Zac joins John and Nik, along with special guest interrogator Andy ,to discuss his work in North Carolina soccer, and in particular his efforts with Mountains To Sea FC.
This episode features an interview with Larry and Jacob Amon, who are launching a new club in the Maryland-Delaware region. They discuss their personal soccer backgrounds, the challenges of establishing a club in a less populated area with limited existing opportunities, and their strategies for securing funding, finding a venue, and building a strong community presence. The conversation also touches upon the importance of fan engagement and creating a unique and appealing club experience beyond just the games themselves.
As ever, thanks to Fanbase for their support
This podcast features an interview with Dan Carl, director of the DKCU Academy and coach of our successful women's soccer team. Carl discusses his coaching philosophy, which emphasizes building team chemistry and a positive environment to reduce pressure, and foster player development and growth. He also describes the academy's structure, its connection to the adult team, and the pathway it provides for young players. The conversation touches upon challenges in transitioning youth players to college and adult levels, Carl's long career in soccer, and his pride in player development.
Check out FanBase
AnswerIn this episode of the Build It podcast, host John Hall welcomes Shannon Bohn, the Media and Community Relations Coordinator for Orthodontic Experts. They delve into the organization's mission of community engagement and educational outreach, which has been pivotal in their growth from one clinic to 26 across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana over the past 12 years.Shannon shares insights into how Orthodontic Experts differentiates itself through fun and engaging educational programs aimed at all ages, addressing common misconceptions about oral hygiene and orthodontics. She discusses their unique partnerships with local organizations, including a recent initiative to support a homeless shelter by donating essential health supplies.The conversation also explores the importance of having a clear mission in guiding decision-making and community involvement. Shannon emphasizes the shift in focus from merely increasing brand visibility to fostering meaningful connections within communities. Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on how effective outreach can create lasting impacts and enhance community relationships in any organization. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on making a difference through dedicated service and education!
In this episode, hosts Nik Myles and John Hall discuss the past season's performance of their soccer club, DKCU, and share their plans for the upcoming year. They cover topics like the men's and women's team results, the impact of relegation, fan engagement efforts, and the club's growth strategy moving forward. The hosts reflect on DKCU's journey so far and outline their key priorities and approaches for the future.
The podcast discusses building value for long-term success through emotional connections, market research, and branding. Dave, John and Nik decode pricing strategies and fan reactions, optimizing ticket prices for events. Insights on enhancing ticket value perception and strategies for season ticket sales are also explored, along with casual banter and a soccer club startup advertisement.
3 Takeaways
•Understanding customer value is crucial for effective pricing strategies.
•Enhancing customer experience through unique offerings can improve value perception.
•Market research and tailored pricing strategies are essential to meet audience preferences.
Deep Dives
Valuing the Product and Establishing Pricing Strategy
The podcast discussion delves into the importance of accurately assessing the value of a product or service in order to establish an effective pricing strategy. It emphasizes that value perception can be influenced by both tangible and intangible factors, such as the emotional experience offered to customers. By focusing on understanding what customers find valuable and engaging in dialogue with them, businesses can tailor their pricing and offerings to meet consumer preferences.
Enhancing Customer Experience and Perceived Value
The podcast highlights the significance of enhancing customer experience to increase perceived value, especially in the context of a soccer club. It suggests innovative approaches, like offering exclusive experiences or benefits alongside ticket purchases, to add value for customers. By providing unique and memorable experiences, clubs can differentiate themselves, build stronger relationships with fans, and attract more supporters.
Differentiation in Pricing and Adding Experiential Value
The discussion underscores the importance of differentiation in pricing strategies to maximize perceived value. By offering tiered pricing structures or special incentives for early purchases, businesses can create a sense of exclusivity and increase appeal. Additionally, incorporating experiential elements, like unique events or collaborations, can further enhance the value proposition for customers.
Understanding Market Dynamics and Unique Audience Preferences
The podcast emphasizes the need to understand market dynamics and tailor pricing and offerings to specific audience preferences. It highlights the diverse nature of audience segments and how unique demographics may require different pricing approaches. By conducting market research and engaging with customers, organizations can adapt their strategies to align with market needs and enhance overall value perception.
Building Sustainable Business Models and Community Engagement
The discussion touches on the significance of building sustainable business models while fostering community engagement. It stresses the importance of long-term sustainability, which may involve evaluating pricing structures and revenue sources. By actively engaging with the community, understanding local dynamics, and offering value-driven experiences, businesses can create a lasting impact and establish strong relationships with their audience.
Sarah Levinger, a Consumer Behavior Strategist, discusses the power of perspective and long-term brand building, the importance of connections and attentional bias, the psychology of marketing and branding, understanding generational differences in marketing, and expanding the market and creating a different experience. She might also be a lunatic, in the most wonderful way.
Big shout out to our special guest co-host on this episode, Ashely.
Key Takeaways
Zach Fisher joined us to talk about Year 2 with AFC Colombia, their merger with Missouri Reign, and the Midwest Premier League's announcement of intention to move toward a tiered structure
https://midwestpl.com/2030-plan-the-mwpl-announces-new-league-vision/
Join Nik & John in conversation with Chicago soccer stalwart and pioneer of walking soccer, George Gorecki. The gents talk through George's time with his club, as part of Chicago's storied National Soccer League, and the merger with the Metropolitan Soccer League, before diving into the exciting world of walking soccer. You'll get the history, the growth, and the possibilities, all in one hour!
Find George and his friends here
In this episode, hosts Nik and John are joined by special guest Jimmie Martin, host of the Bluegrass Soccercast podcast.
The three dive into the Kentucky soccer scene, discussing the pro, semi-pro, amateur, and college teams in the state. Jimmie provides an overview of the different leagues and clubs, including Louisville City FC, Lexington Sporting Club, and Bowling Green FC.
