Now that you have set up your team’s store on Squad Locker and chosen your inventory of gear and spirit wear, you want to get the word out. Before you go live, though, double-check to be sure you’ve include all the inventory your players and supporters might need and want, including those all-important uniforms! Boy, is everyone going to be excited when they find out how easy you’ve made it for them to shop for uniforms as well as customized apparel and accessories!
Tell Your Universe
Every type of store advertises their presence and their wares, and you should, too. This doesn’t mean you can merely send an initial email out to players, parents, coaching and other staff with the link to your store and then call it a day. That’s just your Grand Opening salvo – an announcement to all interested parties that your store now exists.
Exciting as this news may be, one-and-done never works in marketing. You have to keep reminding people about your store and why they should visit it:
- 1. Prominently (and permanently) promote on your team’s website
Add a button visitors can click to shop at your store. Or, use the special store widget created for you in your dashboard! Making it easy to shop is the first step toward assuring engagement. - 2. Add to your Newsletter
If your team has a newsletter, always include a little blurb about the store with a link: “Shop TeamXYZ for all your gear at teamlocker.squadlocker.com/#/lockers/product-team-swag”. - 3. Make banners for events
Print up a banner with the same short message to promote your store at team events. - 4. Use social media
Focus on Facebook, Instagram, whatever platforms your players and supporters use most frequently to post about your store. Encourage your team to share your posts, too! Invite everyone to post photos of themselves wearing their latest purchase with a special team hashtag. - 5. Update your store regularly
Send special announcements whenever you add a new item to your store. Include a brief description, especially noting special features. For example, is this a hoodie that could be personalized on the back or the sleeve? - 6. Step up store reminder efforts at key times
When it’s time to order new uniforms for the season it may be helpful to set up a reminder, for example. Keep sending timely reminders to your team as deadlines to order near. Thanks to your store dashboard, you can easily see who has ordered and who has not in time for the big event. - 7. Make a team gift guide
Remind everyone that decorated team apparel and gear always go over well as a gift. Even the person who has “everything” never has enough of their favorite team’s branded stuff. The big year-end holidays are obvious, but what prospective valentine wouldn’t rather have a toasty, stylish team-decorated jacket instead of a dozen roses that wilt within days? Every occasion is a good time to promote your store! - 8. Include your store link - in everything.
Make sure you include a link to the store in your digital marketing (social media, emails, etc.). Always. - 9. Use your store for fundraising
Because it is so easy for folks to access your store, apparel-based fundraising is easy to offer and manage, too. By linking fundraising with your team’s branded gear, you reinforce loyalty while rewarding the donor’s support with something they really want. A fundraising project can also be a great way to introduce your store and decorated apparel to team fans who might not otherwise know about it. - 10. Talk it up!
When you’re around team members and other parents. Remind them how easy it to use the store. And remind them that if they have a question or run into a snag, there is always someone available to help, 24/7.
And by the way, if you are a school or business instead of a sports team, you can easily adapt these ideas to boost engagement with your SquadLocker store.
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