassador Athlete
It’s easy to think that you are first and foremost representing yourself and your brand.
To an extent that’s true but remember you’re also an ambassador of your club/team, your nation, your sport and your sponsors. We’ve all seen athletes post ill-advised things that have been less than ambassadorial and resulted in among other things, embarrassment, loss of funding, punishment, suspension and even general public backlash.
(Tip 8) Professional help? Social Media Managers
So you’ve got the followers but now you need to keep them interested and engaged.
You want to build your own personal brand but aren’t sure what the best way to go about it is. Fear not, talented athlete, for there are people that can help with that. Social media managers are professionals that understand branding in social media. They’ll be able to provide you with their know-how and advice on how to achieve your social media goals.
(Tip 9) Be Active
If you’re going to take part in social media, actually take part!
Fans want to hear from you but if you seldom post it will appear like you aren’t interested in interacting with your followers/subscribers and they’ll in turn lose interest in you. The idea is to promote, to reach out, to share with as many people as possible but that can only be done if you’re actually active.
(Tip 10) Have Fun!
It seems unbelievably trite but it’s stunningly true. Have fun and enjoy yourself on social media.
I know it seems like there are a lot of do’s and don’ts and talk about branding, sponsorship, being an ambassador… It’s all part of being a 21st century athlete but it shouldn’t be a chore.
It should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. The personal connections you can develop with your fans can inspire them in their daily lives and the effects can be lifelong. They can also inspire you as you inspire them, with messages of support and the sharing of sporting and sometimes personal highs and lows with each other.