They compare the fan experiences, stadium environments, and community outreach efforts of the various teams. Jimmie highlights some of the standout marketing and promotions he's seen local clubs implement.
The hosts also explore the connections (or lack thereof) between the pro clubs, colleges, youth clubs, and local semi-pro sides. They debate how to best promote the "pyramid" and grow the game in communities through cross-promotion.
On the podcasting side, they dissect how to build an audience, monetize through sponsorships, and balance club-specific vs. wider soccer coverage. Jimmie outlines his production schedule and social media strategy for the Bluegrass Soccercast.
Check out the Bluegrass Soccer Show when you're done.
And if you like what we're doing (why wouldn't you?) buy us a coffee.
In this episode, we speak with Brad Seymour, President of the Windy City Bulls, the G League affiliate of the Chicago Bulls. Brad shares his insights on running a successful minor league basketball franchise, including how they approach ticket sales, promotions, partnerships, and creating a great fan experience.
Key topics discussed:
We feel like there is much to be learned from Brad's time in minor league sports, and you'll gain useful insights into engaging fans, corporate partners, and the local community. Tune in to hear Brad's minor league sports wisdom!
Founder and managing director of Harpost Football Club, Johnny Freeston is our guest today as we discuss the club's history and its success. We touch on the challenges of running the club daily and the secret sources for its success. Freeston, who has led the club to over a dozen trophies and championships, emphasizes the club's goal of fostering community and providing opportunities for players to develop. Then we discuss the importance of culture and advice for non-league soccer clubs in making an impact on the pitch and beyond.
John and Nik catch up after the season ends, talking about the highlights from this past year. The club had record fundraising, killer attendance, and some big wins against rival clubs when they were the home team. But they struggled to keep that energy going for away games.
They talk about how they really need to actively invite and pump people up to come out each week, rather than just assuming fans will show up on their own. The corporate parties and group outings were a hit.
Looking ahead, they want to focus more on community impact through new volunteer committees. John is putting together an operations manual to capture all their institutional knowledge.
Nik discusses the positives on the marketing side, like pivoting to fun, community-focused messaging. He wants to improve targeting different platforms and audiences. They need more high-quality creative content.
They debate how to turn casual fans into passionate supporters who bleed club colors. Getting the next generation hyped, like the academy kids, is crucial.
Overall the club keeps growing and building sustainability, but there's still a ton of work to become integral to the local community.
The only way you stand out is to be different.
In this edition of the Build It podcast, Bruce Bodie joins us discuss Bruce’s impressive background as a soccer player, referee, and event producer. Bruce is the co-founder of the Illinois Referee Alliance, an organization dedicated to supporting and training referees in the state. The hosts also dive into Bruce’s new role as the Executive Director with the United States Adult Soccer Association and the work he is doing to support adult soccer players across the country. The conversation also discussed several issues that the US Adult Soccer Association (USASA) faced at their annual meeting.
Javi Bautista was a college soccer player at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa. During his sophomore year, he realized that coaching was going to be what he wanted to do full-time. Nik and John welcomed him to the Buildit Podcast to discuss his brand, presentation, and why he chose to focus on certain things.
Javi explained that he has been passionate about soccer ever since he can remember and has been fortunate enough to play college soccer. He is now pursuing a career in coaching. Javi discussed his experiences of playing for Detroit City FC in 2015 and 2016. He was part of the very first group to be offered housing by the club and was lucky enough to spend a couple of seasons with them. After completing his masters degree, Javi returned to Detroit to help start the youth program and assist with the men's team. In 2019, he was asked to become the full time assistant coach of Detroit City FC, a role he held until 2022 when he moved over to the Michigan Hawks. In 2021, he won the Midwest Premier League Conference championship with Detroit City FC's under 23s in their first season.
In this conversation, Javi discusses his experiences coaching and working with the Midwest Premier League. He was the assistant for the first team, and then they decided to do a U 23 team in the Midwest Premier League. When the club announced they were going into the USL, they ended up just doing the USL Academy instead. Javi also talks about his time on the MWPL disciplinary committee that first season, helping with how the league operates. He enjoyed the experience of coaching, but also thought it would be beneficial to get involved in something on an unpaid basis.
With his friend George Chomikoff he had the idea of starting their own soccer team in Michigan. They had the knowledge of the game and the landscape needed to do it, but due to their busy schedules they never had the time or resources to do it until the move to the Michigan Hawks and had more free time. With their combined experience, they decided it was possible and began the process of building their team from the ground up. Despite the difficulty of the task, they remained determined to make it happen and were confident that, with their knowledge and experience, they could make their dream a reality.
Jonathan Rednour is the President and CEO of Crescent City Football Club and Vice President of operations for the Gulf Coast Premier League. He talks about his passion for soccer and how he got into promoting and developing the sport in the greater New Orleans area. He and John discussed the challenges they face in their local regions, and both agreed that grassroots level clubs are the best way to start building a strong foundation in the community. They highlighted the importance of investing in local clubs, emphasizing the need for strong foundations in order for clubs to be sustainable in the long-term.
John, and Nik speak with Joe about their preparations for the upcoming soccer season, discussing their progress and plans to create an amazing experience for players and fans alike. Nik, the marketing team leader, has been busy generating interest in the club through Twitter, podcasts, and photo shoots, and emphasizes the importance of community involvement. With 19 players returning and local kids in the pipeline, the coaches and technical staff at Dekalb County United are excited about the team's roster coming together. Nik and John also discuss the possibility of utilizing interns over the course of the season, encouraging anyone interested to reach out.
The energy is high and excitement is building as they look forward to the start of the season in May.